SEASONAL ACUPUNCTURE - PREVENTATIVE MEDICINE HEROINE!
Nov 12, 2024
Chinese medicine has always been first and foremost a preventative medicine. Although in more recent years, as it’s become part of western culture it’s been adopted as a treatment to solve health issues rather than a preventative medicine.
Back in the day, around 2600BC, ancient texts explained
“Superior doctors prevent disease. Mediocre doctors treat the disease before it is evident. Inferior doctors treat the full-blown disease.”
So first and foremost, the advise is to live well and this can be done in a number of ways including having Acupuncture at the change of season to help our minds and bodies keep up to speed with the energy of what’s happening in the natural world around us.
How Did They Prevent Disease
A combination of models were used to support wellness.
First off, the idea of ‘Yang Sheng’ the 9 rules for nourishing life. The principles of Yang Sheng cover areas such as how, what and when to eat, the importance of exercise and the cultivation of the mind. Ancient texts explain that by living in line with these rules one was said to ‘live well and live long’.
Simultaneously, the Chinese medics advocated living in line with the seasons, which explains why seasonal acupuncture is so important
Seasonal Living
When you take care of yourself in one season, it helps you live well in the next. So how can we take care of ourselves in each season?
It’s common advice these days to eat seasonally as well as locally for the good health of the planet and us. That’s just one of the strands of living seasonally.
Eating nutritious food, grown in the season supplies us with the right nutrients for the time of the year. So warming root vegetables in winter and cooling watermelons to hydrate us in Summer. In Chinese medicine each season and it’s correlating organ and energy are associated with specific colours.
The colour that resonates in each season is the colour of the food we’re recommended to eat for wellbeing. The colour of food in winter is black, summer red, autumn white and spring is green. That’s a very simplistic explanation of the advice but it can help to up your intake of the colour in the right season.
The real key to living seasonally is to observe what’s happening in nature and view it as a reflection of what’s happening inside us and live accordingly. I like to use the analogy of a tree to really get this point across.
Seasons and Trees
In Spring the shoots of leaves begin to emerge on the branches. You can literally see the green of the shoots and leaves grow along and up the branches. This is the energy of Spring, moving upwards. It takes a lot of nutrients to do this. We flourish best in Spring when Winter has stored energy well.
In Summer the energy is up and out, it’s expansive. This is the time when the tree is in full bloom, exuding abundance. Providing for everyone.
Come Autumn, the energy of the tree is beginning to dwindle and come inwards It releases it’s leaves to conserve its energy and to release nourishment back to the earth to feed the roots.
Winter makes use of the nourishment from the leaves in the earth and stores the energy to help the tree survive through til Spring when the sun is stronger, and growth can begin again.
The Seasons In Our Bodies
The same goes for us. In Winter this is the time to conserve energy, the days are shorter and we’re less inclined to go outside. This is living in line with the seasons. By contrast in Summer the air is warm, the days are longer, and we feel a natural urge to be outside.
The body likes warmth, so being outside for long periods in the cold of winter (inappropriately dressed) is detrimental to our health. Likewise, too hot and the body shuts down.
You may find that certain health imbalances arise at different times of the year, particularly around the change in season. For example, in Autumn people often get colds as their bodies fail to adjust to the change in temperature, become out of balance and more susceptible to being ill.
Seasonal Treatment
Chinese medicine, particularly acupuncture is great for helping the body to adjust and move through the seasonal transitions more easefully. It can be approached in several ways, but the simplest is to use seasonal points during the period of transition.
In Spring the energy of the liver is rising, so Acupuncturists use points to smooth the flow of liver qi to support the movement in your energy. Like a seedling bursting through the soil, it can take a lot of energy and support with Acupuncture can be a big relief.
In Summer the heart expands, and points are selected to renew and calm the energy of this fire organ to help it expand with ease. Autumn is a time of contraction; Lung points are selected to help energy come back down and in and in Winter Acupuncture helps to consolidate and store kidney energy.
Stay Well During Seasonal Change
Supporting the change of energy at the change of each season can really make a difference to how your mind and body adapt as the seasons roll through. I recommend seasonal treatment to all my patients to support the transition.
It’s also helpful to tell your Acupuncturist about your favourite season and the season you find it hardest to move towards. Maybe you’re a huge fan of winter or can’t stand spring – this information will support your diagnosis.
Remember too that sometimes we’re not in tune with ourselves as much as maybe we think we are. That we might be under ‘stress’ (I use that term in the correct way as in stress = change) during seasonal change but we don’t realise it. The old tight shoe analogy – you don’t realise you were uncomfortable until you take it off. Trust that your acupuncturist knows and that your acupuncturist can help! Give it ago – nothing to lose!
When Are Those Dates?
The Chinese calendar talks about solar terms (fortnightly changes in energy) which are then arranged into seasons. Here is (roughly) the dates for the season change – 1 week either side is optimal for your seasonal treatment, but anytime is a good time for acupuncture!
