The cold is finally here, yay! I mean, brrrr! I honestly don’t mind the cold but it did come rather quickly this past week, leaving me scrambling to find my two pairs of running tights. Super happy with myself and my decision back in October to join the local YMCA; now that I’m not on a team, I’m running solo more. And if it’s cold, I tend to make excuses. I’ve got a date with the treadmill tomorrow morning and I couldn’t be happier. Who am I?
Back to the cold. Winter is here and so is flu/sinus/cold/all around feeling shitty season. I’ll admit, I was starting to get the winter blues. But then the beau pointed out that its light out past 4:30PM = instant mood changer. That and with the approaching change of the calendar year, I was determined to get myself on a routine. I’m going to elaborate more on this topic the closer it gets to my birthday later this month, but there are things that I’ve started to incorporate into my daily life to help support my body during this tough season.
- Eat healthy, drink plenty of water. Aren’t we all aiming to do this, especially this first week of January? I honestly don’t drink enough water when I’m home, so my goal has been to drink as much water as possible while at the shop because I know my habits later in the evening. A big glass of water at night and first thing in the morning also helps keep me hydrated (and my lips less chapped). And to touch on the food topic: spicy. I tend to crave this when I’m not feeling 100%; maybe its my body’s way of saying: if its hot enough, it too shall pass.
- Exercise. After the marathon I naturally took a break and ran when I wanted to and that was wonderful. But after a month of that, my back hurt. And my mood wasn’t the nicest. And my jeans fit a little tighter – ha! I’m back in the swing of things and listen, I don’t care if you’re a tourist at the gym this season, enjoy your stay while it lasts! But seriously, it feels good to be fit all year round.
- Get a good night’s rest. After a week off from work, hello crazy sleep cycle. I legit can’t fall asleep before 1AM now… that’s why I’m up writing while the beau is tucked in listening to a podcast. At #almostthirty I fully understand the benefits of a full night’s rest and am doing everything I can (ahem, exercising like a madwoman to tire myself out) to catch some zzzz’s. What has helped me: take a bath (or hot shower), drink chamomile and lavender tea and diffuse a blend of essential oils to help calm me down and create a bedtime routine.
- Support my respiratory health. In addition to the essential oils that I wear on a daily basis (because I love the way they smell and make me feel), I’ve been applying R.C. on my chest. It smells like Eucalyptus (because it has three varieties in it) and reminds me of a sweet-smelling Vicks vapor rub. And peppermint. It’s been in my purse on a daily basis for over a month now and I swear it helps ease tension.
- Support the body’s natural defense. I’ve been experimenting with supplements lately (some studies say they’re worth it, others say they aren’t) but I’ve been feeling great and I think that’s all that matters, right? I’ve always heard, “more vitamin C!” if you feel sick (think those little Airborne packets) so I’ve been drinking citrus essential oils. A concoction in the morning, a few drops throughout the day, which also helps me drink more water because its flavored! I’ve also been diffusing these citrus scents to lift my spirits because to me, the smell of grapefruit reminds me of summer.
- All things Thieves. All I’m going to say about this one is: Google it. I’ve switched over to Thieves: hand wash, toothpaste, mouthwash, all-purpose cleaner and laundry soap over the last month and I LOVE the way it smells. But my favorite is the original essential oil lathered on first thing in the morning and on my feet before I fall asleep… whenever that may be.
And with all of that being said, I better knock on wood because I don’t want to get sick – ha! What do you do to help support your immune system during the winter?