Winter Wellness - 6 tips to staying healthy this Winter
Winter is all about slowing down and moving inwards
From hearty, slow cooked meals, and allowing time for rest & introspection, to practicing more ‘yin’ based movement; lets embrace the coming cooler months with these 6 tips to staying healthy this Winter.
1. Stay Hydrated
Winter carries with it the energy of the Water element and the most yin season of all. It is here we focus on hydration of the body, its tissues, organs, and the movement of fluids within the body. Consuming warm or room temperature water as well as herbal teas infused with warming spices such as ginger, cinnamon, licorice, turmeric, and mint, encourage hydration and improve circulation to warm up those chilly fingers and toes. Vegetable/miso and/or bone broths are also great to sip on between meals to aid hydration, gut health and provide an abundance of minerals to keep our immune system strong.
2. Eat Seasonally, Eat Warm
Seasonal Winter produce is naturally grounding and building. Think an abundance of root veggies such as beets, sweet potato, potato, ginger, turmeric, onions and parsnips, as well as wholegrains barley, rice, quinoa and millet, all rich in complex carbohydrates and minerals to build up the body’s natural resilience and energy stores. Use these foods in hearty, slow-cooked meals such as stews, soups, casseroles and broths.
3. Slow down
As Winter is a time to build and nourish the energy stores, we must be mindful to practice the art of slowing down & slow movement. It’s is a time to go inwards and focus on more introspective activities- writing, journaling, self-reflection, meditation and breathwork, while also gently moving the body to stimulate circulation and dispersal of cold. Consider movement practices such as qi gong, tai chi, yoga and pilates.
If you naturally have a ‘cold’ constitution and experience poor circulation in Winter, then balance yin practices with more active movement to encourage circulation, blood flow and to move stagnant, ‘cold’ energy from the body.
4. Soak up that Vitamin D
The Australian Bureau of Statistics indicate that 1 in 4 Australian (23%) adults are Vitamin D deficient. From a naturopathic perspective, it’s suspected that number is a lot higher if we look at the current ‘optimal’ ranges, and take into consideration pre-exisiting conditions and immune status that may require a more sufficient level.
While food sources of vitamin D are fairly low and won’t give you the optimal protection over the Winter months, food as medicine is key to build the foundation of health. Vitamin D rich foods include mushrooms, wholegrains, fish such as sardines, salmon, & mackerel, as well as all nuts and seeds, combined with optimal sun exposure, 15-20 minutes a day (if the Melbourne weather allows) can all help boost your bodies uptake of Vitamin D.
5. Load up on Vitamin C & Mineral Rich Foods
There are plenty of seasonal and immune-supporting vitamin C & mineral rich foods around in the Winter, making it easy to eat them daily. In addition to being nutrient rich, they are also packed with fibre to support digestion and gut health, and antioxidants to support the body’s natural defence system.
Vitamin C & mineral rich foods include:
· Oranges and other citrus, such as lemons, grapefruit, and mandarins
· Kiwifruit
· Strawberries
· Red and green capsicum
· Red and green chillies
· Cabbage
· Cauliflower
· Broccoli
· Root vegetables such as beetroot, sweet potato, parsnip, and carrots
· Legumes, including kidney beans, mung beans and adzuki beans
· Pungent vegetables such as ginger, onion, garlic, and leeks
· Warming herbs and spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves
6. Stay Warm
Constant cold fingers and toes? Always rugged up while everyone around you seems to be cosy and warm?
It might be a good idea to consider some supportive interventions to improve circulation and blood flow, while getting the internal ‘warmth’ and ‘Qi’ flowing again. The cold can literally get stuck in the body and can manifest as chilblains, sore joints, stiff muscles, fatigue and lowered immunity. Acupuncture, massage and/or body work, far infrared saunas, & steam rooms are some great ways to stimulate circulation, expelling the cold and warm the internal muscles, joints and organs.
Eating predominantly warm and cooked foods, while reducing cold/raw foods such as salads, smoothies, ice cream and cold drinks, can also improve the inner warmth. Make sure you keep your belly, neck and chest as well as your fingers and toes nice and snug over Winter as the chills can enter these points and exacerbate symptoms.
Stay warm, eat warm, slow down