The shortest day has been and gone, but the temperature is still way down, the rain is lashing, the wind is sharp, and our bodies aren’t always happy with what January and February bring us.
Boots will keep your feet warm, scarves, gloves and a woolly hat will stop your natural heat escaping from your body when you leave the house, but if you really want get your winter resilience ready, we have some additional tips to keep you well over the next couple of months.
Change your diet
This really is not the season for cold food. Freezing temperatures and damp days require warming soups and stews to keep your body fuelled and deliver nourishing warmth. We hate to say it, but salad isn’t going to do that for you at this time of the year. Think about adding root vegetables and pulses to your meals and don’t be tempted to skip breakfast as this won’t set you up for the day, but a bowl of steaming porridge will. One of the best things you can do, is batch cook a large pot of soup at the weekend and this will ensure that you have a hearty warming lunch during the week and can even go back for seconds at tea time. You can get a soup maker, or slow cooker to help make light work of these meals and it’s easy to pop servings into the freezer and defrost when you are peckish. When it comes to dinner time, think about stews, curries, roasts, chillies and stir fries that will fill you up as well as adding to your veg intake and if you go with good quality fish and meat, it will give you some healthy protein too.
Swap out of coffee
You might automatically go for a hot latte or creamy hot chocolate, but the sensible money is on drinking lemon and ginger tea during the winter. In traditional Chinese medicine, fresh and dried ginger are considered to help in two different ways. Dried ginger pulls the blood to the stomach and helps digest food, while the fresh version dilates the small blood vessels in the extremities and allows the blood to flow so your hands and feet warm up. Put two slices of ginger, about the width of a pound coin, in a mug, fill with hot water and add honey and lemon if you like. Keep topping up the hot water during the day and you should notice the difference in your circulation when you drink this regularly.
Fight off coughs and colds
Yes, you can have the flu jab and take supplements, but elderberry is a great herb to take at this time and health food shops sells it in a syrup form. It comes with a really potent anti-viral and is packed with vitamin C, which means it is the perfect thing to take to support a healthy immune system. If you are looking for an effective, home-made bug-buster, simply fill a sterilised jam jar with layers of sliced onion and garlic, then pour a jar of honey over the top. Keep for four days and then strain, then put it in the fridge and take a teaspoon three times a day if you feel a cold coming on. Yes, it is a strong-tasting option, but it works.
Do some exercise
You might not want to leave your warm spot on the sofa, but getting outside and having some exercise will do you the world of good. Even on the coldest days, a brisk walk, cycle or jog will put a spring in your step, blow away the cobwebs and get the blood and feel good chemicals pumping around your body. Do it, you won’t regret and your health will thank you for it.
Team Pure Beauty