What comes into your mind when you think of winter? Toasting your hands and feet, or even some marshmallows, in front of a roaring fire? Snuggling up under a warm blanket with someone you love while the cold wind whistles outside? Skiing stylishly across slopes white with snow?
Or is winter wellness on your mind?
If so, I’ve got some great suggestions, and a few amazing products, to help keep you and your family healthy and happy this winter.
Winter brings the cold AND the colds
There’s no two ways about it, colds, flus and other respiratory illnesses (like bronchitis) are more common in the colder months. Researchers have discovered that there are several reasons for this:
- We spend more time indoors, making it easier for those pesky viruses to pass from one person to another.
- The cold, dry air outside and the warm, dry air created by heaters inside can weaken our resistance to ‘bugs’. That’s because our sinuses dry out and the thick, gooey mucus that normally traps potential infections can’t do its important job.
- Some of our genes are less active in the colder months – including one which suppresses inflammation. This means that our threshold for getting sick and feeling sick may be lower in winter – our bodies trigger their defences – snotty noses and sore throats – earlier. It’s fascinating stuff!
Whatever the reasons, winter wellness means being pro-active, not just hoping for the best.
Four+ Winter Wellness Helpers
So, here are some of my favourite suggestions to keep your family healthy through winter:
1. Try Young Living Black Seed Oil
This is brand new from Young Living and I’m SO excited about it!
There are heaps of scientific and medical studies that have been done on Black Seed Oil. Just Google ‘black seed oil’ or ‘nigella sativa’ and you can read about its many, many benefits for yourself.
Young Living harvest and cold-press Black Seed Oil from the tiny black seeds of the Nigella sativa plant to help maintain its chemical composition. Black Seed Oil is known as “The Seed of the Blessing” in the Middle East. It’s been used in a variety of ways dating back for more than 3,000 years and was even found in the tombs of Egyptian Pharaohs.
The Black Seed Oil from Young Living has a great list of TGA approved claims. It’s traditionally used in Middle Eastern herbal medicine to:
- Maintain healthy immune system function.
- Help support general health and wellbeing.
- Reduce free radicals formed in the body.
- Help maintain healthy blood sugar levels when used in conjunction with a balanced diet.
How do you use it? Young Living suggest that you take 1 tsp (5ml) twice daily with food.
I’ve already ordered mine and I can’t wait to start taking it!
2. Get the Young Living Diffusers Going
As I said before, dry air can dry out our sinuses and sabotage our body’s natural defences to winter bugs. That’s why I always have the diffuser going, especially in our bedrooms during winter. My girls LOVE their Feather the Owl diffuser and I love this beautiful Lustre diffuser.
Not only are diffusers are a great way to get some amazing, wellness-supporting essential oils and blends into you, but they also add moisture (in the form of microscopic droplets) into the air, preventing the air from being so drying.
There are lots of great essential oil options to diffuse, but this winter I’ll be definitely using Ravintsara for its wellness-supporting benefits. It smells great and it’s high in Eucalyptol (Google it!).
3. Strengthen your Inner Defense
Along with Black Seed Oil, we’ll be adding Inner Defense to our daily routine this winter.
Young Living’s has designed their Inner Defense capsules to support the immune system and promote healthy respiratory function. They’re like a protective shield.
They contain powerful essential oils like Oregano, Thyme, and Thieves which are rich in thymol, carvacrol and eugenol. In addition, each capsule contains helpful antioxidants to protect against free-radical damage.
4. Unleash the Young Living Wellness Oils
As an aromatherapist I know just how powerful essential oils can be, not to mention how versatile. As a matter of fact, when you’re feeling under the weather this Winter, there’s a Young Living Wellness Oil that can almost certainly help you. Here are some of them with their TGA-approved claims. These oils and blends have been traditionally used in Aromatherapy:
Sacred Sandalwood – to reduce symptoms and duration of common colds.
Lemongrass – to relieve the symptoms and severity of the common cold and flu.
Ginger – to relieve the symptoms, severity and decrease the duration of the common cold.
Frankincense – to relieve bronchial mucous congestion and decrease mild upper respiratory tract congestion.
How to use the Young Living Wellness Essential Oils
Topical: Dilute 1 drop with 1 drop of V-6™ or olive oil. Test on small area of skin on the underside of arm and apply to desired area as needed. Avoid direct sunlight/UV rays to the application area for up to 12 hours.
Inhalation: Apply 1-6 drops of undiluted essential oil to a tissue and inhale occasionally. Use up to 3 times daily.
Aromatic: Diffuse up to 1 hour 3 times daily.Always read the label. Follow the directions for use. If symptoms persist talk to your health professional. The claims listed above are only applicable for Australia.
Young Living is my choice this Winter
I’m always amazed when I hear other people saying, “It’s winter… so I guess we’ll all be getting sick again.” It’s as if there’s nothing we can do about it – it’s just what happens.
It’s important to realise we can all make choices that can keep us and our families healthier and happier this winter. Hopefully you’ve seen there are some amazing all-natural options you can use to boost your family’s wellness over the winter months.
The links on all the products I’ve mentioned will take you to the Young Living website for more information, including pricing.
Don’t forget – if you’re not already a Young Living member, it’s super-easy to get started and once you’re a member you can enjoy wholesale prices which give you 24% off everything, which is a huge saving.
And finally, if you want more information drop me an email – [email protected] and I’ll be happy to help.
Stay warm!
Kim xo
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