Winter body, mind and soul boost

 It’s a winter morning and you’re running late. You flop out of bed and lift a weary hand to peek through the curtains. The sight of overcast skies can make you want to slink back under the covers. But before you scold yourself for being lazy or undisciplined, you should know you’re not alone.
In colder climates than ours, psychologists have named the collective winter funk. They call it seasonal affective disorder or SAD, a depression that strikes about 10 million people — mostly women — according to statistics from Meharry Medical College.
“As winter approaches, there’s less sunlight,” says Dr Zia Wahid, the director of Meharry’s residency training in psychiatry and assistant psychiatry professor. “That affects the brain’s neuro-transmitters that monitor our mood.”
Fortunately in Zimbabwe, we don’t have the long months of dark, dreary and icy winters that happen elsewhere in the world, but there are several things we can do to keep any negative effects of winter at bay.
Winter can be rough, and nowhere is it rougher than on your skin. It’s cold, it’s dry, and you’re more concerned with keeping your legs warm than silky smooth. When you’re rushing out of the warm shower and hurrying to get into your clothes, it can be hard to take that moment to moisturise dry skin. And before you know it, you wake up and your body is drier than a burnt bush.
But not to worry! Clarins have a wide range of exciting body products to keep you nourished and moisturised this winter. We put two of these to the test, and asked some simple questions: How well did they moisturise? How quickly did they moisturise? And how do you smell, moisturised? 
Renew-Plus Body Serum
Dry, flaky skin cells are smoothed away with the gentle action of Pre-Retinol and Wintergreen while a mix of anti-ageing plant extracts and oils intensively moisturise, nourish, soften and even skin tone.
The results: This is a lovely, light product which instantly absorbs into the skin, after applying it with an upward, sweeping motion. The skin feels silky soft and hydrated. There is no sticky residue which can sometimes occur with creamy moisturisers or body butters. It has a gentle fragrance reminiscent of youth. A must for keeping more mature skin soft and comfortable this winter!
Relax Body Treatment Oil
One of a range of treatment oils, this blend of deeply relaxing aromatic essential oils of petit grain, geranium, camomile and basil soothe away tensions, while hazelnut oil leaves skin supple and nourished.
The results: A heady oil which results in the feeling of a full body massage. A lovely treat, after an evening bath and full body exfoliation, which nourishes the skin leaving you feel very relaxed.
With the skin beautifully hydrated and comfortable, another key to feeling invigorated, experts say, is to keep your body and mind alert. One of the best ways to do that is through regular exercise.
Exercise stimulates chemicals that monitor awareness in your body and improves your circulation, which is why you will always feel more alive and think better after a workout.
A brisk, 30-minute walk before work will do wonders for replacing the normal afternoon haze with clear, focused thoughts. That’s the feeling that should motivate us most days when we long to spend just a few more moments in bed. 
Aside from invigorating and giving you energy through winter, wouldn’t it be more exciting to arrive in summer with a bikini ready body, instead of wishing the winter cover up would last just a little longer?
Those of you who want to start getting in shape should follow a good fitness regimen which includes improving your aerobic capacity, strength and flexibility.
– Aerobic workouts raise your heartbeat and breathing rate through exercises such as brisk walking, dance, running and riding a bike.
–  Strength exercises incorporate weight routines into your workout through free-weights, weight machines or resistance bands.
–  Flexibility and stretching increases your range of motion, reduces muscle soreness after a workout, prevents injury and is one of the best ways to improve total body awareness
A local personal trainer says, “I like to compare the body to a car. You service your car regularly so you can keep it for a long time. The same goes for the body: It needs regular service so it can function properly.”
Remember: if you’re just starting out, take it slowly. The more your fitness increases, the greater capacity you will have for exercise. Exercising faithfully, even once each week, can build the needed momentum to start a lifelong healthy habit.
Another key to energy-boosting, experts say, is following a balanced diet, including plenty of water, fruit and vegetables.
Dr Henri Pate, associate professor of nutrition at Hampton University, says the food pyramid — a chart you can find in most nutrition books and even on the sides of some food boxes — is a good guide to follow. At the bottom of the pyramid are foods you can eat most liberally — like bread and grains. Dairy products and meat should be consumed daily, but less often, she says.
Fats, oils, and sweets should be eaten sparingly, according to the pyramid. But experts warn against totally eliminating fat from your diet. The key is low fat, not no-fat, as the body needs a certain amount of fat to function properly.
Essentially, we need to eat a balanced diet, and remember that anything we eat in excess, which is not burnt off through exercise, will be stored as fat, somewhere in our bodies.
The nutrition professor says food aesthetics also play a role in our mood. She advises adding more colour and texture to the winter foods we eat. Try to make food more pleasing with bright colours and different textures.
Incorporating these fitness and diet guidelines into our lives can help boost our energy and mood. They’re also good practices to keep in mind year-round.
Here are some other remedies recommended by Meharry Medical School experts if you’re still looking for that extra kick:
–  Volunteer to help others.
–  Spend some time in quiet meditation.
–  Keep a journal.
–  Don’t be afraid to cry when things get you down.
The best advice for chasing away winter depression, experts say, is to get busy doing something. The key to happiness during winter or any season begins with beautiful Clarins skin, a healthy body, mind and soul.

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