While winter brings its splendours, it can also leave us susceptible to illness. Caring for ourselves during the colder and drier months is essential, so we consulted a few local health and fitness professionals for their recommendations on staying healthy from the inside out.
Keeping the Blood Flowing
Blood is life, and keeping it flowing is crucial, especially during winter. What better way than through exercise! While you don’t have to run a marathon or become a heavyweight lifter (if you are, keep going!), there are many other ways to incorporate movement into your day if you want something less stressful. Sandra Hedges, a registered Therapeutic Reflexologist, Integrative Wellness Therapist and Hatha Yoga instructor, suggests starting slow with gentle movements. She adds, “I recommend yoga poses that encourage flow on all levels. Heart-opening Asanas (poses) are a lovely way to start, followed by some forward folds to get blood to the brain. Thereafter, move your way down the body, finally grounding through the feet before relaxing into a rest pose, wrapped up snugly in a cosy blanket.” You can follow these with exercises like jogging, rebounding, swimming, or playing games like Padel. Another suggestion is massage, which is effective in moving blood and lymph and easing cold, tight muscles. Keep your muscles relaxed and your core and lower back warm with a hot water bottle to help maintain core body temperature.
If you want to try another form of movement, why not dance your way through winter? The Dance Warehouse at Athlone Circle Mall in Pietermaritzburg is a dance and boutique-style fitness centre for women and children from the age of two, offering a variety of classes that suit all fitness levels, including Dance Fitness, Ballet Bodysculpt, Body Conditioning, Bungee Fitness, Pole & Aerial Fitness, Burlesque, Booty Blast (HIIT), Dance Fusion, and Strength & Flexibility. Group classes will keep the morale strong with ample encouragement from the instructor. Trial classes are available, and you can move at your heart’s desire in a safe and fun environment.
Maintaining a Strong Immune System
Dovehouse Organics in Howick is a leading stockist of fresh, organic produce, and natural products. It’s owned and run by the Duncan family, who have their fingers on the pulse of all things holistic living. Maintaining a healthy immune system starts at the beginning of your day, and they recommend starting your day with a glass of freshly squeezed lemon juice topped up with warm water (not from the hot tap as heating elements inside geysers release heavy metals), and a pinch of high-quality salt. Recommended salts include Kalahari Desert salt, Himalayan salt, and Celtic Sea salt. This will aid in alkalising the body, providing cellular hydration and essential minerals like magnesium to support your immune, muscle, and nerve health.
Recommended healthy breakfast options that are alkaline and allow the body to naturally heal include a green smoothie consisting of fruit, leafy greens, raw seeds, avocado, and a drizzle of raw, cold-pressed olive oil. Or, for a warm breakfast, enjoy eggs with lightly steamed spinach, avocado, and a floret or two of broccoli.
Here are a few suggested seasonal foods to incorporate into your diet: citrus fruits, gooseberries, tree tomatoes, avocado, kale, spinach, parsley, rocket, coriander, broccoli, sweet potatoes, beetroot, garlic, and turmeric.
They also recommend adding a daily salad to your diet, it provides raw enzymes, fibre, hydration, and a diverse spectrum of alkalising nutrients. Think lettuce, microgreens, cucumber, a grated carrot, beetroot, a drizzle of raw, cold-pressed olive oil, and avocado.
If you’re dealing with excess mucus or nasal drip, consider limiting processed foods, gluten, dairy, nuts, oats, and bananas. The Duncans conclude, “Ultimately, winter wellness comes down to nourishing your body with whole, fresh foods, getting regular sun exposure and avoiding processed ingredients.”
Renée Mitchell, a nutritionist and owner of Renée’s Health Shop in Howick, stocks a variety of herbal supplements. She advises that a holistic and natural approach to our health best supports our immune systems. It starts with simple lifestyle practises: getting sunlight upon waking, exercising, avoiding sugar and processed foods, supporting our gut, and eating immune-boosting foods. Here are a few of her favourite suggested herbs and nutrients:
- Astragalus: Known for boosting white blood cell production and overall immune resilience.
- Echinacea: Stimulates immune activity, especially at the onset of viral infections.
- Pelargonium: This herb is a powerful immune stimulant and a natural antibiotic for the respiratory tract.
- Olive Leaf Extract: A potent antimicrobial agent that supports the body during cold and flu season. Available in formulations for both adults and children.
- Vitamin C: An antiviral vitamin. Be sure to choose an optimal form rather than plain ascorbic acid, which may irritate digestion or lead to excess acidity in the joints.
Renée also suggests keeping it dynamic, “I recommend rotating your immune support remedies every few weeks. This prevents over-reliance on a single herb or supplement and keeps your immune system responsive and adaptable.”
A Remedy a Day
Homoeopathy might be your best bet if you are looking for other alternatives to support your body and skin during winter. Dr Megan Medina, a registered homoeopathic doctor (M.Tech: Hom) in Hilton, specialises in remedies that offer gentle, individualised healing for all ages. The remedies address root causes. They are also safe and non-toxic compared to some over-the-counter medicines. A few of Megan’s favourites include:
- Aconite (30C): This is perfect for sudden colds or flu triggered by cold, dry winds. It’s best used at the first sign of chills, fever, or sore throat, helping to halt symptom progression.
- Oscillococcinum: A go-to for early flu symptoms like fatigue and body aches. Taken early, it can reduce the severity and duration of illness.
- Bryonia (30C): Suited for dry, painful coughs or flu with aches that worsen with movement. It supports those feeling irritable and seeking rest.
- Kali bichromicum (30C): Excellent for thick, stringy nasal discharge or sinus infections common in winter. It addresses sinus headaches, pressure in the face, and sticky mucus, helping clear congestion naturally.
- Rhus tox (30C): This is ideal for joint stiffness aggravated by cold, damp weather, improving with movement.
Disclaimer: consult a healthcare professional before using homoeopathic remedies, especially for serious conditions or if on other medication.
Cold weather can leave skin dry, flaky, and irritated, but help is at hand. Natassja Bester, founder of Elemental Tallow in the Midlands, has created a skincare range that deeply nourishes and protects your skin during winter’s harsh conditions. With over a decade of experience in aesthetic skin therapy, she blends nature’s finest ingredients into powerful, skin-loving formulas.
At the heart of her range is grass-fed sheep tallow, a nutrient-rich fat packed with vitamins A, D, E, and K, and skin-friendly fatty acids. These nutrients mimic the body’s natural oils, making tallow ideal for restoring moisture and supporting skin repair.
One of her bestsellers? The Sheep Tallow “Botox in a Jar” Whipped Balm. This luxurious blend combines sheep tallow with castor oil, jojoba oil, and frankincense essential oil to deeply hydrate and calm dry or mature skin. It’s especially soothing for cracked hands, heels, and wind-chapped cheeks, a true winter essential.
If you’re looking to switch to a more natural, effective skincare routine this season, Elemental Tallow offers a gentle, nourishing solution you can trust, handmade with care, and free from nasties.
We hope these tips help you during the colder seasonal changes and that you are in shipshape for spring and summer, which are just around the corner!
Photo Credit:
Dr Megan Medina: Chelsea Patterson
Elemental Tallow: Dreyer Media
Renée Mitchell: Shutter Storytelling