10 Ways to Stay Healthy in Winter
Baby it’s cold outside! 10 ways to stay warm and healthy in the winter chill.
1. Drink water. Really? Yes! It’s dry out, it’s dry inside from heat. Drink room temperature water or your favorite tea. Any digestive issues? Hot water with lemon is an ally.
2. Wear wool socks. Cotton is useless when wet. Whenever you walk into a heated building, your feet will sweat. Walk outside, your feet will become wet and cold and we want your feet and ankles WARM to support your energetic kidneys.
3. Soak your feet in hot water at the end of the day and when you come in and are chilled or your feet got wet. This is not a new idea and it’s an important one. If you have epsom salts, throw some into the water. Magnesium in the epsom salts will also relax your achilles tendon which will relax your neck muscles – how cool is that?
4. When you have salad, take it out of the fridge for 15 minutes and then use a vinaigrette. Why? Salads are cold in temperature and cold in nature. When you let it get to room temperature, you warm the physical temperature of the food. When you let it sit with a vinaigrette, you are marinating and warming the nature of the food.
5. Think of your body as an ATM: When we eat something cold, it’s an automatic withdrawal from our Qi / Life-force / Vital Energy bank. When we eat something warm, we give our body the energy to digest what is coming. When we eat something room temperature, it is a bit of a wash. It is Chinese Medicine in action to serve tea first. Warming us and giving us the energy to digest the food that is coming.
6. Lactofermented vegetables are your friends. Whether it’s Kim Chee, pickles, daikon, your choice. Why? Because probiotics and prebiotics work for many, AND when we can use food first, real food first is best. Lactofermented vegetables give us live bacteria that not only help us digest our food but support our immune system. The key is to make sure the vegetables are not prepared with vinegar and are lacto-fermented – more label reading!
7. Your hair dryer isn’t just for hair anymore. You can use your hair dryer for your hair AND use it on your lower back to support your Ming Men / Life Gate Fire to say healthy and strong and warm you up for your day. As long as you are not pregnant, you can also use it on your belly below your belly button. Also on the bottom of your feet, again to warm and nourish our energetic kidneys. Pull your toes back. The place you want to get is the hollow below the ball of your foot.
8. Dry brush massage! Again? Yes! This stimulates the Meridian system, exfoliates our skin AND vitalizes our energy as well as feels good. Do this before a shower with either a brush or stretchy exfoliating cloth. Start at the soles of your feet and work your way up your body. You will be amazed at how good you feel. When your skin is dry, use some coconut oil on dry places after you shower.
9. Get enough sleep. One of my teachers spoke often about the importance of going to sleep with the chickens to stay healthy. What does that mean? Go to bed early, have good before sleep habits so you can fall asleep and stay asleep. Trouble falling asleep? Develop rituals like brushing your teeth, soaking your feet, getting in your jammies, putting an eye cover on your head and reading . New research shows that reading on a tablet or phone before bed interferes with sleep, so treat yourself to a good book.
10. Real food for real people. Cook using whole foods, and make sure you are getting enough good quality fats (yes, I went there). Avocado, Coconut Oil, Olive Oil and drumroll please, butter.
Take good care of you – you’re the only you there is. Our partners, children, families and work do better when we are healthy and strong. Hoping these tips support you to stay that way.
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