Winter is here!

During the cold, dark and windy days of winter it can be a real struggle to get up and get onto our yoga mats. At this time of year the idea of hibernating until spring grows ever more appealing! What we do know is that a regular yoga practice is one of your best defenses against illness and that lethargic feeling.

It is important that we change with the seasons just as nature does by adapting our daily habits, our yoga practice and food choices. During the winter, the energy of the Earth is drawn inward. We can use this time for restoration and introspection, just as many plants and animals use it for hibernation. We do this in preparation for the spring, it is important to slow down and rejuvenate NOW.

Here are some Winter survival tips:

Yoga Poses:

The winter months are notorious for colds and flus, so Yoga poses that open the chest, throat and sinuses will aid in improving congestion and supporting respiratory organs. The following poses are metabolically invigorating and may help to warm the kidneys and clear phlegm.

1. SUN SALUTATION (SURYA NAMASKARA):
This invigorating practice helps build heat in the body.
2. FISH POSE (MATSYASANA)
This reclined backbend/inversion opens the throat and chest.
3. BOW POSE (DHANURASANA):
Open your chest with this backbend.
4. SHOULDERSTAND (SALAMBA SARVANGASANA):
This inversion helps with stagnation of lymph. Hold for at least eight breaths. Use a block under your hips if holding yourself up presents difficulties and do “legs up the wall” with the block.
5. LOCUST POSE (SALABHASANA):
This “baby backbend” opens the chest while strengthening the back.

Winter Foods:

If your natural tendency is to eat warmer and heartier meals during the winter, you are on the right track! In response to cold weather, the body constricts the pores on your skin and the superficial connective tissue to prevent heat loss. This directs heat away from the peripheral tissues and into the body’s core. Because of this, your appetite becomes stronger in winter.

Although we are designed to eat more in the winter, the selection of foods is still important. Try to pick foods that will keep your immune system vibrant and that minimize congestion.
Eat a healthy portion of soups/stews, grains (oatmeal, rice, barley, quinoa, etc.), healthy oils (coconut, avocado, olive, ghee) and cooked seasonal root vegetables (kohlrabi, turnips, rutabaga, celeriac, carrots and turnips). Avoid foods, such as salads and cold drinks.
Drink warm teas. It is beneficial to start and end the day with a glass of warm lemon water to aid with digestion.

Be sure to eat a hearty, warm breakfast to break the fast of your night’s sleep, feed your digestive fire and lubricate your bodily tissues. Oatmeal or cream of wheat are all good options.
Warming spices to include to any and all meals: cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, cardamom, fennel, cumin, coriander and nutmeg.

Life Style Choices:

Try doing some type of invigorating movement – Yoga or other exercise in the morning to boost immunity and kick-start the movement of lymph. This helps prevent build-up of mucus and congestion. There are free On Demand Videos on the Studio “Events” page to help you get moving.

Start your day by 7:00 a.m. Winter encourages us to hibernate a little longer at night. Remember that Winter is a natural time for resting, so at night, do peaceful and calming activities that promote a sense of stillness. Try to go to bed a little earlier than you are used to if possible.

Soak up as much sunshine as you can by sitting by a window or taking a winter hike or walk. Sunlight helps your body produce vitamin D (which is crucial to ward off illness), relaxes the muscles, combats seasonal mood disorders, and aids the body in maintaining healthy sleep cycles.

The seasons come and go. Winter turns to spring, and autumn into winter. We go through times in our lives full of prosperity, and others where we struggle. As the world changes around us, our time on the mat can be a consistent source of comfort and grace. Knowing you can count on your yoga practice promotes mental clarity, a sense of security, and optimally flowing chakras. Keep it up. No matter what is changing in your life or in the world around you, Yoga is peace, and peace is the language of the world. Sending you much love and warmth this chilly winter day.