New Year Resolutions and setting ourselves up for success!

We are in the winter months, which call for patience, wisdom, introspection and planting the seeds we wish to foster for spring.

 

In the clinic this month there has been a lot of talk about new year resolutions. The exploration around what approaches have been successful and unsuccessful has been fascinating. Therefore I thought this was a perfect topic for this months newsletter. Have you had success with your past new year resolutions, do you set them, or do you shy away from them, do you set intentions for the year ahead, or do you just flow from one year to another? I personally see great importance in setting intentions at the start of each year and spending the winter months expanding, fostering, nurturing, planning, scheduling in stages and working towards my dreams and goals. Using the slower pace of the winter months aids me in setting myself up for success, for the entire year.
In Chinese Medicine we use the system the 5 Elements to understand each individual and natures realm and rhythms on a deep and profound level. The Elements embody many nuances and multi aspects. They have been described as basic processes, movements and qualities of natural phenomena, as well as phases of a cycle and capacities for transformation and change. They are at the same time basic constituents of Nature and organ systems in the body.
Like the seasons of the year are separate but still comprise the whole, the 5 Elements are part of a ring of energy that encompasses the whole, body, mind and spirit in a person.

This system can help guide us to create incredible health and an incredible life. It helps us to understand what could be describe as the natural cycle of seasons, life and experienced moments.

The Winter months correspond to the Water Element, the time of the sage archetype. You might be wondering what the hell does this have to do with New Year Resolutions and success. Hang in there as it's all part of the process. Most of us will set our Resolutions and either go gun ho with them for a few weeks or even days, or never really feel like we have the energy to begin. Then we lose momentum, motivation, inspiration and sometimes just feel darn right tired to continue with the focus that these changes require. Then we often experience feelings of disappointment, frustration, depression just to name a few.
Wouldn't it be nice if we could set ourselves up for success and achieve these dreams and goals. Well here is a little guidance to help you on your path to transformation.

It's not necessarily the time to put all these dreams and goals into action...you know, the external doing type of action. Don't mistake me here, I encourage action, but just of a different kind.

Winter is the time for us to plant our seeds (dreams, goals and intentions) and sit with them. It's time to CONTEMPLATE, ORGANISE, PLAN, ACTIONABLE STEPS, CREATE DREAMBOARDS, JOURNAL and SCHEDULE in those ACTIONABLE STEPS.

It's time to meditate on them, try them on and decide is this really is what we want, or is this how we think we should be or we should want?
It's time to quest and become clear, to Dream Big and Small and everything in between.
During this period of patience and wisdom we end up figuring out what truly calls us and what we feel inspired towards. This clarity takes time and deep reflection, along with listening to our inner voice/guidance. It takes being gentle, loving and kind to ourselves and knowing when to do and when to be.
We are in the period of the Water Element, The Sage archetype, The Seeker of Knowledge and Truth. So if we want to be successful for the entire year. not just a few days or months, then allowing ourselves to embody the balanced aspects of the Sage, set us up for success. This is the preparation for Spring, which is the time of Action, Implementation, Growth, The Visionary, The Warrior and The Pioneer. We need the clarity from our introspection and planning to give our Pioneer and Visionary the blueprint to guide them. We need our goals and the steps that we envision to make them into a reality.
It's all about actionable steps and sometimes even baby steps. Winter is a slower time of year so the changes and intentions that we want to start in this season often have the energy of the tortoise, slow and steady. The slower energy helps us set a foundation on which to build. Because it's all about storing and building at the moment, hence why our bodies put on just a little extra weight. We require this storing and building, so we can then burst forwards with great energy and force in the spring time. This is not to say I'm promoting not doing anything, far from it. Shift that external doing to more internal doing.
I'll give you a small personal example of mine for this 2013. One of my goals is to increase my yoga practise to everyday, yes that's 7 days a week folks! Wow, that's going to take some commitment and focus, but I'm ready, I'm taking my baby steps. I'm scheduling it in daily, I'm putting it on my most important task list, I'm making it realistic with my current schedule, anything from 15 minutes and above is success at the moment and I'm choosing the slower type of yoga. The slower type of yoga helps to motivate me, I feel energised, relaxed and centred, rather than drained. I've got DVD's to do at home, so I don't have the excuse of, 'it's cold outside and I don't feel inspired to walk/bike to the yoga studio. The other excuse is 'the class isn't at the right time'. Having DVD's at home eliminates all of that. It's about knowing yourself and the excuses you might make, heading them off at the pass and coming up with plan A,B and C. This brings about success! I also am making it a priority everyday. If I miss a day though, I don't berate myself, I just accept the choice I made and allow myself to choose again the next day. It's a work in progress and I realise that, therefore I don't put too much pressure on myself, so I don't end up crumpling under it's weight. I know that by the end of this year, everyday yoga will be my reality and I will have loved the journey it took for me to get there. Remember to enjoy the journey, not just the end result.

