Winter rituals to get you through the cold

 

1. Getting outdoors first thing in the morning on rising helps you be more revitalised, engaged and energised for the day ahead with fewer distractions. Getting morning sunlight can also help you sleep better at night. It can take 2 weeks to form new routines so stick with it and don’t give up – your body and brain will thank you for it!

2. Dry skin brushing before showering doesn’t just exfoliate skin, it stimulates the lymphatic system, one of your body’s main detoxification channels. Dry brushing can also increase circulation.

2. Finish showering with cold water. The cold water sends many electrical impulses to your brain which ‘jolts’ your system to increase alertness, clarity, and energy levels. Endorphins (happiness hormones), are also released. This effect leads to feelings of well-being and optimism, as well as helping boost your circulation, metabolism and immune system.  

4. Take vitamins, minerals, or other supplements for a boost.Vitamin supplements can't replace a healthy diet, but in general may help correct deficiencies and give your immune system a real boost during winter including adrenal herbs (such as Ginseng and Ashwagandha), Turmeric, Vitamin C and D, garlic, ginger, zinc and Echinacea. I love mixing our Turmeric & Curcumin Tonic  into a smoothie or coffee in the morning to help fuel my joint health.

5. Replace an addiction to coffee for your afternoon slump with ginseng! In Chinese medicine, the word Qi describes the energy or life force that flows throughout your body. If your Qi becomes deficient, you may experience fatigue and lethargy, along with feeling that you lack the motivation and energy to get things done – particularly in the afternoon. Korean Ginseng belongs to a class of medicines known as adaptogens, which take their name from their ability to help the body and mind adapt to physical, mental and emotional stressors. We use 200mg of Korean Ginseng per serve in each of our Natural Remedy Ginseng, Ginkgo and Brahmi Tonic as well as our Sarsaparilla Tonic to help generate healthy Qi and give you a natural energy boost. Try for yourself and give up the afternoon cravings to help smoothen your energy levels throughout the day. 

6. Get an afternoon pickup energy boost from deep breathing. Cultivation of energy is a lifelong process, and like breathing, you have to keep doing it. Shallow breathing prevents the body from getting enough oxygen. Many people fail to breathe deeply when they feel tense, which is why they may feel zapped at the end of a stress-filled day. The general principles of correct breathing are to make it deeper, slower, quieter, and more regular.

7. Mindful drinking. While meditation, physical and mindfulness exercises are healthier ways of coping with the stresses of life and when faced with lockdowns, for some they aren’t enough, and alcohol adds a little something extra. There’s a growing movement around 'mindful drinking' - being intentional with your decisions around alcohol. If you’re finding you have become addicted to daily drinking, consider limiting alcohol consumption to weekends and have non-alcoholic substitutes on hand during weekdays. Try our full bodied non-alcoholic distilled spirit Borrago Or warm up half a wine glass of Norfolk Punch as a night cap/mulled wine experience.

8. Soaking in the bath with a few drops of your favourite essential oils offers mental and physical health benefits and is an ideal way to escape or unwind at the end of the day. Grab a good book, listen to a podcast or put on your favourite playlist and relax, or just switch everything off and enjoy a moment of silence – your body and brain needs it!

9. Prioritise restful sleep. Getting enough rest and plenty of sleep helps reboot your mind & body and your immune system and top up the immune system’s fuel tank. Studies have found that getting at least 7 hours of sleep per night can make you 4 times less likely to catch a cold compared with less than 6 hours per night. Make time to unwind out night and incorporate calming and restful rituals before bed. Put the phone away. Write in a journal. Practise meditation. Or gentle stretching - buy a foam roller (type of self-massage) that helps alleviate tightness or trigger points as you roll them out whilst laying down.

10. Have the right mindset - reset the important things in your life and live the life you have always wanted to. To elevate the importance of your health and well-being. To make it a priority in your life right now. To reconnect with the people who are important to you and you love. To listen to your body as it never lies! To incorporate all the little nurturing and restorative rituals you’ve let go over the years that you used to do for yourself, before you put others before you as life got busier and more stressful. We believe that in most negatives there’s a positive to be found and develop a self-belief that you will come out stronger than ever before in many ways!