We have made it to the threshold of the holiday season, and–if you live in the Pacific Northwest–this means wading through leaves and puddles when out and about and feeling damp a lot of the time. As the trees shed the last of their colorful leaves, and critters prepare for hibernation, I find that it’s natural for us to also begin preparing to do our own inner work of the winter season.
Despite the call of nature to settle down and prepare to take winter rest, the tumult and upheaval that continues in our human sphere coupled with the dramatic increase in social gatherings during this time of year can make doing the restorative work of winter, or simply getting enough rest, especially challenging. But take heart! With a little bit of extra intention, you can sail through this late fall season and into winter without feeling like you’re running on empty come New Year’s Day.
Read on for my top tips for helping yourself and your body prepare for your winter restoration work during challenging times.
Osa’s top three tips to support winter health during tough times
- Set aside 5 minutes for breathing or meditation
Stress is a topic that we often give lip service to but which in the practice of our daily lives we often disregard as being something that actually impacts our physical health in a meaningful way or something that we can change. And yet, the evidence tells us over and over again that stress plays a significant and tanglible role in the development of chronic disease, both through direct and indirect effects on the functioning of the immune system.1 We can’t eliminate stress but we can change our experience of it. I believe that having a plan for managing stress is equally important as having a plan for healthy eating.
One simple way to build stress resiliency is by adopting a meditation or breathing exercise ritual. This can take as little as 5 minutes per day and can have real physiological benefits which can include better mood, improved blood sugar control, lower blood pressure, and less stress reactivity. Dr. Andrew Weil’s 4-7-8 breathing is a very accessible practice that I love to recommend:
Simply find a comfortable seated position, inhale through the nose for a count of 4, gently hold for a count of 7, and exhale through the mouth, making a small “o” with the lips, for a count of 8. The counting gives the mind a soothing focal point and slows the breathing to invite relaxation. Repeat 5-8 times.
If you’ve followed the Bear Essentials for a while now, you have likely heard me mention the books Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat Zinn and Unstuck by James Gordon. I’m plugging these again today as top recommendations for anyone curious about exploring what mindfulness meditation and related practices can do for your experience of the tumults of life this holiday season. These books are both old enough that cheap used copies should be very easy to come by. Get a copy as a gift to yourself!
2. Set Food Boundaries
Most of us, I think, have become familiar with and have experienced the benefit that healthy boundaries can have in our personal relationships. As the eponymous Brene Brown has aptly stated, boundaries can be described most simply as what is ok and what is not ok with us. Having boundaries paradoxically allows us freedom to relate to others more authentically, in ways that respect the autonomy of everyone involved. Boundaries promote self-confidence and self-efficacy, necessities for any health journey.
Consdiering all of this, I think that it can be helpful to think of our relationship with food in a similar way. Like it or not, what we put in our mouths is one of the most impactful levers we can pull for our health. If we don’t have food boundaires, we risk giving away this power to people, advertisers, social media influencers, grocery store displays, you-name-it.
Rigid diets can be a real lifeline for some people, just as relief from dietary rigidity is a health necessity for others. And many of us land somewhere in the middle. Establishing what’s ok and what’s ok not is not always easy, but it is ultimately empowering. Consistently keeping to boundaries is important as a self efficacy exercise. Just like a muscle, if we don’t exercise our self efficacy by keeping promises to ourselves, we don’t have much to rely on when the going gets tough. If you are consistently allowing your boundaries to be trampled on, it’s going to be more difficult for you to sustain the habits that matter to you and to your health. Friends, you’ve got to have your own back!
Once we decide what our boundaries are and have exercised them, we also have the power to flex them a bit–and the holidays are a good time to do that, to the extent that you decide serves your goals. Having flexible boundaries is a skill that takes time to develop. Sometimes we find it’s better to simply eliminate certain foods or drinks, and that’s totally ok too. If your health needs call for total elimination of something, bringing in some self compassion, and creativity to create a delicious subsitute (or phone a friend who can help!), can be a real balm to a difficult situation. Your joy matters!
3. Fill your “buckets”
Do you ever feel hungry, go to the fridge or open the cupboard, and just stare: “What do I eat??” Having some idea of what your body needs on a daily basis can be helpful. These needs vary based on a variety of factors (and if you have no idea, consider working with a nutritionist😉), but we all need some quantity of protein, fat, and carbohydrate–this last one I like to call “color,” to bring to mind the wide array of colorful plant foods that are nature’s multivitamin.
So, protein, fat, and color: these are your buckets to fill each day. How much protein, fat, and color you need is individualized and beyond the scope of this conversation, but as a starting point, try to incorporte each of these components at every meal, and ideally every snack too. It doesn’t need to be fancy. For example, a piece of chicken or tofu, or a can of sardines, are some protein choices; arugula, cauliflower, carrots, red cabbage are all examples of colors; olive oil and/or olives, tahini, and walnuts are excellent fat choices. I think some combination of these, along with your choice of flair (aka “seasoning”), such as lemon, kimchi, dukkah, harissa, or simply salt and pepper, can make for a sustaining meal that hits all your buckets.
Dr. Deanna Minich, a talented clinician and nutrition researcher former teacher of mine, recommends a goal of 7 colors daily. Fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices…. and even nuts, seeds, whole grains, and beans–these all count!
When there are a lot of foods around that don’t help fill your nutritional needs, it can be helpful to think of your buckets and focus on filling them up, rather than getting caught up in restricting all of the other foods.
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And now, for the promised CRANBERRIES!
Cranberries are my favorite Thanksgiving food (!). What’s more, they’re awesome fuel for your microbiome and are especially known for feeding up Akkermansia muciniphila, a bacteria recognized as beneficial for blood glucose regulation and gut barrier function. This recipe was inspired by my Grandma’s own excellent cranberries and the many warm memories of those Thanksgivings past. I’ve also included a simplified, less-sweet version for your non-holiday use.
Thanksgiving Cranberries, “the best”
Ingredients
12-16 oz. cranberries (use the larger amount or cut back a bit on sugar if you like it more tart)
1 C of lightly packed dark brown sugar
Juice and zest of one navel orange
one large handful of raisins
roughly 1/3 C of brandy
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
in a cheesecloth bundle/sachet: 8 black peppercorns
6 whole allspice berries
4 whole cloves
Instructions
Combine all of the ingredients, including the spice bundle, in a medium-sized pot over medium low heat and gently bring up to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, until some berries have burst and the sauce is slightly thickened and glossy. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 15-30 minutes before removing the spice bundle and storing the cranberries in the fridge. Serve at room temperature or slightly cool. Can be made a few days ahead.
Everyday version
Omit the brandy and sugar. Add 1/4 cup maple syrup. Instead of the whole zested and juiced orange, use ~1/4 cup pre-made orange juice. Omit the spice bundle and replace the cinnamon and nutmeg with 1/2 tsp cinnamon or a pumpkin pie spice blend.
I love cranberries and make the Everyday version throughout the season to eat alongside meats or in yogurt.
Sending you joyful and healthful Thanksgiving wishes from the Bear Cave,
References
- Schneiderman, N., Ironson, G., & Siegel, S. D. (2005). Stress and health: psychological, behavioral, and biological determinants. Annual review of clinical psychology, 1, 607–628. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.clinpsy.1.102803.144141 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2568977/
Photo by Philippe Murray-Pietsch on Unsplash