Oh winter – how you make it difficult.  Short days, cold weather, drab skies, and though rare this winter, piles of old snow.  The Chinese medicine calendar long ago understood the challenges this season poses and says that in deep winter it’s time to hunker down and relax.  The Danish, I've more recently come to learn, even have a special word for this — hygge — that many have come to embrace.  But it’s the rare New Yorker who can unplug, curl up and re-emerge when those first daffodils surface.

So, how to cope? Since I’ve spent nearly every winter of my life in New York, I’ve gotten it down to a science.  Here’s what works for me:

Sleep: 8 hours is a great goal.  If you have the chance on weekends, stay in bed later than usual and read, relax, rest. 

Eat: eat well, especially cooked foods, and on a regular schedule.   A planned, moderate food plan with regularly scheduled meals is key to preserving energy. Try following my mantra – if it’s food, eat it . . .if it has a bar code, skip it.

Move:  this one can be tricky.  I’m much less likely to run or hop on a bike before or after work when it’s dark and cold outside, and I’m really not a gym person.  So I try to mix up my routine and involve a friend who can help me stay on track.  If I say I’m going to be there, I am much less likely to hit snooze.  

In those rare moments when you get sunlight, movement and good company, take it.  A perfect winter walk is a very special thing 

Winter is finite, and a great time to recharge the batteries.  Take full advantage.  Spring is around the corner (46 days at the time of this writing)! But who’s counting?

The first question an acupuncturist often gets is “does acupuncture work for treating ____________?”

In her 16+ years of clinical experience, Margaret never tires of this question and is delighted to generally answer "yes."

Back when Jimmy Carter was president, the World Health Organization compiled a list of nearly fifty diseases that were likely to be responsive to acupuncture.  Thirty years and countless clinical trials later, the WHO nearly doubled this list.