Winter is Coming

Winter has not yet reached the tip of its nose that we are already surprised to adopt a lifestyle of home.
Hermit of modern times, this article is for you!
The days are short, the temperature is in free fall and we often fall ill.
These are all reasons to spend always a little more time at home and a little less outside (yes, it’s true, oh what is good, warm under the duvet …).

Unfortunately, this way of life that imposes itself on our health and our well-being: Fatigue, stress, illness, depression …

1 – Preserve the cold
It is everywhere, spreads at high speed and threatens your stocks of tissues.
At this moment the cold is waiting for each one of us. You have not caught it yet? You’re in luck. But until when?
Having a cold is never pleasant and yet this one can settle for more than a week. What a burden!
What’s more, pharmacy drugs are rarely effective. At best they manage to fade the symptoms a bit, at worst they simply make you lose money.

But then, what can we do?
You can first try not to catch it by washing your hands regularly. Also by aerating regularly (but briefly) the place where one spends most of his time but also by not forgetting to well hydrate himself. In winter the feeling of thirst is more discreet, and it is a trap because your body keeps little or much of the same need for water throughout the year.
Regularly drinking lemon juice (lemon is a powerful natural antiseptic and boosts your immune system) is even better. Prefer organic lemons instead, this will ensure the absence of pesticides.
Of course, if the council is valid all the year, it is even more so at the moment: attention to the cigarette! In addition to a cold you could catch bronchitis …

And if by misfortune we catch anyway this damn cold?

It has been said above, with drugs, in this specific area, we often get mixed results …
But fortunately, swallowing some pills is not the only way to heal.
The Western logic is that we attack the symptoms alone, so that the evil never disappears entirely.
Eastern logic advocates addressing the source of the evil directly.
You’ve probably heard of acupuncture already, have not you? But did you know acupressure?
Acupressure is very simple, it is acupuncture without needles, the only strength of your fingers.
And you figure that in colds, acupressure does little miracles.

To relieve yourself of a cold in the evening, here’s how to do it:
Identify the points just in the hollow of your nostrils, in the small recess. Massage successively (not simultaneously) each point for 2-3 minutes.
Small, tight circular motions are the most effective. Do not be afraid if it’s slightly painful, it’s just a sign that you are stimulating an area that needs it.
In addition to these two points, two others help strengthen their actions.
Again, these are two very easy things to find: they are at the end of each earlobe. Pinch the lobe between thumb and forefinger and massage for a few minutes as well.
Repeat the process every two hours and I guarantee that your cold will decrease in intensity if it does not disappear completely.

2 – Avoid muscle tension
The muscles need to be used to be sufficiently irrigated and stay healthy.
I grant you: easier said than done when temperatures are around 15 degrees.

What’s more, since the change of time, the sun and you are a little … In cold. This lack of UV rays causes a deficiency of vitamin D which itself leads to a decrease of tone and undermines a little the morale. In these conditions, difficult to motivate yourself to do a little sport, we largely prefer the option hot chocolate, duvet and series.

But then, what can we do?
In the first place, it is said and repeated: hydrate yourself. However do not abuse tea or coffee, their diuretic effect could make you lose some of the water you need to be fit and healthy.
Second, get in the habit of stretching yourself regularly, and it starts when you wake up. To stretch well here is the trick: while taking care to breathe well, we reach out to the sky as if we were trying to catch an imaginary bar, just a few inches from our arms.

If you have an office job, take regular breaks to stretch your legs and stretch because when it is cold it is very easy to get a muscle, and it often falls on those back.

And if despite these tips you still suffer from back or legs?

If you are stuck in the back, unless the pain is really unbearable, avoid falling asleep.
The pain is not only there to break our feet. It conveys an important message that is: “this part of the body has a problem, we must react! “.
Of course, silencing the messenger does not solve the problem. So when your back makes you suffer moderately, prefer stretching (gently, and always breathing deeply) and walking rather than muscle relaxants and other analgesics.

If you suffer from legs, that you experience what is commonly called the “heavy legs” sensation, it is often, and mainly due to an irrigation problem.
First of all, try to arrange your day for walking at least half an hour, especially if you work in offices or walk around all day long (like shopkeepers for example).

Alas, sometimes even with the best will in the world it is difficult to free time to do anything. Just like me you probably have billions of things to do each day and adding one more is simply not possible, unless of course to extend the days to 30 hours.
In these cases, it is useless to suffer in silence. The feeling of heavy legs is really painful and can quickly captivate all your attention.
There are obviously drug solutions that seem to have been proven since the time they are on the market .A pillow morning and evening during periods when you are most static, and where therefore your legs tend to rebel can be effective (but be careful, only occasionally). Taking a drug is never innocuous, so I recommend of course to consult your doctor before or (if not) your pharmacist. And especially to keep a healthy lifestyle (like walking every day) to avoid using it ;-).

3 – No to the blues of winter blues
You’ve probably noticed, it’s human, as soon as temperatures drop, the sun is replaced by an army of rainy clouds, we are generally less fit and more prone to depression.
Here, of course, we will only touch on the transient depression. If you have a real depression, talk about it immediately and get help from health professionals. Depression can have serious consequences if not treated properly.

Vitamins D and light therapy
This small feeling of depression, we mentioned above, is often linked to a vitamin D deficiency whose main source is … .The sun! It is true that in winter we rarely have the opportunity to sunbathe to recharge our reserves.

But then, what can we do?
To improve one’s mood, nothing better than meditation.
Take the time to wake up to sit (cross-legged or on a chair) with your back straight but without stiffness, your head upright and dignified.
After closing your eyes, focus on your breathing.
Feel the present moment through your breath.
We let go of the past and the breathing from before, we let go of the future and the breathing afterwards to give importance only to the present moment and to the breathing that takes place at this very moment.
You are sitting here and now and your only concern is this breathing.
And then gradually, open your consciousness to other elements around you: sounds for example. You may hear a bird’s song, it’s nature that awakes like you. Also pay attention to the sensations of your body.
In short, take 5 minutes in the morning to freeze in the moment. You will run right and left throughout the day, but for now you are sitting and breathing. What a miracle to realize that we are alive!
If you do this regularly you should naturally become more inclined to appreciate simple things and smile. And incredible as it may seem, meditation boosts the immune system!

Also, we had already had the opportunity in a previous post to talk about the benefits (scientifically proven) of light therapy.

And if in spite of that you still feel sullied?

You may be suffering from too much vitamin D deficiency to be counterbalanced by external factors. In these cases, vitamin D intake may be considered. If you feel the need do not hesitate to approach your doctor to address this problem with him. If he thinks it is necessary, he will prescribe it.