One of my new mama patients once laughed because she didn’t know what to put her baby in in winter. “What do babies wear?” She asked herself before diving into the world of furry bear and moose outfits as well as baby bunting outfits galore online… It was funny to her because she had planned all the way through her child’s birth on supplies, but somehow had forgotten this crucial piece of the puzzle.
As parents, there’s always something new we didn’t expect. Sometimes it could have been “obvious,” but without the experience ourselves, we can do our best by following the advice of trusted professionals. I hope I can be one for you today in this article!
Here are my best tips on how to keep your family healthy in Winter.
Warm & Cozy Nutrition for Immunity
In Winter, your body loves to be warm. This goes for our diets too! Mmmmmm….. Get that soup, stew, and brothy yumminess of the season. And, spice it up! Warmth can be created by temperature or from spice. For a “softer” and sweeter spice, add cinnamon and nutmeg to your coffee, tea or latte. And, take your time, love. Enjoy yourself and the nourishment that you provide your body during the chilly months. For kiddos, try to make a spin off their favorite foods. Soups in thermoses can be an easy, clean mean too.
For adults, you can also try to slip in some micro green powder shots to make sure you get nutrients from vegetables and greens. It’s nice especially when you think you might not make your veggie count for the day. For kiddos, sometimes you can slip some in a smoothie. They may or may not detect it, haha! Go slow on this addition… Cheers!
Minding Your Mental Health
As we all know nowadays, mental health is just as important as physical health. When one slips, the other is soon on it’s way! How can we protect our own mental health and our children’s? So many ways! Here is a collection of my favorite mental health tips, split between kiddos and adults (though many overlap!).
For Adults:
- Variety! Life is too short to live the same day twice. Take a new way home, try a new food spot. Do your hair different. Play!
- Journal (even just make a list of 5 things you’re grateful for)
- Go Outside (in any way, shape or form)
- Call a friend or family member
- Reset (taking a breath and saying ‘reset’ helps or 5 mins of meditation/breathing… we can ‘start over’ and reset any time we want to – even if we’ve just made a mistake, or several roadblocks have just set us back.)
- Chiropractic. (You know I had to get that in here somehow, I couldn’t recommend it enough, which is why it became my career and life calling. When the body can communicate with itself better and prioritize areas out of alignment, we trigger its biological self-healing response.)
For Children:
- (Same goes for the kids!) Variety! Mix it up. Play with different friends/babies. Or, go on an adventure!
- Art! Making or seeing it, it has a wonderfully positive effect on children of all ages.
- Music. Ditto.
- Om chanting. This!! When started young, it can be so soothing and help them drift into sleep or simply know it’s time for breathing and calm.
- Chiropractic. (Yes! It is helpful for humans of all ages.)
Herbs & Supplements
First of all, elderberry syrup for the win. This amazing syrup is a sort of health tonic and it tastes amazing! The whole family will love it. You can even make it yourself. Here’s a recipe. Plus, I love the creator’s style: “Try drizzling it over pancakes.” Yes. Elderberry has shown to be effective in boosting immunity as the berries are packed full of vitamins and antioxidants. Take it daily or when you feel the onset of a cold.
Next up, Thieves oil. Legend has it that tomb robbers would protect themselves from the plague with this essential oil and it worked – they never got sick (according to historical accounts). The blend contains Clove, Lemon, Cinnamon, Eucalyptus Radiata, and Rosemary, all which do their part in boosting our body’s immunity. For kiddos (and adults), you can (as long as you are fully aware of and have your pediatrician’s support for the use of oils), put a droplet on your child’s foot. Again, please, please make sure you are fully educated on herbs and supplements before using them with children. If you need advice, contact a Pediatric Naturopath for a consultation. My favorite is Dr. Meg Hammel at Children’s Naturopathic Center of Colorado.
All in all… go with your gut on Winter protection for health and wellness (and interestingly… taking care of your gut will help too!) Probiotics should be on this list too!!). And if you’ve been wanting to try family chiropractic, click here to get scheduled! When the whole family feels good, the whole family is good.
The Wellness Tribe | Denver Family, Pediatric and Prenatal Chiropractic
Located on S Pearl St in Denver, Colorado, The Wellness Tribe is owned and founded by Dr. Maggie McInnes. As a vitalistic chiropractor for the whole family, Dr. Maggie uses holistic training and a focus on total wellness in her chiropractic practice. She is also trained in the Webster Method for expecting Moms and can adjust infants, toddlers and big kids too. Learn more about Dr. Maggie here.
Resources:
Elderberry Recipe
https://www.loveandoliveoil.com/2018/01/homemade-elderberry-syrup.html
Elderberry Health Properties
https://www.indigo-herbs.co.uk/natural-health-guide/benefits/elderberry
Thieves Oil History
https://myhealthessentials.ca/thieves-oil-history-blend-benefits/
Thieves Oil Info
https://www.allthingsmamma.com/50-ways-to-use-thieves-essential-oil/