WINTER WELLNESS CHECKLIST
- Amanda Lubin-Hersh
- Feb 15, 2017
- 4 min read
FEED YOUR BODY with good nourishing whole foods.
Eating healthy is key to avoid sluggishness and bloated feelings. Look for vegetables that are the color of the rainbow. AVOID packaged and processed foods. If you can't pronounce some of the ingredients and have to google what it actually is, why would you want it in your body? A great trick is to shop along the perimeter of the super market instead of walking through the aisles.
Before I had kids I loved to cook healthy and nourishing meals. I used to scrub and wash and dry my veggies very carefully before chopping and dicing, never really grasping what a time consuming process this can be! Today, with 2 rambunctious kids, I can barely juggle all the tasks I have to do in a day. Cooking healthy meals has become a lot more challenging because of the lack of time, but it is not something I am willing to skimp on. I am sure so many moms feel the same. My saving grace has been FROZEN FRUIT AND VEGGIES. I have learned that they are actually very nutrient dense and so I have finally overcome my “fear” or "guilt" about using frozen veggies in my cooking. Now, when I want to make something with kale or collards or spinach I am not shy to use a frozen package. We are all busy moms and we need to find simple ways of continuing to cook and make healthy wholesome meals for our family.
Health TIP: use lemon oil. You can use a drop of lemon essential oil diluted with water to help clean your fruits and veggies.
SOOTHE YOUR BODY
Ok, let's be real.... its winter time in Montreal and I don’t know about you, but my household have been on and off with colds and coughs for the last couple of months. The amount of bugs and germs that have made their journey from daycare to home has been quite remarkable this year. Even though we are using the doTerra essential oils and they help with prevention and speed up the healing process, my kids still get sick from time to time.
They touch things all the time, put their fingers in their mouths, pick their nose, etc. Actually I'm lucky that they are really not big nose pickers but you get my point… I am still completely grateful to have the doTerra essential oils as mega players in our home. They definitely allow me the confidence to know that I can help soothe an ache and a boo boo along with a cuddle and a kiss. I'm still trying to come to terms with the fact that the other day my 3 1/2 year old Dylan told me that kisses don’t help his boo boos anymore. My heart stopped for a moment when he spoke those words and I realized that we reached another milestone and the baby stage seems to be over. I know I'm not ready for it yet, but I digress.
In any case remember prevention is key! Wash your hands often with the On Guard foaming handwash to help protect against environmental threats. I add PB Assist, a quality probiotic to my kids smoothies when they are under the weather. Actually these probiotics are great for the whole family. Moms and dads should definitely have the OnGuard softgels on hand in times of sickness as well. I literally felt everything dry up when I took this after my boys were sick.
FLOOM is another must have : Frankenscence, Lemon, Lavender, OnGuard, Oregano and Melaleuca. I dilute with fractionated coconut oil in a roller bottle. This has been extremely helpful for my kids when they are sick. I roll it on their feet several times a day.
Remember to drink lots of water to get everything moving. Adding your favorite citrus essential oil will help cleanse the body as well.
REPLENISH YOUR MIND / SOUL
Winter can definitely be tough in Montreal and in the east. It is cold and dark and for the most part many of us like to hibernate. Not always good for our soul. We become reclusive. Many people we know and love become lonely. Many people suffer from depression during these cold and winter months. When you can't get outside and breathe the fresh air, try to keep moving and try practicing yoga. As you may know, yoga encompasses a whole lot of things. And taking time to just breathe can do wonders. I take a few minutes in the morning to breathe and put on some good vibe oils such as Frankensence, Balance, Cheer or Invigorating blend even if it means letting Brody play or (more realistically) scream in his crib for a few minutes. This is time I need in the morning to get my day off to a good start.
Finding things that feed your soul means taking YOU time to do that. It does not make you a bad mother, friend, wife, daughter. It means you know that it is so important not to lose who you are. As mom's we get so encompassed in everyone else's life that we don’t always do a great job taking care of ourselves. We need to be able to be teach our children the importance of self-care, and help them to understand that mama needs time to recharge her batteries. I really try to lead by example, even if that means letting Dylan watch "just one more" episode of Paw Patrol so I can take care of myself for a few minutes. It took me a while to get there, but I know it makes me a better, happier and healthier mom.
