An Acupuncturist's Wellness Routine: Simple Ways I Take Care of Myself
As an acupuncturist at Catch a Fish Wellness in Herndon, VA, I spend a lot of time reminding my patients to take care of themselves.
But here's the funny thing: I have to remind myself, too!
Being healthy isn't about doing everything perfectly. It's about the little choices we make over and over again—how we eat, how we move, how we sleep, and even how much time we spend staring at our phones.
Traditional Chinese Medicine, or TCM, teaches us to look at the whole person. Instead of only thinking about one symptom, we think about sleep, food, movement, stress, emotions, the seasons, and our daily habits.
Here are some of the wellness habits I try to practice in my own life—and often remind my patients about, too.
Keep Your Hands and Feet Warm
One of the simplest pieces of Chinese Medicine advice is something your grandmother may have told you already:
Stay warm!
In TCM, keeping the body warm is especially important during colder weather. I try not to walk around with freezing feet, and when the temperature drops, socks become my best friend.
It sounds simple, but taking care of yourself doesn't always have to be complicated.
Food Is Medicine, Too
I love the saying "food is medicine."
That doesn't mean broccoli replaces your doctor or that one special food can cure everything.
It means the food we eat every day is one of the many ways we care for our bodies.
I try to eat a variety of vegetables, fruits, proteins, healthy fats, and nourishing whole foods. I don't expect every meal to be perfect.
It's what we do most of the time that matters.
Choose Warm, Cooked Foods
I also try to choose warm, cooked meals instead of making cold and raw foods the center of my diet, especially when the weather is cool.
In Chinese Medicine, foods aren't only thought about in terms of calories, vitamins, and protein. We also think about how a food feels in the body.
A cold smoothie might sound wonderful on a hot summer afternoon. But on a freezing winter morning? I would rather have warm oatmeal, eggs, or another cooked breakfast.
The same idea applies to big raw salads and ice-cold drinks. I don't believe everyone needs to completely avoid them, but TCM often favors warmer, cooked foods when someone feels cold or when the weather turns chilly.
Think soups, stews, roasted vegetables, cooked grains, and warm meals.
If you're trying to conceive, we go deeper into food and daily habits in Preparing the Body for Pregnancy: A Chinese Medicine Lifestyle Approach.
Eat With the Seasons
I also try to pay attention to what is happening outside.
Traditional Chinese Medicine teaches that humans are part of nature, so our routines don't necessarily need to look exactly the same in January as they do in July.
In summer, lighter and more refreshing foods may feel good.
As fall arrives, I start thinking about pears, apples, squash, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, soups, and warmer meals.
Winter is a wonderful time for slow-cooked and nourishing foods.
Then spring brings a new season and another chance to change things up.
Eating with the seasons is one simple way I try to stay connected with nature.
Movement Is Medicine
You don't have to spend two hours at the gym every day to move your body.
Walk.
Stretch.
Practice yoga.
Try tai chi.
Dance around your kitchen!
I love tai chi and yoga because they combine gentle movement with breathing and paying attention to your body.
From a Chinese Medicine point of view, we don't want to feel stuck. Gentle, regular movement is one way we encourage the body to keep moving, too.
Modern research gives us plenty of reasons to move as well. Regular physical activity supports our heart, muscles, bones, sleep, mood, and overall health.
Sometimes one of the best things you can do for yourself is simply get up and move. And if pain or stiffness is what keeps you from moving, acupuncture can help. See how we approach natural pain relief for back and neck pain.
Give Your Brain Some Quiet Time
Meditation doesn't have to mean sitting perfectly still for an hour with your mind completely empty.
It can be five quiet minutes.
It can be slow breathing.
It can be sitting outside without your phone.
It can even be quietly drinking a cup of tea and paying attention to the moment you're in.
Our brains receive information all day long. Sometimes we need to give them permission to be quiet.
Take a Walk in Nature
This one is one of my favorites.
Get outside.
