Disclaimer: This blog is written from personal experience and is a reflection of the changes I have made to my lifestyle. This was not written by a professional doctor or qualified nutritionist so always seek guidance from a licensed professional before changing your lifestyle or diet.
With roughly 24% of the world’s population fully vaccinated, we are starting to see yet another rise in global covid cases. And with the majority of the world not being fully vaccinated along with an emergence of a new variant, the risk for vaccinated individuals catching covid is now increasing. This thought can be daunting and life at the moment can seem a little overwhelming, especially with the constant regulation changes and of course the ever-dooming news. So, is it possible to focus on anything else right now?
The short answer is, yes. It’s time to put this stark reality behind us and start preparing your body, mind and energy in the house for the coming months. No matter what changes or restrictions are made around us, we still have the power to keep our own body and mind in check. More importantly, strengthening the immune system should be your number one priority, hence we want to equip you with helpful tips that we’ve been practicing.
Firstly, it’s a given that what you put into your body can significantly affect your morale and overall outlook on life. There are certain small diet changes that can make a world of difference and leave you feeling healthy, calm and balanced. Eliminating alcohol and lowering your carb & sugar intake is crucial for gut health, boosting brain power and energy. Not to mention if you feel like you’re getting sick, sugar slows down your immune system so it’s best to just eliminate it entirely. Furthermore, let’s take an example from Chinese medicine where fasting is practiced when feeling sick. Simply if you don’t feed the virus with sugar or carbs, your body is no longer an ideal environment for the virus to flourish. And with a little help from Vitamin C & D, increasing your levels can not only give your immune system a boost but give your mood that much-needed invigoration.
We believe in the power of vegetables, so adding more essential vitamins to your daily diet is crucial to preparing for your health in the coming months. | Photo Credit: @fabhub_design
We believe that plant-based medicine is the most powerful, preventative, and effective medicine that naturally exists in this world. We live in symbiosis with plants as they bless our daily lives with their holistic properties and present new ways of absorbing vital nutrients. A method that dates back 5,000 years, tinctures are concentrated herbal extracts soaked in alcohol for a few weeks. The alcohol draws out 99% of the benefits and active ingredients in the plant. This method of extracting compounds from herbs provides a high dose of concentrated nutrients and is naturally easy to digest. A preventative tincture we recommend for nose, ear, throat or lung viruses is the Black Elder Berries Tincture:
100mL tincture 70% Medical Alcohol 1:5
Consume 1 teaspoon up to 3 times a day
Ingredients:
20g Elder Berries
72mL Medical Alcohol 96%
28mL Water
50mL Glycerin
Equipment (made from glass, wood or plastic; do not use metal as it affects the material)
- Sealed container
- Bain-Marie Evaporator
- Bottle with pipette
- Measuring cup
- Pour all ingredients into a sealed container and set aside for 4 weeks (away from direct sunlight). During these 4 weeks, the alcohol is taking out the essence of the plant.
- After the 4 weeks, you are ready to vaporize the mixture and place it on a Bain-Marie evaporator. Medical alcohol evaporates around 95°F/35°C and boils at 167°F/75°C, but it is not advisable to reach a boiling state. The minimum percentage of alcohol we want to evaporate is 30% alcohol (or 30mL) (less than that will not preserve the extract and will become stale). Once you are left with 70mL, the tincture is ready to be consumed.
- Pour the tincture into a bottle or split it into a few small bottles with pipettes for easy consumption.
Now that you’ve properly nourished your body, let’s focus on movements and flows that can stimulate and improve your overall wellbeing. Just 30 minutes of yoga a day can provide overall wellness by releasing tension and increasing your focus and memory. We have culminated some basic yoga flows that will improve your immune system and any level of yogi can perform:
Salamba Saravangasana (Supported shoulder stand)
By putting pressure on the thyroid gland in your throat, practicing this shoulder stand inversion can stimulate your endocrine system to fight stress or infections. Moreover, it can decrease anxiety and depression symptoms while also improving your immune system.
Halasana (Plow pose)
Another inverted pose, Halasana is a backward bend that releases white blood cells, helping the body fight infection and other diseases.
Viparita karani (Legs up the wall pose)
This restorative pose forces your body to invert and decompress. We love this pose for any level of yogi and it comes with so many benefits: enhances nerve connections, promotes better blood flow, and has even been linked to help with reproductive and fertility problems.
Now with this new sense of enlightenment (with the help of the above yoga flows), it’s a great time to explore a little wellness corner in your home. Find a big window that will give you some natural light or simply a space in your home with the least amount of distractions and dedicate this area as your relaxation station. Decorate with candles, plants, and cozy pillows to get the new energy flowing.
Rugs can be a great addition to your wellness corner as a comfortable and intimate setting for Meditation or breathing work. | Photo Credit: @fabhub_design
There are also a few simple steps we can take to balance the energy in the entire home and make life just a bit easier. Let’s start with your home office, as you’ve probably spent quite some time there this past year with working or attending school remotely. Declutter your space, get rid of old unnecessary documents or simply reorganize your desk to eliminate any distractions. These little changes can improve the function of the space, comb away some negative energy and invite productivity back into your life. Remember, minimalism is key.
As we emerge from the summer months, relaxed and ready to take on the next season, we are now presented with the opportunity for a fresh start. Are there things in your closet or drawers that you haven’t used in a year? Or items in your house that bring up negative moments? It’s time to get rid and make space for more meaningful and sustainable items that will instantly change the energy balance of your home. Make a new beginning for you and your home and let yourself open up to all the great possibilities that a little change can bring.
FabHub ♡
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