Winter Self Care: Optimize Your Thyroid Health This Winter

Working with our energy in winter is one of the most deeply nourishing practices in the Daoist tradition. The energy of all living things goes into the body’s deepest reservoirs during this time, and it is said that this cultivation of deep winter water energy provides the firm foundation for the rise of creative wood energy in the spring. The thyroid gland is said to be the Mother Gland in Chinese medicine and as such, it is intricately connected with our ability to nourish ourselves. With a special affinity to the Spleen (digestive) and Kidney (adrenal) “organ systems,” this all-important endocrine gland deserves special care in winter, when our bodies’ reservoirs of energy are at its deepest. In this workshop, we will:

1. Explore some seasonal principles of self-care according to Classical Chinese medicine
2. Learn how the Chinese five elements relate to the thyroid function
3. Discuss how lifestyle factors such as diet, clothing, emotions and appropriate exercises can serve to either boost or drain our thyroid gland
4. Learn a meditation technique/Qi Gong exercise and some Daoist practices that will allow us to optimize our thyroid function

Bio
Pamela Yap, MSTOM, LAc has been studying Chinese philosophy since 1994. She served as a docent for the China Institute from 2003-2008. After obtaining her Master of Science degree in Traditional Oriental Medicine (MSTOM) from the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in 2009, she founded Acupuncture for All Seasons in 2010, and since then has enjoyed a family health practice, working with parents and children. She has had the benefit of treating patients in various settings, from St. Vincent’s Comprehensive Cancer Center to Lincoln Hospital’s Department of Psychiatry. Pamela is certified by the National Board (NCCAOM ) in both Acupuncture and Chinese Herbology.

• What to bring
Yoga mats or back jacks will be helpful but not required.

• Important to know