Spring – 3rd February, Summer – 5th May, Autumn – 7th August, Winter – 7th November.
If you'd like to know more about acupuncture and how I can help you, pop me an email hello@jodarling.co.uk
About Jo Darling MBAcC Lic Acu, Founder Menopoised®
Jo Darling is an acclaimed Chinese medicine practitioner and retreat leader, with expertise in women’s natural health and the founder of Menopoised® She’s passionate about helping women transition through menopause, whether natural or medically induced and is an experienced oncology acupuncturist.
Jo’s mission is to empower women to live healthier, happier lives sharing her 15 years of clinical experience harnessing the ancient wisdom of traditional Chinese medicine. She successfully works with patients to support them with mental and physical health imbalances from hot flushes to anxiety, low mood or low energy, migraines, insomnia and much more.
Jo integrates a range of Chinese medical techniques including acupuncture, gua sha, moxibustion and offers lifestyle advice (yang sheng) to help women help themselves. She offers both in person and remote treatment incorporating the use of essential oils to activate specific acupuncture points.
Jo Darling Wellness Retreats
Jo runs Chinese medicine retreats in the UK and abroad. Rooted in the principle of the Chinese clock, (when we do the right thing at the right time 1 day can seem like 3) Jo curates your stays to make the most of the energy of the day and season. Making selfcare effortless and lasting.
Her workshops are designed to make Chinese medicine a joy to embody, teaching selfcare tools to inspire you to take care of yourself. Enjoy gentle movement practices, acupuncture treatments, wonderful food and exquisite locations.
Spanish Wellness Retreat, Andalucia 16-21st June & 22-27 September 2025
Rest, restore and revitalise in the magical mountains, waterfalls and sunshine of Andalucia, Spain.
During our time together I’ll introduce you to the theory of the ‘Chinese Clock’ which explains that each organ has peak energy at a specific time of day. I’ll show you how to harness this energy to optimise your wellbeing.
We’ll live and breathe the concept through a series of workshops, gentle movement practices and acupuncture treatments to help you take care of yourself. With lots of spare time in between to enjoy the wonderful food, sunshine, pool and caves of our magical luxury retreat. More info here.
About Bazi Health Readings With Jo
Jo offers Bazi (chinese astrology) health readings to help you to understand yourself better. Through a reading with her you can find out what aspects of your health, mental and physical need more support and find out how to harness your strengths to help you feel better.
What you’ll get from a reading:
* Empower yourself with greater self knowledge
* Understand you physical, emotional and mental potential
* Recognise and hone your strengths
* Learn how to support your health weaknesses
If you’d like to find out more about a Bazi health reading with Jo click here.
How Jo’s Cancer Patients Changed Her Life
Her work with cancer patients, helping to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormonal treatment has been life changing not just for her patients but also for her.
She noticed her cancer patients often experienced immediate and intense menopause symptoms (as a side effect of their treatment) and for some their hot flushes were so overwhelming they couldn’t even drive to her clinic. Menopausal herself and rocked by her best friend’s cancer diagnosis she decided enough was enough.
Jo says:
“I looked around for effective natural solutions, aligned with my principles and ethos that I could recommend to my patients. What I found was nothing. At least nothing that was proven to be effective that women could use at home and get the same effects as seeing an acupuncturist.
That’s when I took things into my own hands and created Menopoised®. Effective, natural, side-effect free and beautiful to boot. Because, quite frankly why shouldn’t products for menopausal women look and feel gorgeous!”
Armed with her extensive knowledge, practise-based evidence and expertise in Chinese Medicine she set about creating beautiful, effective products herself under the brand name Menopoised®.
Menopoised® Products
The Menopoised Menopause Magnet
For when your menopause is too hot to handle, helps get your cool back naturally. Each box contains four ready-to-wear magnets and 24 replacement plasters. Fast-acting, wear anytime and side effect free. Read our FAQs here.
Cool & Calm Aromatherapy Cream
This luxurious Cool and Calm cream blends pure essential oils to calm the mind, balance the hormones and cool you down when you’re feeling the heat.
When your temperature’s rising Rose Geranium supports hormonal balance and cooling Peppermint brings a breath of fresh air and clarity. Woody Frankincense instills a sense of peace whilst Lavender’s relaxing properties infuse calm. Wise and cool Clary Sage helps to calm the nerves, with an affinity for hormonal health.
Beautifully blended to nourish and restore this Cool and Calm cream harnesses the richly moisturising properties of cocoa and shea butters to help rehydrate and protect tired skin.
Jo Darling
Please Note
The information on our site is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. If you experience any discomfort while using our products, please discontinue use immediately. Do not use our products on broken skin. Please refer to the ‘sensible precautions’ outlined on our packaging and product leaflets. Contact the Menopoised Team on hello@jodarling.co.uk if you need any further advice.
