Winter Self-Care 101

As the nights draw in & the weather gets colder, self-care is more important than ever. This year especially we should all be taking extra special care of ourselves, so here are my top 10 tips for keeping healthy & happy this Winter.

1. Nourish your body from the inside out. Keeping your immune system strong with vitamins & minerals from wholesome, plant-based foods is the easiest & most effective way to keep yourself healthy. Warming soups, broths & curries are perfect for this time of year as well as being great dishes for using up food scraps!

2. Call a friend or loved one. This year has been particularly isolating for all of us & that's only set to become worse as the Winter months roll in, so taking time out of your day to call someone you love will brighten up both of your days but it will he& help combat the loneliness that can come at this time of year.

3. Take a vitamin D supplement. During darker months, lack of sunshine means lack of Vitamin D which our bodies use to produce serotonin (a key hormone for stabilising our mood). Please always ensure you seek out advice from a health care professional before taking supplements of any kind to ensure you use the right product for you.

4. Move your body. It's all too easy to sit in front of the TV all day in Winter but moving your body, even for just 10 minutes each day will help boost your mood & help shift that stale, stagnant energy out of your body! It can literally be anything from yoga, online workout classes or going for a run to walking the dog or dancing around your bedroom to your favourite songs.

5. Get outside. This may not be the most appealing thing to do when the sky is grey but getting out into the fresh air & Nature's embrace is one of the most simple yet powerful things we can do each day to improve both our physical & mental well-being. Just make sure you wrap up warm!

6. Make self-care a priority. Schedule in the time to cook proper meals, have a soak in the bath or read a chapter of a book. Make these things non-negotiable & plan the rest of your day around them. Remember you can't pour from an empty cup, self-care isn't selfish, it's necessary.

7. Cosy up your space. As much as I'm a firm believer in still getting outside & exploring during the colder months, having a cosy space to come back home to is equally as important. Light some candles, dig out some extra blankets & tidy away any mess so that when you are home you feel calm & relaxed.

8. Drink herbal tea. Those of you that know me will know that I actually advocate drinking herbal teas every day of the year (I'm obsessed!) but if you can't quite manage that, incorporating them into your diet for the Winter months will still be beneficial! Peppermint, Ginger & Hibiscus are all packed full of anti-viral properties to help combat colds, Rose Hip is a great source of Vitamin C & both Camomile & Passion Flower tea make great natural, calming, sleeping aids.

9. Start taking medicinal mushrooms. Similarly to herbal teas, medicinal mushrooms are packed full of nutrients & antioxidants that help reduce inflammation & stress in the body as well as fighting fatigue & boosting the immune system. Reishi & Chaga are my personal favourites but do note the taste does take a little getting used to!

10. Practice more mindfulness & find joy in the smaller things. Life generally slows down a little during Winter so embrace that & move through your day with a little more focus & intention, really savouring that first sip of hot cocoa or listening to the crunch crunch of orange leaves under your feet. It's the simple pleasures such as these that truly make life worth living.