Sponsored by
Bloom Flower Farm
Bloom is a small flower farm in Northeast Iowa run by Jen Opheim and family. At Bloom, we love to watch things grow and to be creative. It all begins with a vision. Maybe you want fresh locally grown flowers for your DIY wedding bouquets. Maybe you want to promote your business with a petite posy giveaway. Or maybe you have a flower friend who would love a unique gift of blooms through our seasonal CSA. Whatever your flower needs are, we’re happy to help. Let’s create something beautiful together!
Chinese Medicine Tips for Winter Wellness
Sponsored by
Bloom Flower Farm
Bloom is a small flower farm in Northeast Iowa run by Jen Opheim and family. At Bloom, we love to watch things grow and to be creative. It all begins with a vision. Maybe you want fresh locally grown flowers for your DIY wedding bouquets. Maybe you want to promote your business with a petite posy giveaway. Or maybe you have a flower friend who would love a unique gift of blooms through our seasonal CSA. Whatever your flower needs are, we’re happy to help. Let’s create something beautiful together!
Gabi Masek, licensed acupuncturist and diplomate of Oriental Medicine* at Wildcrafted Acupuncture and Herbs in Decorah, Iowa, was kind enough to make a list of ideas and tips for fostering wellness in the winter.
1. Wear a Scarf
Wear a scarf to protect and warm your “wind gate” (this is the area just below your occiput and top of neck). Remember to keep your feet warm too!
2. Ditch the Ice!
Ditch the ice! This goes for cold foods, too. It’s especially important if you tend to run cold, have digestive weaknesses or issues, menstrual cramps or irregularities, or low energy / vitality.
3. Enjoy More Warm Foods
Enjoy more brothy soups & stews with spleen- and kidney-nourishing foods like: sweet potatoes, squash, beets, barley, farro, bone broth, ginger, and dark leafy greens.
4. Slow Down
Give yourself the permission to SLOW DOWN. Winter is the time to rebuild our resources, to be nourished – a time to slow down and conserve for the coming spring. It’s the ideal time to invite in rest, to not push as hard and to engage in gentle movement, inside and out.
5. Sleep Like the Sun
Go to bed earlier and wake up later, as your schedule allows! Allowing our rhythms to sync with nature’s is such a wonderful way to support our wellness, and shifts naturally with each season to maximize sun exposure and enjoy outdoor activities!
*Ed Note: When I asked Gabi how to write her credentials, here’s what she said: “I have a Masters in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (MAc.OM) from Seattle Institute of East Asian Medicine and am a Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac) in the state of Iowa as well as a nationally board certified Diplomate of Oriental Medicine (Dipl.OM) through the NCCAOM (National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine). So it ends up being: Gabi Masek, L.Ac, Dipl.OM, when I’m official!”
