I participated on a panel of experts at the recent Annual Richmond Hill Library Health Fair with 7 other incredible practitioners. We were given the opportunity to introduce our specific health modalities and then the moderator guided us through a few questions pertinent to the season. It was a wonderful experience to realize how unified we were on our overall principals AND the different perspectives we brought to the table that served the whole spectrum of well-being. A super important focus for this time of year was being asked to give our 1 unique tip for supporting a healthy immune system. Here are 8 ways from the list of experts. (I hope I remember them correctly!)

Angela Dacey:  Bring the colour RED into your life. Red is for physical and sexual energy and passion. It is stimulating and energizing, therefore it is helpful for tiredness and lethargy, to stimulate low blood pressure, to boost sluggish circulation. Red helps build up our confidence so we can be more comfortable with our body.

Dr. Paul Mechino, (Chiropractor) Dr. Paul brought to light the simple yet incredible power of breath. To stop the business of our day and take a few deep breaths is an excellent way to re-balance the body and bring it out of fight and flight mode.

Nicole Meltzer:  Nicole reminded us to look after our spirit through the holiday season; to adopt an attitude of gratitude. Take time to meditate and connect with our inner wisdom so that we are guided to right choice.

Billinda Pita:  Billinda reminded us all of the negative influence of sugar on our immune systems. That the amount we might put in our morning coffee is enough to shut the immune system down for 4 hours. Think of how many times a day you take in just a small amount of sugar and we realize that we are shutting down the immune system most of our waking hours. Another good article on this topic can be found here.

Dr. Lily Hoang:  (Naturopathic Dr.) Lily mentioned a couple of tips. One is to respect the foods that are warming for the body as the weather gets cold, to cover your neck and head from cold, damp and wind and to try cold hydrotherapy. Check out this article.

Meredith Kerrigan:  (Bowen Therapist) Meredith advises each of us to keep our important appointments for ourselves. We often give up our health appointments during the holiday season in order to get our “To Do List” done. It’s the most important time of year to include our self-care time so that we stay happy, healthy and balanced throughout the season. So, take Meredith’s advice as permission to keep your self-care practices.

Andrea Mathieson: (Midlife Midwife) Be aware of what nourishes you and what depletes you. Learn to monitor your energy from within rather than always being “on”. Andrea guides women to honour their boundaries as we tend to over-give! Finally, it is a lovely habit to engage in 10 minutes of “selfish joy” each day to boost our body and soul!

Karen Armstrong – that’s me! I find that we are out of balance through the holiday and winter season. We are also overly exposed to toxins. We eat more, drink more, we spend more time in malls and stores with excess chemical scents of perfumes & candles, lighting, noise and overwhelm. The expectations we place on ourselves can be toxic to our well-being. So, manage expectations and minimize harmful toxins. The Green Connections Network recently hosted a film documentary called Unacceptable Levels. Please take a couple of minutes to watch this trailer.

Our bodies are a magical combination of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual interaction. Let’s treat them with the honour and respect they deserve and they will honour us back with strength and vitality to live our lives. It there a favourite tip you have to add to this wonderful list?

I welcome your feedback! You can connect with me via email or telephone, leave a comment here on the site or click the contact tab at the bottom of the screen if you are reading this post on the website.

Until next time,

Karen

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