4 blissful ways to keep yourself nourished this winter
As someone who is extremely sensitive to the weather, the slide from autumn into winter can feel incredibly bleak for my mind, body, and soul.
It feels almost punitive, like the world is saying, “You’ve had your summer of fun, grasshopper. Now get back inside and stay there until spring.” As the days become shorter, darker, and heavier, I find it increasingly hard to stay vibrant, healthy, and happy.
I know I’m not alone here. Although we can’t quite compare ourselves to Siberia, English winters can still be cold, damp, and dark. I am always tempted to go into hibernation and not emerge until March, but life is for living, and I, for one, will not be defeated by winter this year.
So, in an effort not to lose my sanity and soul to the depths of winter, I’m sharing four blissful ways to stay nourished this season, which I also intend to follow.
Every season has its gifts and silver linings. As long as we move out of a state of resistance and into one of acceptance, embracing the things we’ve resisted for so long, we may just find something worth discovering on the other side.
No. 1 keep the energy flowing through your body
The first thing I intend to do is stay in a state of flow and keep my energy moving. This means getting my heart rate and lymphatic system moving daily.
I know this is hard for many of us. We all (myself included) work in very sedentary roles, and that lovely summer walk on the lunch break often becomes a thing of the past in the face of cold, wind, and rain. Yet, the stiller we sit, the colder, creakier and crankier we become.
One of the most important things that keeps us warm and vibrant in winter is having a healthy, functioning, and flowing body that also keeps us feeling energised and positive mentally and emotionally.
So, my friends, daily exercise is non-negotiable.
Whether it’s yoga at home, a walk in the park, a swim in the indoor pool, 20 minutes of morning stretching, or a quick 2-mile run, it all makes a huge difference in keeping the energy flowing through your body, keeping the muscles fluid, and maintaining your inner engine's warmth.
What’s more, when we have a healthy, flowing lymphatic system, it contributes to a strong immune system. The lymph is responsible for cleaning and clearing out nasties from the body, filtering them through the lymphatic system and out via the waste channels (it is a powerhouse!).
And don’t forget, nature in winter is beautiful. Perhaps not traditionally so, like spring, but beautiful in its own unique way. Being outside is essential for our emotional well-being, so make sure you allow yourself to be in nature as much as you can.
No. 2 feed your body warm and enriching foods
The second thing, which I feel goes hand in hand with the above, is to stick to eating the foods that bring you joy. I don’t believe in restriction, but I do believe in moderation. I’m the first to admit I don’t have a perfect diet (who does?), but I try very hard to eat foods without remorse or guilt.
I strongly believe that when we attach feelings of shame, guilt, or anger to what we’re eating, it completely changes the energy of the experience and how the body digests that particular food.
Everyone has a huge amount of programming and unique attachments to food, so I won’t delve into that here (that is something Divine Healing sessions goes into). However, if you run a little cold-blooded and really feel winter’s chill in your bones, you’ll want to add some warmth to your diet.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), there’s an incredible system that decodes how chi (energy) flows through your body and what types of foods you need to support it. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, I struggle with the earth elements of the spleen and stomach, and I’m also internally damp.
Nice.
This means I really feel the cold in winter, struggle to maintain a healthy body temperature and have a really runny nose. To combat this, I need to eat warming foods, like spices such as caraway seed, fennel seed, mustard seed, saffron, ginger, and turmeric root. I also need to avoid raw foods and eat most of my meals hot.
You might be different, but for the cold-blooded among us, this is a powerful way to stay warm from within.
No 3. the little extras that make all the difference
Alongside eating well, we also need to stay hydrated in winter.
With all the heating and cold temperatures, drinking water is often the first thing to go. If this sounds like you (and it certainly sounds like me), I suggest stocking up on a fun variety of herbal teas so you can always drink something hydrating and warm.
Herbal teas can be pretty pricey these days, but you can easily buy dried herbs in bulk and use a loose-leaf tea strainer.
I also highly recommend the best concoction: freshly cut ginger, turmeric powder (or fresh if you can find it), half a lemon, and a teaspoon of honey. This creates a warm, tasty, and supportive drink to power you through tough days.
Another thing I find essential in winter is a strong supplement regime to keep me feeling as nourished as possible. At the moment, I take a baseline of magnesium, vitamin B12, 1000mg vitamin C, and flaxseed oil, which contains those lovely omega-3, -6, and -9 fatty acids.
I’ll also add vitamin D due to the lack of sunlight, as well as vitamins A and zinc, both of which work with vitamin C to create a strong immune support package to combat winter colds.
There are so many amazing supplements you can take, but these tend to be my go-to's. If you’re unsure what you need, seeing a Kinesiologist is a good start. They can muscle test to find out exactly what your body wants and needs.
No. 4 prioritise your joy
Last but certainly not least, winter is a time to prioritise joy.
It’s all too easy to feel down about the weather, especially after the glitz and glamour of Christmas has passed, leaving the bleak months of January and February, which promise nothing but the desperate last stretch to spring.
This is an especially vulnerable time for most of us, particularly because of society’s deep conditioning that January is a time to power back into work, deprive ourselves of pleasure, punish ourselves in the gym, and push ourselves out into the world to achieve our goals and dreams.
It’s so ironic, because despite January being the beginning of the year, it’s deep in the winter season of hibernation, reflection, stillness, and contemplation. January is not my new year—September is. So, I encourage you to buck the trend and stay centred in what feels good for you in January, not what society is telling you to do.
For me that’s taking it a little easy, resting more and leaning back into life, allowing what’s ready to come in.
Above all, prioritise your joy. For me, it’s the little things that sustain me during winter: hot lavender-scented baths, frosty morning walks, steamy coffee in cafés, hanging out with my dogs, writing and creativity that keeps me inspired and excited about life, slower Sundays and great Netflix shows.
This year, I’m taking it further by hunting down warm saunas to relax in, swimming in indoor pools, planning visits to friends in London, finding new places to walk, moving my body, and being a little more creative in the kitchen.
See you on the other side winter lovers!
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