Winter is the time for our body’s to recuperate from the frantic pace of summer activities. It’s time
to slow down, rest and relax and allow our body the time it needs to recuperate. Choosing foods that enable our body to rest and build up our energy reserves is of particular importance. It also means incorporating foods into our diet that build our immune system for protection against winter illness.

As the Winter Equinox approaches, the days (day light hours) become shorter, and the night (darkness hours) become longer. The short daylight hours during Winter have been known to affect peoples sense of physical well-being, and scientific studies are indicating that more and more people suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD. Although, Depression and SAD can be considered as more of a mental disorder there is now scientific evidence that the root cause is physical in nature. As the daylight hours shorten, people start to feel down and may even feel close to suicidal. SAD has now been scientifically acknowledged and is known to affect close to ten million people per year. The theory is that SAD occurs because the shortening of daylight affects a person’s personal rhythm - this rhythm between waking and sleeping is particularly disrupted when the body is forced to wake up when it’s still dark in the early morning. The lack of light is said to be the main cause of SAD. Light activates the body’s pineal gland to stop secreting a hormone called melatonin which helps the body sleep. If there is insufficient light the gland continues to secrete melatonin, keeping the body feeling tired. The rigidity of modern working society dictates that we wake with an alarm clock, rather than following the natural rhythm of Winter by sleeping late in the morning. The affects of SAD or Winter depression can be eased and even alleviated by making some adjustments to your lifestyle and some changes to your winter eating habits and diet.

1. Check your liquid intake and ensure that you are drinking enough healthy liquid to keep your body well hydrated. Although it’s much easier to drink water and cold drinks in summer - Drinking water during Winter is just as important. An average of 6 to 8 glasses of water (one and half to two litres) per day, is essential to keep your body well hydrated.
    
2. Drinking warm or hot water with fresh lemon and a little honey is a refreshing drink first thing in the morning and will increase your immunity if you drink consistently through the day... [ Read More - Lemons ]
    
3. Drinking black Rooibos tea with lemon and honey is a healthy substitute to add to your diet, Rooibos is actually a herb rather than a tea and has some remarkable health benefits... [ Read More - Rooibos ]
   
   There are many health teas available on the market, so choose one you enjoy - I love Rooibos tea as it’s natural to my South African environment, and the more you change your lifestyle and diet to suit your own environment and seasons the more you will enjoy the benefits of living in harmony with the seasons.
    
4. Drink the natural unsweetened freshly squeezed fruit juice of apples, oranges, pears, plums and strawberries.
    
5. Include as much Winter fruit into your diet as possible:
   [ Apples ] [ Avocados ] [ Naartjies ] [ Oranges ]
   [ Pears ] [ Plums ] [ Strawberries ]
   
   Apples are readily available in winter in many varieties and can be eaten daily.
   Eat plenty of fresh apples and add them to your Winter salads, stews, casseroles and soups. Liquidise oranges, carrots and a few slices of fresh, raw ginger for a delicious winter smoothie. Strawberries are available in late Winter and have exceptional cleansing benefits for the body.
    
6. Winter is a time to rest and to release the stress and toxins accumulated in your body throughout the past year. Food is known to effectively heal the body and the best vegetables to eat during the season of winter are those that are readily available.
   Your Winter diet aims to keep you warm during the cold months and you should allow for more protein. Food can be cooked much longer and you should consider warming stews and baked or roast vegetables. Incorporate [ Ginger ] and [ Garlic ] into your cooking and meals as both are good for circulation of the blood. Grains are especially important and rice (short grained rice if possible) should be eaten regularly. Root vegetables are in abundance and should be eaten daily - steam, boil, bake, roast or add to stews and soups.
   Vegetables:  [ Aubergines ] [ Beetroot ] [ Broccoli ] [ Brussels Sprouts ]
   [ Butternut & Pumpkin ] [ Cabbage ] [ Cauliflower ] [ Celery ] [ Green Beans ]
   [ Leeks ] [ Parsnips ] [ Peas ] [ Potatoes ] [ Sweet Potatoes ] [ Turnips ]
   
   Some people suffer from flatulence and indigestion as a result of eating Winter Vegetables like Green Beans, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower and Leeks, so when making soups, stews or casseroles with any of the above veggies add some fresh chopped Ginger during cooking.
    
7. Winter is a time to strengthen your immune system and take special care to protect your body from colds and flu. Eating fruits and vegetables rich in Vitamin C on a daily basis will help to strengthen your immune system - many berries contain high levels of Vitamin C and berry juice is now readily available. [ Garlic ] is excellent for preventing colds and protecting your body, and odourless Garlic capsules are very effective. Alternatively, add garlic to soups and stews and incorporate as much garlic in your diet as possible.
   
   If you find you are eating too much salt, try this ‘Homemade Salt Substitute’.
   Mix 1 tablespoon each of garlic powder, paprika and dry mustard; 5 teaspoons of onion powder; 1 teaspoon of thyme; 1/2 teaspoon of white pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of celery seed. Put in a clean spice jar and store in a cool dry place.
    
