Basics: Winter Practices for Health & Happiness

from Yoga Journal, teacher Britt Foreman of The Mindful Body

I sent this out in The Mindful Body's December email; 

This information is invaluable, share it with friends!

Brrrrrr!! Even with our mild San Francisco weather, there's no doubt that winter is here! During this time of year, our bodies and minds become colder and dryer, just like nature all around. We see the cold and dry in the body in cracked lips, dry skin, constipation, and achy joints, and we can see it in the mind in anxiety, restless sleep, and dispassion.

Ayurveda to the rescue! 

Try a few of the things listed below to help your body stay moist and your mind calm and fresh.

Winter tips

• ROUTINE. Even if your schedule changes wildly from day to day, try to start and end each day the same way. For instance, start each morning sipping a cup of plain hot water first thing, and give you feet a little rub every night when you crawl into bed. Routine is incredibly calming to the nervous system; take advantage of it!
  
• OIL MASSAGE. Oil massage is a wonderful tool for health and well-being all year round but especially in the winter. Rub warm sesame oil on your head, face, ears and feet and leave on for a few minutes before you hop in the shower, and you'll feel warmer all day long.
  
• EXERCISE in the morning to improve circulation, mood and immunity.
• YOGA. Try to keep things routine as much as possible: the time of day, the sequencing patterns. Enjoy a long warm savasana, perhaps with blankets & sandbags on your body.
• FOODS. Eat more foods that you'd describe as: Sweet, Sour, Salty, Heavy, Oily, Moist, Hot. Embrace your soups, stews, steamed veggies, and warm herbal teas. *Special tip: A hand blender is a winter cook's best friend!

If you find yourself already experiencing some of the wintertime ailments listed above (like insomnia, constipation, anxiety) schedule a consultation with me to find relief. You'll be amazed at how great you can feel, and how much easier positive life changes are when you have someone supporting you step by step. Learn more at my website: sanfranshakti.com.

"The doctor of the future will give no medication, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, diet and in the cause and prevention of disease."
-Thomas Edison