The tradition is to kickstart January 1st with the “new year, new me” attitude of self improvement. The start of a new year brings promises of a fresh start, strong intentions, and the hope of good things to come. While the common goals often set in this time of excited renewal are positive, they are often great, challenging, accessible, or unattainable due to lifestyle restrictions. Instead of starting the new year attempting to do a complete overhaul on yourself and life, there are small things you can add to your routine to boost your immune system, drain your lymphatic system, aid digestion, provide stress relief, increase focus, and overall support your body to help you along the way to achieving your larger goals.
Add mushroom powder to your coffee or oats
Medicinal, or functional and adaptogenic, mushrooms like reishi, turkey tail, chaga, lions mane, and cordyceps are highly nutritional and have numerous benefits like providing immune support, antioxidants, supporting a healthy immune response, helping to balance blood sugar levels, supporting brain health and cognition, supporting the nervous system, and increasing energy and stamina. By adding mushroom powder or extract to your morning coffee or oats, you will be supporting your body’s natural processes by bringing them closer to homeostasis. Each mushroom has their own unique benefits, so add a half teaspoon to your morning routine of whichever mushroom provides what you need most. Check out our blog on Medicinal Mushrooms to learn more!
Incorporate gua sha or dry brushing into your shower routine
The lymphatic system is a system of thin tubes and lymph nodes that run throughout the body, and is an important part of our immune system. This system’s primary function is fighting bacteria and infections. Illness can block the lymphatic system from draining, causing all sorts of issues like food sensitivities, brain fog, bloating, constipation, fatigue, depression, inflammation, swollen lymph nodes, to name a few. Adding gua sha or dry brushing to your shower routine can gently stimulate the lymphatic system to drain, removing toxins, bacteria, and swelling from your body. Here are some of our favorite gua sha tricks and tips!
Listen to a relaxing podcast or music while stuck in traffic
Getting stuck in traffic is rarely considered relaxing, especially when people are in a rush to get home after a long day. These extra moments stuck on the road are a chance for you to listen to a relaxing podcast or music to decompress, relax, and destress. Studies show that listening to music with drums and flutes, or sounds of nature like thunder and rain, have the ability to alter brainwaves and functions similarly to medication. Music has profound effects on emotions, stress, and relaxation. Music that is around 60 beats per minute has the ability to make the brain synchronize with the beat, causing alpha brain waves, which are present when we are relaxed and conscious. Giving yourself these few moments to relax can have a profound impact on your stress levels and emotions, and will benefit your overall health. We’ve got a collection of hand-picked playlists ready for you on our Spotify account.
Wear an essential oil diffuser necklace or bracelet
Aromatherapy is the practice of using essential oils for therapeutic benefit. Scent molecules travel from the olfactory nerves directly to the brain, stimulating the amygdala, the emotional center of the brain. Each essential oil has unique benefits and properties that can be used to target areas of your life where you need support. Lavender, ylang ylang, yuzu, orange, lemon, neroli, lemongrass, and bergamot are best for relaxation, stress relief, and to aid sleep. Peppermint is good for boosting memory and focus, and relieving headaches. These oils can easily be added to diffuser necklaces or bracelets, or when used as directed, can be applied directly to the skin. Apply your desired oil when you need a little extra help in your day, and support your body and mind in the process.
Add lemon to your water in the morning or before each meal
Drinking a cup of warm organic lemon water can energize the body, boost metabolism, stimulate the digestive system, aid in weight loss, boost brain power in the morning, and detox the colon, aid in weight loss, boost the immune system, help heartburn, and reduce inflammation at night. Lemons have the same anatomic structure as stomach acid, which tricks the liver into producing bile, stimulating the digestive system to break down food so it moves smoothly through your intestinal tract. Lemons also encourage white cell production, contain vitamin c which stimulates blood cell production and supports the immune system, contains antioxidants that fight free radicals, and helps the body produce collagen. When our body is stressed, our liver becomes stagnant, and lemon goes straight to the liver to encourage detoxing. While hydrating, treat yourself to warm lemon water twice a day and boost your immune system, promote liver detox, encourage cell production, and reduce inflammation. Make sure the water is warm or hot to best support the digestive system and prepare it for food.
Stretching in bed or while watching tv
While enjoying your favorite show or turning in for the night, practice simple stretches to increase blood flow, unblock areas of stagnant energy, and reduce pain. According to TCM, stretching also increases flexibility, loosens tight fascia, and improves mental wellness. Dampness settles in the body, causing excess weight, and makes people feel sluggish, foggy headed, or depressed. Vigorous exercise can deplete Qi, whereas gentle exercises can replenish Qi. Simple stretches, even while sitting, can be beneficial to energy flow and decreasing dampness in the body.
Adding enhancements to your routine instead of completely changing your routine can benefit your body in many ways by increasing relaxation, reduced stress, supporting your immune system, encouraging blood flow, or draining your lymphatic system. As you make greater changes in your life, help your body and mind keep up by supporting all facets of your health.
Resources
Snell, Melanie. “Lemon Water and TCM, is it worth drinking?” Retrieved from https://www.soulluxglow.com/post/lemon-water-and-tcm-is-it-worth-drinking.
Wong, Cathy. “Essential Oils for Stress Relief”. Retrieved from https://www.verywellmind.com/essential-oils-to-help-ease-stress-89636.
“Aromatherapy: Do Essential Oils Really Work?” Retrieved from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/aromatherapy-do-essential-oils-really-work#:~:text=What%20Is%20Aromatherapy%3F,emotional%20center%20of%20the%20brain.
“Ganoderma Coffee: 2 Healthy Drinks to Make at Home”. Retrieved from https://www.realmushrooms.com/ganoderma-coffee/.
“How Does Exercise & Movement Benefit Health from a TCM Perspective”. Retrieved from https://www.northshoreacupunctureandnaturalmedicine.com/north-shore-acupuncture-blog/tcm-exercise.
“Medicinal Mushrooms: 7 Kinds and Their Unique Health Benefits”. Retrieved from https://www.realmushrooms.com/7-medicinal-mushroom-benefits-for-health/.
“Releasing stress through the power of music”. Retrieved from https://www.unr.edu/counseling/virtual-relaxation-room/releasing-stress-through-the-power-of-music.
“What Are Adaptogenic Mushrooms?” Retrieved from https://ommushrooms.com/blogs/blog/what-are-adaptogenic-mushrooms-m2.