Naturopathy for winter care

The winter months are upon us and as soon as the cold weather will arrive, your perfectly plump skin will start to turn dry. Even before you know it, your skin will begin to feel the effects of the cold. The dry wind will make your skin feel rough and you can find skin flakes. For people who have extremely dry and sensitive skin, winter is a harrowing time. But, just covering yourself in store-bought moisturizer is not enough. Also, they don’t last for very long. So, Nirvana Naturopathy & Retreat’s naturopathy expert decided to offer some natural tips by which you can keep your skin feeling refreshed and soft throughout the winter season.

ALWAYS STAY HYDRATED

People generally consume less water during the winter, but that is a wrong practice. You need to stay hydrated even during the winter months. In fact, one of the main causes for your skin turning dry during winter is because of lack of water. So that need to drink more water during winter.

EAT A LOT OF VEGGIES & FRUITS
During winter, people tend to eat a lot and since the weather is comfortable, people eat more than what they normally should. Also, there is a lot of meat consumption. But, the metabolism rate during cold dips down, which means that you need to cut down on junk and protein-rich food and stick to veggies & fruits. Eating a lot of seasonal veggies & fruits can help you keep your skin hydrated and glowing.

CONSUME A LOT OF OMEGA-3 FAT

Omega-3 fatty acids contain anti-inflammatory properties. These good fats help to protect the skin from damage caused by the sun. They also help to strengthen the cell membranes and help to seal the moisture. So, include it as part of your meal and naturally moisturize your skin from within.

DO NOT BATHE FOR TOO LONG USING HOT WATER

Having hot baths during winter might be tempting, but it is not good for your skin. It can rob your skin of essential moistures. So, bathe using moderate-temperature water and cut down on the time. Shorter showers will keep your skin healthy.

EPSOM SALT BATH
Soaking in an Epsom bath may boost your immune system, increasing white blood cells to help fight off infection. Epsom salt soaks also relax muscles and aches which aid in restorative sleep to help fight off infection. Add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to the bath for easy breathing. Use 1 to 2 cups of Epsom salt and a tablespoon of olive oil for a standard-size bathtub. Pour the salt into the warm running water to help it dissolve faster. Add the olive oil and stir the bath water using your hand to help combine the salt and oil. Soak for at least 12 minutes, 2 or 3 times a week.

FOOT BATH
A hot foot bath is very helpful in treating diseases like asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, obesity, insomnia in winters, low blood pressure, scanty or late menstrual bleeding, painful menstruation, chronic renal problems, stones and constipation. It helps also in Reduces and prevents athlete’s foot, Loosens skin to remove splinters, Treats toenail fungus, Soothes pain from sprains and bruises, Eases gout pain and discomfort. Fill a bucket or tub with enough warm water to cover the feet up to the ankles. Add half or three-quarters of a cup of Epsom salt or normal raw sea salt to the water. Place the feet in the soak for about 20 to 30 minutes. Dry thoroughly after the soak and then moisturize the feet.

STEAMING
Steaming helps to cleanse the skin, It promotes circulation of blood. It releases acne-causing bacteria and cells. It releases trapped sebum .It helps to hydrating. It helps your skin better absorb skin care products. It promotes collagen and elastin. It help to skin soothing.

HOT TOWEL PACK
Hot towel pack helps to relive many types of pain, spasm, stiffness in winter. This therapy induces vasodilatation drawing blood into the target tissues. Increased blood flow delivers needed oxygen and nutrients, and removes cell wastes. The warmth decreases muscle spasm, relaxes tense muscles, relieves pain, and can increase range of motion.

SUN BATH
To take sunbath, first cover your head with a wet towel. You should be in your underwear or should wear light cotton clothes to let your skin absorb the sunlight in a better way. Either lie down or sit somewhere in the sun and relax for a while. Once you start sweating, move from the Sun and bathe in cold water

Vitamin D:
Sun exposure aids the body to make vitamin D naturally. Vitamin is very important but many people do not get enough of it. Through sunshine, we get 90% vitamin D and it helps in protecting us against disease and slow the aging procedure. Each day, we must take 10-15 minutes sunbath which is less than the time it takes you to burn. It is difficult to get Vitamin D from food alone so Sunbathing is very essential for us.

