Stay Warm And Cozy This Winter, Part II

It’s January. Cold. Gloomy. Typically, it’s a quiet month without much to look forward to; the complete opposite of December. Spring seems a long way away. Did I mention the cold? Short days with – here in the Midwest – just 10 hours of daylight.  I don’t know about you, but my activity level is driven by sunshine. So, when my first winter living solo was particularly cold and dark (or maybe that was just my soul), I spent evenings living like a slug. Binge watching TV, eating popcorn for dinner, and drinking too much wine. In our “Stay Warm This Winter” blog post, we provided tips to help keep your apartment warm and cozy. Today we’ll chat about keeping yourself (your soul) warm and cozy during the dark days of winter.

Is there anything more warming than relaxing in a hot bath? As a matter of fact, there is. Adding Epsom salt to the bath. What is Epsom salt? It’s an ingredient used in a soak to treat minor aches and pains. It’s thought to soothe tired muscles and reduce swelling.

As a medication administered intravenously, it can stave off premature birth and alleviate seizures caused by several conditions, including magnesium deficiency, preeclampsia, and eclampsia. The most popular use for Epsom salt is in baths. While there isn’t strong scientific evidence supporting its effectiveness, many people say they feel relief for multiple symptoms by soaking in an Epsom salt bath.

Let’s look at how you can use it.

BATH SOAK

Epsom salts dissolve in water. Enthusiasts believe this allows magnesium and sulfates to be readily absorbed into skin. Whether this is sufficient for various treatments or not, Epsom salt is considered safe. It’s also easy to use, easy to find, and inexpensive.

There really is no downside to taking a warm bath, although it’s important to check with your doctor first if you have low blood pressure. This is because hot water can temporarily lower blood pressure.

The Mayo Clinic recommends adults use 2 cups of Epsom salt per gallon of warm water. More than that can make the water feel slippery. It may also be drying to your skin.

Lower concentrations you can try are:

• 300 grams (1.5 cups) of Epsom salt to 1 gallon of water
• 1 cup of Epsom salt to 1 gallon of water
• 2 cups of Epsom salt added to your bathtub of water

Soak for at least 15 minutes. If you’re soaking in an Epsom salt bath for aches and pains, make sure not to use water that’s too hot. This might worsen instead of reducing swelling.

Other ways to use Epsom salt in a soak:

• Create a detox bath.
• Create a detox footbath.
• Mix a foot soak for general use.
• Use Epsom salt water in a compress for direct application to sore muscles.
• Shop for Epsom salts for your bath.

Many Epsom salt advocates believe the amount of magnesium able to enter the body through the skin is sufficient for reducing swelling and relieving aches. It’s also thought that Epsom salts are effective for soothing skin and reducing irritation and itching.

Epsom salt bath side effects

When used as a soak, Epsom salt is generally considered safe. If you’ve never had an Epsom salt bath, consider testing a patch of skin with magnesium sulfate and water first. Avoid submerging broken skin in an Epsom salt bath. Stop use if you experience:

• itchy skin
• allergic reactions, like hives or rash
• skin infection

FOOT SOAK

Ultimate relaxation may be one of the most obvious health benefits of foot soaks, but research shows that soaking your feet in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes per day can do wonders for your mood, your energy level, your sleeping habits and any aches and pains that affect you — both in your feet and beyond.

To make use of the foot soak ideas below, be sure to have these basics:

• Tub. For each soak, you’ll want a bathtub, a large, shallow washbasin, or foot tub.
• Towel. Have a towel, bathmat, or drying cloth nearby, too.
• Time. Soak for 15 to 60 minutes.
• Warm water. Have some additional hot water available to freshen up the water if you’re not using a bathtub.
• Cool water. Finish each foot soak with a cool water rinse.

For relaxation and aromatherapy

When your ultimate goal is to relax and unwind, this recipe is just the ticket. According to a 2018 study, adding essential oils to your soak may help to relieve stress and anxiety, and put you in a more positive state of mind.

