Natural and Sustainable

“Winter Wellness Guide” 16 through 20 of 20

16. Keep Your Sinuses Clear: This is an especially challenging time of the year for the mucous membranes because of cold outdoor temperatures, indoor air pollution (heaters are on and windows closed, trapping pollutants), and dryness caused by forced hot-air heating systems. Mucous membranes thrive and maintain a strong degfense against viruses when the air is clean, moist, warm (65 to 85 degrees), oxygen-rich, and filled with negative ions. We breathe on a average of 23,000 times a day, and if the air we’re breathing itself creates cronic irritation to the mucous membreanse and makes us more susceptible to viruses. Use a botanical saline nasal spray, such as Sinus Survival Spray, which contians saline, aloe vera, godlseal extract, and grapefruit seed extract. It keeps mucous membranes moist, washes out inhaled particles, and has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal prperties. Use the spray every two to three hours throughout the day, especially in heavily polluted and dry conditions. Also try medicinal eucalyptus oil, which you can inhale from a tissue held over your noise and through a steam inhaler.

17. Eat Dark Chocolate: As October progresses, many women start to feel moody and depressed and experience intensified PMS. Craving for choclate goes through the roof. Make sure you have high-quality dark choclate available; 90 percent cocoa is too much, but 70 percent should be about right. Seasonal affective disorder is closely linked with PMS being worse during the winter, so borrowed light from windows and sky lights in your home and office can make a powerful difference.

18. Lighten Up: At least 30 minutes exposure to natural light outdoors, in addition to using a light box indoors, helps combat seasonal affective disorder. Natural light seems to have certain ingredients that just can’t be duplicated by an indoor light box. A common problem for people with seasonal affective dsiorder is serotonin deficiency. St. John’s wort (600 to 900 mg per day), 5_HTO ( 50 -200 mg per day), or SAM-e (400 to 1,2000 mg per day in enteric-coated tablets) can be quite helpful in rasing serotonin levels.

19. Eat Your Vitamins: Fresh thyme and rosemary in your cooking during the winter is a great addition. Thyme is an antiseptic and a digestive aid, while rosemary promotes circulation. Make sure to eat fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants, including clementines, kiwi, oranges, dark-green vegetables, peppers, escarole, spinach, and broccoli. Add roasted red peppers to sandwiches and salads, too. Also have 1 tbs. of flaxmeal a day, usually in cereal or yogurt or even oatmeal in the morning, This assures that you will be getting a good balance of omega-3 fats, which help boost the immune system.

20. Drink A Warming Ginger Tea: Ginger boosts the immune system, clears the lungs, aids in digestion, and tastes yummy. Make a winter homemade brew: Mix 1 tbs. fresh grated organic gingerroot, 1 tsp. fresh organic lemon juice, and 1 tsp. honey in a 12-to16-ounce cup of very hot purified water, and let steep for five to 10 minutes before drinking. The honey, if locally farmed and pesticide-free, is also stimulating to the immune system.

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: Always turn off a light when you leave a room, you will not only see the changes on your energy bill you will also be helping conserve wasted energy that coal-producing power plants have to keep producing. Why leave the light on anyway?