Feel the sun. Look at the trees. Listen to the birds. Notice the wind. Take a walk without worrying about how many calories you're burning or how many steps your watch says you've taken.
Being outside can be good for both our bodies and our minds.
And sometimes a walk is exactly what we need after a long, stressful day.
Put Down the Phone
This one can be hard!
It's very easy to pick up your phone to check one thing and suddenly realize you've been scrolling for 45 minutes.
And doom scrolling—reading one upsetting story after another—can leave us feeling stressed, worried, angry, or overwhelmed.
I try to remind myself that I don't need to know everything happening on the internet every second of the day.
Sometimes wellness looks like putting the phone down.
The internet will still be there later.
Pay Attention to Your Emotions
Chinese Medicine has long taught that our emotional and physical well-being are connected.
That doesn't mean being sad, angry, worried, or stressed makes you sick. Emotions are normal.
We aren't supposed to be happy every minute of every day.
Instead, I try to notice when stress or emotions are becoming overwhelming and find healthy ways to work through them.
That might mean meditation, movement, talking to someone I trust, going outside, journaling, resting, or asking for professional support when I need it. Acupuncture can be part of that support, too. Read more about acupuncture for anxiety and depression.
The goal isn't to stop feeling emotions. It's learning how to feel them without letting them control every part of our day.
Protect Your Sleep
Sleep is one of the most important parts of my wellness routine.
Our bodies need time to rest.
I try to keep a regular bedtime, give myself enough time to sleep, and avoid turning bedtime into another hour of scrolling on my phone.
We often think we can "push through" being tired.
But rest isn't being lazy.
Sleep is part of taking care of yourself.
Keep Up With Your Herbal Formula
For patients who have been given a Chinese herbal formula by a qualified practitioner, consistency matters.
Herbal formulas aren't something I recommend choosing randomly because you saw one on social media. In Chinese Medicine, formulas are traditionally chosen based on the individual person.
If I am taking a formula that has been selected for me, I try to take it as directed and keep up with it instead of taking it only when I remember.
And if something doesn't feel right, that's a reason to talk with the practitioner who prescribed it rather than changing the formula on your own.
Yes, Acupuncturists Get Acupuncture Too!
I spend my days giving acupuncture, but I also believe in receiving care.
I try to get regular acupuncture, often weekly when it fits my needs and schedule. It's one reason weekly acupuncture made my list of 5 things worth the money.
For me, it's a chance to slow down, check in with my body, relax, and take care of myself.
I often tell patients that wellness works best when we don't wait until we're completely exhausted or overwhelmed before paying attention to ourselves.
Regular self-care gives us a chance to check in along the way.
Wellness Doesn't Have to Be Perfect
Here's the most important part of my routine:
I don't do all of this perfectly.
I'm human, too.
Sometimes I stay up too late. Sometimes I spend too much time on my phone. Sometimes the easiest meal wins. Sometimes I don't move as much as I planned.
Wellness isn't about being perfect.
It's about coming back to the habits that help you feel your best.
Eat nourishing foods. Keep yourself warm. Move your body. Get outside. Protect your sleep. Make time for quiet. Pay attention to stress. Eat with the seasons. Follow your herbal plan when you have one. And make time to receive care, too.
Traditional Chinese Medicine has taught me that health isn't just something we think about when something goes wrong.
It's something we care for a little bit every day.
Sometimes the best medicine is found in the simple things: good food, movement, rest, nature, connection, and a little time to take care of yourself.
Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine in Herndon & Reston, VA
Ready to make time to receive care, too? If you're looking for acupuncture in Herndon, VA or a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner near you, Catch a Fish Wellness offers acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine and massage at 481 Carlisle Dr, Suite 116, Herndon, VA 20170. We're a short drive from Reston, Sterling, Chantilly and Ashburn. Brian Wah, LAc, has more than 23 years of experience in Chinese medicine and acupuncture. New to acupuncture? Here's what to expect at your first visit, and how to choose the right acupuncturist near you.
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