Aromatherapy ingredients

• 2 tbsp. carrier oil
• 5–20 drops of essential oils of choice
• 2 cups of Epsom salt
• 1/4 cup dried flowers, such as rose, chamomile, and lavender

Steps for foot soak

• Mix the carrier and essential oils in a large bowl.
• Add in the other ingredients to create a mixture.
• Slowly dissolve the mixture into the tub of hot water.
• If you have any leftover, store it in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Consider a nice soak the next time the cold and gloom of winter threaten to dampen your spirits. Here’s to a warm, cozy, and relaxing season!

RESOURCES: Healthline, Mayo Clinic

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This summer has been so hot. Are you getting tired of getting into a ridiculously hot car? Us, too.

Did you realize that a car parked in the sun on a sweltering hot car becomes oppressive inside in mere minutes? That’s why, in our Summer Safety For Furry Friends blog post, we remind everyone that car temps can become lethally hot before you know it! That’s why experts advise us to never leave humans or animals unattended in a car.

HeatKills.org is an organization dedicated to raising awareness about the dangers of leaving kids and pets in hot vehicles. Their graphic below illustrates how quickly a vehicle’s interior can heat up. YIKES.

To help you keep your cool, we’ve assembled some tips, tricks, and products to make it a little easier to get in your car on a sweltering day.

Park Smart

On an unbearably hot, cloudless day, find relief from the heat by finding some shade. Choosing a space in a parking garage, beneath trees, or in the shadow of a building can help keep your car cooler, making any extra steps worth the effort.

Be mindful, however, of the neighborhood, and avoid parking too far away from your destination if the area isn’t the safest, especially if you’re returning to your vehicle after dark.

Also, be aware that shaded areas may become sunny if your car remains in the same spot for a few hours during the day.

Windows – To Crack or Not to Crack

Many folks swear by the old practice of leaving a car’s side windows or sunroof open a crack to keep their vehicle’s interior temperature down. While this practice does let built-up heat escape and helps to facilitate some airflow through the car’s cabin, it’s only a modest amount.

Is a car interior that’s just a few degrees cooler worth the risk of leaving your car more vulnerable to theft or vandalism? A skillful car thief could get inside your car with the windows or sunroof open even just an inch. ABC News reports that for one thief “a car with a window cracked open was an unlocked car”.

If you opt to crack your windows, once again be mindful of the surrounding area. Park in visible areas close to other vehicles, ideally where there’s a decent amount of vehicle and foot traffic. Parking in view of a surveillance camera also doesn’t hurt.

Another thought on the “nay” side: a sudden rainstorm could make a mess of your car’s interior.

Shade Your ‘Shield

A windshield sunshade is an effective way to keep the temperature inside your car under control, even if you’re parked in the sun. Find the best sun shield here. While sunshade keeps a car’s temperature down by blocking the primary entry point for the sun, some drivers simply hate the look of them. But seriously? In a standoff between unattractive vs. unbearable, I’m team ugly. If you’re on team attractive, note that there are companies who offer hundreds of custom models that allow for a perfect fit and vehicle color match.

Go Under Cover

Car covers are an effective way to keep your vehicle out of the sun as they block the sunlight, much like a layer of clothing prevents you from getting sunburned. Interior temperature reduction is based on the thickness of the cover. A thin cover will reduce the sun's effect slightly, but a thicker (or reflective) cover will be very effective. The cover will protect the vehicle from bird droppings, tree sap, and other chemical fallout in both cases. As an added benefit, a car cover keeps your vehicle from the eyes of thieves. Make sure to choose an 'outdoor' cover engineered against UV rays and offers some water resistance ('indoor' covers will deteriorate quickly and soak up moisture).

Go Under Cover Inside

If a windshield sunshade is out of the question to cool your ride, you can cover the parts of your car’s interior that get the hottest. Options here include a dashboard cover, steering wheel cover, and covers for your seats.

There are plenty of car dashboard covers from which to choose. Like the windshield sun shades, look for a higher quality product that provides a good fit and effectively complements your car’s interior décor.

Your steering wheel and leather seats (especially darker-colored seats) are the other interior parts that absorb heat. Your hands will appreciate a cool wheel and bare legs will thank you — especially if you’re wearing a dress or shorts – if those seats are covered.

Use a light-colored fabric seat cover during the hottest months of the year, or simply place a towel on the seat. Covering the steering wheel with a towel is a practical, inexpensive way to keep it cool to the touch.

