4 joyful things you could do this December.
Minute For Your Health #40
For among winters there is one so endlessly winter,
that, only wintering through it, may your heart survive. - Rainer Maria Rilke
Whatever this season means to you,
and whether or not you live in a country where winter is upon you,
I thought it might be fun to round up some things that will help you
get through this December as healthily as possible.
(Because let’s face it, we are all struggling with flu season more than we would in none pandemic years).
Indulge your Soul and your Body
With these healthy dark chocolate truffles.
I’m a huge fan of dessert. In fact I believe every meal deserves a dessert.
But I’m also a believer that dessert doesn’t have to be ‘bad for you’.
I love a nourishing recipe that is full of nutrients and blood sugar balancing properties and tastes like an indulgent dream.
Like these truffles:
2 hard boiled eggs (trust me on this)
80ml coconut milk
20g cocoa
5-8 soft or soaked dates
Dash of sea salt
Dash of vanilla essence (or cinnamon and nutmeg)
Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth (you can also use a hand blender for this). Place in the fridge and rest for about an hour.
Side note: after this step you already have a delicious chocolate mousse, if you’re lazy like me you can stop at this step.
Once the mixture is cooled use your palms and a teaspoon to shape little truffles. Place them on a board and then in your freezer for about an hour.
100g good quality dark chocolate
Melt your dark chocolate and then dip your frozen truffle balls in the chocolate to cover them. Place them on a baking sheet to allow the chocolate to set (this should only take a few seconds if the truffles were properly frozen).
Store in the fridge and enjoy 😍
P.s. my mother in law made these as an amazing snack in my first few weeks postpartum!
Walk, walk in the rain…
And do like the Scandinavians do.
Here in Denmark there is a firm belief that there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes.
Winter can have us spending more time than ever inside because rain, wind and darkness provide the perfect excuse not to get outside.
But actually there is nothing better than cuddling up on the sofa with a blanket and warm drink AFTER a brisk walk in the dark, rainy cold.
As if I need to tell you the benefits of walking (we’ve all heard it!).
So instead I’ll remind you that each and every one of you would take your dog (if you had one) for a walk EVERY DAY. So treat yourself with the same respect as you would treat your (hypothetical) dog.
Play a board game…
or three.
Board games are a great alternative to TV when you want to spend some quality time with friends and family. They provide respite from the news, from conversations about the pandemic and they can be fun, challenging or competitive - whatever you need.
During the height of the pandemic we regularly played board games online with family and friends that we could no longer see in person.
And in some ways that meant we spent more time with them than during non-pandemic years!
So this year, when you feel like you have nowhere to go and no one to see why not find out if some of your friends or family feel the same.
In Person Games:
Some favourites in our household include:
Or you could try out one of the cooperative boardgames produced by the eco-friendly company Marbuschka.
Have a look at a great list of toddler friendly board games here.
To Play Online:
You can find most of your favourite board games on the platform Steam. You can connect with friends to set up games together. I recommend combining this with a video call.
On your phones you can try games like Mysterium (a fun cooperative game where you try to solve a murder together) or Among Us (a fun none cooperative game where some of you try to get away with murder).
For a virtual board game experience that feels like you’re all sitting around the table try Tabletopia.
Get Brave…
and sing together.
Singing has all sorts of physical and mental health benefits ( largely because of its effect on the vagus nerve, which you can read about in this article of mine).
It’s also a great way to bond, create an atmosphere of community and coziness.
And what better time to start than December when the radio is constantly blaring the same songs until we all know all the lyrics.
Summary:
This winter is likely going to be hard for many of us. Find small ways to introduce joy into your days and to take care of your soul and body in this season.
Comment below with your favourite winter traditions, I love to hear from you 💚💚💚
Know someone who is dreading winter? Take care of them by sharing this with post.
If you’re new here and you loved this email, then please subscribe by clicking the button below.
