Have you ever noticed how nature and animals instinctively slow down in winter, resting without guilt or resistance? And have you noticed how you probably do not? We tend to live out of sync with the natural rhythm of Nature, and it is definitely working against us.

Welcome to Quantum Waves of Wellness. I’m your host, Dr. Paula Apro—Doctor of Natural Medicine, holistic health mentor, and your guide to unlocking the healing power within. Today, I want to talk about why it’s important to rest in the winter, and how ancient Chinese medicine teaches us why doing so is essential for preserving energy, vitality, and long-term health.

In the Five Element theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Kidneys are associated with the Water element and the season of winter. Water is the most yin of all the elements, which means it’s still, deep, and inward. Just as nature slows down in winter, we too are meant to conserve our energy, turn inward, and nourish ourselves. Now this can be a challenge for me, but I’m slowly learning.

In energy medicine school, I learned how Kidney energy is known as the wellspring of life. Basically, it’s your energy bank account for your entire life. Now, you only get so much in a lifetime, and you don’t want to make too many withdrawals. When we’re young, we don’t need to make withdrawals. In fact, small children and puppies need to burn off some of this extra energy every day.

However, those energy reserves start to dry up as we get older, and it starts to becomes very important to conserve that precious energy. Since winter is the natural time for rest and renewal, it’s the perfect time for us to follow nature’s lead to hunker down and embrace stillness, warmth, and simplicity.

During winter’s restorative phase, we should:

* Rest more

* Stay warm

* Eat nourishing foods

I personally find it more difficult to get up out of bed during the winter when it’s still dark outside. I used to let this bother me. I would feel ‘lazy’ and unmotivated, which is so out of character for me. But now I’m older and wiser, and I realize that my reluctance to getting out of bed when it’s still dark is totally natural.

I’ve learned in my older age to be more gentle with myself. My body knows what it’s doing, and I need to just trust that. I always have plenty of energy to spring out of bed when the sun is rising, but when my energy is not so springy, it’s perfectly OK to listen to my body. It knows best.

Living in accordance with the seasons is key to preserving our vitality, and Kidney qi is the most important commodity for longevity.

And why is that? Because as we age, the signs of declining Kidney Qi become more apparent with graying hair, brittle bones, decreased libido, fatigue, poor memory, and slower recovery from illness.

The Root of All Organs

The Kidney is considered the foundation of all other organs. It stores our “original energy,” which fuels the body like a battery. Ancient doctors called it “the root of all twelve meridians and the source of breathing.” And, the Kidneys are not just about physical health—they also play a key role in willpower and memory.

Strong Kidney energy leads to a sharp mind, quick reflexes, and strong determination.

If you have abundant Kidney energy, you are likely to be:

* Mentally sharp with good memory and logical thinking.

* Emotionally stable and resilient in tough situations.

* Energetic and proactive with strong problem-solving skills.

On the other hand, if your Kidney energy is weak, you may struggle with:

* Forgetfulness and poor concentration, easily losing track of thoughts.

* Lack of motivation, feeling sluggish, and indifferent.

* Slow reactions and low energy, moving and thinking at a slower pace.

Now let’s talk about how emotions play into all of this. According to classical Chinese medicine, each organ is associated with a particular emotion. For the Kidneys, it is fear—especially unconscious fear. This isn’t just the fear of spiders or public speaking, but the deep, often buried anxiety of survival, death, and the unknown. If this kind of fear becomes excessive, chronic, or paralyzing, it will deplete your vital Kidney energy.

When Kidney Qi is strong, you will feel grounded, centered, and resilient with the courage to face change and uncertainty.

But when Kidney Qi is deficient, fear can become overwhelming and you may experience:

* Trouble making decisions

* Avoidance of challenges

* Anxiety rooted in the unknown

* Fear of aging, decline, or death

If you had to guess, where would you rate your Kidney Energy?

Here’s something I bet you didn’t know. It came as a surprise to me when I learned it in school. Kidney energy is directly connected to our ears. I’m still not completely sure how or why that it is, but it just is.

This means that when Kidney Qi is abundant, hearing is sharp. And if it’s weak, you may experience ringing in the ears, also known as tinnitus (which seems to be getting more and more common), hearing loss, or even deafness—which is why many elderly people have reduced hearing due to declining Kidney Qi. When your overall energy drains, there goes your hearing. I find that so interesting.

Kidney energy also plays a crucial role in bone health, tooth strength, and hair vitality.

* This energy produces our bone marrow, which nourishes the bones and makes them strong. Weak Kidney energy can lead to conditions like osteoporosis, delayed growth in children, and brittle bones in the elderly.

* Since teeth are considered the “extension of bones,” weak Kidney energy may result in loose or decaying teeth.

* And this last one, I recently just learned . . . Kidney energy determines hair growth and color. Thick, dark, and healthy hair is a sign of strong Kidney energy, while early graying or hair loss may indicate Kidney energy deficiency.

This is why traditional Chinese medicine sees premature graying or hair thinning in young people as a sign of weak Kidney Qi.

If you’re experiencing hair loss, it might be time to nourish your Kidney energy!

As you can see, there are so many different physical connections to weak Kidney energy. It might be hard for somebody only familiar with Western Medicine to view problems in metabolism, reproduction, hormone regulation, bone health, memory, hearing, and even the ability to cope with life’s challenges as a subtle energy problem.

But believe me when I tell you, everything goes back to the very root of life itself - subtle energy! The most overlooked thing in medicine is the most crucial element of good health.

The more you understand Chinese Medicine and subtle energy, the more you may realize why you’re not feeling your best. And this is why I’m so excited about my new Waves of Wellness Sound Healing program. Imagine being able to regulate and balance your subtle energy throughout the year effortlessly and extremely affordably.

Members of this program have been enjoying daily sound healing frequency treatments throughout the month of January, right at home, to help boost their Kidney energy. And they will continue to receive very specific frequencies targeted to just what the body needs throughout the year to balance energy according to Traditional Chinese Medicine.

If you’re interested in learning more about this program, please visit quantum-dr.com or see the show notes for a direct link to subscribe.

I hope you found some of these energy tidbits useful and if you did, please consider hitting one of those subscribe buttons and sharing with a friend. Thanks for listening.

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