Please note: Below are my suggestions and may not be suitable for everybody. Please use this information with discretion based on your health and advice from your healthcare provider.

It’s official! Cold season is here! Hopefully you are well and staying healthy. After my
entire household got sick with colds, I am reminded that we are all vulnerable to getting
sick when we are not balanced…physically, mentally, and emotionally.

How does this imbalance come about?
First, take a look at lifestyle. Is your week booked with back to back appointments,
commitments, events, obligations? If so, how would you find time for self-care, right?
Next, what does your diet look like these days? Do you see a pattern of eating on the go,
perhaps lots of eating out because you are too busy to make your own nourishing
meals? You might be eating in your car, while you are talking on the phone, or at your
desk while you are working. Sound like you?

Ok, so you do have some time blocked out for exercise. You hit the gym, go for a run, take
a spin class, work out really hard to help alleviate some of the daily stress. However, you
are exhausted, your body depleted, and you go home and pass out. You then find
yourself waking up in the middle of the night with maybe a little anxiety or a super busy
mind. The next day, you do it all over again…the same way.

Remember from my January article, “Like increases Like and Opposites create
balance”? Well, the above lifestyle will result in…..busy/rushed/exhausted increases
busy/rushed/exhausted. This is not sustainable and we find ourselves victims of colds
and various illnesses.

What can we do to stay healthy?
I know, life is busy and sometimes we can not change that. BUT there are some things
we can change!

*Take a break to sit and eat your lunch. Take a few slow, deep breaths in between bites.
Allow this to be a quiet time where you can sit comfortably with good posture. Hopefully
this is a healthy, warm, cooked meal you made! If you do get sick, keep your meals
simple, mainly liquids. Try this ultra-nourishing broth!
Recipe: Potassium Broth-In a soup pot, add:
1 chopped large yellow onion
1 large Russet potato with the skin on
1 large sweet potato with skin on
2 large green zucchini chopped
3 stalks of celery chopped
2 carrots chopped
2 handfuls of chopped spinach
Cover the veggies with water so the veggies are a few inches below the water. Boil until
the veggies are very, very soft (almost falling apart). Strain out the veggies and drink the
broth. You can add some black pepper & salt. Enjoy!

*Sip hot/warm water throughout the day. This will help keep you warm and hydrated.
This can include herbal teas.
Recipe: In a cup of hot water add 1 tsp of raw ginger grated. Let steep for 10 – 15
minutes. You can strain the ginger out. You can add a tsp of organic honey and some
fresh lemon juice.
*Neti Pot. If you do get sick you can help clean out your sinuses by using a neti pot.
Recipe: Fill your neti pot with warm, distilled water and ½ tsp of sea salt. Let salt dissolve.
Lean your face over the sink and pour the solution in through one nostril and allow it to
leak out the other nostril. Breathe through your mouth while you are doing this. Use half
of the solution on for one nostril and the other half for the other nostril. After you are
finished follow up with oiling your nostrils.
*Oil your nostrils. Dry sinuses can irritate your delicate nose membranes. To remedy this,
put a drop of oil on the tip of your pinkie finger and rub it inside your nostrils.
Recipe: Use an organic nasya oil, high quality organic olive oil, or ghee.

*Exhausted? Consider a gentle Yoga class instead of exerting your limited supply of
energy. Remember, Spring is around the corner, soon we can move outside of our
comfort zone with ample energy!
BONUS! Limited on time? You can also get much needed rest
& relaxation through Yoga Nidra…..follow my voice: Yoga Nidra Recording
This time of year nature encourages us to slow down, nourish ourselves, and build our
vitality. Winter is a time to rest & nest so that we are filled with sustainable, vibrant energy
come Spring, when we are naturally healthier & energetic.

Ayurveda means wisdom/knowledge of life. It is an ancient practice that can be traced
back to India. Considered a 6,000 year old healthcare system, Ayurveda is a way of life to
experience wholeness & wellness on all levels. With ancient teachings such as Ayurveda,
there is much to be learned. I am by no means an expert in Ayurveda. I have been
studying and practicing Ayurveda since 2013. I am a new student and humbled to say I
have so much more to learn, perhaps a lifetime of studying. My daily practice of
Ayurveda has brought about a profound understanding of unhealthy patterns and how I
can better take care of myself & my family PLUS I use some of the basic Ayurvedic
principles to help support my Yoga Therapy clients and my group classes. I’m excited to
share this with you too!
Yvette is a mom of 3 children and the founder of The Center for Vital Living in Cotati, CA.
She is the creator of Vital Living Wellness, organic & seasonal self-care product line. With
a strong love & thrust for ancient wisdom, Yvette has been studying Ayurveda for 8 years
and continues. Yvette understands that being well means taking care of the whole
person, inside and out.