Getting through the winter months can feel like an up hill struggle. The Winter Survival Kit looks at how you can support your skin, bodies, health and mood. Taking care of these areas should ensure that the winter months become something to enjoy, rather than dread. The kit is broken down into different areas (although some overlap) so you can mix and match depending on your need.
Skin
Although he cells at the surface of our bodies are replaced every 28 days, the winter months can make the skin become particularly sensitive, dry, dull, chapped and sore. Factors such central heating, temperature extremes, dehydration, poor circulation, poor diet and a lack of exercise can be reflected in how the skin reflects to what you are (or are not) doing. Try the sellotape test (check for allergies first) by putting a piece of sellotape on the back of your hand and then see how much dead skin cells are on the tape when it is removed. Facial exfoliation and dry body brushing help to improve circulation, remove the dead cells and encourage their replacement with new cells can be very effective.
The skin Winter Survival kit includes:
Facial exfoliators like Rehydrating Rose Facial Polish, Rejuvenating Frankincense Cleanser, or Honey & Orange Facial Scrub
Neal’s Yard Back Brush with detachable head
Body exfoliators like Geranium & Orange Body Scrub
Nourish dry hands with Melissa Hand Cream
Supplements for your skin. Try Beauty Boost, or Beauty Oil
Use a diffuser with essential oils like Neroli or Frankincense to smooth and rejuvenate
Try Beauty Oil, which can be very effective for eczma
Bodies
During the winter months, we start to build up a lot of tension in our muscles and soft tissue. Factors such as stress, keeping out the cold and not moving as much as we should, means that we are at risk of developing aches and pains, or risking injury. Diets can be poor during the winter months as we eat more and exercise less.
The Body Winter Survival Kit Contains:
Regular massage to keep those aches and pains at bay
Try Arnica Salve for tired muscles
Foods rich in essential fatty acids. The body can’t make essential fatty acids and can only get them from your diet. There are 2 essential fatty acids Omega-3 and Omega-6. Include flaxseeds, oily fish, chia seeds and walnuts in your diet.
Supplements such as Omega 3,6,9 Organic Oil Blend
Health
It’s important to take care of your health throughout the year, but winter can pose extra difficulties as we general are more inactive and pay less attention to our diet. The start of a new year can bring the impetus of ‘New Year Resolutions’ that can quickly get forgotten or seem too daunting to continue or even start. But is important to try to stay active and eat well Think about taking supplements that can help build resistance to the many bugs and viral infections that go hand-in-hand with winter. A study by the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy found that echinacea could reduce the chance of getting a cold by 58% and should you come down with a cold, it could reduce the length by 1.4 days.
The health boosting winter survival kit includes:
Stay active. Why not wrap up and go for a walk (if you’ve got a dog that’s even better)
Eucalyptus salve can help with respiration and reduce fevers or soothing Eucalyptus Pastilles.
Supplements such as Elderberry Syrup
Get a diffuser and try some essential oils such as Eucalyptus, peppermint, lemon, black pepper, sage, Tea tree or palmerosa.
Mood:
The dark nights and early mornings combined with weather and temperature extremes can leave us all feeling as though the best solution to winter should be hibernation. Our bodies can respond to this by tensing up and holding that tension within our bodies – a very physical response. This can be emphasised by any stress or anxiety we may be experiencing – whether it is work, financial or relationships. This can be reflected in our postures or how well we are sleeping.
The Mood Winter Survival Kit includes:
Regular massage to make sure our muscles are working well and to reduce any stress or anxiety levels.
Why not try a body clock, particularly if you are susceptible to SAD
Use a diffuser and use essential oils such as Bergamot, Ylang Ylang, Jasmine or an essential oil blend (ie Optimism)
Supplements such as Beauty Sleep