Although stress hormones play many important roles in our bodies, their excess can be profoundly destabilizing to not only our overall hormonal balance, but to our ability to attain a sense of balance at all. Especially as we move more deeply into Winter and the peak Yin phase of the year, we’d do well to pay extra attention to our stress response and its primary mediator: cortisol, which has an activating energetic signature associated with Yang. According to TCM, the interplay between Yin and Yang is responsible for all transformation and generation of Qi (life force energy) in the entire natural world, including in our bodies. It is this dance that determines our ability to continually return to balance, or homeostasis—the true foundation of vibrant health.

Winter is the season corresponding to the Kidneys, which are responsible for filtering stress hormones, particularly cortisol, from the bloodstream. In TCM, the adrenal glands, which produce our stress hormones, are also part of the Kidney organ system—the root of balance between Yin and Yang in our bodies. Yin is represented by darkness, rest, and energies that are feminine and cool; Yang is represented by energy that’s bright, masculine, warm, and activating. While both are always present and necessary, TCM teaches that aligning with the dominant energetic signature of the season literally builds our current and future health. As the Kidneys are also the storehouse of Jing (essence), the root of life, elevated cortisol during Winter drains Kidney Yin and Jing at precisely the time of year when the body is supposed to be replenishing these stores. 

Because the adrenals are considered part of the Kidney organ system, in TCM we understand their commonly associated functions as actually being ruled by the Kidneys. This includes the regulation of inflammation, blood sugar and pressure, immunity, metabolism, and the reproductive system. Dysregulation of the HPA (Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal) axis can lead to the phenomenon commonly known as “adrenal fatigue,” which can also be understood as an issue of cortisol imbalance. Indeed, the trajectory of cortisol’s movement throughout the body from a TCM perspective aligns quite well with a more Western understanding: 

• Stressor presents → Liver Qi constricts (e.g. nervous system tension and sympathetic activation)

• Liver constriction → Spleen is impacted → digestion and blood sugar destabilize (e.g. metabolic dysfunction when our “fight or flight” response is activated)

• Continued stress → draws on Kidney reserves → Jing/Yin depletion (e.g. HPA axis dysregulation)

• Kidney depletion → Fire rises upward → Heart Shen becomes unsettled (sleep disturbances, anxiety, emotional dysregulation)

• The cycle repeats, creating an overstimulated, undernourished internal ecosystem.

Leaning on tonic herbs this season can be extremely supportive in regulating cortisol and fortifying the interconnected organ systems that support a healthy stress response. Our top two suggestions offer comprehensive but targeted support that’s great for both men and women! It’s important to note that excess cortisol is both a factor in testosterone deficiency and dysregulated estrogen levels as progesterone is co-opted by the more “urgent” demands of the stress hormones. 

Schizandra is a Jing, Qi, and Shen tonic that holds the perfect balance of Yin and Yang. As a true adaptogen, Schizandra can help regulate the body’s stress response via the HPA axis and sympathetic-adrenal system. Particularly protective to the adrenals, Schizandra helps prevent physiological damage from extreme or chronic stress. It’s also tonifying to the Liver, which plays a crucial role in the detoxification process that promotes overall hormonal balance, as well as preventing stress from cascading. Schizandra also has a profoundly balancing effect on the nervous system, improving both alertness and cognitive function without causing nervousness like most caffeine or stimulants. In fact, it promotes more restful and replenishing sleep that also supports cortisol regulation and overall hormonal balance. 

He Shou Wu is one of the one of the most revered Jing tonics, greatly supporting optimal Kidney function and the elimination of toxins, therefore promoting overall hormonal balance. This beloved herb is also tonifying to Qi and Blood, making it a potent recovery tonic to mitigate depletion. Blood nourishes all bodily tissues and provides the key means for distributing nutrients, hormones, and immune cells throughout the body, such that this herb is deeply restorative. He Shou Wu is also a Yin tonic, which in TCM tonic herbalism, is an important part of burnout prevention and recovery from experiences of depletion, illness, chronic stress, and adrenal fatigue. Offering comprehensive Kidney and Liver support, He Shou Wu strengthens the structure of the body, including the lower back, knees, tendons, ligaments, and bones. 

General TCM wisdom for aligning with the energetics of Winter (rather than pushing against nature’s cycles) is also supportive for regulating cortisol this season. Some of this guidance includes:

• Eat Kidney-nourishing foods like seaweed, bone broth, root vegetables, black sesame, and walnuts

• Cultivate warmth, being especially protective of the lower back and feet

• Slow down by prioritizing an earlier bedtime, restful sleep, and gentle movement

• Fortify the Spleen by eating warm, cooked, and seasonal foods

• Have boundaries with the information you’re metabolizing, minimizing overstimulation and excessive screen time

• Incorporate warming herbs to promote digestion

• Eat regularly and avoid fasting/feasting holiday habits to minimize blood sugar swings.