For those that know me well, my favorite time of year is the Holiday season. It always makes me feel like there’s the promise of new opportunities ahead and that it’s time to ask ourselves what we need to let go of. Are you ready to make changes that will add to your health and wellness?

To keep yourself from feeling overwhelmed, make it a goal to start with small changes…they can add up to big results over time. To get started, here are Six Ways toward a more enlivened life. I am also fortunate to know many inspirational Balanced Babes and today I’m sharing winter wellness tips from a few.

Opportunities Ahead: Winter Wellness Tips

(Wellness Tips Are From My Original Article In Women’s Forum Sept. 2015)

Heading into dry and heated buildings will put the extra effort upon us to keep hydrated, active and happy without our 15 minutes of daily Vitamin D through sunshine and warm weather activities.

The Holidays brings about transition in many forms. The opportunity to experience something new or letting something go. I was fortunate to get collective health and wellness thoughts from fellow Balanced Babe’s who are inspirational thought leaders in the wellness and personal growth space.

Savor the Flavor – “The start of cooler weather is the perfect time to savor the flavors of your favorite fruits and vegetables. The Holiday’s are great for recipes that incorporate root vegetables like sweet potatoes, dark leafy greens such as kale, winter squash like pumpkin, and fruits that include pears, pomegranates and apples. Aside from being delicious, these superfoods are low in calories and packed with vitamins and fiber. Try something new like turnip greens, butternut squash, or parsnips if you’re feeling adventurous. Choosing these nutritional superstars will give you a nutrient dense health boost and add zesty flavor to your meals!” (Melissa O’Brien, RD, Jewel Osco)

Infuse – “Infuse your water with fruits and lemon to drink more of it. Here’s why: 75% of our brain consists of water making it essential for mental clarity. Not only is drinking water great for your noggin’, water boosts metabolism as well. My favorite flavor: Mojito (mint + lime)”. (Jessica Dogert, RD)

See Eye-to-Eye – “Always view your cellphone, TV, I-Pad or computer at eye level or above. For every inch forward your head is, it adds 12 more pounds of weight to your neck and immense pressure on your spine causing headaches and other symptoms. “Tech Neck” or “Text Neck” as we call is taking over a lot of peoples posture, as we notice that people are always looking down at their devices. Look up!” (Dr. Shannon Painter, Universal Wellness Source)

Fitness is for Everybody – “Find 10 minutes every day to MOVE in your own, unique way! This doesn’t mean that you have to do 50 burpees every hour on the hour. If you can’t make it to your favorite Pilates class or the gym, think about everything you CAN do! (Jenn Horwitz, Athleta Northbrook)

Here are some creative ways to stay active by Jenn:

To get extra walking in your day, park between 5-7 minutes away from work. The more walking you can do, the better!

Get extra squats in while playing with your kids. When playing a game, pick a code word, and every time you hear that code word, do a squat!

Next time you go on a trip or a vacation, run in one direction and back and see what you can explore! We like to call it, “run-sightseeing”!

Ginger in the Morning – “Mix an inch section of sliced and peeled ginger in your green smoothie or juice to naturally boost digestion and immunity. Plus it tastes delicious and spicy!” (Natalie Slater, Bake and Destroy)

Switching Recipes from Fall to Winter– (Jill Zemas, Zemas Madhouse Foods)

Freeze those berries you found at the farmers market for later use in holiday inspired recipes. Who doesn’t love berry waffles, berry muffins, crisps and pies. It’s much easier to fold in frozen berries into batter, and gives you a great boost of antioxidants all year around!

Incorporate more greens into your recipes with zucchini. Squeeze out excess water after you shred those zucchini. Use them in quick breads, muffin, and pancake recipes.

Any way you look at it, the days are immensely shorter this season. With less daylight time and the beginning of the official season of hibernation (wanting to eat more and sleep more) it’s no wonder that cold winter months can sometimes be welcomed with sadness by some. But, to me, winter is a time of calm and quiet after an over-scheduled summer and fall. It’s the distinctive smell of Christmas candles, holiday lights glowing in the streets, and cheery holiday gatherings. By using these wellness tips you will be off to a more than healthy 2016! Cheers!

For all my “Health” articles on WF, check it out here.

(main photo source: Maciej Korsan)