Fighting Fit this Winter

11 Jun Fighting Fit this Winter

Days are getting shorter and nights are getting colder. It’s the season of sniffly noses, pesky coughs, comfort food and ignited heaters. Not surprisingly, the gloomy winter days may weigh negatively on our motivation and productivity at work. Tasks can seem more demanding, creativity can be a challenge and moods can turn grumpy. Not an ideal outlook given the amount of time we spend at work.

So, why not be proactive in conquering the adverse physical and mental impacts that this season may spark? Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary and Holistic Spa is a wellness client of ours, and we’ve soaked up some great tips to help beat the winter blues and fight fit through this season.

• Do you feel as though you’re constantly hungry at work? Often when we think we are hungry we are actually thirsty – that is when we are dehydrated. In winter many places have a lot of heating and we become dehydrated easily. Hydrate with warm broths, teas, and infusions that provide some minerals in order to better absorb the fluids.
• Exercise and movement are basic and fundamental to lifting your mood and metabolism. Exercise is also an effective way to prevent and conquer depression.
• Sleep well! Insufficient sleep, that is less than eight hours on a regular basis, affects neurotransmitter balance. Our moods and our ability to respond to emotional stress are negatively impacted by lack of sufficient sleep.
• Struggling to beat food cravings? Eat a meal at least every four hours. Healthy snacks in between are really helpful to conquer your cravings. Always carry some healthy snacks with you – like fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds or a granola bar that is not full of sugar.
• Media and consumer events don’t come to a halt because it’s winter. To radiate a healthy glow, add a little more healthy fats/oils to your diet. Nuts and seeds, avocado and coconut, olive oil, almond or walnut oil (for example in salads or soups) are good choices. If we eat enough healthy oils our skin becomes much more supple and moist.
• Winter foods that help the metabolism run well are warm hearty soups and stews as well as root vegetables like carrots and turnips. For animal protein, lamb is the most warming option followed by beef and chicken. Beans and legumes are great for vegetarians and vegans.