Do you know what the vitamin C in oranges, regular exercise, eating well, sleep, and hot baths (to name a few), all have in common…they activate our parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). In a nut shell, the PNS supports the body in be able to effectively rest and restore itself, which helps strengthen the immune system’s defences against bugs, colds, and other illnesses that tend to strike when we are at our weakest. With winter well and truly here, it is the perfect time to be focusing on what you can be doing to better support your immunity.
Now the majority of us are pretty good when it comes to taking extra supplements, but the one thing we tend to overlook is good old self-care. Self-care is a huge player in enabling our bodies to rest and restore over winter, however it has developed a stigma over the years. People tend to see it as self-indulgent, or as a sign of weakness for those who can’t handle the jandal. As a result, we push our bodies to the extremes, say yes when we mean no, and wind up getting sick and having to take a few days off to recuperate.This mindset needs to change.
Self-care is not a sign of weakness, and it certainly isn’t self-indulgent – it is the sign of ultimate responsibility and self-awareness.
Self-care is about knowing what is most important to you in your life and putting in place regular practices and boundaries that allows you to show up as the best version of yourself, both mentally and physically, in these moments.
Starting today, let’s shift the negative stigma around self-care and make it something we value and prioritise within our communities. Because it starts with you and me. If we each take small steps towards taking better care of ourselves, and seeing it as the ultimate sign of inner strength, our combined efforts can inspire similar actions in others. Together we can create a culture in which self-care is a strategic tool for disease prevention, personal empowerment, happiness, and life-long resilience.
