As moisture increases, digestion needs support. Eat warm, simple meals such as rice, porridge, soups, and steamed vegetables. Avoid excessive sugar and damp-forming foods.
Moderate exercise like walking or cycling helps prevent heaviness. Meditation can focus on releasing frustration and emotional stagnation.
Wear breathable but protective clothing, guarding against damp and temperature shifts. Consistent routines now help stabilise energy as spring unfolds.
Not that we need any more rain in the UK right now, but with the effect of the Fire Horse year taking hold, we will need the water to help give us the chance to reflect upon the events that are ahead.
Good bye year of the Snake, Hello to the Hear of the Horse.
The Characteristics of the Horse and Fire in the same year.
The horse is an active animal and this coming year will be no different, in fact with the element of Fire as its Heavenly Stem and its Natural Element, there will be plenty of movement. This is what is known as the “Double Fire” year, which happens every 60 years as part of a cycle.
The last “Yang Fire Horse Year” was 1966, which we seemed to navigate through fairly well, yes, there were wars, political unrest and protests, but we did see Lunar and Space Missions and even England winning the Football World Cup.
Other Yang Fire Horse years witnessed the publications of Guillivers Travels, seen advances in global trade, civil rites progress towards equality, cultural shifts with pop music and the youth culture shaping the future of the arts. We have also seen scientific advancements in medicine, technology and nuclear research, so there is a lot to look forward to.
What does next year potentially have in store?
An overview of the year ahead, drawing both on Chinese metaphysical patterns and real-world trends, blending these principals with what we are seeing in the world as we approach the turning of the new year.
The strengths of this year include potential breakthroughs in innovations, cultural and scientific shifts, the year favours bold creative actions, and the streamlining and reinvention of outdated systems. To see this through we will need strong yet dynamic leadership, bringing better outcomes locally, nationally and globally.
While the challenges that we anticipate include, instability or rapid swings in global politics, climate stress and environmental strain. Also social unrest, heightened emotional and cultural tension around the globe could lead to a reactive governance trying to keep the peace.
And on a more positive note, who knows, Englands men may even win another World Cup!
What can you do to harness these energies for a more positive year?
Fire sheds light and gives movement, it helps show what is dormant or invisible to us, sometime it reveals what needs to be redeveloped. Whether it is an old unused or broken system or a new system that was never fit for purpose. So keep looking for these moments of truth and remember to act in a positive way towards change.
Fire can be controlled by water, bringing calm and reflection, while Earth brings a grounded thoughtfulness and a stable foundation to work from, these will both help catalyse growth and control the fire which if left unchecked can ignite conflict, imbalance or exhaustion.
My suggestion is to take time to work through issues that arise. Be decisive when you act, be aware that procrastinating in the controlling phase of development can cause greater conflict and flare-ups of anger and discontent.
My year of the Yin Wood Snake
Last year I spoke about the snakes coils ready to spring, and many people and maybe the world itself, have been waiting for something to happen for most of the year. If you had allowed the possibilities there have been many positive changes for development this year.
Here at Iwood Health these possibilities have led to us developing an incredibly strong team of therapist to give our clients the best service we can offer.
With Jackie and myself (Dan) as Acupuncturists, Áine as our Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapist, Hazel brings her expertise as a pharmacist and Nutritional Therapist, Katie our Psychotherapeutic Councillor, John and Louise offering different elements of Hypnotherapy and Lisa as our Kinesiologist. We have so much to offer for the many different ailments that we see on a daily basis. I am very grateful to the team at Iwood, not only for the support that they give people who love visiting the serenity of the clinic, but also the kindness that they show each other in the team.
My Acupuncture Clinic, this year has seen some very interesting shifts in the style of treatment and the type of patients who are being presented to me, I have been seeing more children and also more complex medical cases. Nearly all my new patients are coming from patient referrals and word of mouth, for which I am extremely grateful.
Family has been a very important element of this past year, this snake year has been a challenging one and as with all snake years we have had to shed many layers to allow the growth of passing events, but having been through these moments and giving myself the chance to reflect, I can see that we have grown as a family.
This year ahead I am looking forward to seeing new adventures and living life to the fullest. With a promise to myself to remember to enjoy the reflective time and keep myself grounded during the moments of excess fire.
Be sure your life is full of “I can’t believe I did that!” rather than “I should have done that!”
