Scarfs.

Well, I am really late posting this entry, seeing as Winter is almost over
...but better late than never, right?

Today, I have two things to say about scarfs: first, why they are important and second, why we should take care of them. These two ideas based on my TCM and Microbiology training, respectively.

Image source here.


First: According to TCM theories, scarfs are important to protect the "wind gate". The wind gate is located at the top of the back, around the neck area. This area of the body vulnerable to invasion by "wind". In TCM, wind (representing cold, damp, chilly, and of course windy weather) can cause illness by entering this gate.

Wind invasions in Western terms are colds and flu symptoms, like chills, coughs, runny noses, aches, fevers, etc. You can protect your wind gate by wearing scarf. It is especially important to protect the wind gate during changes of seasons, so pull out your scarfs at the first sign of chilliness in the Fall (hence why this post is late, I should have reminded you all then!) and keep wearing them all well into Spring (at this time feel free to swap your warm, wool scarfs for lighter, maybe even more colorful and floral, scarfs).

Second: Half way through Winter (January is a good time, hence why this post is again late!), make sure to wash all your scarves if you don't already wash them every now and then. We remember to launder our socks regularly, but sometimes we forget about "accessory" clothing. Scarfs can harbor lots of bacteria, viruses, and spores. Especially since we often use scarfs to cove our nose and mouth (points of entry into the body by pathogens), we want to keep them clean.