I also have a little help from my friend Leonie Dawson. One of her beautiful and amazing products she puts out every year is, the 'Life's Yearly Workbook'. It's under $10 for this life changing gem, and very much worth the investment of time and money. It is wonderful fun, especially if you do it with a group of like minded people. To have an accountability partner helps to keep us in check, but one that encourages us rather then criticises. Also surrounding yourself with people that will support you, not unconsciously try and sabotage your efforts helps your success.   


Go fourth and introspect, create, play, meditate, try on the new goals and dreams, sit with them, find that which inspires you, set out your baby steps, remember that goals are just that and can be changed/tweaked, remember you don't necessarily wave a magic wand and poof your dreams appear, though I still believe in magic, and that it can happen in an instant. Consider dedicating a journal to your planning and journey, write an action plan, and buy The Incredible Year Workbook, it will guide you in all the ways you want and need.

Remember be kind, gentle, patient, persistent, powerful, wilful, flexible and wise like The Sage and success is yours for the creating.

Blessings on your path to transformation and creating your Incredible Health for an Incredible Life.

Tips on How to Stay Healthy this Winter! Plus a Cold and Flu Remedy.

  Winter is the time for truly powering down, to hibernate, to slow our activity. It is our most passive season throughout our year, therefore there are certain helpful ways for us to stay healthy and keep our immune system thriving so colds and flu's find no foot hold.

1. Wear a Scarf

Us acupuncturists are always going on about the importance of wearing scarf's. This is for very good reasons. The skin, especially certain areas, are our first line of protection from those environmental factors that can invade our bodies, cold and wind. In Chinese Medicine we believe that it is these factors that invade our bodies and cause colds and flu's. However firstly our immune system has to be low enough for this to happen. 
The next time you step out of the door remember to bring your scarf, even when it's sunny, this will help protect your body from invasion of cold and wind. 

2. Eat Warm Foods

Stay away from Salads! Salads are for when it is warm/hot outside. There help our bodies to cool down and that is not what we require in the winter. Just as we need to keep our bodies warm on the outside, we need to do the same on the inside. 
In winter eat war,. cooked foods. Replace that cereal with cold milk with oatmeal (not the instant kind). Change out the salads for oven baked root vegetables. Cook foods longer, at lower temperatures and with less water. It's the perfect time for stew, casseroles, oven baked dishes and soups. 
Some vegetable suggestions to add to your diet: turnips, celery, asparagus, carrots, rye, oats, quinoa, soy sauce, miso, seaweeds, millet, beans, ginger, onions, scallions, leeks, black peppercorn, cinnamon. Enjoy creating!

3. Light regular exercise

This tip is important to keep the joints and spine flexible, along with reducing stress and increasing well being. All of these factor into having a strong and balanced immune system. During winter a lot of intense cardio exercise can be draining on the body. What works best for the majority of people is slower paced exercise, but everyday and for 20mins or more. Walking out in the open air (remember that scarf), easy bike rides (which keep the joints flexible and strong), slow paced yoga and stretching, choosing easier climbing routes, make sure the pace that you ski/snowboard at is sustainable and not draining, snow-shoeing. 

You might have noticed that I haven't included running in the list, well I have my reasons. Firstly if you're getting back into running or starting it for the first time winter is not the time to start this. Build up to it, walk, power walk, hike up hills/mountains, and then come spring time spring into those running shoes and off you go. If you're already a runner, then decreasing your pace and or mileage is highly recommend during this season. 

