Yes, winter is here my friends. I know I know, you’d think with all the crap we’ve been served the past two years with COVID and all, mother nature would cut us some slack and maybe let us skip winter … but nooooo, winter we must endure. I don’t know about you, but in the winter I’ve got a whole lot of nama-stayinbed going on. Just kidding, who has time for that with a baby … but that used to be me for sure. Now I’m not saying I’m fully against winter, something about that first fresh white snowfall is so über romantic to me. However, fast forward a day later when it’s grey, slushy and you can’t walk five steps down the street without having your pants covered in mud … yah, I’m outtie! Plus the clocks go back, and sunlight is limited, I don’t know, I could just do without all four seasons. I truly never understood when people would say “Oh, trust me, you’d get sick of seeing the sun every day”. SAY WAHHH?! Ummm … no, you get sick of seeing a dark grey sky everyday. Sorry, but that truly makes no sense to me. Safe to say I’m pushing the hubby hard to move somewhere where it’s sunny and summer all year round. I always lead with “you could play golf all year round!” - it’s a good play, I know, I’m no dummy.

But for now, despite all the places we’ve moved to, I yet again remain in a city with four seasons. With that, I figured I’d provide you all with some of my personal tips and tricks to survive these dark cold and gloomy days.

Buy a Humidifier

If you can answer yes to any of the questions below, then this tip will most certainly help you. Do you:

a) wake up in the morning with your throat dry and sore, wondering to yourself … ugh am I getting sick ?

b) have dry skin, or feel itchy throughout the day?

c) have a tickle in your throat when you sleep that you just can’t get rid of?

Well my friends, if you’ve answered yes to any of those scenarios, you have dry ass winter air to thank. I do however have an easy solution for you. BUY. A. HUMIDIFIER. Actually, even if you don’t wake up with any of these lovely things, I promise that you will still benefit from using a humidifier in your room whilst you sleep.

I think this has to be my number one survival tip for the winter. With every move we’ve made, we have never ever gone a winter without using a humidifier. When we were in North America we travelled with the same one as it was easy to put in a car and move from city to city. Of course as we moved overseas, this wasn’t an item that was easy to just toss into a suitcase. Every winter we stubbornly try and go a few weeks without it … sure enough we end up buying one. A humidifier can range anywhere between $40-$600 (a Dyson obviously). You can get away with spending 80 bucks no problem on a very good option.

If you’re looking for a temporary fix, here are two other options. Either fill a big bowl up with water and leave it by your bed. Or if you live in a small space, you can boil a pot of water and leave it simmering two or three hours before bed. The water will evaporate over time leaving moisture in the air. This isn’t as effective as a humidifier but it is a temporary hack that can provide some relief.

2. Take care of your lips

There is nothing worse than getting chapped and cracked lips in the winter. It takes forever to fix, and hurts like a b*tch. You’re trying to get that delicious sandwich in your mouth but your damn lips are ripping and bleeding every time you go for that bite. Common, all we ask for is the ability to eat in peace. Thus, I caution you to get ahead of the problem and carry lip ointment with you everywhere. Your pockets, your car, your bag, your bedside table, just leave them everywhere! On top of that make it a ritual to put something on your lips every night before bed. This good habit helps prevent the problem from even starting.

I had mentioned it in a previous blog post, Laniege Lip Sleeping Mask is my go to, but here are some other honourable mentions:

3. Protect your Immune System

Thanks to daylight savings, when we are lucky enough to get a sunny day in the winter time, it still get’s dark real early. When we were in Sweden we were so far north that by 3 o’clock, it looked as if it were 9pm. For this exact reason it was so extremely important for me to get in my daily Vitamin D. Your immune system, nervous system, brain and overall health are all positively benefited by taking this supplement. Plus, Vitamin D is known to play a very significant role in regulating your mood. I’m moody as hell come winter (I mean don’t get me wrong, I have my days in the summer too, I’m not perfect okay?) but winter is a whole other story. I take 1000 IU daily. If you are someone who isn’t good at remembering to take their vitamins every day, grab a higher dose. Something like 4000 IU. You can take this every few days instead.

Now if you feel like you have a cold creeping up on you, here are two things I love to take.

I guess before I start I should mention, I am not a doctor, nor am I a certified nutritionist, so please don’t hold me accountable for your health. Also if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, please contact your practitioner before taking any of these.

Okay back to it. Both of these are homeopathic remedies. I always like to try and tackle flu/cold like symptoms a natural way first. And then if I’m coughing up a lung or something then I’ll bring in the hardcore drugs (not really, but you know what I mean).

Oregano Oil

This stuff is nassstyyyy. One of my friends actually loves the taste of it, but I’m convinced he’s lying when he says that. There is just no way, unless he was a bird of some sort in his past life. It tastes like you are drinking a spicy tree, and that tree wants to burn your mouth. I know, why am I recommending this to you guys? Am I a bad person? No, I’m a damn good person, because I’m trying to help you out when you’re feeling unda tha weatha. Depending on the brand you get, usually it’s between 5-10 drops in a small amount of water 3 times a day. If you’re a champion and are not phased by the taste and burning sensation, you can put the drops directly under your tongue and call it a day. This should actually be one of those viral challenges that are on TikTok or social media. People should video themselves taking oregano oil directly under the tongue and record their reactions … I may have just started a thing. Wow. If I figure out how to make a reel/TikTok at my “old age” I’ll begin the trend. But if anyone else wants to start it in the meantime, please feel free.

Oscillococcinum

What a mouthful. It’s basically just a bunch of letters smushed together. Kind of like how I feel about the Swedish language (no offence Swedes - but really .. you’re not speaking real worlds … it’s just mush). Either way, this mouthful is a homeopathic remedy most often used in the fall and winter months. I use it all year round, not daily, but when I feel like a cold might be settling in. Each tube contains several mini beads, you just spill them out underneath your tongue and let it dissolve slowly. This one tastes like sugar, no tree tasting here folks … here to redeem myself.

4. Be a Kid

No matter how old I get I will still see myself as a child. But at the same time I consider myself an old soul. It’s confusing, I know. I love to color, I love candy, I love games, I love rollercoasters and water parks, I love cartoons … it’s just all so fun, I can’t help it. Some of my favourite memories from my childhood take place in the winter. We used to live on a court and whenever there was a big snowfall, the trucks would come in and plow all the snow into the centre of our court. It would create one massive hill. I would spend HOURS out there … digging tunnels, sliding down the hill, making snow angels. Oh and, let’s not forget tobogganing. Everyone has one tragic story about tobogganing but the rest … THE MOST FUN. So here’s my advice to you: Don’t be afraid to get outside and be a kid again. This advice, unlike my medical one above, I WILL let you hold me to because I promise you will not be disappointed. Go skiing, or take your kids or your friends kids tobogganing (stay away from kids you don’t know … that is frowned upon), shovel the driveway and jump in that bank of snow you created. Point is, get outside and enjoy the fun that winter and snow can provide.

Well that’s all she wrote! Well that’s actually all I wrote, but if you guys have any of your own tips that you want to share for surviving the winter I’d love to hear any and all! Stay warm and stay healthy my friends. Big hugs.

xx
Sash

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