How to Stay Healthy this Winter

By Jen Bowers

It's cold and flu season again and everyone knows just how miserable being sick can be, especially when there are so many things to do. Here are a few tips on how to stay healthy and happy this winter.

1. Spice it up! Using pungent herbs like cinnamon, ginger, pepper or garlic helps support your respiratory system.These herbs are also known to be antimicrobial and antibacterial, so they boost the immune system as well.

2. Wear a scarf! Your mother was right. Wearing a scarf around your neck helps to regulate your body temperature. In Chinese medicine we say that "wind attacks at the nape of the neck" and wind is the cause of colds and flu.

3. Salad is not your friend. Not at this time of the year, anyway. Try to stick with warm, cooked foods so your body needs to devote less energy to digestion and can spend more energy keeping viruses at bay.

4. Say no to sugar, Sugar is known to depress the immune system, so think twice before grabbing a cookie. Natural sugars are less problematic - try an  apple instead. Bring sweetnes into your life by treating yourself to some flowers or smelling essential oils.

De-stress. Set aside sometime for yourself every day if you can. If you don't have time to rest, meditate or relax, give yourself a spa treatment in the shower - a nice head massage while you shampoo can go a long way. Spend twenty minutes reading before you go to bed, play with your pets, anything that makes you feel relaxed.