Self-Care in the New Year

There is no denying that 2020 was a trying year. Regardless of the obstacles you faced, causes you didn’t give up on, or changes you made, we are betting you need a break. Creating time for self-care, even if just a minute a day, will help you recharge and make space for grace, gratitude, and resilience to guide you into the new year.

Here, five tried-and-true Ayurvedic lifestyle hacks for destressing your holidays, whether you are alone in quarantine or with family. Plus, nine gifts for you or your loved ones to help nourish mind, body, and soul.

After all, true transformation can only happen when you take time to rest, restore, and reset, bringing new energy into whatever it is that comes next.

We recommend "The Spiritual Science of Transformation": https://lifespa.com/dhanurveda-spiritual-archery-vedic-science-transformation/

5 Ayurvedic Tips for a Restorative Holiday Season

1. Try this 1-Minute Meditation to Mitigate Stress

Taking just 60 seconds to practice this breath-based meditation is usually enough to cut through stress and anxiety and help you reset your nervous system, in the moment. Next time Zoom fails you, or your family triggers old reactive behaviors, step aside, find a quiet place, and focus on this calming practice. Learn this simple meditation practice here.

2. Dial in Your Digestion with These 5 Festive Spices

In Ayurveda, digestion issue are thought to be the root cause of 80% of disease. End-of-year stress can take its toll on gut health, so it’s important to send some love to your stomach in any self-care routine. You can beat gas, bloating, and discomfort, and reset digestive health with five core Ayurvedic spices: fennel, coriander, cumin, cardamom, and ginger. Learn more about the healing properties of these easy-to-incorporate ingredients.

3. Cut Cookie Cravings with Flax Seeds

Add the stress of the holidays to the usual vata imbalances winter brings and it’s no wonder we crave comfort food to soothe our unsettled souls. The three tastes that our bodies generally seek out for nervous system support are sweet, sour, and salty. Hello sugar cookies and stuffing. Ground yourself and cut cravings with grains and seeds that are rich in soluble fiber, like flax. Learn how to use flax seeds when baking, cooking, making tea, and more.

4. Give from the Heart for True Happiness

It’s when we can live life consciously, free from needing a reward for our actions, that we can truly give, and, in turn, be content. Science has shown us that when we make a choice to be positive, giving, loving, and kind, our genes react in a positive way, the good microbes in our gut flourish, and our bodies produces a hormone called oxytocin. The more we love, give, and care for others fully, the more oxytocin we make. Learn what Ayurvedic psychology says about removing emotional armor and leading from the heart.

5. Practice Gratitude to Find Personal Grace

The word gratitude comes from the Latin gracia, meaning grace, graciousness, or gratefulness. A sincere thank you, or expression of gratitude, can open the door to a deeper level of open-hearted communication—and this is called grace! Learn quick and impactful ways to practice gratitude.

We recommend "Thrive Through the Holidays": https://lifespa.com/holiday-help-thrive-through-the-holidays/

9 Gifts to Help You and Your Loved Ones Restore and Reset for 2021

1. Restore Your Sleep with Low-Dose Melatonin

Healthy sleep cycles are the foundation for feeling resourced and ready to face the world. Enter melatonin—a natural sleep hormone and powerful antioxidant that can help us realign with circadian rhythms and feel renewed, again and again.

2. Boost Your Mood with Happy Caps

Manage mood and anxiety with this natural herbal formula that includes brain-boosting bacopa, rejuvinating gotu kola, and nervous system-soothing passion flower. This potent blend will help revitalize overworked adrenal glands after periods of prolonged stress, addressing the burnout we may feel after a year of juggling pandemic precautions and working from home with childcare and copious amounts of change.

3. Relax with Tri-Doshic Massage Oil

Self-massage, or abhyanga, is a mainstay of daily Ayurvedic self-care, helping to support natural oxytocin production. This blend of organic Ayurvedic herbs and oils will help balance any body and get lymph circulating smoothly again, resolving bloat, soreness, exhaustion, brain fog, and more. Treat yourself!

4. Hydrate with Royal Glow Facial Moisturizer

Give (or get) the gift of glowing skin with this concentrated moisturizer that calls on vitamins A, D, and E, plus tonifying herbs bala, brahmi, turmeric, amalaki, ashwagandha, shatavari, and tulsi to help hydrate and soften. Good for all skin types.

5. Eat for Energy with the 3-Season Diet

This comprehensive book on eating seasonally will help you attune to nature and stay balanced and healthy all year round. By following simple instructions for eating foods appropriate to each season, adjusting your diet to your body type, eating at the optimal time of the day, and exercising without triggering a survival response, you’ll generate energy and power in your life and feel better than you have in years!

6. Release Muscle Tension with the Vyper Vibrating Roller

Used daily by some of the best athletes in the world, but also the perfect gift for those who have stored 2020 tension in their bodies, the Vyper is a myofascial release tool that can help increase flexibility and circulation, and reduce muscle soreness. Target areas to consider: hips, low back, IT bands, calves, and shoulders.

7. Introduce Someone to Ayurveda with the 28-Day Ayurveda Challenge

Do you know someone who is feeling stuck, but is ready to break free of old routines and habits? Set them on the path to transformation with this 28-day online course that introduces a new practice every day to relieve stress, promote health, and quiet the mind. This ecourse covers the fundamental principles of Ayurveda while inspiring lasting change.

8. Scrub Away Stagnation with Garshana Gloves

This classic Ayurvedic detox tool both exfoliates and supports lymphatic flow, helping to remove waste from the body and boost immunity. Our garshana gloves are made of 100% raw silk in the US.

9. Stay Healthy with LifeSpa’s Winter Immune-Boosting Kit

Start the year off feeling vibrant. This four-piece immunity kit includes Turmeric Plus Capsules for fighting off inflammation and enhancing digestion, Ashwagandha Capsules for stress relief and immune system support, Liquid Sun Vitamin D3, and Organic Chyawanpras for building resiliency and strength.