Get Shady

Sunshades for your car’s passenger windows can keep the interior of the car cool when you’re parked and help protect your passengers from sun rays while you’re on the road. 

Get Breezy

The last of our car cooling tips is to try a battery-powered or solar-powered ventilation fan.

A small electric fan can quickly cool down the interior of a hot car by encouraging airflow. The portable Amacool fan has three twisty arms that make it easy to secure to a headrest, and the fan’s head can be adjusted both vertically and horizontally to send a breeze in any direction. With three speed options and a rechargeable battery, this affordable, tiny fan is a versatile summertime essential that can make a hot day a little more bearable.

The solar-powered ventilation fan is fairly new on the market. They clip onto a cracked window and keep the air moving inside a parked car, relying on solar power. If the sun is already shining, make it work for you!

Using two fans set up on the side windows (front or rear) should increase the cross-ventilation airflow and decrease the temperature even more. Higher-powered, more effective models can be purchased that have a larger solar panel that sits on your dashboard and powers the fans.

The quality and reliability of this product seem to vary widely. Some online reviews dismiss cheaper models as too gimmicky and not very effective. Consumers who left reviews for other fan models praise them as ingenious and highly effective.

Lastly – and most importantly – make sure that you aren't leaving anything in your car that can't handle the rising heat – check your backseat for pets and kids!

Oh, and P.S.: Did you know that leaving a water bottle in the heat can be hazardous to your health? When exposed to heat, the chemical bonds in plastic can break and cause BPA and other chemicals to migrate into the water. Beyond that, hot cars provide an ideal environment for bacteria to thrive, potentially contaminating the water in opened bottles and causing illness if consumed.

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Surviving Spring Forward

I don’t know about you, but for me, this whole “spring forward” thing is awful. Some folks say that the twice-a-year tradition of “spring forward, fall back” is like time travel. I don’t mind falling back because there’s something almost romantic about the “turn back time” notion (thanks, Cher), getting that one-hour do-over and, best of all, that extra hour of sleep. But skipping an hour on a Sunday night when most of us have to work on Monday? It’s for the birds. Not only conceptually, but it actually messes with our circadian rhythms.  Here are a few ways you can survive springing forward.

Daylight Saving Time begins at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 10 this year. There will be darker mornings, and brighter evenings making wake times and sleep times feel “off”. According to the New York Times, this creates a gap between your body clock, which responds to the sun, and your social clock, which is set by humans. “This mismatch in our biological clock and our environment leads to a number of non-optimal situations in our health,” Joseph Takahashi, PhD, a professor of neuroscience at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, says. And sleep is only one area that the shift to DST can disrupt: After the spring shift, car accidents, heart attacks, and ischemic strokes spike, too.

Not only does DST throw us off schedule and create opportunities for other unpleasant things to happen, DST was created largely for economic reasons! According to America's Navy website, daylight saving time (DST) began in March 1918 when The Standard Time Act was passed. One of the main reasons DST was created was to create a way to save energy and to get more use out of our natural daylight. According to TIME, the first U.S. law on Daylight Saving Time went into effect on March 19, 1918, for fuel saving reasons, about a year after the country entered the war. But although the official reason was fuel saving, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce was the major backer for the policy, because Americans getting off work while it was still light out meant they would be more likely to go out shopping in the evening.

Sports and recreation loved DST as golf ball sales skyrocketed. Baseball was a huge early supporter, too, because there’s no artificial illumination of parks, so to get school kids and workers to ball games with the extended daylight, they have a later start time. As if selling more gasoline, golf clubs, gardening tools, sleep aids should be more important than the health and well-being of people.

Let’s get ready now so it’s not quite so disruptive to our precious wake/sleep cycles. The best way to combat the effects of DST on your sleep is to have a good foundation. “If you have excellent sleep hygiene leading up to DST, it’s an easier transition to make,” says Chris Winter, MD, author of The Sleep Solution.

Adjust your clock ahead of DST

To make the time jump a little easier on your body, shift both your bedtime and your wake-up time earlier by 15-minute increments in the days leading up to daylight saving time.

