Firstly, a happy New Year to you! I can't quite believe it has been half a decade since 2020.
New Year for many can be a natural time to reflect over the past year, or even the past half decade and also a time to look forward. However, this can naturally bring up a lot of pressure to force goals, to look back and feel like you aren't where you thought you would be by now, or to compare yourself to others.
The fact is, the 1st of January just marks a time that humans decided to start a new year. But at any one day of the 365 days we orbit the sun, could be the beginning of a new year.
In fact, starting a new year in the middle of winter, at least for us northern hemisphere inhabitants seems a bit strange. For me, it doesn't feel like a time where we should be gaining an abundance of energy. The most natural time to focus our energy on growth, would be in the Spring. Where naturally the rest of the natural world starts to grow, the sun gets stronger and it is a time where we feel more energised.
I think January and February is very much a rest and recoup season. Still eating warming foods, sleeping more, practicing gratitude. It certainly is a time to avoid waking up at early hours and forcing yourself to do a HIIT class just because society tells you to lose a few Christmas kgs, or going on an extreme juice fast. A definite PASS from me. It is still a time for rest and nourishment.
Practising gratitude in the winter months is a great way to avoid that comparison and to look after your mental health, which faces its biggest challenges in January and February. Getting outside in the first daylight (8-10am) is ideal for the normal functioning of the sleep-wake cycle. A gratitude journal is a fab way to express feelings and practise intent, I love The Three Question Journal but it doesn't have to be an expensive fancy book, just a plain old blank book will do. Dr Chatterjee talks here about gratitude journals.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) syndrome is common at this time of year, so getting outside in the morning is key (without glasses on!). Eating (ideally) organic whole foods, cooked from scratch and high in protein and colourful fruits and veggies. Socialising with friends and loved ones. Getting away from social media. SAD lamps can be great for many as well. They mimic the light from the sun, which is what we miss in the winter. I have heard great things from Lumie, although I've never used one myself, yet!
Fish Oil is a great option to support mental heath throughout the winter. DHA is an essential molecule our brain cells need to work correctly. Most people do not get enough from their diet, especially if they don't eat oily fish and/or are chronically stressed.
Probiotics help with communication between the gut and the brain, there is an abundance of science proving this link now. In fact, there are more nerves going from the gut to the brain, than the other way round, which tells you all you need to know about the importance of the information coming from the microbiome to the brain. We call this the gut-brain-axis.
Vitamin D plays an important role in the immune system and across pretty much all systems of the body. At this time of year, levels are usually suboptimal for most people living in the UK. You are at higher risk of lower levels if you work indoors, have darker skin and the more north you live. So people in Glasgow are at higher risk than those in London. The RDA for vitamin D in adults is 600iu (400iu u1s and 800iu for 70+), most practitioners would recommend 1000-3000iu daily during the winter months, depending on needs. I would always recommend a test, to see what your levels are. You can get at-home finger prick tests yourself for around £40.
My trusted brands for supplements are: Bare Biology and Bionutri.
Eating seasonally and cooking from scratch are the two best and easiest ways to stay nourished, all year round. My top 3 favourites foods for this time of year are: brussel sprouts, onions and pears. Brussel Sprouts often only get eaten on Christmas, but they are in season pretty much the whole winter and include some fab plant chemicals which keep your liver doing what it should be. Plus they're high in fibre, so gut loving, and high in vitamin C & B6 and iron, calcium & magnesium. Onions I love, I eat them daily. Known for centuries as a super food. They are high in quercetin, which is supportive for the immune system. A great source of flavour as well as vitamin C and B6. Pears are often not talked about for their health benefits, but they're quite similar to apples (another fab seasonal food!). High in pectin, a great prebiotic, and also contains vitamin C, K, E, potassium and antioxidants.
So be sure to get plenty of these three foods in your diet, but other fab seasonal foods include: cabbage, leeks, artichokes, carrots, swede, squash and beetroot.
Happy new year!
Rosie, ND, NT
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