As we head into the winter season and holidays, a few changes take place, including lifestyles.
First, the days and sunlight become shorter, robbing us of the sun’s natural vitamin D. Vitamin D is essential for strengthening our bones and teeth, increasing testosterone, regulation of hormones, combating respiratory issues, increasing energy levels, and regulating our biological clock so we sleep better at night.
During the hours of 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., the body needs to be in a sleep state in order for the immune system to kick in. This is the time frame in which immune cells are at their peak, repairing and rebuilding the body. If one does not get to bed at a proper time and get enough sleep, the immune system cannot function properly.
Although the holidays are heart-warming, they can also become very stressful. When the body and mind are under excessive stress it burns through the body’s mineral supply. And the amount of sugar from one can of soda robs the body of all the calcium the bone can produce in a day. As a society, we overeat and indulge in the wrong foods, and overdo just about everything, especially during the holidays!
At this time of year, it’s a great idea to re-evaluate our priorities. Sometimes less is more. Do the things you love the most and let go of traditions that stress you. It’s also important to gauge your food intake and types of food you are eating. Christmas is a time of joy, what brings you joy?
Don’t wait until the holidays are over to take care of yourself. Get a head start on the new year by putting your health at the top of your Christmas list. Below are a few great ideas.
- Find 15 minutes for sunshine each day or place water in the sunshine for at least 4 hours and drink the sunshine water. A non-profit study in Canada where there is less sun, states that a person requires 3000 – 5000 IU of vitamin D supplementation per day during the winter months. (reference. Veugelers PJ. Pham TM & Ekwaru JP. Optimal Vitamin D Supplementation Doses the Minimize the Risk of Both low and high Serum 25 Hydoxyvitamin D Concentrations in the General Population. Nutrients. 2015 Dec. 4;7(12):10189-20 8)
- Beef up on your daily minerals.
- Be sure to take your vitamins including vitamin B’s because they reduce stress.
- Give yourself permission to rest and to get to sleep in a timely manner.
As a Foot Zone Practitioner, while foot zoning clients, you will want to be mindful of the following:
- The sternum produces the highest amounts of immune cells.
- The thymus matures the T cells. These immune cells activate the immune system.
- The liver has over 400 functions and produces proteins that attack and kill various bacteria.
- The spleen helps regulate the blood and lymph systems. The blood system carries our immune cells to target cells to keep us healthy. The lymph system is loaded with immune cells and lymph nodes that destroy pathogens.
- Always remember to view your client as whole and remember that if your client is experiencing health issues, the issues are merely interference of the body’s innate blueprint that are speaking to him/her in a physical manner to get his/her attention that one’s lifestyle needs to be evaluated and changes need to be made.
- Look for the beauty and love in your life!