…. or the flu before your office party,
…. or a head cold before your child’s Christmas concert,
…. or a demoralizing sense of fatigue when you look at your to-do list before the holidays!
In the spirit of giving, here are a few tips to keep you in top form throughout this season of celebrating. The cheat sheet below will see you through the crazy month that is December, and hopefully keep you from needing to make lemonade from those lemons. Because being the life of the party can sometimes take a little advance planning!
Your Winter Cheat Sheet
Oil of oregano. You know that old saying “if it doesn’t kill you, it makes you stronger”. Oil of oregano falls into this category. It’s not for the faint of heart; it tastes absolutely, RIDICULOUSLY awful. BUT it does kill every microbe in its path. In case of acute illness, hold your nose and get on with it.
Vitamin D. Take 2000 IU daily throughout the winter. Vitamin D improves your immunity, your mood, and your energy. If you do only one thing on this list, let this be it.
Tons of water with lemon. All day, every day. The Vitamin C from lemons is a natural flu busting & immune boosting force, and water keeps everything moving. Add some cayenne for added protection from bugs.
Spicy food. See cayenne, above. There’s a good reason the spiciest food comes from the hottest countries: it actually kills bacteria. It also increases the release of endorphins (happy hormones, and yes, these keep you healthy too).
Probiotics. The ‘good guys’ of the bacteria world, probiotics are a great habit year-round. Buy the brand in the fridge and take it every day for digestive health and insurance against gastro viruses.
Get enough sleep. As the shortest day of the year approaches, we need much more sleep than we do in July. Have a catnap when you need it and get a solid eight hours each night.
Keep exercising. Even if you feel like curling up in a little ball and never leaving the couch, force yourself to do something physical every day. It will make your winter that much brighter and healthier. Besides, how else are you going to put on those dancing shoes and shake it all night long?