Remember it's important to get some gentle exercise everyday for 20 minutes or more, and always layer your clothing when braving the outdoors. Layering is important because we don't want to sweat while outside in the cold as when we start to cool down the exercise the sweat will start to cool on our skin and cause the chills. Layering helps by allowing us to regulate our clothing depending on our body temperature needs, but don't take off that scarf! We want to stay warm while exercising outside, but we DON'T want to SWEAT. Get those wool clothes out, it's the best fabric to keep your warm and cool enough.
Happy Trails!

4. Stay Hydrated

Dryness out here in the Rocky Mountains during winter is greater then during the summer. It's important to keep our bodies hydrated at all times. A lot of people seem to dismiss hydration in the winter, but what I think they might forget is the amount of dry air we encounter in our heated spaces. We have heat pumping into our builds, into our spaces, whether it's forced air or baseboard heating, radiators, wood burning stoves/fireplaces. All of these decrease the moisture in our air, which effects the level of hydration in our bodies. 
Hydration helps to regulate digestion and bowel movements and it aids in keeping our skins free of rashes and soft to the touch. It aids in keeping our bodies toxins at a minimal. During Winter I recommend warm/hot water sip every 15-30 minutes, and if you struggle with drinking water straight then adding a little bit of lemon can help with that. 

5. Heating pads and baths

For those of you that really feel the cold during these months, my own mother being one of you, it's important to keep your lower back warm and protected from the elements. During the evening when you are taking your quite time (essential in winter) take out your heating pad, or hot water bottle and place it on your lower back. This helps strengthen your physical system over all. 

Taking regular very warm baths will help heat up your core and increase that inner temperature of yours. It's also a wonderful way to pamper yourself (I'm including men in this), set out candles, grab a good book, or just put on some relaxing music and allow the hot waters to melt away tension, stress, concerns, worries and doubts. Every bathing experience can be a meditative, relaxing and fun one. This all helps to increase the strength of our immune system. 
Enjoy luxuriating in warmth!

Those are some of the top tips for staying healthy, happy and centred this winter.

Cold and Flu Remedy

The Common Cold and the Flu are exterior conditions. Which first affect the surfaces that are exposed directly to the environment - the skin and the mucus membranes. Exterior condition sign and symptoms (manifestations) are:

• Short duration
• Simultaneous fevers and chills
• Stuffy head, runny nose, thin coating on the tongue, sore/scratchy throat
• Achiness, stiff neck, recent headache
• Intolerance to wind or cold. 

They are several ways that this can be dealt with and healed. The quicker you catch it the more likely you will not experience the full blown cold or flu. Getting yourself on the Acupuncture table as soon as you experience one of the above symptoms often stops the condition in it's tracks. However there are several things you can do at home and this remedy below is one of them. 
In order to balance such conditions, we choose spices and herbs that are expansive and reach towards the outside of the bod, and open the sweat glands to sweat out the exterior disease factor from the body. In cases where sweating doesn't stop the disease, it will at least greatly reduce its progress and strength. 

This remedy is natural, effective and simple to make at home. I recommend pineapple juice that isn't made from concentrate as this is mainly sugar without the benefits of the pineapple fruit. If that is your only choice then I recommend that you take it out of the recipe and add a little more natural sweetener. Alternatively you could add 'Big B's' Apple juice or cider, or another brand, making sure it is pressed instead of from concentrate.
What each ingredient does to aid your body in its natural healing process are as follows:
Cayenne Pepper: Is one of the highest botanic sources of Vitamin C and it aids the body in sweating. 
Ginger: Fresh ginger root is preferred over ginger powder. This aids in strengthening the immune system and helping the body to sweat. 
Garlic:  Its antiviral properties can often halt a cold or flu if taken soon enough. 
Raw Honey: Has antibiotic and antiseptic properties and the honey also coats the throat stopping any invasion through the mucous membrane of the throat and it helps to soothe sore throats and halt aggravation from post nasal drip. 
Lemon: Contains Vitamin C which boasts the immune system, it also aids the body in cleansing. 
The Pineapple is just to bulk out the remedy. Again you can add pressed apple juice, or you can leave the juice out all together. 
One of the best ways is to have this remedy with Hot Water, every 2 hours. 
Here's to an Incredible Winter, that helps to bring Incredible Health and an Incredible Life!