With winter coming up upon us, it is very important to pay attention to our wellness in order to maintain our health throughout the colder months.
With stress, busyness and infections disease making their rounds it is a recipe for compromised immunity and frazzled nerves.
But it does not have to be this way!
You can take active steps to protect yourself and the ones you love making it a season to be embraced.
Lifestyle
The time for winter is time for more internal focus. A focus more on the internal world and nurturing that Christlike seed that we receive throughout Advent and into Theophany.
It is easy to get taken away with the world during this time and just focus on maybe an exercise routine or crushing those goals as the New Year comes, but it is more important to dedicate time to pray and stick to your prayer rule to see what God needs you to put your energy into.
With more darkness and less light typically in the beginning of the year you might find yourself wanting to sleep in. Rest is encouraged, but don’t completely fall off the exercise wagon. Adjust your movement practices to incorporate more strength training and endurance instead of focusing on intensity, intervals, or speed.
Set your prayer time for longer and maybe even start timing your walks with deep breathing of the Jesus Prayer.
Find something that works for you!
Your body and mind will thank you for it.
Warmth
Typically speaking, winter is a time for cold weather outside and we very naturally want to go inside to stay warm. We may start making more teas, bake more to keep the house warm and gear towards making soups or stews.
When talking about staying warm with stews and tea, this really depends on where you live. In order to stay well holistically, your environment has to be taken into consideration.
If you for example live in a tropical place and it is warm most of the year, then you do not want to be overindulging in baked goods and spiced foods.
This of course has a lot to do with your body constitution but generally speaking if you want to bring balance then you observe the outside and do the opposite to bring in the balance in the body.
Some would say that this is an Ayurvedic point of view but it is one that has always made sense to me as Gods plan as it was always natural for me to want to have soups and ginger during the colder months when stagnation is high outside as well as internally.
This means looking at foods that are spiced well with digestive, warming spices and foods that are easier to digest also in a form or soups, stews, oatmeal and curry’s.
Ginger Carrot Soup
Ingredients
4 tablespoons coconut oil
2 yellow onions, peeled and diced
1.5 pounds of carrots, washed and diced
2 medium potatoes , washed and diced
8 tablespoons of ginger, peeled and diced
8 cups organic vegetable stock
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
– Add coconut oil to a medium-sized stockpot over medium heat. Warm until melted.
– Add onions and saute until translucent.
-Add carrots, potato, and ginger to stockpot, mix well, and saute for 3-5 min.
-Pour vegetable stock into stockpot until veggies are barely covered,
reserve remaining stock for later.
-Cover and simmer until veggies are easily pierced with a fork
(approximately 15-20 minutes).
-While waiting for veggies to soften, peel and dice garlic. Set aside.
-When veggies are soft, remove soup from heat and puree with a blender.
-Return stockpot to low heat, add remaining stock and garlic along
with salt and pepper to taste.
– Heat until warm, then serve.
Spices & Herbs
Certain spices are associated with the colder months. Not only because they are fragrant and delicious in baked goods or teas but also because they have medicinal benefits that are perfect for the season.
Ginger – This spice is well known for its anti nausea effects but it is also great for getting inflammation under control and reducing pain. Sometimes it is helpful for people with diabetes and heart issues as well. (1) my favorite to enjoy in teas or a capsule right when I need an immune boost or need some internal warmth.
Cinnamon – This spice is full of antioxidants and other compounds that research has now been showing to support cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. It is also a helpful spice to protect your nerves against inflammation. It also boosts immunity is anti microbial,anti fungal and anti viral. (2)
Star Anise – A staple winter spice with its licorice like flavor it is a powerhouse that can help fend off viral infections and bacterial ones. A great spice to look deeper into within the colds and flu season. It also has been shown to help with blood sugar levels supporting cardiovascular health. (3)
Ashwagandha- An herb worth mentioning for the season which can help support healthy cortisol levels is ashwagandha. It is a popular herb from India which is very popular here in the US. It is an adaptogen which is warming and it famously is known to help the body specifically with stress. It also boosts memory, calms anxiety and supports sleep. Research has shown that in may help with inflammation as well as support your immune system. (4)
There are also nutritive herbs which you can look at that are loaded with vitamins and minerals and make them into teas. Some herbs that are highly nutritive are:
- Lemon balm
- Alfalfa
- Stinging nettles
If you need a specific blend for the season do not hesitate to reach out!
Illnesses
During the wintertime it seems inevitable that you or people in your family might be sick. The best thing to do is to prep your home for things that might come up by stocking your medicine cabinet with herbs, homeopathy and supplements.
Some favorites include:
- Kids safe alcohol free echinacea
- Kids safe alcohol free elderberry tincture
- Homeopathic remedies for colds and flu
- Vitamins D, A and C
- Zinc
- NAC powder
- Probiotics
Final thoughts
My wellness Christ centered mentorship program is where we really dive deeper into habits to help you reach that balance in wellness
Winter is a very natural slowing down part of life. God made it this way as it sort of parallels the same things as we get older but on a smaller scale. Towards the end of the year it’s natural for us to look at what we have accomplished and what we need to let go off.
Same like the end of our life in a way.
We can nourish our inner life first and foremost with following our prayer rule or talk to our spiritual father about where we are in our prayer life.
Evaluate the fruits God has been giving us and see if there is anything we can let go off.
Exercise and foods may look a little different as our natural inclination comes to soups and oatmeal. With certain spices that warm us up on the inside.
Illness can be prepared for by stocking up on natural remedies but always start with asking God to guide you towards what your family or you yourself might need to use or try.
I will end with this prayer:
We ask You humbly, our Savior, as we enter this New Year of our salvation, to bless us all; to bless our endeavors, and everything we do. We ask You, O Lord, to bless the time You give us, that we may pass this new year of Your grace and the lifespan You have given us in repentance, forgiveness, patience, tolerance, peace, the fight against our passions, the practicing of the virtues, in doing Your will, not ours, and in accepting it cheerfully, without groaning or complaint.
We also beseech You, O Lord, to bless the entire world, and all Nations. Guide them to You, that they may come to know You, the only true God, and to do Your Holy Will. And protect, O Lord, Your Holy Church, everywhere, so that with one voice and one heart we may all praise and glorify Your most Holy and magnificent Name, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and forever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
God bless you and yours,
Krystina
