3 Ways Boost Your Mind And Body This Winter

Winter with the days getting shorter and darker can be harder on our minds and bodies. Dark days can make it hard to get up and be excited for the day ahead. Today we’re going to take a look at a few ways to boost your body and mind through the cold season, so you’re ready to conquer even the darkest of days.  

Fall and winter can bring darker days with cloudy skies. I’ve written before about Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and my need for sun. (It is one of the main reason I moved to Florida in my 20’s.)  It’s nicknamed “Winter Blues.”   Check that article for resources in dealing with feeling down in the winter like full spectrum light bulbs. The effect can seem amazing.

It’s essential to look after our bodies this time of year, but never forget to look after your mind too. While really trying to embrace the season can go miles to helping us feel better, using meditation and calming tools also help to recenter ourselves. Check out How to Have More Energy Naturally and Create a Home That Supports Wellness for more ideas to improve your quality of life. It’s all about a bit of self-care.

A sure way to make anyone feel better is through the comfort of food. It’s time to embrace the season and make the most of winter harvest. There are so many colourful options that have significant benefits for our bodies. Go for leafy greens like kale, that’s packed with vitamins and antioxidants. Or stick with an old favorite like the underappreciated carrot; when harvested in winter, carrots are even sweeter and just as nutritious. The list goes on from parsnips and red cabbage to swiss chard and radishes. 

Why not really embrace the cozy season and whip up a winter meal like pasta, soups, and stews? It’s an easy way to get loads of nutrition and get into the spirit of an upbeat winter. If you’d like to try somthing new, check out Winter Flavors & Dishes.

For healthy immune system support try Orange Turmeric Boost, a simple orange juice drink with seasonings.

Making the extra effort to look after our skin through summer is important, but it’s just as necessary to continue that skincare gusto through the winter months too. The cold and dry air this time of year sucks the moisture out, leaving skin dry and irritated. Go for a heavier moisturiser and lather it on.

My post, 6 Natural Ways to Remedy Winter Dry Skin, has lots of information on winter skin care. Check it out for ideas. Try a home spa day with a brown sugar-oatmeal body scrub.   Don’t forget your feet. For more foot care information, see Winter Foot Care Tips

If you don’t like making your own skin products, there are lots of great companies that offer natural skincare products. You can also easily help out by drinking lots of water and eating berries and citrus fruit that are high in antioxidants. Don’t forget to look after your hair too. It can feel a little lacklustre and needs all the love it can get.  

In the end, these are just a few ways to show yourself a bit of love when you most need it. The best way to get through winter is to get outside. Make the same effort to escape out into nature as you would through the summer. There’s still loads of ways to find joy if you really embrace this time of year, and being ouside is the surest way to do that. Where there’s joy, there’s happiness, and that’ll get you through the difficult times whenever they appear.

 

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Carol

I was raised in Tennessee but have lived in Florida for many years. Love my small home in the Tampa Bay area and its developing garden. My decorating style is eclectic - some vintage, some cottage, all with a modern flair. Pursuing a healthier lifestyle. Spent many years in social services but am happily retired.

25 thoughts to “3 Ways Boost Your Mind And Body This Winter”

  1. Hello,
    I do not enjoy winter, I actually hope the days and months fly by quickly. Great suggestions and recipes.
    The soup looks delicious. Thanks for sharing. Take care, wishing you a great weekend!

  2. Carol,
    Great post!! I actually love this time of year…I love that it gets dark earlier so that I can enjoy all my ambient lighting….I do have a thing for lamps!! LOL!! I love the way the house feels in the evenings….warm and cozy and I love the colder weather…I do so much better physically in the colder weather…..
    Thanks so much for stopping by!!
    Stay safe, healthy and happy!!
    Hugs,
    Debbie

  3. Winter is NOT my season! So I’ve been making soup and warm dishes. And yes, taking good care of the feet and hands. This weather is murder on them! We’re in the polar vortex this week. It’s 8 right now but a fierce wind has it “feeling” like 14 below. A good day for tea!

    1. I didn’t live as far north as you but when I lived in the Detroit area it went to 10 below zero one January. High was low positives. My car wouldn’t start for 3 days. That winter I said I am going back to Florida. I’m not an Eskimo. I had moved north to take care of my mother before she died. I stayed a few years after her death, but that horrible winter was too much. I apologized to my sister and drove south.

  4. Carol – these are excellent suggestions and I love the recipes for the soups and drinks. Self care is important and we often neglect ourselves. This is a valuable post

  5. I love your tips for boosting both body and mind in winter.
    Cozy meals like soups and stews are such a win, and I totally agree on the importance of self-care for skin and hair.

    Happy Thursday, Carol!

  6. This is a great article. I know lots of folks do not enjoy the winter months. I love the tumeric drink and I would love to try the cabbage soup. However, I love love winter. We were blessed with a little snow this week, but only an inch. Which is enough for NC. 🙂 I hope you are doing okay with the unexpected cold and snow in some areas. Stay warm.

  7. These are excellent, encouraging tips, Carol. I particularly like the idea of eating seasonally and all that wonderful comfort food!

  8. These are excellent tips! I had SAD quite badly when I lived for 5 years in upstate NY and felt like I never saw the sun. Florida is divine. 🙂 The recipes sound wonderful. Thanks for sharing this with us at the Will Blog for Comments #54 linkup. We hope to see you again at #55 next week!

  9. Hi Carol. I loved this article. Fortunately, I love the fall and winter season. I understand about SAD. In my other life, we had friends that got stationed in Alaska. The wife did great during the sunlit months. She had a beautiful veggie garden with the largest cabbages I had ever seen. But as soon as the seaon turned dark, she went into a deep, deep depression. They tried the light bulbs, but they did not work for her. She was seriously depressed. She had to leave her husband there and bring the kids back to her moms. Her husband was afraid for her. It was really serious. So I get it.
    You recipes looked delish. I love veggies, but I’m not crazy about carrots but you made the carrot soup look good.
    Thanks for a great article. Pinned.

    1. I am so sorry to hear of your friend’s depression. It was good for her to return to the US. I personally could not live in such a dark place. I know northern countries with months of darkness but I would go crazy.I hope you is better since she came home.

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