“Autumn is a second spring where every leaf is a flower”.
Albert Camus.
Hello, young Padawan
While new despots shine under the spotlights, we can see that winter is coming, and it is a good idea to prepare yourself for it (you can feel it, the second degree? Ed). And as our elders said: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. But sometimes, by wanting to do too well, the effect can be deleterious in the end. However, when winter comes, when light and mood drops, episodes of stress, or even from a certain age, it may be interesting to help the body with some food supplements.
Here we are in the usual precautions, the kind that you have a brain and common sense, and it, therefore, goes without saying that before trying anything, it is common sense to seek advice from your doctor, pharmacist.
Food supplements for fall/winter
Vitamin D. It is recommended if you lack some in your blood test or if your doctor or pharmacist thinks that it is better to supplement yourself. I work indoors and live like a vampire because as soon as I see some sun, I got sunburned. I take it all year long, a few drops of vitamin D every day, and voila. Vitamin D is very important to help you fix your calcium, of course, but also to boost your immune system.
Just remember that it is fat-soluble, and therefore you have to take it during a meal where you will eat some fat (like nuts, almonds, butter, cheese …).
Zinc. It is the king of immune defenses, especially past 60, but not only. Sudden fatigue, stress, and the body can quickly demineralize because of our modern lives. Professor Henri Joyeux, Ph.D., recommends for example 2 capsules per day of Bi-Orthox (ie 10mg of Zn) or Oligomax Zinc (10ml, or 10mg of Zn, to be diluted in a glass of water). These two laboratories are of high quality according to him.
Magnesium. Whether you’re feeling a little tired or your spirits are low, think about magnesium. It’ll help you get back energized or in a good mood again. Your pharmacist or your doctor will know how to inform you on the subject, he is often an ally of winter for people particularly prone to seasonal depression. If this is your case, or if you are sensitive to the drop in brightness, you can also have a look at this article.
Vitamin C. Well that one, you probably know it her better than me. I don’t supplement myself with vitamin C because I’m crazy about kiwis, citrus fruits, spinach leaves, peppers, parsley, blueberries … I eat a lot of raw fruits and vegetables, all according to the season. If you don’t eat a lot of fruits or berries, it might be worth considering a little acerola for example, at the end of winter, when the body starts to get tired of the cold weather and the lack of light. And for your info, if you lack iron, vitamin C will help you to raise it, so always combine vitamin C with your iron-rich foods.
B12. B12 for vegetarians and vegans is all year round. But for omnivores, it may be helpful to talk to your doctor about it too. Indeed, with our modern lives, B12 is lacking in the nature, so much that farm animals are themselves supplemented, to then supplement omnivores when they eat them, hence the possible loss, and the possible lack of B12, are you following me? For more info, I refer you to this article. In addition, in case of iron deficiency, it may be interesting to have it dosed because a lack of B12 will prevent you from raising your iron.
Propolis/royal jelly/Local honey from your region. Bees have been the allies of human health for centuries. In case of a sore throat, whether because I ran naked in the mountains or because I sang too much, I treat myself with black propolis. And after that, you think about putting on woolen underwear to go for a walk, or you stop signing as high as Axl Rose. Royal jelly cures, I do it sometimes at the end of winter if I am a little tired, or if there are a lot of people around me who are sick.
Quinton water. Isotonic, it has the primary benefit of remineralizing the body. Hold on to your panties, it literally tastes like seawater, because it is. I refer you to your research, it would have many other benefits but when I do it, it is to remineralize my body, when I feel that my hair is a little duller than usual, or if I feel a little tired.
Anti-inflammatory and seasonal food. Mother Nature has planned everything to give us everything we need to have the best food possible in winter. It is, therefore, enough to eat local, seasonal, raw and/or undercooked, in short, it’s not rocket science to be healthy. I refer you to my article here to know a little more about the subject of the anti-inflammatory diet.
Good mood supplements
The mind is as important as the body, especially in these stressful times.
It is not just a matter of food to get a good immune system. We spoke above of stress for example, for that, it is important to take care of yourself and especially in winter. A good book, some music, a hot bath, a tea, a candle, a nap on a Sunday afternoon, a game of chess with your best friend, or a puzzle alone by the fireside, everything is good as long as that matches you. Planting winter flowers and snowdrops, hoping to see them come out in the spring, is my activity this weekend, not to mention the wintering veil on the lemon tree.
To lower your stress level, there is also mediation. It takes 5 minutes a day and it’s super effective, or there is yoga or mindful breathing techniques. You just have to find what suits you best, but if you don’t believe it, here’s a little challenge. Take your pulse, yes now, right now, and write it down. Then breathe as follows: a five-second inhale, five-second pause, five-second exhale, five-second pause, all repeated five times. Measure your pulse again. Yes, I know, it works. To do every time you feel a little stressed, upset …
And with all these ideas, if you’re not as zen and healthy as a Tibetan monk, I stop eating kiwis!
XO 🥝
Source : (in French) The last conference of Henri Joyeux, Ph.D., as well as that of a month ago.
