Over the past few weeks in our Winter Wellness Series, we’ve explored winter as a season of restoration and looked at how fear can sometimes become louder when we’re tired, stressed or depleted.
This week I’d like to talk about something we often take for granted until it starts demanding our attention — our bones.
Do you ever catch yourself making that little noise when you stand up? Perhaps your knees complain a little more when you’re walking up a hill. Maybe your lower back feels stiff after sitting for too long, or you’ve noticed more aching in your bones and joints during the colder months. If so, you’re not alone.
The ancient Chinese associated winter and the Water Element with the bones. They saw bones as much more than a physical structure. Bones were considered our foundation, the framework that supports us and allows us to move through life with strength and stability.
Most of us only think about our bones when we hear words like osteoporosis or fractures. Yet every day our bones are quietly supporting us. They carry us through work, family life, exercise, gardening, walking the dog and all the countless activities that make up our lives. Like many things in the body, healthy bones are built through small daily choices. Strong bones are not built in a day. They are built over time through nourishment, movement and giving the body the conditions it needs to thrive.
One of the simplest ways to support your bones is through nutrition. Protein, minerals and nutrient-rich foods provide the building blocks that bones need to stay strong. Bone broth is one traditional food that has been valued for generations because it contains many of the nutrients used to support bones, joints and connective tissues. Winter is also a wonderful time for nourishing meals such as soups, stews, slow-cooked dishes and warming foods that support the body from the inside out. If you’d like to learn more about foods that support healthy bones, I’ve included a video from Dr Berg below that you may find helpful. Seven Ways to Improve Bone Health
Movement is equally important. Bones respond to use. Walking, gardening, dancing, hiking, strength training and other weight-bearing activities all send a message to the body that these bones are needed and should remain strong.
The final piece is giving your body the conditions it needs to maintain healthy bones. Vitamin D plays an important role in bone health, which is one reason why getting outside during winter is still important. Even on cooler days, a walk in the sunshine or simply sitting outdoors for a few minutes can benefit both your bones and your overall wellbeing.
Relaxation matters too. When we slow down, breathe deeply and allow the body to settle, we create the conditions for healing and renewal. Winter naturally invites us to spend a little more time doing exactly that. One of my favourite ways to support this process is through a simple bone-breathing meditation. The meditation uses imagery and breath to help you connect with your bones in a completely different way. As you breathe in, you imagine light flowing into the bones, nourishing and strengthening them. As you breathe out, you release tension, heaviness and anything that no longer serves you. Many people find it leaves them feeling calmer, more grounded and more connected to their bodies.
Perhaps that’s one of the gifts hidden inside winter. Not just the opportunity to rest, but the opportunity to strengthen the foundations that support us every day. To move with a little more ease. To stand a little taller. And to feel supported from the inside out.
Here is a bone-breathing meditation, I hope you enjoy it. Bone Breathing Meditation
Continue Your Winter Wellness Journey
I hope you’ve enjoyed this article and found something useful to support your wellbeing this winter.
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Looking for a Little Extra Support?
If winter has left you feeling tired, tense or overwhelmed, you’re welcome to book a massage or hypnotherapy session. Massage can help ease muscular tension, reduce stress and leave you feeling more relaxed and comfortable in your body.
If fear, worry or anxiety have been taking up more space than you’d like, hypnotherapy can help you understand what’s driving those patterns and reconnect with a greater sense of calm, confidence and inner resourcefulness.