Tuesday, June 7, 2011

The Urban Remedy ‘winter survival guide’

Winter is here, there’s no denying it. Alarms everywhere are being snoozed, heaters blasted and woollies donned. We’re even talking about the weather. Yep, with the colder months upon us, we feel a little less sprightly and a lot less confident in our ability to stay healthy.

With the cold here to stay, and my unashamed love of winter, I thought it would be nice to share our 10 top tips for braving the winter months - an Urban Remedy ‘winter survival guide’ so to speak:

1. Start your morning (straight after rising) with a warm water and lemon (or lime). A super cheap and ever-so-easy way to kickstart your detoxification pathways and digestive system.

2. Up your herbal tea intake. There are so many excellent teas to discover but our favourites are: camomile, rose, peppermint, green tea and white tea. We love Pukka Herbs ‘Love’ tea (a beautiful combination of rose, lavender and camomile).

3. If you want to be warm, eat warm. Think soups, stews, casseroles and curries.

4. Pack your meals full of veggies: zucchini, aubergine, capsicum, mushrooms, onions and garlic. If you’re feeling adventurous, branch out and try new ones.

5. Add warming spices to the mix: cumin, turmeric, paprika, cayenne, chilli, cloves, cinnamon…

6. Discover new ingredients: we have two favourites at the moment – kombu flakes and umeboshi vinegar. Both help calm a bloated stomach and can be added to soups, legumes/beans, curries etc.

7. Make friends with ginger. It tastes great added to a stir fry, a soup (delicious with pumpkin) or simply enjoyed as a nice cup of tea. Ginger is extremely warming and a great digestive aid (it helps to settle an upset stomach).

8. Garlic wants to be your friend too. Warming and great for the immune system, garlic helps keep colds and infection at bay. If you’re prone to dysbiosis (an imbalance of the gut flora), garlic is also a great way to reduce bacterial overgrowth and ease bloating.

9. Supplement with Echinacea. If you’re starting to feel a little run down (or even if you’re already sick), this little herb will work its immune-boosting magic.

10. Use a heat pack. Place it on aching shoulders to relieve tension, on tummies to help with digestion, or just snuggle up with one and fall asleep.

Stay healthy and warm! xx

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