The festive season isn’t always infused with warmth and cheer; it can prove more stressful than serene, more manic than magical. Long-lost family members, meltingly hot summer weather and a smorgasbord of sweet and tempting treats can leave us feeling sluggish and frazzled.
After a long year of work, school runs and daily details, the last thing we need is to throw ourselves head first into parties and gift shopping mayhem. Why not take stock, re-group and employ the following recommendations to ensure your Christmas is smoother than it is silly!
image: willowwellness.com.au
My first line of defence is to harness the power of organisation:
• Use lists and your calendar religiously! Mark any:
– parties and events to attend
– gifts to buy
– foods to stock up on
– things to do around the house for festive gatherings
– travel arrangements Simple planning mitigates much stress and anxiety, leaving you free to savour precious time with friends and family.
You can also employ the following Naturopathic tips for a more powerful injection of Zen:
• Reconnect with nature and our sun
Walk amongst trees or through a park. Plants breathe out the oxygen we breathe in; they are our partners in life. Wind down with the sun, sleep by 10pm and wake at sunrise for bodily rest & rejuvenation.
• Eat nutrient dense foods
In an upcoming Rescu. article, I outline my top 5 natural energy foods to healthfully sustain you through the festive period. These include: Coconut oil, pastured eggs, liver pâté, raw cacao and sweet potato.
• Find Stillness with Meditation
The work of Eckhart Tolle, spiritual teacher and author of The Power Of Now, offers teachings and tools to create inner peace, bring presence into everyday life, find your purpose and balance ‘doing’ with ‘being’. I highly recommend his wise, hugley therapeutic teachings! Read more at his website: https://www.eckharttolletv.com/about/eckhart/
• Support the emotions with Australian Bush Flower Essences
Bush flowers are gentle remedies to bring you back to a sense of peace and bodily balance.
Calm & Clear Essence: If you feel over committed, no time for self, impatient, rushed or worried this remedy is for you. Helps to find time for one’s self, to relax without external pressures and demands, to wind down and enjoy relaxing pursuits.
Dynamis Essence: Renews enthusiasm and joy for life. It is for those who feel ‘not quite right’, drained, jaded. Centres and harmonises one’s vital forces.
• Liquid relief with therapeutic, calming teas
OVViO Organic Teas (www.ovvioorganics.com.au) are 100% certified organic and therapeutically blended. By sitting and sipping a restorative tea, you not only gain the benefits of medicinal herbs but also the ritual of relaxation. Try:
– Clarity Sage Tea: A herbal garden blend of sage, mint, rosemary & lavender. Brighten a cloudy day with this refreshing tea.
– Blue Rose Meditation Tea: A celestial blend of lavender flower & rose petal. Drink hot or cool & drift into a world of stillness.
– Marshmallow Soothe Tea: A delicious blend of marshmallow root, licorice root, thyme & lemon myrtle to soften & soothe with each sip.
– Chamomile Peace Tea: A floral blend of chamomile & fragrant lavender flowers to add some serenity to your day.
• Tonify with adaptogenic herbal medicines
Adaptogenic herbs help the body cope with stress and environmental factors, normalizing our reactions to both external and internal stimuli (such as anxiety).
Commonly prescribed adaptogenic herbs include:
– Siberian ginseng
– Korean ginseng
– Withania
– Licorice
– Rhodiola
– Schisandra
– Shatavari
– Astragalus
– Muira puama
– Bacopa
Note:
Herbal tinctures are concentrated herbs in a liquid form and are only available with a prescription from your Naturopath or Herbalist. A qualified practitioner will ensure your medication, supplements or disease state does not interact with the herbs. Always remember to tell you practitioner if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.
With these naturopathic suggestions, I hope you can find stillness amongst the frenetic festivities. Taking time to ensure that your mental and physical health remain intact into the coming year is surely the best gift you can give yourself!
by Anthia Koullouros www.ovvioorganics.com.au | Facebook | Twitter
References:
• https://www.ovvioorganics.com.au/shop/ovvio-organic-tea-blends/blue-rose-meditation-tea/
• https://www.ovvioorganics.com.au/shop/ovvio-organic-tea-blends/clarity-sage-tea/
• https://www.ovvioorganics.com.au/shop/ovvio-organic-tea-blends/marshmallow-soothe-tea/
• https://www.ovvioorganics.com.au/shop/ovvio-organic-tea-blends/chamomile-peace-tea/
• https://ausflowers.com.au/Products/Combination-Essences
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adaptogen
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