8. After the [ Winter Solstice 21st - 23rd June ], embrace the Winter energy of Yin and Water by indulging in long soaks in the bath in the early evening. You can further enhance your Body Power during Winter by enjoying a natural Rock - Sea Salt or Epsom Salts bath. Dissolve 2 cups of natural Sea Salt or Rock Salt in a warm to hot bath and soak for at least 20 to 30 minutes. Alternatively use 250 to 500 grams of Epsom Salts or a combination of both. Take time to just BE and rest and relax during this quiet time. Burn coloured candles (dark green, blue or purple) to enhance the ambience.
   
   Make Your Own Bath Salts - Mix 3 cups of Epsom Salt, 1 tablespoon of glycerin and a couple of drops of essential oil, such as lavender or eucalyptus. Put into a pretty glass jar. For a soothing bath, place a half to three quarters of a cup of this mixture into your hot bath water. Relax and enjoy.
    
9. Rest and enjoy longer nights sleep during this time -
   your salt baths will enable you to rest and go to sleep earlier in the evening and increase physical benefits derived from longer and deeper sleep.
    
10. This time of rest and relaxation and longer sleep also allows your body metabolism to regain it’s anabolic and catabolic balance.
    
    Metabolism is the biochemical process within the body that is divided into two different sorts: anabolism is the process that builds up or produces (synthesises) substances, catabolism is the process that breaks down substances. In catabolism, more complex substances are broken down into simpler ones with a release of energy, as occurs in the digestion of food.
    
    During the high activity of late summer, the anabolic and catabolic activities often become imbalanced. Basically, the anabolic activities are those that build up tissues and repair cells, the catabolic process is involved in the breaking down of substances including old proteins, and is responsible for the removal of waste from the body. Now is the time to restore your metabolic balance. When there is a build-up of toxins from the stress and high activity of summer living it means that your anabolic process is more active than your catabolic activities. Relaxation, rest and longer nights sleep is needed to increase your catabolic activities to restore your body’s balance.
    
    This restful state also triggers the parasympathetic nervous system. Our parasympathetic nervous system is one of the two parts of the ‘Autonomic Nervous System’, which acts antagonistically with the sympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic nerves originate from the brain and lower portion of the spinal cord (lower back - sacral region). The parasympathetic system contracts the bladder, decreases heart rate, stimulates the sex organs and promotes digestion. All necessary to improve your metabolic balance to remove unwanted stress and toxins.
     
11. Exercise in Winter is just as important as during the other seasons of the year and should be gentle, easy and rhythmic like a 30 minute walk during the middle of the day when the sun is at it’s brightest. On week-ends take time to walk and go into nature and really explore the season of Winter in your environment.
     
12. Practising Yoga during Winter can be especially beneficial as Yoga is a system of physical and mental exercises designed to instil a sense of tranquility and well-being in a person.
    Try this simple and effective exercise:
    Stand up, take a deep breath and have a really good stretch. Standing on tiptoes, make yourself as tall as possible with your hands reaching up to the sky and your fingers spread. Breathe out slowly, and slowly resume your normal posture.
     
13. Enjoy an Aromatherapy massage or incorporate Aromatherapy oils into your lifestyle. Oils can be used in baths, diffusers and burners, room sprays, compresses and massage oils. Check with your therapist on how best to use the oils you like and try these if you are feeling mildly lethargic and depressed during Winter:
    Lemon, Orange aids sleep and relaxation, Lavender calms emotions and settles nerves, Clary Sage, Rose, Ylang Ylang relieves depression, Bergmot uplifts the mind and nerves and opens the senses, Geranium cleanses the emotions. [ Read More - Aromatherapy ]
     
14. Although sometimes there seems to be little happening in the garden during the Season of Winter, it is a great idea to spend an hour or two gardening on the week-end during the middle of the day when the sun is at it’s brightest. After the
    [ Winter Solstice 21st - 23rd June ], consider what vegetables you would like to plant in the Spring and begin clearing and preparing your vegetable beds. You can also tidy perennials by cutting back their leaves. You can start clearing flower beds, turning the soil, mulching and preparing the earth for Spring planting. Now is the time to prune. mulch and feed the earth, nurturing it for Spring’s new growth.
     
15. The colours of Winter are.... black, browns, russets, maroon, burgundy, forest greens, dark blues and the deepest purples. Incorporate Winter colours into your wardrobe whilst staying true to your own style and what suits your body size and shape.
    Winter accessories can lighten an outfit or subtly enhance it, so try using scarves, belts, boots and jewellery to add stylish flair!
     
16. If you regularly use a heater in your home, place a bowl of water with slices of lemon close to the heater to keep the air fresh and fragrantly clean!

If you have information or ideas to share, please email MANDS - Thanks!

Never Skip Meals...... Especially in Winter! - [ Read More ]