What can Carnival season teach us about Chinese Medicine?
The Yin and Yang of Mardi Gras
On the surface, Carnival season is a time for revelry and excess, yet if we look closely, it has something deeper to teach us! Balance. In order to appreciate the highest of highs, we often need to deal with the lows as well.
The joyful chance meetings on the parade route are met after inconvenient traffic delays... pure joy in getting that coveted throw might not be possible without spilling a drink... indulging one day might mean the next is spent recovering.
Everything is defined by its opposite-- a common idea in Chinese Medicine. What do we mean by that? Let's look into the Yin and Yang of Mardi Gras.
We need a balance of YIN AND YANG in order to stay healthy and to have the energy to enjoy Carnival season (and life in general!).
YIN encompasses quiet time, rest, and nourishing fluids that we tend to use up when we're dancing, drinking more coffee and alcohol than usual, and staying out late. Replenishing our yin is much easier said than done when most of Carnival season is full of YANG activity which is that fiery energy that keeps us up late dancing to marching bands, pushing through fatigue and "refueling" our bodies with sugary treats, and being entranced by the beautiful spectacle of it all without a lot of time spent recharging.
When Yin and Yang become out of balance, that's when we get sick. It could show up differently for all of us-- a severe cold, a digestive or skin issue flare up, maybe weeks of insomnia, headaches, or depression. While Carnival can certainly be a fun time, it can also be taxing to the body and mind if we don't take care to replenish the reserves that we spend.
Whether you're totally in the Mardi Gras spirit this year or sitting this one out, we hope you spend the season finding a good balance of whatever brings you joy, beauty, AND rest.
"Life is a tapestry made of highs and lows, each thread adding to the beauty of our individual story."
- Shree Shambav
What Herbal Formulas do you recommend?
Ease Digestion Formula
Golden Flower Herbs makes our go-to formula when it comes to easing bloat, indigestion, and hangover symptoms. It has saved us countless times on the parade route, after eating too much King Cake, and after late nights that got away from us. Available in pill form in clinic! Email us to purchase your own Mardi Gras bottle.
Digest Tincture, Made by Hidden Root Acupuncturist, Sarah
Another formula for easing tummy troubles, but in tincture form! Purchase in clinic or have it shipped. More info at Sarah's herbal website here!
Can Acupuncture help my post-Mardi Gras blues, too?
If you're needing some support, acupuncture (and a nap) is just what the doctor ordered pre- or post-Mardi Gras Day.
Just like herbs, acupuncture can help relieve a wide variety of issues, be it digestive upset, a bad cold you caught after days of little sleep, or depression when all of the revelry is all said and done.
Make an appointment today to learn more about how we might be able to help in clinic and let us know if you have any questions!