Winter is a beautiful time of the year, though the drop in temperature, the drier air and lifestyle changes can take a toll on our health. The cold weather can provide the perfect scenario for a slow lymphatic system, impacting the fluid detoxification process, and the heart of our immune system. Thankfully these can be simple to enhance. By incorporating specific herbs and nutrients along with dietary considerations, we can provide valuable support to improve skin health and general wellbeing. We write to share a few of our favourite nurturing rituals for the season.
Nourishment and hydration are key aspects of health during these colder months, as we may struggle to stay hydrated, or our skin may become dry or irritated. Exercise may be less frequent due to shorter daylight hours or bad weather, contributing to a slower lymphatic system and a change in our skin health. The first step for increasing hydration is to add a small amount (approximately ⅛ cup) coconut water to your filtered water, or a pinch of mineral salt for improved cellular hydration.
Dietary choices during winter should be seasonal and fresh for maximum nutrient value and key active constituents to support vitality in the colder months. Choose organic or spray-free food from your local markets or growers, and regularly include a few winter wonders such as fresh herbs like oregano, parsley and thyme, all filled with anti-bacterial/viral constituents and minerals.
Dark green leafy vegetables such as rocket, kale and spinach can be grown in even the smallest garden or planter boxes on a balcony or windowsill throughout the winter months, rich in minerals and nutrients to help cleanse the body. This season you might try collard greens, fennel, romanesco, radicchio, cabbage, broccoli, root vegetables, pumpkins, mushrooms or kohlrabi (our Head Chef Dan just shared his beautiful Braised Mushrooms with Soba Noodle and Dashi Broth, you might feel inspired to try it this season).
Flowers such as echinacea and calendula and other lymphatic herbs such as cleavers and melliot, improve waste removal from the body and promote skin health. Enjoy a warm lymphatic flow tea blend with a blend of calendula, echinacea, cleavers, melliot and skin herbs such as burdock, dandelion leaf, chamomile, home-grown or dried from your local whole foods store.
The winter months may also require additional nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin D, and zinc. Australia and New Zealand are low in zinc and selenium, therefore if we don’t eat from the sea we may be lacking in zinc, which is important for skin repair and maintenance. Vitamin C is also found in many winter fruits, such as kiwi, citrus, blueberries, pomegranate, and guava, along with vegetables such as broccoli, kale, red capsicum, cherry or roma tomatoes, green beans, parsley, fennel, rocket and red cabbage. Vitamin D is mainly found in animal sources such as deep-sea oily fish, eggs, and small amounts in mushrooms.
At the Gaia Day Spa we also offer a holistic and whole-of-body approach to enhancing your lymphatic system. We offer consultations for natural ways to elevate your diet and lifestyle, meanwhile our highly-skilled Day Spa therapists offer full-body lymphatic drainage treatments – a 90-minute treatment that uses massage strokes to move fluid out of body tissues and into the lymphatic system. This can be a beautiful complement to your daily rituals and leave you feeling lighter and more energised.
May you enjoy what this season offers and enjoy better skin health this winter from the inside out,
Tracy
Gaia Naturopathy & Nutrition Team