Ready for the new year or is your post-nasal drip keeping you down? Try these helpful hints to start your 2015 on a happy, healthy note!
1. Sleep: Getting enough good quality sleep on a consistent basis allows the body to shift out of high gear and settle back into a more harmonious neutral or resting state in which our systems naturally replenish themselves. Try a relaxing bath and cup of herbal tea at least an hour before bed, then curling up with a good book or some cozy meditation before falling into deeply restful sleep.
2. Exercise: Winter sluggishness due to days filled with colder weather, longer darkness, and richer foods slow down organ processing, causing more toxin storage and excess mucous production. The body, mind, and spirit are perked up with regular exercise, especially outdoor activity, where fresh air with plentiful oxygen will send the doldrums and nasal drips on their way. Weekend hike or ski trips help break monotonous weekly routines, increase steady breathing to encourage mucous expulsion, and add to the fun.
3. Destress: Less sunlight, exercise, end of semester busyness, and more holiday frenzy (while fun!) can bring on added stress. Remember to add in more meditation, deep breathing, and other peace-inducing activities. Simple stretching exercises or yoga open the spine, relieve tight muscles, and improve posture...all of which help to keep the body running optimally. Positive thoughts give the mind a rest, release stored energy in the head that contributes to sinus inflammation, and create a healthful breeding ground for positive action.
4. Energize: Surround yourself with color, vibrance, uplifting music and friendly folk! Spicy, wholesome food and drink does wonders for an instant immune boost, reduction of inflammation, breakdown mucous, and improvement of blood flow filled with healing nutrients to extremities and harder to reach places such as nasal passages or mucous membranes.
5. Cleanse: Reduce sweet, rich foods while boosting fresh veggies and fruits, herbs/spices in cooking, clear soups, and teas. Increase alkaline foods and herbs to reduce mucous production and encourage the body's natural homeostasis or balance. Participate in sweat-worthy activities! Declutter closets and set the stage for easy, happy flow in the body and the home.
6. Enjoy: Find activities you really like and participate in them regularly. Winter provides different opportunities to bring nature into our homes through branch arrangements, collages, dreamcatchers, or mobiles, Find things that make you laugh...laughter truly is the best medicine.
7. Baths: Warm water relaxes muscles, encourages the skin and other organs to purge toxins, as well as provides an opportunity for the skin and mucous membranes to take in rebalancing sea salts, essential oils filled with natural antimicrobials, and other natural bath goodies. As an alternate, put a few drops of essential oils in your shower water (close the drain so it collects while bathing) and breathe in the steam, which feels uplifting to the lungs and smells amazing throughout the house!
8. Detoxify:: Closed windows, dirty heat filters/ducts/ventilation systems, and synthetic cleaning supplies generally collect much more in our homes during cold months than warm weather when windows are open. Clean fans, windows, ledges, change filters, vacuum more, and open the window a crack for some instant invigoration.
9. Increase Vitamins & Minerals: Taking in more antioxidant-rich and phlegm-decreasing foods such as dark leafy greens, bright colored berries, and herbal teas from diverse plants provides immune enhancing responses without spending extra money on a multivitamin. Naturally-sourced vitamins and minerals can also be helpful to keep the system in balance. Look for rosehips and hibiscus, which contain large amounts of Vitamin C without the acidity of citrus. Try adding seaweed into your diet-it's one of nature's best multivitamins!
10. Purify: Keep a humidifier or stove-top pot going regularly with essential oils like lavender, eucalyptus, tea tree, and peppermint. Air purification, along with rehydration of cells, is one of the best methods around for keeping home and hearth clean, refreshed, energized, and ready to live life to it's fullest!
Peace, Love, and Healing! ~Jennifer
1. Sleep: Getting enough good quality sleep on a consistent basis allows the body to shift out of high gear and settle back into a more harmonious neutral or resting state in which our systems naturally replenish themselves. Try a relaxing bath and cup of herbal tea at least an hour before bed, then curling up with a good book or some cozy meditation before falling into deeply restful sleep.
2. Exercise: Winter sluggishness due to days filled with colder weather, longer darkness, and richer foods slow down organ processing, causing more toxin storage and excess mucous production. The body, mind, and spirit are perked up with regular exercise, especially outdoor activity, where fresh air with plentiful oxygen will send the doldrums and nasal drips on their way. Weekend hike or ski trips help break monotonous weekly routines, increase steady breathing to encourage mucous expulsion, and add to the fun.
3. Destress: Less sunlight, exercise, end of semester busyness, and more holiday frenzy (while fun!) can bring on added stress. Remember to add in more meditation, deep breathing, and other peace-inducing activities. Simple stretching exercises or yoga open the spine, relieve tight muscles, and improve posture...all of which help to keep the body running optimally. Positive thoughts give the mind a rest, release stored energy in the head that contributes to sinus inflammation, and create a healthful breeding ground for positive action.
4. Energize: Surround yourself with color, vibrance, uplifting music and friendly folk! Spicy, wholesome food and drink does wonders for an instant immune boost, reduction of inflammation, breakdown mucous, and improvement of blood flow filled with healing nutrients to extremities and harder to reach places such as nasal passages or mucous membranes.
5. Cleanse: Reduce sweet, rich foods while boosting fresh veggies and fruits, herbs/spices in cooking, clear soups, and teas. Increase alkaline foods and herbs to reduce mucous production and encourage the body's natural homeostasis or balance. Participate in sweat-worthy activities! Declutter closets and set the stage for easy, happy flow in the body and the home.
6. Enjoy: Find activities you really like and participate in them regularly. Winter provides different opportunities to bring nature into our homes through branch arrangements, collages, dreamcatchers, or mobiles, Find things that make you laugh...laughter truly is the best medicine.
7. Baths: Warm water relaxes muscles, encourages the skin and other organs to purge toxins, as well as provides an opportunity for the skin and mucous membranes to take in rebalancing sea salts, essential oils filled with natural antimicrobials, and other natural bath goodies. As an alternate, put a few drops of essential oils in your shower water (close the drain so it collects while bathing) and breathe in the steam, which feels uplifting to the lungs and smells amazing throughout the house!
8. Detoxify:: Closed windows, dirty heat filters/ducts/ventilation systems, and synthetic cleaning supplies generally collect much more in our homes during cold months than warm weather when windows are open. Clean fans, windows, ledges, change filters, vacuum more, and open the window a crack for some instant invigoration.
9. Increase Vitamins & Minerals: Taking in more antioxidant-rich and phlegm-decreasing foods such as dark leafy greens, bright colored berries, and herbal teas from diverse plants provides immune enhancing responses without spending extra money on a multivitamin. Naturally-sourced vitamins and minerals can also be helpful to keep the system in balance. Look for rosehips and hibiscus, which contain large amounts of Vitamin C without the acidity of citrus. Try adding seaweed into your diet-it's one of nature's best multivitamins!
10. Purify: Keep a humidifier or stove-top pot going regularly with essential oils like lavender, eucalyptus, tea tree, and peppermint. Air purification, along with rehydration of cells, is one of the best methods around for keeping home and hearth clean, refreshed, energized, and ready to live life to it's fullest!
Peace, Love, and Healing! ~Jennifer