Wishing you a very Happy and Healthy Chinese New Year
This Wednesday, February 4th, marked Li Chun – the Arrival of Spring and the very first Solar Term of the year.
Although temperatures may still be cool, spring energy begins to rise.
Support the liver with lightly cooked greens, sprouts, leeks, and gentle sour flavours such as lemon. Reduce heavy, greasy foods. Stretching, yoga, and walking help release stagnation.
Meditation focusing on intention-setting supports the season’s forward momentum.
Continue layering clothing to protect against wind.
Emotionally, practise patience and openness as new ideas and plans begin to form.
Nature is a gradual, subtle conversation. In ancient China, people observed tiny shifts of the sun, the moon, the wind, the soil, and the behaviour of insects, and from these observations they developed the 24 Solar Terms.
Think of them as 24 mini seasons. Imagine the 4 Seasons as your map, but the 24 Solar Terms are your map key. This system started as a guide for farmers to ensure a good harvest. Ancient farmers couldn’t afford to guess. Planting seeds too early – They would freeze. Too late – They would miss the harvest window.
So they didn’t wait for a “calendar date,” instead they watched for subtle signs, and asked the questions:
When did the first insects wake?
When did the soil texture change?
When did the wind shift direction?
Each of these observations helped to create the picture of the year and clearly marked its changes.
The survival of these people depended on reading nature with precision, over time this knowledge grew and was eventually adopted by Traditional Chinese Medicine, where it was applied to the systems and cycles of the human body:
Now, you might wonder how does an ancient farmer’s clock help you when you experiencing a -10°C cold snap? When you follow the 24 Solar Terms, you aren’t just reacting to the thermometer on the day it gets cold, you are supporting your body’s energy through these climatic shifts.
By the time the extreme hits, your internal foundation is prepared and all the different elements of your health are primed weeks in advance. By noticing the subtle signs of nature you are prepared to adjust to what is coming your way.
Think of it this way the 4 Seasons give you 4 general strategies for the year, while the 24 Solar Terms give you 24 tools to precisely adjust the way you act in the world.
This gives you more options to be more resilient, to feel more comfortable and to live in harmony with the changing seasons of the world and the weather.
Look out for future Blogs for each of the 24 Solar Terms, Starting with Li Chun
Spring
Beginning of Spring — Lìchūn (立春): 4 February 2026
Rain Water — Yǔshuǐ (雨水): 18 February 2026
Insects Awaken — Jīngzhé (惊蛰): 5 March 2026
Spring Equinox — Chūnfēn (春分): 20 March 2026
Clear and Bright — Qīngmíng (清明): 5 April 2026
Grain Rain — Gǔyǔ (谷雨): 20 April 2026
Summer
Beginning of Summer — Lìxià (立夏): 5 May 2026
Grain Full — Xiǎomǎn (小满): 21 May 2026
Grain in Ear — Mángzhǒng (芒种): 5 June 2026
Summer Solstice — Xiàzhì (夏至): 21 June 2026
Slight Heat — Xiǎoshǔ (小暑): 7 July 2026
Great Heat — Dàshǔ (大暑): 23 July 2026
Autumn
Beginning of Autumn — Lìqiū (立秋): 7 August 2026
End of Heat — Chǔshǔ (处暑): 23 August 2026
White Dew — Báilù (白露): 7 September 2026
Autumn Equinox — Qiūfēn (秋分): 23 September 2026
Cold Dew — Hánlù (寒露): 8 October 2026
Frost’s Descent — Shuāngjiàng (霜降): 23 October 2026
Winter
Beginning of Winter — Lìdōng (立冬): 7 November 2026
Recently I have been reading the new Dan Brown book “The Secret of Secrets.” This has lead me to think about – “The Fear of Death” which it says is to be the greatest reason for the creation of faiths.
This has left me thinking, and having sat with the idea, I might “fear death” not because I will loose my body and its amazing abilities, but it is more to do with the fear that I will not remember the memories of family, friends, places I’ve been and things I have done, and the incredible life I have been gifted.
If my hopes come true that we do retain these memories of our amazing and unlikely lives, then surely we should be out there, enjoying every moment we can. We need not spend oodles of money (well, you can if you want to!) but there are so many incredible things out there that are free, memorable and life affirming.