Reduced Depression:
After spending some time in the Sun, Fewer symptoms of depression may be decreased. Sunlight helps the brain to release hormone serotonin, which can improve our mood and also increases the feeling of calmness. Even without the problem of depression, spend time in the sun will likely improve your mood.

Improve Sleep:
Every day, go out for 15 minutes mostly prefer in the morning. Sunlight helps to shut off the body’s melatonin production. Sunbathing aids to regulate circadian rhythm and the human body will start to get consistently sleepy when the sun goes down.

Bones Get Stronger and Boost Immune System:
Vitamin D helps the body to absorb calcium which leads to stronger bones and may aid in preventing osteoporosis and arthritis. The immune system boost up by taking sunbathing regularly. Vitamin D helps the body to fight from diseases which include heart disease, flu, muscle sclerosis, and autoimmune diseases and cancer.

Lower Blood Pressure:
High blood pressure exposure to UV rays can help. After exposure to rays for 20 minutes sessions, the blood pressure level decreases significantly for 1 hour.

SCIENCE BEHIND SUNBATHING
Sunbathing is a natural way to heal different types of health problems. In the body, Sunshine helps to regulate melatonin production which is very significant for maintaining circadian rhythms. The pineal gland of our brain release Melatonin, an important hormone, and this hormone regulate the sleep-wake cycle. Through the intensity of sunlight, Melatonin production is affected. During day time Melatonin falls and it increases at night. A decrease in sunlight exposure may develop physical and psychological disorders. Sun exposure doesn’t mean burn your skin it just likes to expose yourself to sun rays in a healthy way.

TIME DURATION OF SUNBATHING:

In summer, the time duration must be 10-15 Minutes and in winter, the time limit of sunbathing is 20-30 minutes. One thing you should avoid i.e. take sunbath in a windy place. The best time to take sunbath is before 08:00 AM and after 05:00 PM because at that time sun rays are not very strong.

FASTING THERAPY (SPACE ELIMENT)
“Feed a cold, starve a fever.” The phrase refers to eating when you have a cold, and fasting when you have a fever. Naturopathy says that avoiding food during an infection helps your body heal. Fasting is defined as the abstinence from foods, drinks or both for a period of time.
Several types of fasting exist, the most common of which include:

• Absolute fasting: Involves not eating or drinking, usually for a short period.
• Water fasting: Allows intake of water but nothing else.
• Juice fasting: Also known as juice cleansing or juice detoxifying, and usually involves the exclusive intake of fruit and vegetable juices.
• Intermittent fasting: This eating pattern cycles between periods of eating and periods of fasting, which can last up to 24 hours.

Fasting forces your body to rely on its energy stores to sustain normal function. Your body’s first store of choice is glucose, which is mostly found as glycogen in your liver and muscles. Once your glycogen is depleted, which generally occurs after 24–48 hours, your body starts using amino acids and fat for energy. Using large amounts of fat as a fuel source produces by-products called ketones, which your body and brain can use as a source of energy. Interestingly, one particular ketone — beta-hydroxy butyrate— was observed to benefit the immune system.

Common cold and flu-like symptoms can be caused by either viruses or bacteria.To be perfectly clear, cold and flu infections are initially caused by viruses, specifically the rhinovirus and influenza virus. However, being infected with these viruses lowers your defense against bacteria, raising your chances of simultaneously developing a bacterial infection, whose symptoms are often similar to your initial ones. Interestingly, there is research to support the idea that the lack of appetite you often feel during the first few days of an illness is your body’s natural adaptation to fighting the infection

HOT MUD BATH/PACK THERAPY

Take hot mud therapy in winter, A technique introduced by naturopathy, this procedure detoxifies the body and rejuvenates the skin by removing dead cells and restoring your pH balance. You can take mud and mix with hot water and apply your affected area or every part of body. Then sit under sun light for 30 to 40 min. then take normal shower bath when it will be dry completely. Mud helps us use the earth’s resources to solve many skin-related problems.

Earth contains several minerals that are beneficial to our skin. For the therapy, mud is dug up at least 4 inches below the surface of the earth. After that, pebbles, soil impurities and decomposed matter are extracted from it. The pure mud is then placed under the sun in order to activate all the ‘good’ minerals. In a scenario where sunlight is scarce, it is heated artificially up to 50 degree celsius after moistening it with water. Mud is good for extracting toxins from the skin. There are various kinds of muds and each of them is different in their attributes.