Seasonal Wellbeing Tips

It has been an incredibly warm Autumn and certainly is our favourite time of year here in the beautiful Byron Bay hinterland region but rest assured Winter is coming and so too is the much dreaded cold and flu season, darker mornings and colder nights.

We want to make sure you use this magical time of seasonal change to be well prepared for the cooler months. We are excited to offer some of our top tips to staying healthy and active throughout.

During this time of seasonal change, it often becomes increasingly hard to stay motivated and focus on our health. Our workplaces and homes can become a breeding ground for the flu virus and Summer fitness ambitions become harder to maintain. So, what can we do to make sure we stay motivated throughout this time? Well, plan ahead – it can be that simple.

Preparing your home and body for the change of seasons provides us with the best means to continue into Winter, every bit as well rested, in good health and full of drive as we set out to.

Planning ahead with little preparations in Autumn can get you set for the shorter and much cooler days and nights ahead.

Start with the bedroom

Re-organise your wardrobe – Summer clothes that you know will be taking up space during the cooler months can be put higher up, down in drawers or into storage. Fill the space with all your wintertime favourites – coats, cosy jackets and knit items. This is a great way to not only enliven your wardrobe but is also fantastic for mental clarity and preparation to help stay motivated during the cooler seasons.

Next, replace your bedding. Do you have a duvet you only use in winter? Bring it out, pre-wash it or put it out in the full sun light to get rid of possible dust mites and/or storage smell. Similarly, put your lighter Summer bedding in the linen cupboard or storage.

It’s the perfect time to get into some thorough cleaning. You spend a significant and important restorative time of your life in your bedroom, it may as well be the most looked after space at home. Get into every nook and cranny, remove possible built up dust, mould and allergens from the previous season. This will assist your body to fight any seasonal allergies as well as help clearing out the unnecessary clutter.

Fill the cupboard

Supercharge your immunity by re-stocking your kitchen with warming spices, herbs and nourishing ingredients. Particularly garlic, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, good quality active honey, e.g. Manuka Honey and healing Asian mushrooms are ideal to have in the cupboard right now. All of these can be used in everything from sweet and savoury dishes to warming, healing brews, broths and soups.

Don’t forget about the good old boost of Vitamin C for some extra immune system support. Some of the foods with higher levels of Vitamin C than our favourite Winter fruit, orange are kale, broccoli, capsicum and brussels sprouts. A high-quality supplement may work as well.

Did you know, 70% of our immune system is in our gut? Adding a daily dose of probiotic can help the prevention of a common flu. In case you don’t want to take a supplement, simply add fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, pickles, or kombucha to your diet for that extra probiotic gut support.

Another fantastic way to prep in Autumn for the upcoming months is to make up batches of bone broth and store it in the freezer. An amazing bone broth recipe from our award winning chef Dan Trewartha can be found in our new Spa Cuisine – Celebrated Recipes HERE. If you make batches throughout Autumn, you will always have some healing stock on hand. Use it in everything from soups and sauces to risottos and bakes to add a delicious boost of nourishment to nearly any dish.

Embrace the outdoors

It may sound counter-intuitive but getting enough of the outdoors even during the cooler months is crucial. Not only are we more susceptible to seasonal mood changes, but a lot of us struggle to get nearly enough Vitamin D during the cooler months. Vitamin D not only helps to keep your bones strong, it also plays an important role in the life cycle of your cells, reduces inflammation, enhances your immune system as well as neuromuscular function.

By embracing Autumn in the outdoors and maintaining an active lifestyle outside, it becomes easier to continue this routine throughout Winter. Depending on your skin tone, getting anything from five to 15 minutes of direct sunlight on your arms, hands and face, two to three times a week is enough to enjoy the sun’s Vitamin D boosting benefits.

Hydrate

This one should come as no surprise since our bodies are 50 to 60 percent water. Staying hydrated is important when it comes to functioning optimally. Water aids in digestion, lubrication, and oxygenation within your body. It also plays an important role in flushing out toxins from the body and in the production of lymph in your immune system, which helps carry disease-fighting cells throughout the body. In the cooler months, it’s even more important to be aware and hydrate regularly as we are naturally less thirsty.