Winter Wellbeing

It’s that time of year where the mornings are frosty, we’ve dug our gloves and scarves out of storage, the soup pot is in permanent residence on the stove, and the days are shorter. While some of us quite enjoy the winter months as a time for hibernation and recharging the batteries, our fast-paced lifestyles don’t always allow us time to slow down, and often a cold or flu is the thing that forces us to stop.

Today’s blog offers some tips for boosting immunity and keeping yourself in tip-top shape this chilly season.

Alkalise your body. Common colds and flus are more likely when your body is in an acidic state, but we can feed ourselves foods and drinks that help to bring our body back into alkalinity. Drinking a squeeze of lemon or apple cider vinegar in hot water in the mornings, with some grated ginger and turmeric, both hydrates the body and gives your body a little immunity boost before you even leave the house.  Side effects include glowing skin, a healthy liver and enhanced digestion.

Up your vegetable intake. Making a big pot of vegetable soup on weekends is one guaranteed way to boost your daily intake during a busy week, and bonus points if it’s made of in-season vegetables, which provide us with lots of the nutrients we need at this time of year. Think starchy vegetables like pumpkin, beetroot and kumara, dark leafy greens such as kale and spinach, pulses such as lentils or chickpeas, vegetable stock and fresh or dried herbs for flavour!

Exercise. Getting your heart rate up on a regular basis is a good way to get some fresh air, maintain your fitness levels and prevent sickness over the colder months. While motivation may be lagging, see if you can find a time and an enjoyable activity to move your body and stay active this winter. Whether its hot yoga, a hike in the port hills, a brisk stroll on New Brighton beach, a few laps at QEII or a dance class with friends, find some movement that feels joyful and keep it up. Your body and mind will thank you.

Vitamin D. Our bodies need extra Vitamin D in the winter, especially those of us living in the South Island, and those who spend limited time outdoors on an average working day. Consider taking a Vitamin D supplement or adding some extra to your diet during the winter months in the form of oily fish, eggs, milk products, or some plant-based dairy substitutes. A daily walk at lunchtime, especially on a sunny day, will do wonders for your immunity, your energy levels and sleep quality. Vitamin D is best absorbed through the face, forearms and chest, so if you can roll up your sleeves and turn your face to the sun, go for it.

Sleep. We all differ on the amount of sleep we need. Whether you thrive off five hours or can’t function without nine, the most important thing is to listen to your body and know when you need to top up on deep, restorative sleep. For some, especially those with young children, a full night’s sleep is a privilege and a rare one at that, but prioritising sleep and rest over winter helps us to keep the immune system firing (and also makes us nicer people to be around), so if you can, hit snooze on your Sunday morning!

Osteopathy is a holistic treatment that gets to the root cause of your symptoms, reduces pain and discomfort, can reduce stress, promote deeper sleep, increase energy levels and positive mental health. If you’re experiencing pain that’s preventing you from taking the best care of yourself this winter, we welcome you to come along to one of our clinics for a consultation, to explore the ways we can support your wellbeing.

And a final note – we need human connection and laughter to keep us healthy - mind, body and soul. Spend time with your loved ones, bundle up warm, and enjoy the frosty, sunny days when they come around!