Staying Well Through Winter Season: Holistic Tips for Resilience, Immunity & Self-Care
Winter has a way of asking our bodies to slow down, restore, and strengthen from the inside out. The colder months come with beauty—snowfall, coziness, reflection—but they also bring immune challenges, higher stress, and more tension in the body.
Whether you’re navigating winter in Park City, Salt Lake City, or beyond, this season is the perfect time to root deeper into wellness practices that support your immunity, reduce inflammation, and keep your lymphatic system flowing. With the right daily habits and nurturing bodywork, you can stay healthier, more energized, and more grounded all winter long.
Below are my go-to winter wellness strategies, including a simple homemade elderberry syrup and fire cider recipe you can make right at home.
1. Support Your Immune System Through Nourishment
Winter is when your immune system needs extra love. Your body is working harder—fighting viruses, recovering after stress, and staying warm.
Try incorporating:
Mineral-rich broths (bone broth, mushroom broth, miso)
Seasonal produce like citrus, cranberries, squash, beets, and dark leafy greens
Immune-supportive herbs such as ginger, garlic, oregano, astragalus, and rosemary
Daily vitamin D + zinc if you tend to be deficient
Warm hydration: lemon water, ginger tea, tulsi tea, peppermint, or chamomile
Keeping your body nourished with warming, grounding foods helps maintain digestive fire (agni), which is foundational for immune strength in both functional medicine and traditional healing systems.
2. Keep Stress Low + Your Nervous System Regulated
Cold months often mean increased stress, less sunlight, and more time indoors.
Your nervous system—especially in winter—plays a crucial role in determining how well your immune system functions.
Small daily practices that help:
Increase morning light exposure (10–15 minutes)
Take short mid-day movement breaks
Practice breathwork (box breathing, long exhales, or vagal toning)
Create a pre-bed ritual with magnesium glycinate or a warm shower
Set boundaries around overstimulation, screens, and news
And of course…
3. Book Therapeutic Bodywork: Massage & Lymphatic Therapy
This is the season when the body holds tension, slows circulation, and becomes more susceptible to inflammation. Therapeutic touch isn’t just relaxing—it’s profoundly supportive for winter immunity.
Benefits of Massage Therapy in Winter:
Reduces stress hormones
Improves circulation + warms the tissues
Loosens tight muscles from cold weather
Enhances sleep quality
Benefits of Lymphatic Drainage Massage:
Moves stagnant lymph and supports natural detox pathways
Decreases fluid retention and inflammation
Enhances immune responsiveness
Helps the body process seasonal stress
As a mobile provider, I come directly to your home—making it even easier to stay consistent with winter wellness while avoiding exposure to crowded indoor spaces.
Your body will thank you.
4. Maintain Strong Personal Hygiene Habits
In winter, viruses circulate more easily—especially in heated indoor environments.
Simple but powerful hygiene practices:
Wash hands often with warm water + gentle soap
Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth
Sanitize phones, remotes, door handles, and steering wheels
Replace toothbrushes after any cold
Wash pillowcases every 3–4 days
Shower after airports, crowded events, or public transportation
Your immune system thrives when your environment stays clean and supportive.
5. Make Your Own Herbal Immune Boosters at Home
These traditional remedies are deeply rooted in herbal medicine and can be kept on hand all winter long.
Recipe: Homemade Elderberry Syrup
Ingredients:
1 cup dried elderberries (or 2 cups fresh)
3 cups water
1–2 cinnamon sticks
1 tbsp fresh grated ginger
3–4 whole cloves
1 cup raw honey (added after cooling)
Instructions:
Add elderberries, water, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves to a pot.
Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer 45–60 minutes.
Remove from heat. Strain through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth.
Let liquid cool until warm (not hot).
Stir in raw honey.
Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
Dosage:
Adults: 1 tbsp daily for maintenance
Kids: 1 tsp daily (over age 1 only)
During illness: take every 2–3 hours
Benefits:
High in anthocyanins + antioxidants
Supports upper respiratory health
Reduces duration of colds
Immune-activating and anti-viral properties
Recipe: Traditional Fire Cider
A warming, spicy, immune-boosting vinegar tonic.
Ingredients:
1 medium onion, chopped
10 garlic cloves, crushed
1 piece fresh ginger (3–4 inches), sliced
1 piece fresh turmeric (3 inches), sliced
1–2 fresh jalapeños or serrano peppers
Zest + juice of 1 lemon
1 orange, sliced
Fresh rosemary + thyme
Raw apple cider vinegar
Raw honey (added after straining)
Instructions:
Fill a large glass jar with all ingredients except honey.
Cover with apple cider vinegar until all ingredients are submerged.
Seal with a non-metal lid (or use parchment paper under the lid).
Store in a dark place for 3–4 weeks, shaking every few days.
Strain and add raw honey to taste.
Benefits:
Anti-viral + anti-bacterial
Increases circulation
Supports digestion
Helps break up congestion
Boosts immune resilience
Take 1–2 tablespoons daily or mix into warm water as a winter tonic.