Shifting other habits to earlier times, too.  Eating close to bedtime can make it harder to fall asleep, as the body is too focused on digesting to wind down for the nigh, so finish your evening meal at least two hours before bedtime. So, as you’re shift your bedtime up, do the same with your dinner schedule. Avoid caffeine for a minimum of six hours before going to bed and finish drinking alcohol several hours before bedtime. Or skip it altogether.

Try relaxation aids

Turning in early is likely to require some active effort and planning. Find things that will help you relax as you get ready for bed can help.

• A weighted blanket can feel like a giant hug easing you to sleep.
• A white noise machine, masks intrusive noises that may be keeping you awake. If white noise doesn’t put you to sleep, try a meditation app. You can listen to white noise or guided meditations through a device or speakers, choose sleep headphones that aren’t painful to lie on but still block out sound and play whatever you want directly into your ears.
• Warm your feet to let your brain that it’s okay to doze off.
• Practice body-scanning meditations to help disrupt anxiety-riddled thought patterns.
• Get out of bed until you’re feeling sleepy.
• More tips on getting a great night's sleep.

Control light and temperature

Because DST shifts sunset an hour later in the day, try to control the amount of light in your room when going to bed.

• Use an eye mask
• Install blackout curtains
• Limit blue light exposure by cutting down on screen time. Blue light specifically interferes with the body’s circadian rhythms because blue wavelengths during the day boost mood, attention, and reaction times—all things you need to quiet down as you’re getting ready for bed.
• Set bedroom temperature to between 60 and 67 degrees as a cooler room is conducive to sleep.
• Take a hot bath or shower before bed can also drop your body temperature quickly and send your system into sleep mode.

Practice wake-up

The human body is cued to rise with the sun—only now, the sun will be coming out an hour later. To combat the groggy darkness of mornings during DST, the best thing to do is to get light into your room as soon as possible. You can do this by using a sunrise alarm clock which can shine a dawn-like light directly into your sleepy face.

If getting up out of bed is the problem, you could be attempting to wake up during the worst part of your sleep cycle—deep sleep, as opposed to lighter REM sleep. Try using a sleep-tracking app which can monitor your sleep cycles and wake you at an optimal moment.

Force yourself to plant two feet on the ground. Get up and turn on the lights. Place your alarm clock in a spot that physically forces you to stand to turn it off.

Go outside / Move

Sync your body clock with the sun with a good dose of sunlight. Take the dog for a walk, stroll around the block, or stretch on your balcony for 15 minutes first thing in the morning. This bit of outdoor activity can wake your body up and reset your body clock for the day ahead, and give you the opportunity to feel the sun, too. These 15 minutes can help reset your circadian rhythm and promote a smoother sleep and wake schedule.

Did you know that studies show exercising either at 7:00 AM or between 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM advances the body clock, which makes it easier for you to start your day earlier. Conversely, working out in the evening (after 7:00 PM) delays the body clock, which can make it harder for you to fall asleep and wake up early the next day.

We hope these tips help you to survive the upcoming spring forward successfully. Let us know in the comments if you have any tricks for dealing with the time change.

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Hot toddy recipes vary and are traditionally drunk before retiring for the night, in wet or cold weather, or to relieve the cold and flu symptoms. In How to Drink, Victoria Moore describes the drink as “the vitamin C for health, the honey to soothe, the alcohol to numb.”

In its classic form, writes Barbara Rowlands for The Telegraph, the drink is served in a glass. It contains, she writes, “a shot of whiskey (preferably malt), a teaspoon of honey, and a dash of fresh lemon, topped up with boiling water poured over a silver spoon to prevent the glass from cracking.” Of course, you can always serve your toddy in a mug or pretty teacup.

Add spices to the mixture to reflect your personal preference and the contents of your spice cabinet. Fresh ginger, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and star anise are lovely, fragrant, and tasty additions. Chad studded a lemon peel with cloves for my toddy.

The psychological effect of having a comforting warm drink is important! Stress and anxiety will have an impact on your immune system and lower your resistance. Drink a hot toddy like you might take a mild sedative or tranquilizer. To give you a warm, relaxing, and cozy feeling.

How to Make the Best Hot Toddy

The secret to making the best hot toddy is simple — just tinker with the amount of lemon juice and honey until it suits your taste buds. You may be surprised by how an extra teaspoon of lemon juice or honey changes the flavor. The basics are in the recipe below.

