December Wellness Guide

The Water Element – Rest, Reflection & Deep Nourishment

As the daylight shortens and temperatures drop, your body naturally shifts toward a slower, gentler rhythm. The Water Element influences:

Kidney Energy
– Governs vitality, hormonal balance, reproduction, bone health, and your overall “life force”.

Bladder Energy
– Helps regulate fluid balance, hydration, and the release of physical and emotional tension.

Balanced Water energy makes you feel calm, grounded, intuitive, and resilient.
When out of balance, you may experience fatigue, fearfulness, low motivation, lower back pain, or feeling emotionally overwhelmed.

This month invites you to rest deeply and nourish your foundation.

December marks the beginning of winter in the Five Element cycle, a season governed by the Water Element, which corresponds to the Kidneys and Bladder. This is a time of stillness, deep restoration, inner reflection, and conserving energy. Nature rests, retreats, and gathers strength — and we are meant to do the same.

Restorative Practices

Winter is the most Yin season — prioritise:

• Early nights and slower mornings

• Warm baths with magnesium salts

• Gentle stretching or yin yoga

• Meditation, breathwork & grounding practices

• Reducing overstimulation where possible

Give your nervous system time to settle and repair.

Nourish Your Kidneys

Kidney-supportive foods are warm, slow-cooked, salty or dark in colour:

• Soups & stews (bone broth optional)

• Root vegetables: carrots, parsnips, turnips, beetroot

• Sea vegetables: nori, wakame

• Dark leafy greens: kale, cavolo nero, spinach

• Beans & lentils

• Walnuts, sesame, pumpkin seeds

• Dark berries

• Warming spices: ginger, cinnamon, clove, star anise

Choose foods that comfort, ground, and gently strengthen.

The Energy of December: Quiet, Yin & Deeply Restorative

Seasonal Living in December

Sample Seasonal Meals for December

Breakfast

Spiced Apple Porridge
Warm oats cooked with cinnamon, nutmeg, and gently stewed apple. Top with walnuts and pumpkin seeds.

Lunch

Hearty Winter Vegetable Soup
A blend of root vegetables, lentils, garlic, thyme, and warming spices.

Dinner

Miso Mushroom & Ginger Stir-Fry
Served with rice or cauliflower rice — grounding, mineral-rich, and deeply nourishing.

Emotional Balance & Winter Mindfulness

Water Element emotions relate to fear vs. wisdom.

This month, explore:

• Journaling reflections on the past year

• Letting go of stress or pressure to “do it all”

• Gentle boundaries and quiet moments

• Trusting your intuition — winter strengthens inner knowing

• Spending mindful time in nature on crisp, quiet days

Your emotional wellbeing is supported by being gentle with yourself.

Support Your Body and Mind in December

Let your movements be steady and grounding:

• Slow walks in nature

• Short stretching sessions

• Qigong for Kidney energy

• Deep breathing to release tension

This is a month to repair, recharge, and strengthen your inner reserves.

December invites you to slow down, savour warmth, and rebuild your foundations. With deep rest, warm foods, emotional ease, and Kidney-supportive practices, you align beautifully with the wisdom of winter.

Let yourself soften, restore, and prepare for the renewal that will come with early spring.

Seasonal Self Care in December

In the UK, winter produce is at its most hearty and earthy:

Vegetables:

Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, leeks, parsnips, carrots, potatoes, beetroot, swede.

Fruits:

Pears, apples (stored), cranberries (imported), clementines (imported but seasonal for winter rituals).

Herbs & Flavourings:

Thyme, rosemary, sage, garlic, ginger.

Eat warm, cooked, nourishing meals — cold salads are best limited during deep winter.