Happy New Year !

January is usually the time when we all set ourselves challenges and goals for the year ahead. Naturally, aiming to take care of our health and wellbeing throughout the year is one of many great resolutions! As the year unfolds and we all get caught up in busy schedules, keeping this up can be slightly more challenging than we thought… however this year, Hello Day is here to help you build your all-natural, seasonal action plans!

Article written by Ariane Monnami, nutritionist and with degrees in Micro-nutrition and Neuro-nutrition. 

Make your New Year’s resolutions last longer than 4th January… 

Every year, we start with good intentions which slowly drift away as we get back into our hectic daily routines… but motivation and perseverance aren’t actually a question of character or personal will-power!

These are in fact controlled by the neurotransmitters Dopamine and Noradrenaline and like everything else, it’s important to ‘look after’ them. So, starting the year with a Vitality Boost treatment is a great way to do this and will help you to stick to your resolutions! 

A never ending cycle… 

Temperature, hours of sunlight, humidity levels, wind, diet… there are so many elements which can affect our body’s mechanisms and our responses vary according to the seasons and environment. Our metabolism in fact responds to external influences just like that of a plant or animal. 

Unfortunately, our modern lifestyles can prevent us from being aware of our own responses, which is not without consequence for our health. 

Traditionally, we have always been told that: 

– Winter is the season for deep rest, recovery and regeneration. 

– Spring is the season for renewal, birth and revitalisation. 

– Summer is the season for growth and full blooming.

– Autumn is the season for harvesting and storing supplies for the winter.  

Making the most of each season!  

Winter preparation 

Only a few generations ago, our ancestors – especially those living in the countryside – would be significantly less active during the winter. Due to the lack of electricity, the rising and setting of the sun would determine when they would get up and go to sleep, work was mainly indoors and there was less contact with other families and friends so as to prevent the spread of viruses and illnesses. 

Of course, now explaining to your boss that you’ll be getting up at 8am so will only arrive at work around 9.30/10am and that you’ll then go back home early to be in bed by 5pm could be slightly problematic!   

So instead, bad for worse, we bravely set our alarms and get out of bed to accomplish all of our daily tasks… many of us start by facing the cold and pollution before taking on public transport and the millions of ‘commuter-germs’ flying around! 

Unfortunately, our cells don’t quite understand these ridiculously early alarms and work commitments… all they want to do is quietly rest and recover in time for spring… Our immune system would also like to be able to rest but winter is the time when we need it the most and as a result, fatigue builds up and illnesses start to appear. 

Hello Day’s ‘Winter Special’! 

Here is your action plan to fight against cold, fatigue and microbes:  

1) Boost your vitality by looking after your neurotransmitters 

2) Strengthen your immune system with Vitamin D

3) Improve your gut function with lactic ferments

4) Help your hair and nails to regenerate 

Spring preparation 

In the springtime, nature slowly starts to come back to life and it’s also a time of renewal for our bodies. 

It’s a good idea to stimulate both lymphatic and venous circulation as well as our elimination organs, most importantly the liver, in order to get rid of the buildup of toxins from all of winter’s comfort foods… 

Springtime is also when we usually experience the greatest sexual desires but unfortunately, with stress and other restraints of daily life, this isn’t always the case… 

So that you don’t miss out on this time with your loved one, try to rest and find some time to spend together. Grandparents always love to take care of the little ones whilst you take advantage of a weekend away alone with your partner! 

Your Spring Special action plan: 

– Help your liver to eliminate toxins 

– Stimulate your circulation

– Stimulate your libido

– Forget about stress! 

Summer preparation

As we step into summer, longer days mean we spend more time outside enjoying the sun or late summer evenings with friends. Summer holidays are also a great opportunity to spend time with your partner and to strengthen your relationship.  

Despite what we might think, summer unfortunately does have damaging effects on our health: 

– Hot weather can make blood circulation more difficult and increase water retention. 

– ‘Apéritifs’ and barbecued meals drive our digestive system and liver into overload. 

– Prolonged exposure to sunlight can also have serious consequences. 

So in order to fully benefit from the summer season, we need to learn how to take care of ourselves during this beautiful time of year. 

Your Summer Special action plan: 

– Stimulate your libido

– Activate your venous circulation

– Prepare your skin for sun exposure

– Support your digestive system 

Autumn Preparation 

Autumn is the season for cultivation and stocking up on supplies for the winter. Of course as humans, we are neither ground hogs nor bears so we aren’t exactly going to hibernate during the long winter months, and we definitely no longer need to stock up on fat for ‘lean times’… 

So, we have to be especially careful not to let loose our natural impulse to overeat, especially when suffering from seasonal depression. Autumn nevertheless remains a period of transition – we need to both compensate for summer excesses and prepare our bodies for the seasons to come by boosting our immunity. 

Just like animals, we also tend to ‘moult’ and hair loss is greater during the autumn. This is completely normal and nothing can be done to prevent it. However, we can make sure to provide the best conditions for its renewal. 

Your Autumn Special action plan: 

– Support your liver and organs responsible for purification.  

– Strengthen your immune defences. 

– Stimulate hair regrowth. 

– Forget about stress!