Stay Healthy with the Seasons
By Tian Li, L. Ac
Live in rhythm with nature, restore balance, and cultivate lasting health. Not just a poetic statement, this is the heart of what I share in my book, Stay Healthy with the Seasons, now available as we prepare to gather for its official launch and book signing on April 24th, 2026. This work is deeply personal to me, shaped by years of clinical practice, study, and reflection on the enduring wisdom of Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is also an offering, an invitation for you to rediscover a way of living that is both ancient and profoundly relevant today. In a world that often asks us to push harder, move faster, and override our natural rhythms, I hope this book serves as a gentle guide back to alignment, where health is not something we chase, but something we nurture through harmony with nature.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, we understand that true health arises not from controlling the body, but from supporting its natural balance. This balance is expressed through the dynamic relationship of yin and yang, rest and activity, inward and outward, cooling and warming. These forces are not static; they ebb and flow with the seasons, and so do we. When we live in accordance with these cycles, we feel more at ease in our bodies. Our energy becomes more stable, our digestion more resilient, our emotions more grounded. But when we resist these rhythms, when we live the same way in winter as we do in summer, or ignore the body’s need for rest or renewal, we begin to see signs of imbalance. Through this book, I guide you to recognize these patterns and gently return to equilibrium.
One of the most beautiful and practical tools we inherit from this tradition is the system of the 24 solar terms. These divisions of the year reflect subtle shifts in climate and energy, offering us a more refined way to understand seasonal change. Rather than thinking only in terms of four broad seasons, we begin to notice the transitions within them, the early stirrings of spring, the height of summer’s warmth, the quiet descent into autumn, and the deep stillness of winter. Each solar term carries its own energetic quality, and with it, specific guidance for how to care for ourselves. In my experience, even small adjustments, changing how we eat, sleep, or move in response to these shifts, can have a profound impact on our overall well-being.
In Stay Healthy with the Seasons, I share practical ways to support your body throughout the year. Food is one of our most powerful tools. In Chinese medicine, we do not view food only through the lens of nutrients, but through its energetic nature. Some foods warm the body, others cool it; some nourish yin, while others strengthen yang. When we eat in harmony with the season, we are working with our bodies rather than against them. In spring, I encourage lighter, fresh foods that help the body awaken and move stagnant energy. In summer, we focus on hydration and cooling foods that support the heart and protect our fluids. As autumn arrives, we turn to foods that moisten and nourish the lungs, preparing for the dryness of the season. And in winter, we embrace deeper nourishment, warming, hearty meals that support the kidneys and conserve our energy. These are not strict rules, but gentle guidelines that help us stay attuned.
Movement and rest are equally important. Many people today feel pressure to maintain the same level of activity year-round, but this is not how nature functions. In the warmer months, when yang energy is abundant, it is natural to be more active, social, and outwardly engaged. In the colder months, the body calls for stillness, reflection, and restoration. Learning to honor this rhythm can be transformative. It allows us to replenish our reserves rather than deplete them. Practices such as qigong, meditation, and mindful breathing become especially valuable in helping us stay centered through seasonal transitions. In my clinical work, I often see how powerful it is when patients begin to listen to these internal cues, they sleep better, feel more energized, and experience greater emotional balance.
Emotions, too, are part of this seasonal landscape. In Chinese medicine, each season is associated with an organ system and a corresponding emotional quality. Spring is connected to the liver and the movement of anger or frustration; summer to the heart and the expression of joy; autumn to the lungs and the experience of grief; winter to the kidneys and the feeling of fear. These associations are not meant to limit us, but to help us understand ourselves more deeply. When we recognize that certain emotions may arise more strongly at different times of the year, we can meet them with awareness rather than resistance. This is an important part of healing, allowing emotions to move through us in a balanced and healthy way.
What I hope readers take most from this book is a renewed sense of connection, to their bodies, to the seasons, and to the natural world as a source of wisdom. Preventative care is a central principle in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and it is something I am deeply passionate about. Rather than waiting for illness to appear, we can learn to recognize subtle signs of imbalance and respond early. This does not require drastic changes. Often, it is the smallest shifts: going to bed earlier in winter, choosing more warming foods, taking time to rest, that make the greatest difference over time. Health, in this sense, becomes an ongoing relationship, one that evolves with each season.
For those who feel called to explore this path more deeply, I also invite you to connect with the work we do at Tian Chao Herbs & Acupuncture and Violet Wellness Spa. These spaces were created to bring the principles of seasonal living into everyday life through personalized care. Whether through acupuncture, herbal medicine, or restorative therapies, we support each individual according to their unique constitution and the time of year. It is always my intention that the teachings in this book do not remain abstract, but become something you can experience and embody.
As we approach the book signing on April 24th, I feel a deep sense of gratitude. This book represents not only my journey, but the collective wisdom of generations of practitioners who have observed, listened, and learned from nature. It is my hope that Stay Healthy with the Seasons serves as a companion for you, something you return to throughout the year, finding guidance and reassurance as the seasons change. In living this way, we begin to move with time instead of against it, discovering that health is not a destination, but a rhythm, one that is always available to us when we choose to listen.