The winter season is a beautiful time for resting and reflecting. That said, it's also the season we are prone to more nasties, including the common cold. Here are some natural tips and remedies that will show you how to survive the cold.
How to survive winter
These tips will show you how to enjoy winter with more vitality and vigour while ensuring you prevent or get over a cold quickly.
1. Stay at home if you're sick
When we get sick, we often find it overwhelming to ask for the day off. Illness is your body’s way of telling you to stop and slow down. We must also remember that if we’re suffering, so will our work and productivity. It’s important to create boundaries and take a sick day if you really need it. You also want to be respectful of your work and colleagues by avoiding bringing germs into the workplace.
2. Have a steamy shower
Not only is this extremely relaxing for the body, but having a hot shower breaks up mucus, moisturises your nasal area, opens up the airways and relaxes tension. So go on, what are you waiting for? Sweat it out.
3. Use essential oils
Essential oils are a beautiful way to support ailments. Open up the respiratory airways by diffusing or vapourising clove essential oil. Dilute oregano oil and rub it on the soles of your feet to boost your immune system. Use eucalyptus oil with a carrier oil and massage your chest and back. Make a steam bowl with tea tree oil and at a safe distance, drape a towel over your head and inhale. Be sure to use only pure essential oils.
4. Eliminate white foods and opt for healthy liquids
Bread, dairy and rice are difficult foods for our stomach to digest, especially when the body needs to focus on the healing process. Opt for a warming chicken broth or soup and peppermint tea for soothing the tummy. Your body will most likely be feeling dehydrated so be sure to drink plenty of water and avoid caffeine.
5. Get some fresh air
It’s hard to want to leave the house when we’re sick, but if you can find the strength in your body – put on some comfy clothing from our Boody range, get out of the house and go for a slow walk. This not only helps on a physical level and gets your blood circulating, but getting some fresh air clears the mind and puts you in a positive head space to heal faster.
6. Make a homemade tea remedy
Cinnamon is an effective antiviral and antibiotic. Mix a teaspoon of cinnamon with some honey in hot water and sip slowly. You can also boost this tea with some ginger for sinus relief.
7. Get enough zinc
Zinc can reduce the severity and duration of a cold, and according to the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) can lower the rate you get a cold over the course of a year. It is advised you seek medical advice on dosage and consumption.
8. Get enough exercise
When the temperatures plummet, it can be tempting to skip the gym and cosy up on the sofa or in bed. Just because it's cold outside, doesn't mean you should let your physical health go. Make time to exercise, whether it's a rugged-up jog in the morning or a post-work yoga or pilates class. Your body will thank you for it.
9. Look at the root causes
Have you been sleeping enough? Have you been stressed lately? It’s usually stress or exhaustion that puts us into a position of getting a cold in the first place. Use this time to reflect if life has been overly fast-paced lately, and how you can incorporate more self-care into your day.
May these tips find you putting some spring back into your step in no time.
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Upcycling is a fantastic way to minimise the amount we send to landfill and create one-of-a-kind spaces. And best of all, you’ll be reducing the piles of clutter that you just don’t know what to do with! There’s no rush The thought of what could happen if we all carry on as we are is terrifying, but the truth is that the world isn’t going to implode tomorrow. Don’t try and implement all these changes at once, or you may end up feeling overwhelmed and wanting to give up. And that’s not doing the planet any good! Instead, approach sustainable living from a ‘one room at a time’ perspective. By working in bite-sized, manageable chunks, you’ll soon find that you’ve created an eco-home that really makes a difference. And right now, this could be time well-spent indeed. Sarah Pelham is the Beauty & Wellness Expert for Bookwell.com.au, an online platform for instant bookings for hair, nails, beauty & massage appointments. 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