25/05/2015
Socks and Sandals and Keeping a Cool Head
After more than 20 years in England I am still amazed to see how much bare flesh appears as soon as the sun comes out. A bright sunny day in May has everyone digging out their shorts and sandals, taking a trip to the garden centre and cleaning off the BBQ. But the evening temperatures are still cool enough for me to be lighting our wood burner!
A lot of fatigue and lethargy can be attributed to the body getting unnecessarily cold. In Oriental medicine exposure to cold causes the body’s systems to slow down and lose energy. The heart has to work harder to boost your circulation and you get tired more easily. Overindulgence in cold drinks and ice cream can have a similar effect from the inside, cooling you down and causing the digestive system to slow down.
The ideal state in Japan is considered to be “zukan sokunetsu”, which translates roughly as “cool head, warm feet”. If your body is cold it lowers your resistance and makes you more susceptible to “catching cold”, and you are likely to shiver, get stiff shoulders and neck and feel feverish. Emotional upset can also increase your heart rate and make you literally ‘hot-headed’, resulting in headache, insomnia and the inability to switch off.
The best quick fix for cold feet is to take a hot bath (wet heat penetrates the body more effectively than dry heat) and practising calming breathing techniques such as meditation and yoga can help keep your body in balance. Ultimately, however, listening to your body and avoiding getting cold – even if the socks and sandal look makes your family groan with embarrassment - is one the simplest and most effective things you can do to maintain your health.