Another thought often occurs to me as I chat with the many patients who suffer from anxiety, some who live life worrying about the death of their loved ones.
This passage comes from Terry Pratchett’s book “Reaper Man” – “No one is really dead until the ripples they cause die away, until the clock he wound up has wound down, until the wine she made has finished its ferment, until the crop they planted is harvested.” Which leads me to think about what “Ripples” will I leave and how long will they last, what can I do to positively extend my “Ripples” into the future.
“There’s nothing that says you need to be optimistic about everything at all times. But what I like to think is that if you are not optimistic, you will not find solutions.
I meet many people through work and play who seem to have lost their optimism and often say things like “Well, I am retired now, I will stop.” or “I am 70 years old now, I shall slow down.” or “Not at my age!” or “I can’t do that at 80!” And then there are those amazing individuals who turn around to me and say things like, “I am going to be 93 next week, how can I keep going?”
And my answer is, just don’t stop. Don’t stop getting on the floor, don’t stop having fun, don’t stop seeing the light side of life and laughing at the ridiculous, my suggestion to you is to keep fit, keep active no matter your age, you can still enjoy working your body at the level that is fitting to you.
Keep your body active every day, keep practicing moving, So that when and if you ever need it to get yourself out of trouble, whether it be from a fall, a wrong turn or just because the grandchildren persuaded you to do that extra mile. You can be there to enjoy it, and keeping saying YES!!
Keep saying YES, keep going forward and keep making those fabulous memories.
Mental Health Awareness Week is a vital time to spotlight emotional well-being and promote supportive practices. One holistic approach gaining recognition is acupuncture, a key component of traditional Chinese medicine. Acupuncture involves the insertion of fine needles into specific points on the body to balance energy, or qi, and promote healing.
Research suggests it helps reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress by stimulating the nervous system and triggering the release of endorphins and serotonin.
During Mental Health Awareness Week, individuals are encouraged to explore diverse methods of support, including acupuncture, as part of a comprehensive mental health strategy.
While not a substitute for therapy or medication when needed, acupuncture can complement conventional treatments and foster a sense of calm and balance.
Raising awareness of such options empowers individuals to seek personalized care and nurtures a more inclusive conversation around mental health.
When was the last time you took a risk outside your comfort zone that led to a successful outcome?
How often do you say to yourself, “I wish I had done that,” or “I regret not doing that”?
Next time you’re given an opportunity to do something fun and safe—but outside your comfort zone—ask yourself: “If I say yes, will I regret it?” or “What’s the worst that can happen?”
Two weeks ago, I was lucky enough to be standing on a white coral beach on the Isle of Skye, Scotland.
I could have left it there, just absorbing the beauty. But the opportunity to take a dip presented itself, and I asked myself, What’s the worst that can happen?
Well, the worst thing would have been not taking the risk, missing the chance to make a memory, and regretting it. So, the answer was “yes”—and I took the plunge.
Crystal clear water.
There are no regrets—just incredible memories and a huge smile for the rest of the day.
Don’t forget to say “yes.” Step out of your comfort zone, invite the magic of joy in, and live your best life (safely, of course).
Tropical ice cubes smiles.
Tell me about an adventure you’ve had that lives in your memory—one you could have missed if you had said “No” instead of “Yes.”
I am excited to introduce myself, I am Dan Lloyd and I am a dedicated and experienced acupuncturist committed to helping people find relief from pain, stress, and a wide range of health concerns through the power of traditional Chinese medicine.
My journey into acupuncture began with a deep interest in holistic health and a desire to offer effective, natural treatments. Over the years, I have helped countless patients manage conditions such as migraines, digestive issues, muscular pain, and stress-related tension. My approach is centered on understanding each individual’s needs, tailoring treatments to restore balance and promote long-term well-being.
Acupuncture is an ancient practice that works by stimulating specific points on the body to encourage natural healing processes. Whether you’re dealing with chronic pain, looking to improve your energy levels, or seeking relief from stress, I offer a compassionate and professional approach to support your health journey.
If you’ve never tried acupuncture before, now is a great time to explore its benefits. I welcome new clients and I am happy to answer any questions you may have. Get in touch to book an appointment and experience how acupuncture can help you feel your best.
Stay tuned for more insights into acupuncture, health tips, and success stories from my practice & experiences!
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