Any good whiskey will do, like Bulleit Rye or Jameson Irish Whiskey, but you can also use Scotch, dark rum, brandy, or cognac.

Ingredients

• ¾ cup water
• 1 ½ ounces whiskey*
• 2 to 3 teaspoons honey, to taste**
• 2 to 3 teaspoons lemon juice, to taste
• 1 lemon round
• 1 cinnamon stick, 1 star anise, a few cloves, a slice of fresh ginger, and/or a grind of fresh nutmeg (optional, for garnish)

* If you are doing Dry January, 1) good for you! and 2) you can substitute an alcohol-free bourbon like Kentucky 74 – NA Bourbon or an alcohol-free spirit of choice.

** Especially helpful is Manuka honey. Why Manuka? Research has shown that Manuka honey has more antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties than regular honey. Or, look for a honey that is produced in your area. Local bees make local honey, which means the pollen they collect and bring back to the hive is sourced from local plants. Since these same plants cause many seasonal allergies, eating honey that contains that pollen can possibly combat those allergies. Moreover, according to talkingwithbees.com, local honey will offer better taste and nutrition: it is often raw, roughly filtered, and has not been heat treated or pasteurized. This means it tastes better and includes a wider variety of nutrients, including pollen and enzymes.

 It is best for your health to opt for raw honey. Raw honey is unprocessed and can be purchased at health food stores, farmers' markets, and vitamin shops. It is always best to try to use raw, organic honey with no preservatives, added sugar, or any other types of additives.

Do hot toddies really help a cold?

According to Healthline.com in a November 2, 2022 article, the components of a hot toddy can help relieve some symptoms associated with cold and flu. In a 2008 study, participants reported that consuming a hot beverage provided immediate and sustained relief from symptoms of runny nose, cough, sneezing, sore throat, chilliness, and tiredness.

Are there any other drinks that will help?

According to Web MD, there are!

Decaf tea. The heat can soothe sore throats, stuffy noses, chest congestion, and upset stomachs. Plus, a warm cup of tea is comforting when you’re feeling rough. If you choose one with herbs like ginger, your immune system may get a small boost, too. For an extra benefit, try adding a small dollop of honey to your cup: It can calm a cough and help you sleep. Comfort in a cup.

Water with lemon. Hot or cold, it keeps you hydrated and loosens up stuffiness and congestion. Lemon is also high in vitamin C, which may make a cold slightly shorter if you get it regularly.

Soup. Clear soups and broths give you calories when you may not have much of an appetite. Some research shows they may help relieve inflammation in the body, which can relieve some of your symptoms. The warmth also helps break up mucus. 

Wonder Soup. When my mom was in the hospital after surgery, she refused to eat the awful food the hospital served, especially the weak, flavorless chicken bouillon. I went home and made a pot of Wonder Soup. I returned to the hospital the next day, smuggled in the soup, and she drank every drop. This is a very informal recipe, as you’ll see.

• 1 whole chicken raw or a rotisserie chicken with the meat removed
•  2 roughly chopped carrots
•  2 roughly chopped celery stalks with leaves
• 1 quartered onion (go ahead and leave the skin on for a beautiful color)
• 2-3 smashed garlic cloves (again, go ahead and leave the skins on)
• A few peppercorns
• Salt
• A large sprig of fresh rosemary (thyme would be good too) and several large sprigs of fresh parsley, stems and all.

Toss everything into a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for an hour or two. Skim the foamy muck off the top periodically until it stops forming (this will help the broth be nice and clear). Remove the chicken and set aside to cool. Toss the veggies and the herbs into the trash; they’ve done their job. Strain the broth, ideally using cheesecloth. Adjust the seasoning to taste. There you have it: Wonder Soup: a true cup of comfort.

NOTE: for regular consumption, remove the chicken meat from the bone and use some either shredded or cubed in the broth. The rest will make a nice chicken salad or chicken tacos. Add chopped carrots, celery, and onion. Chop and add some fresh parsley, rosemary, or thyme. Later you can add noodles, peas, green leafy vegetables – whatever suits your fancy. You’ll never want to go back to canned or boxed soup.

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