Staying healthy with natural solutions

Happy Halloween everyone!
It's fall and it's time to start thinking about staying healthy during cold and flu season.  As a massage therapist, I'm always in close contact with people and because of that, I take my health pretty seriously. I know that I need to be there at my best when my clients come in for their sessions. Of course, we all get sick sometimes but there are certain measures I take in order to stay well. Here are some of my suggestions. 

1. Get TONS of high quality sleep- Sure, this isn't always the easiest thing to do. With stress, the kids, the dogs...it can be hard to get to bed at a decent hour. Sleep is the one thing my doctor recommended for a healthy life. Above all else, get your sleep! Everyone has different requirements for how much sleep they need. There was a time where I NEEDED at LEAST 12 hours ;) but seriously, most adults need between 5-8 hours a night and little ones, teens, and elders need a bit more.  Sleep is healing and rejuvenating.
Need a recipe for insomnia? check out this herbal nightcap.

2. Keep your body and surroundings clean- Keeping your hygiene up to par will help considerably with staying well. Personal hygiene is an important part of preventive care. Daily showers, brushing teeth, and also keeping your clothes and home clean can ward off bacteria and viruses from spreading around. 

3. Kick the stress habit- Stress is something that most everyone deals with on varying levels. Learning how to let go of those things that really aggravate or upset you is good for your health and your relationships. I offer massage therapy and meditation classes to help support people who are looking for new ways to deal with stress, depression, anxiety, and burn out. There are many alternative therapies out there to help with stress reduction and increase your quality of life. Try a soak with this awesome lavender bath salt recipe. 

4. Give aromatherapy a try- So I just mentioned that there are many alternative therapies out there and Aromatherapy is one that I really love. Take a free online class  at Aromahead to get the basics. Then get ready to use essential oils to support your good health.  You can also ask me for help. I am a certified aromatherapist and I am always happy to help with questions or concerns. Essential oils are powerful distilled or cold pressed oils from plants and can cause adverse reactions so it's best to study up or get help before using them, I recently visited the chopra center in Carlsbad, CA. and they had a wonderful remedy for sinus support using aromatherapy. 

5. Stay home when you're sick- Stay home and rest. when you're ill, it's important to give yourself time to heal. Wearing yourself down will lengthen your illness and keep you from doing your best. Be kind to yourself and take the time your body is requesting for healing.  This also keep other people well too especially if you have the flu or a cold that can spread through the air. Don't forget to wash your hands and cover your sneezes/coughs just like mama said. :)) If you want to increase healing time, you can try medicinal teas and herbal infusions.



Do you have any remedies for staying well?
Share them in the comments!