Ep 17: How Women 30+ Can Keep Their Bodies Warm and Balanced

Contents

• Why is Keeping Warm a Matter of Survival for Women Over 40?

• Nourishing from Within: Food as Medicine

• Protecting from Without: Home-based Wellness Therapies

• Minimalist Skincare: Preserving Yang Qi via the Outer Layer

• Advanced Warming Secrets

• Conclusion

"Whether you are in your 30s or 40s, if you don't know how to keep your body warm, you will face numerous blood and Qi-related illnesses by the time you reach 50 or 60."

This is not a threat; it is the harsh law of time. Many of us remain complacent while we feel healthy, freely drinking ice water, wearing short skirts, or bathing late at night... unaware that we are eroding our body's energy reserves. It is only when we reach the other side of the hill that joint pain, cold extremities, or gynecological issues begin to strike. Keeping warm is not just about wearing an extra jacket; it is about protecting a woman's "Primordial Qi" (Vital Essence).

Today, let’s sit down, brew a cup of hot tea, and explore why "Keeping Warm" is the number one mandate for women in their 40s, and how to do it correctly.

1. Why is Keeping Warm a Matter of Survival for Women Over 40?

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), women possess Yin attributes, meaning their bodies are naturally colder than men's. As we enter our 40s, metabolism slows down, and Yang Qi (warming energy) begins to decline.

• Cold Uterus (Womb Coldness): This is the root of many issues such as dysmenorrhea (painful periods), abnormal discharge, fibroids, and rapid skin aging (melasma, freckles). The uterus must be warm for Qi and Blood to circulate freely.

• Protecting Qi and Blood: "When Qi moves, Blood flows." If the body is cold, blood stagnates, causing neck and shoulder pain, numbness in the limbs, and fitful sleep.

• Bone and Joint Health: At age 40, Cold Pathogens penetrate deep into tendons and bones. By age 50–60, this accumulation erupts into Wind-Dampness (rheumatism), causing aches whenever the weather changes.

Therefore, keeping warm in your 30s and 40s is like buying "health insurance" for your 60-year-old self.

2. Nourishing from Within: Food as Medicine

To keep warm, nothing is better than fueling the body with Yang-nature foods.

The Golden Recipe: "Red Date & Ginger Concentrate" This is an inexpensive yet incredibly effective "elixir" to revive Yang Qi every morning.

• Ingredients: 300g fresh ginger (washed, keep the skin), 200g red dates (pitted).

• Method: Blend the ginger and red dates with a little water until smooth. Pour the mixture into a pan and simmer over low heat until it thickens and dries. Let it cool and store it in a glass jar in the refrigerator.

• Usage: Every morning, 30 minutes after breakfast, mix 1 teaspoon of this paste with warm water and a little honey. Drink this daily. Note: Drink only in the morning, avoid in the evening.

Change Your Eating Habits:

• Say NO to Ice Water: No matter how hot it is, get into the habit of drinking warm or room-temperature water. Ice is the "enemy" that extinguishes digestive fire and instantly chills the uterus.

• Limit Raw and Cold Foods: Water-rich fruits (watermelon, coconut water), raw vegetables, and salads have strong Cold properties. In your 40s, prioritize cooked, stewed foods. If eating fruit, try steaming it or eating it with a pinch of salt or ginger.

3. Protecting from Without: Home-based Wellness Therapies

The body has "gateways" where Wind-Cold pathogens can easily invade. Block these gateways.

• Herbal Sitz Bath (Hip Bath) – Medicine for Gynecology: The pelvic area houses the uterus and ovaries.

  • Method: Use fresh green tea leaves (crushed) and sea salt, boiled with water. Dilute to a warm temperature and soak your hips for 15–20 minutes.

  • Benefit: Expels Cold from the uterus, reduces inflammation, and keeps the lower abdomen warm. Do this daily or at least 3 times/week.

• Foot Soak – Sleep Well from the Soles: "Cold feet mean Cold Kidneys."

  • Method: Boil water with ginger and salt. Soak your feet for 30 minutes before bed. The water should cover the ankles.

  • Note: Dry feet immediately after soaking and wear socks all day, even indoors. Do not let bare feet touch cold tile floors.

• Ginger Hair Wash – Warming the Head: The head is where all Yang Meridians converge. When washing hair, use warm ginger water or incubate hair with ginger juice. This reduces headaches, prevents colds, and stimulates hair growth—excellent for middle age.

4. Minimalist Skincare: Preserving Yang Qi via the Outer Layer

Through my deep dive into TCM, I realized: To keep the body warm, we must first reduce its "burden." Chemical cosmetics force the Liver and Kidneys to expend significant energy (Yang Qi) to detoxify, draining internal heat. Therefore, I strictly apply the mindset: "If you can't eat it, don't put it on your skin." This approach nourishes beauty while keeping pores clear (allowing Lung Qi to circulate) and creating a natural thermal layer:

• Hair Care with Gleditsia (Bồ kết) & Grapefruit Flower Water: Chemical shampoos are often "Cold" in nature, chilling the scalp. I switched to Gleditsia water; its warm nature helps expel Wind-Cold and warms the scalp. Warm Grapefruit flower distillate helps relieve colds and protects the head.

• Body Care with Carrier Oils & Essential Oils: Instead of cold body lotions, I use almond or coconut oil mixed with lavender essential oil. The massage action generates heat and stimulates blood flow to the limbs. This natural oil layer acts as a "thermal shirt," preventing body heat from escaping into the cold environment.

• Pure Facial Care: I nourish my face with Sachi oil infused with rose petals and use masks made of chrysanthemum/rose powder mixed with honey. Honey is Warm in nature, replenishing energy for the skin without chilling the cells like alcohol-laden industrial sheet masks.

Caring for your skin this way, you will always carry a warm herbal scent, with flowing Qi and Blood and a naturally rosy complexion.

5. Advanced Warming Secrets

In addition to the methods above, adopt these 3 small habits to double the effectiveness:

• Blow-dry the Fengfu (GV16) and Dazhui (GV14) Acupoints: After washing your hair or coming in from the wind, use a hair dryer to warm the back of your neck (the hollow at the base of the skull). This is the easiest entry point for cold wind. Warming this area heats up the whole body quickly.

• Nourish the Navel: The navel is a vital acupoint connecting to the internal organs. Before sleep, apply a drop of Cajeput oil (Tràm) or rub your palms together until hot, then place them over your navel and rub clockwise 36 times. This calms the mind and warms the abdomen.

• Sunbath the Back (Natural Yang Supplementation): If possible, spend 15 minutes in the morning (before 9 AM) sunbathing your back. The back is where the Bladder Meridian and Governing Vessel (Du Meridian) run—considered the body's "shield." Sunbathing the back is the most direct way to recharge solar energy (Yang Qi).

Conclusion

Women in their 40s are like flowers in full bloom—beautiful but fragile before the cold wind. Love yourself through the smallest acts, like wearing a pair of socks or taking a sip of warm water. Don't wait until your body screams in pain to start caring for it.

Let's start the "Keep Warm Campaign" today, ladies!