Here we are! December 2020! We made it! Let’s bring this crazy and intense year to a close! Well done! I know it’s not been easy, and we will have lingering challenges into 2021 and beyond. Administrations change, but we are steeped in the ravages that have been thrust on our environment. Our area felt its layer of trauma this year with the CZU fire. And for many, the trauma is not over. Families are still displaced. Many are not sure if they can or want to rebuild, fears of what will happen in the scar areas as the rains come, and insecurities surrounding water safety. The concerns and stress are real. Winter wellness is often about pulling in and supporting the body and heart as the elements show us their sharper sides. This year, self-care has come to the forefront as a non-negotiable! Indeed it always was; however, I feel it was easier to justify excuses for not engaging in self-care, and the effects of not doing so did not feel as strong.

The holidays are upon us. I can tell everyone is looking forward to changing the backdrop of all the intensity with holiday libations, lights, sparkle, and loved ones. We will still need to think outside the box when it comes to community gatherings. Distance, outdoors, masking, but it’s clear that our community needs to feel its connections. I believe we can do this and keep safety for our community at the forefront.

A few foundational health principles should be the flooring of your winter wellness. Try to minimize sugar. It is the holidays, but that does not buffer you from the cascade of sugar’s adverse effects on our systems. Try to skip caffeine after 2 pm. Allow your adrenals time to rest and move into the evening so you can sleep better: sleep 7 to 8 hours on average for almost all adults. Get out and move and eat some greens! I thought a couple of winter wellness tonics would be good to focus on for this time of year. One for immunity and inflammation, one for mental clarity! I find the time I take to prepare these can become a space for a meditation practice in the middle of your day. A standing one, but a reminder in your day that you and your health and headspace matter. A time to refocus and ground the monkey mind! Plus, they are tasty and rewarding on the palate!