What Is Your (Winter) Body Asking For?

Keep your self-care game strong in the Winter months, and you’ve got a much better chance of warding off the winter blues (not to mention all the other undesirables of winter, such as chapped skin and the many colds and flus making their rounds).

Our aim is to make the self-care journey as feel great as possible. Listening to your body is the first step to authentically nurturing yourself. Forcing a hard workout when you need rest, indulging in sugary junk food when you’re run down, or, alternately, deep cleansing when you actually need more nutrition, goes against your body’s inherent wisdom. In our estimation, self-care is not about doing something “right” or achieving the ideal health-regimen; it’s about fine-tuning your intuition, so you know exactly what your body really requires, and when.  

Here are some of our favorite ways to nurture our Winter bodies (feel free to adapt them so they perfectly suit your own):

Connect with Nature
Nature is a great healer (this is why we use nature-rich ingredients in our products). Taking time each day to connect with the outdoors will help you feel happier, more centered, and energized. Whether you take a walk, go for a ski, or simply take a few moments to gaze up at the moon before bed, regularly aligning your awareness with the bigger picture always yields great rewards.

Stay Social
It’s easy to isolate in the Winter months, especially for those who work at home. At first it’s cozy and satisfying to hunker in, and before you know it, weeks have passed and Netflix is your new best friend. Treat yourself to regular time with actual friends. Our social connections help lessen anxiety and depression, regulate our emotions, and boost our immune systems.

This Tonic
Feeling run-down? This easy concoction is a tried-and-true boost for your whole being. It’s powerful, pungent, and you’ll feel its effects right away.

Ingredients

• 3 cloves peeled and smashed garlic
• 2 inches sliced ginger root
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• Juice from one organic lemon
• Local honey
• 60 oz. purified water

Method

• Boil water in a medium pan.
• Add garlic, ginger, and cayenne.
• Turn heat down, cover, and allow to simmer for 3-5 minutes.
• Turn heat off and leave covered for 15 minutes so it steeps. 
• Remove cover and add lemon juice.
• Strain into cup and add honey to taste.

Sweat
Move, dance, run, breathe. Break a sweat!  And if you have access to an infrared sauna, use that too. Sweating each day will help you release toxins, boost your mood, assist your lymphatic flow, and keep you prepared for the warmer months and all the shorts and sun dresses that go with it.

Hydrate Your Skin
Create a ritual to keep your skin hydrated and soft all Winter long. We suggest starting with our Body Oil and Body Lotion. Use them daily and see how plant-based bioactives and organic-rich oils can transform dull, devitalization to a healthy-looking, natural glow.

Happy #SustainableSelfCareSunday!  

image credit: Fereshteh Azadi