BMore healthy this winter – 5 tips for natural wellbeing!

As we move into November we are heading towards the end of autumn and into winter. The nights are long, the weather sometimes isn’t great and it’s very easy to let our healthy intentions lapse in favour of comfort foods and snuggle-downs in front of the TV.

Here are some tips to help keep you at your best over the coming months whilst maintaining a natural approach to your wellbeing.

1. Keep lots of fresh fruit and veg in your diet. Although it’s tempting to snuggle with comfort food you won’t be doing yourself any favours. I find it harder to keep my fruit quota up but with veg it’s easy as I make lots of hearty soups with fresh veg, lentils and chickpeas. Be adventurous with your ingredients and season with spices, herbs, fresh stock and lots of pepper. Yummy!

2. Maintain some kind of exercise routine. Ok on a cold winter evening it may not be your idea of fun to haul yourself down the gym (it’s not mine anyway!) but try to make time on sunny days for a brisk walk or try a new activity with a friend or partner – what about dancing or mountain biking? And of course for us gardeners there is always plenty of clearing and digging to be done!

3. Get plenty of rest. Sleep is important to help our bodies heal and repair themselves and not getting enough sleep can deplete our immune systems. If you have trouble getting to sleep at night try lavendar sprays, a warm bath or a herbal sleep remedy. Rest during the day is also important, just taking time to clear our minds and rest our bodies even for a few minutes can make a difference to wellbeing.

4. Take supplements to help beat colds. Zinc, Vitamin C and Echinacea are all good immune boosters. If in doubt consult your health care professional. If you are susceptable to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) it is important to try and spend time in natural daylight each day.

5. If the winter is really getting you down try to think about projects for the spring to change your focus and give you something to work towards. Rather than setting new year resolutions think about longer term goals and how you can work towards them. Giving yourself plenty of time to research, plan and start taking action can make the goal more achievable and help pass the long winter evenings.

If you have any tips for staying happy and healthy through the winter feel free to post a comment below.

Stay warm and keep smiling