(Episode 57) Mood-Boosting Foods, Practices & Essential Oils to Help When You're Feeling Down

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In this episode, we’ll be continuing the discussion of depression and how it ties into the seasons and our diet. In our last episode, (Episode 56) we discussed how a vegetarian diet can exacerbate a depressed state in the context of seasonal changes and the Five Elements in accordance with Classical Chinese Medicine. In this episode, you’ll learn how to protect and strengthen the Kidneys to improve your metabolism and reduce depression.

Preventing Symptoms of Depression by Strengthening Your Yang Qi

A diet that includes many foods that are cold in nature can suppress the body’s Yang Qi.

Yang Qi is the root of Wei Qi which can help give you a sense of stimulation in life, enhancing qualities of motivation and courage. Suppression of the Yang Qi can lead to listlessness, lack of energy and motivation, and ultimately, you can feel depressed.

Today we’re going to discuss the ways you can fortify your Yang Qi using your diet, as well as ways to improve your gut health overall, and how you can prevent some of the symptoms that come with the feeling of depression.

The Source of Yang Qi Must be Protected During the Winter

In accordance with the seasons in the Lunar Solar Calendar that we discussed in the last episode, Winter is upon us; November 7th being the onset of winter according to that calendar. During the winter, it’s imperative to protect your Kidneys as they are the foundation for all the Qi of your body and the source of Yang Qi to warm up metabolism.

The Kidneys relate to your reproductive system, adrenal glands, and hormones (including stress hormones). It’s important to be aware of your Kidney Qi and whether it might need some nurturing.

A way to check if your Kidney Qi needs a boost, especially during the onset of the cold season, is to notice if your feet are feeling especially cold. Cold hands is also an indicator, but having cold hands can be more of a reflection of poor circulation and related to the Heart and Spleen Qi.

Another way to do a self-evaluation is to notice if your lower back feels particularly stiff or if your lower back or butt feels cold. This can indicate that your Kidneys may be feeling tired – the area is tightening and circulation is decreasing as your body tries to bring energy to that area.

Cold and stiff knees are another indication that your Kidney Qi can use a boost.

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, this is a sign for you to take it easy and slow down…

Fortifying Your Kidney Qi

A great way to protect your Kidneys is to keep your lower back and lower belly warm with a hot pack, this helps to penetrate the Qi into your Kidneys. We would recommend using microwavable heat packs or hot water bottles rather than electrical heat pads.

You can also protect the lower back and butt area from being exposed to the cold by wearing a wrap around your waist to protect your Kidney’s Qi. You’ll notice a big difference in your energy.

In Yogic Tradition, there is a practice of pulling in the Mula Banda - The Root Block or the perineum, which is the area between the anus and genitalia – when that area is collapsing (which it frequently is) it creates a leakage of Qi, a leakage of your energy. Pay attention to how you hold the energy around the Sacrum, the Lumbar, and how you hold your body and your posture in the lower region. You’ll notice that if you hold your energy in more frequently throughout the day you’ll feel more energized at the end of the day.

Preventing the Taxation of the Kidney Qi

There are various factors that can tax the Kidneys and cause them to weaken, so it’s essential to be aware of your body. A lot of taxation on our physical state can be prevented with our awareness of how we move through our lives.

One factor that can cause heavy taxation on the Kidneys is long bouts of standing. Consciously breathing, and following the Yin & Yang paths (Water and Fire paths) by drawing the energy down the back into the lumbar region, then exhaling up through the front of the torso can greatly lessen the taxation on your lower back and Kidneys while grounding your energy as it goes down the front of yours legs while you exhale.

Overextending or overworking yourself, especially working late into the night is exhausting to the Kidneys. Going to bed early and rising early is what helps regenerate the Kidneys (and all cells in general). It helps preserve your Yin.

The Yin is what holds the Yang. So if the Yin is depleted, as you sleep the Yang Qi floats out and you’re likely to wake up more easily throughout the night or you may find that you have a harder time falling asleep. That’s why its important to rejuvenate and recover your Yin – but it’s not a quick or easy thing to do. It takes time and lots of rest.

This is why taking time, 5 to 15 minutes, each day to sit quietly and go into a meditative state is incredibly helpful. You’re slowing down your brain wave frequency which in turn will slow down your kidneys and adrenals, allowing your body and mind to settle, rest and recover.

Improving Your Disposition Through Your Gut

Taking the time to settle your mind will not only help your kidneys, but also your digestive health and your digestive health is directly linked to your emotional health. This means your gut is related to depression.

Within the Five Elements, the Earth element is the mother of the Metal Element and the Earth Element is made up of the spleen and stomach organ systems.

The Metal Element is made up of the Lungs and Colon, the large intestine, as well as your Skin, which is the largest organ in your body.

If you’re having trouble with your gut health, this will affect your immune system since 70% of your Immunity is produced in your gut. This will also affect your ability to produce neurotransmitters like serotonin because 90% of your serotonin is produced in your gut.

If you’re feeling down, that could be rooted in poor gut health.

Studies have shown, when transferring the healthy microbiome (or gut flora) of adventurous energetic rats to unhealthy lethargic rats, the lethargic rats became healthy and full of energy.

The other way around was just as true.

When the microbiome of unhealthy depressed rats was transferred to the active healthy rats they became lethargic, afraid and depressed. The transfer of the microbiome had an immediate and complete shift in motivation in both groups of rats.

If you are having emotional issues, mood issues, health problems or insomnia, just improve your gut microbiome!

The Earth Element and it’s Relation to Your Emotional Health

In the Five Elements system, Earth is considered the Center. In your health Earth is also your Center. So if you take better care of your Earth your going to have a better capacity for self-care because “care” is part of the Earth Element.

You’re going to have better immunity because your Wei Qi is produced by Gu Qi is a kind of energy produced in your stomach. And just a reminder that Wei Qi is the energy that externally covers your body, protecting you from the outside world and then settles into your body to help you get deep sleep.

When considering the Earth Element, we also don’t want the Earth to be too soggy – same goes for your body. Too much dampness within your body caused by sugar, processed foods, lots of cold foods will affect your Qi.

6 Ways to Start Feeling better

Please remember that these suggestions are not tailored to you and your constitution, so please seek out professional guidance before making drastic changes. You’re welcome to schedule a Nutritional Consultation with Dr. Setareh if you’d like to work with her directly.

  1. Avoid damp producing foods such as cold foods, grains, nuts, fried foods and oils.

  2. Eating more cooked leafy green vegetables like spinach, chard, mustard greens, dandelion greens.

  3. Eat more root vegetables which help assist the spleen like sweet potatoes, parsnips, rutabaga, turnips and radish.

  4. Spices can also help with breaking up the dampness. Spices like coriander, cumin and turmeric, fennel, caraway. You can also get these spices as essentials oils (diluted).

  5. Essential oils to clear the dampness are Thyme and Oregano.

  6. Flora Clear, an Ahara Botanics supplement which is a unique blend of probiotics and enzymes to reset your gut.

Interested in receiving personalized diet & nutrition support from Dr. Setareh Moafi? Click here to schedule a virtual nutritional consultation with her.

And be sure to get on the waitlist for the Yin and Yang of Nutrition online course coming in 2023! You’ll learn how to self-diagnose through tongue diagnosis and all about the energetics of food so you know exactly what’s best for your body. 

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