It’s chilly out there. For a girl who grew up in the snowy Rocky Mountains of British Columbia Canada, I feel guilty complaining about cold weather from my new and significantly-closer-to-the-equator home in Georgia. To keep warm throughout the cold season here are my fave warm-up winter wellness rituals.
SEA BATH
I have been enjoying an ‘ocean bath’ a few times a week. This wellness ritual is inspired by the Peaceful Liver Bath Meditation from the book Medical Medium Liver Rescue by Anthony William. William recommends adding sea salt, kelp powder and a sea sponge to a bath to simulate the ocean. Despite the seaside smell of the kelp, this bath is super warming and feels absolutely amazing.
“The kelp powder will turn your bath into an ocean like environment, bringing life to the water and creating a bathing tonic that the liver will recognize as practically seawater. ” Medical Medium Liver Rescue, Anthony William
CHROMO SWEAT
I like to pair a sweat session in my infrared sauna with Chromotherapy, or light therapy. Many infrared saunas have built-in Chromo Lights.
“Colors generate electrical impulses and magnetic currents or fields of energy that are prime activators of the biochemical and hormonal processes in the human body, the stimulants or sedatives necessary to balance the entire system and its organs” (1)
Lately, I’ve been drawn to purple light, which is said to be calming and detoxifying. The heat and the otherworldly glow of the chromotherapy lights make for a sweet wellness escape from frosty winter.
SOOTHING SOUP
Those who know me well know that there is always a big ol’ pot of homemade plant-based soup on the stove, even during the hot months. There is nothing more warming and healing in the winter than a hearty bowl of savoury steaming vegetable goodness.
These ultra-healthy, plant-based recipes are especially warming:
From: Oh she glows
From: It doesn’t taste like chicken
From: It doesn’t taste like chicken
From: RecipeTeacher
Stock-up-on-soup tip: Make a big batch of soup and keep some frozen with Souper cubes. These silicone freezer trays hold 1 cup blocks of soup for easy freezing.
HEALTHY HOME BARISTA
I enjoy hot drinks all day long during the chilly season. Now that I am off of coffee I’ve been getting creative with my sippin’. Armed with my Nespresso Aeroccino frother and an overflowing drawer full of brewables I’ve been concocting my own healthy and warming barista drinks. Using performance mushrooms, nut and oak milks, and aromatic herbal teas I’ve been experimenting with these soul-warming winter wellness blends.
Mud Latte
Moroccan Mint Latte
Mushroom Coffee
KNIT A COZY SCARF
On chilly days I feel absolutely no guilt about staying in my cozy clothes and curling up with my knitting needles and a podcast or audiobook. Knitting has been proven to help with anxiety and stress so this mellow activity is good for your mental health. This winter I finished a couple of super-soft, 100% Peruvian wool hats and scarves. I get all my knitting kits from We are knitters (WAK). Their kits make it super easy to learn and progress your knitting.
Use this code to save $12 off your order: MGMJQPGYL
SWEATY ASANAS
Despite having lived in the 3 states and 2 countries in recent years I have always been blessed to live near a hot yoga studio. I love to wring myself out with a sweaty sequence of detoxifying asanas. It’s one of my all-time favourite winter wellness activities.
Find your local hot yoga studio for a power yoga session or a relaxing yin class in a warm room. You’ll get benefits from the room heat but it’s the internal heat you create from a power class that will make you appreciate the winter chill.
Use Mindbody online’s class finder to find a toasty warm class near you.
STAY WARM AND WELL
I am always cold and never acclimated to the knee-high snow and frigid temperatures that I endured every winter of my youth. However, I’ve learned to keep the cozy factor high in my wellness rituals. May you generate some heat with your healthy habits and stay warm all winter long.
-Shari
References
Disclosure
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SHOP THE STORY
I started pumping iron and drinking green smoothies in my teens. Now a 40+ mama with 25 years of experience working in the fitness industry, I do things differently. What I discovered during my personal healing journey made me pivot in my approach as a personal fitness and wellness coach. Now I teach people how to sweat, nourish and glow from an entirely new perspective.