How to keep warm in winter; the natural way

No matter where you are, winter like all seasons has a cosy charm about it with the nights drawing in earlier and the feeling of hibernation.  Winter is a time when one can strengthen oneself by eating and moving more to gather more fuel to counteract the cold weather.

Here are some tips on how to keep warm in the winter.

Take a  sunbath

Make the most of the sun when it shines. The sun provides vital heat energy not only to keep you warm but to lift your mood and strengthen your metabolism. When your metabolism is strengthened you will feel an inner warmth. The sun is the best source of vitamin D and Vitamin D has the power to boost your immune system. However, don’t overdo the sunbath cos too much sun can be detrimental and lead to sunburn and other conditions. The strength of the sun will vary depending on which country you’re in so you will have to gauge what is too much sun.

Exercise and movement

Movement is a great way to keep warm for it boosts your circulation and metabolism thereby creating heat in your body. Depending on your body strength you can choose what exercise is suitable for you. You can walk, do yoga or physiotherapy or do more high-impact exercise. However, according to Ayurveda, one should exercise only until one starts sweating; doing more will be depleting to your system.

You can exercise indoors or outdoors depending on the weather conditions and what suits you.  Apart from exercise, you can move within your own living place; getting up periodically to do something physical is a good idea as it keeps your metabolism stable enough for you to keep warm.

Nutrition

Ayurveda states that winter is a time when the body has more inner heat and thereby compensates for the cold environment. With this stronger inner heat one usually feels more hungry and can eat heavier food which one might not be able to digest in the summer months. Again gauge your hunger; eat only when hungry. If you have no appetite due to illness then still make sure you take small regular meals or healthy snacks.

What are the best foods for the winter?

• Consume seasonal local produce as much as possible for this is what nature intends us to eat for our well-being. However, you may be living in a place where there is little local produce in which case you will have to resort to what is available.
• Take hot foods rather than cold as these will help keep your body warm.
• Add more herbs and spices to your food to warm you up ( if you have a heat condition, go sparingly).
• Dry fruits and nuts are a good source of heat so take these according to your need.
• Have hot soups made with root vegetables.
• Use carbohydrates in abundance so that you have more energy available to keep you warm. In Ayurveda, carbohydrates form the biggest part of the meal.
• Avoid salads and cold foods as much as possible.

What are the best drinks to consume during winter?

Drink hot drinks as they boost the metabolism and thereby keep you warm whereas cold drinks will make you feel cold. Drink hot water instead of cold and you can also make herbal teas that incorporate one or more of the following: ginger, tulsai, black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, and star anise. You can also drink regular teas and coffee in moderation.

Clothing

Make sure you wrap up warm with woolen clothing if you have it. If you do not have wool you can use other materials and wear layers of clothing. Layering has an insulation effect due to the trapped air between the clothing so this is an ideal way of keeping warm. Use thermal inners under clothing to add that extra bit of warmth.

In winter it is essential to keep the extremities and lower back warm as this is where we lose most of our heat from. So, use a hat, good thick socks, gloves, and perhaps a lower back wrap. You will see many women here in the Indian mountain areas wearing woolen wraps around their lower back to keep their bodies warm. Ideally, the wrap would be made of wool but you can make do with other thick fabrics too.

Heating the external environment

We all know the prices of heating homes are soaring but if it is within your budget, try to keep your home warm. You can add insulation to gaps between windows and doors and use whatever heating system you have. If you cannot afford a heating system, you can resort to a hot water bottle and apply it to the cold areas of your body; keeping it between your legs or on your lower back is very effective.

Bonfires are also a good way of keeping warm, especially if you don’t have internal heating at home.

Sleeping

Make sure you get plenty of sleep in the winter as this will help restore and heat the body. However, don’t oversleep as this can make you feel sluggish and cold.

Use thick bedding made of natural materials but avoid wearing socks in bed unless the temperature is severely cold. It is important to let our bodies breathe hence we advise not to wear socks; socks can trap heat in the body and cause you to overheat.

Heat your bedroom several hours before you go to bed and/or place a hot water bottle in the bed an hour or so before sleeping then you can avoid going into a freezing bed. Sleeping when you are cold can be very difficult and you may find yourself tossing and turning before you can fall asleep.

Massaging and Bathing

Massages are a great way of stimulating metabolism so you can opt for self-massage or treat yourself to a masseuse.  Use warm sesame oil for the massage if you are not allergic to it. Immediately after the massage, it is good to bathe in warm/ hot (not too hot) water and apply a natural soap to remove the oil. If the oil is not washed, it remains on the skin and is liable to get clogged by pollutants from the air and the skin which is the largest sense organ is unable to breathe properly. Also, if you do not wash the oil, the skin becomes more liable to sunburn.

Disclaimer

Please note that we all have different health statuses and therefore all the advice given above may not apply to all.