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What 4 Health Experts Are Doing To Prep For Winter Right Now
Blink and you might miss it: Over here in New York, fall is a fleeting season that gives us just enough time to stow away the summer clothes and break out the sweaters. Then winter comes along, full tilt.
Now's the perfect time to brace our bodies and minds for the upcoming cold season. So, for a bit of inspiration, we asked some of our go-to health and nutrition experts: What practices are you leaning into right now to prep for winter?
Grab your favorite cup of tea (ours currently: the Reishi Mushroom with Rooibos and Orange Peel tea from California-based herbal tea company Traditional Medicinals), and read on for their tips:
Start adding warming practices into daily life.
"I always switch up my self-care routine seasonally. Different seasons present unique energies and elements, so it takes different techniques to stay balanced. First, I love eating the foods of the season. Things like artichoke, broccoli, cranberries, fennel, pumpkin, and sweet potato can be great, nutrient-dense additions to your winter menu. I start to incorporate warming practices into my daily life, like hot yoga classes, taking a hot Epsom salt bath each day, and eating more warming foods like fresh vegetable-based soups. I also make sure to take immune-boosting precautions: Immunity tea, vitamins C and D, elderberry, and extra sleep can help prevent sickness." —Claire Grieve, yoga specialist and stretch therapist
Bookmark recipes for cold-season nutrition.
"When it's chilly out, the last thing I want is a frosty smoothie or cold salad. However, keeping up a consistent intake of nutrient-packed fruits and vegetables is essential for staying healthy during the fall and winter and fighting off common infections. So I've been creating and bookmarking recipes to keep me toasty during the cold season like carrot ginger soup, herbal teas, and Warm Baked Berry Oatmeal." —Whitney English, RDN, registered dietitian nutritionist
Quick Tip! Stock up on high-quality teas for cold season: Fourth-generation herbalist Rosemary Gladstar and environmentalist Drake Sadler started Traditional Medicinals, a line of herbal teas including Throat Coat® (perfect for when your throat needs some extra love) and EveryDay Detox®. Each tea is created by herbalists to support everyday wellness. Shop each of them below!
Get a bit sun-kissed ahead of the darker months.
"I prep for winter by getting sufficient vitamin D the old-fashioned way—sun exposure. Of course, I take reasonable precautions to prevent skin cancer, but overall I think, as a culture, we get things slightly wrong in how we balance skin cancer risk with the risks of vitamin D deficiency (which are numerous, including increased risk for autoimmune disease, osteoporosis, and even cancer). I think a sunburn is dangerous, but I often think a mild tan is a sign of a healthy amount of sun exposure. I'm letting my skin get a bit sun-kissed in preparation for the darker months ahead." —Ellen Vora, M.D., holistic psychiatrist
Make batches of veggie stock & bone broth, and freeze for later.
"With the fall season here and the cozy winter weather ahead of us, one of my favorite ways to prep is by making batches of nutrient-rich soups and stocks and freezing them for ready-to-use ease. If you're plant-based as I am, hearty root vegetables made into puréed soups are not only grounding and warming for chilly weather, but they're also immune-boosting. If you incorporate animal protein into your diet, now is a great time to make your large batches of bone broth and stocks to enrich any vegetable or protein-based soups and stews. Doing so will cut down your prep time for meals, and it also makes planning for those holiday-time get-togethers much easier." —Serena Poon, chef and reiki master
Stock up now with these soothing teas:
The experts featured in this post are not affiliated with Traditional Medicinals.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.