On November 10, 2019, dozens of participants of all skill levels attended and participated in Grease Rag’s 11th Annual Winter Skill Share!

At the Winter Skill Share, we tapped into the deep wisdom of our Twin Cities FTW biking community — and shared resources for riding through the Gear Swap — so that we can all have a safe, fun winter riding season.

Special thanks to our presenters Low, Liz, Patrick and France, along with volunteer reporters Kym, Noelle, France and Carolyn. And much gratitude to the incredible organizers and day-of volunteers who brought us together including Low, Patrick, Maddie, Genevieve, Lucy, Linda, JJ, Krista, Ames, Victoria, Margaret, Kat, Tina and others!

Click the links below for recaps from each of the sessions:

• Winter Self Care
• Winter Bike Maintenance
• What to Wear
• Routing and Handling
• Q&A and Group Share

If you have resources or take-aways to add to any of the posts, please email carolyn.szczepanskI@gmail.com and she can update!

Panelists for the Q&A included Patrick, Liz and France, with Low as moderator

Is it better to buy a new bike and commit to maintenance or a junker with the assumption that it will die given winter conditions?nbsp;
Liz suggested that, depending on your budget, you should buy the bike that fits your needs but even if you get a low-cost bike it’s ideal to maintain that bike so you don’t have to repurpose or buy another one the following winter! Even simple maintenance like cleaning and lubing your chain every few weeks can go a long way! 

Resources for buying bikes! 

• Twin Cities FTW WTF Bicycle Trading Post
• Twin Cities Bicycle Trading Post (be ready for white men) 
• The Hub
• Cherry Cycles — closing location = deals!  
• Recovery
• Full Cycle
• Sierra Trading Post
• Backcountry
• Moosejaw
• Used gear on REI
• Repair Lair
• Midwest Mountain / Thrifty Outfitters
• Patagonia Worn Wear
• Clothing swaps
  • Queer clothing swap on Dec 1!
• City bike auctions

How do you balance the warmth and benefits of wearing goggles with the decrease in peripheral vision if you don’t have mirrors?
Liz noted that because you have to turn your head more, you have to be cognizant of not turning your handlebars, too. It can be helpful to practice during warmer seasons so you don’t have to contend with winter road conditions to get comfortable turning your head. 

What about wearing glasses with goggles?
Patrick said they just don’t wear their glasses with their goggles. But you can get prescription goggles, though they’re more pricey. There are also inserts for goggles, that fill part of the screen. They still fog up but a little better than not wearing glasses, if necessary. 

What’s the hardest part of winter biking for you?
Having to be at work at 8 a.m., France said it’s the motivation to get up and get ready. Liz said the same: getting motivated to ride to work and then wherever they’re going after work, like to see friends in the evening. For Liz, some days it’s better to drive because staying inside and not seeing friends is more detrimental to their mental well being. Winter riding doesn’t make you a better person. If it’s not going to make you feel good to ride, that’s OK! For Patrick, motivation is a challenge, as well, but saying it’s OK to ride to work and then take the bus home makes it easier, especially on longer routes. 

What about self care? What’s your top tip?
France said it’s embracing winter; finding things that you love outside and being active helps with your spirit. For Liz, it’s baths — with with scented candles! Sitting in warm water and doing a full body inventory. For Patrick, it’s getting a Ginger Shot from Juice So Good everyday to help with internal warming and immune health!

From the group: What are your favorite life hacks or DIY tips and tricks for winter?

• You don’t need to have all your winter bike gear before you try biking in the winter. You can accumulate gear over time!
• For folks who find it stressful to pack before leaving the house, it can be helpful to have a list of things to remember, i.e. gloves, thermos, etc
• Have a dedicated space for all your winter gear, like an open shelf by the door, where you can put everything when you walk in and see everything when you’re about to leave. 
• Having a sun lamp alarm clock can be great in the winter; it lights up to wake you up! If you have trouble getting up you can put one on each side of your bed!
• For waking up, you can also put a timer on a lamp. 
• Having plants in your room can help you remember living things will come back! Going to Como Conservatory can be nice, the plants and humidity, when winter feels like too much.
• To keep your hands and feet warm — to avoid getting crabby! – pack extra slippers.
• Always carry an extra pair of socks! Feet get sweaty or moist from the weather and its can be great, once you get to work or a concert to put on clean socks.
• If you don’t want to purchase disposable hand and foot warmers, you can get rice warmers, which you pop in the microwave before you head out.
• Moisturizing around your eyes and mouth, especially if you don’t like to have a lot on your face like goggles or a facemask.
• Wear waterproof mascara.
• For nose bleeds, put Vaseline on Q-tip to hydrate the inside of your nose and put a humidifier in the bedroom.
• Put some eucalyptus in hot water and breathe that in. 
• Take Vitamin D. Iron and Vitamin D don’t work well together, so take separately. Iron and Vitamin C do go well together. 
• Try meditation; Common Ground is a resource in Minneapolis with talks on the website and a POC sangha, too.
• Having a plan in case of emergency. That could be a phone charger, cash and a bus card, whatever you might need. A spare tube is helpful but in winter you might not want to change a tire outside, so know that you can put it on the bus and take it to a bike shop, or have a friend drive you home from an event if you’re feeling low energy. This can lessen anxiety and make winter biking more possible! 
• You can register with Metro Transit as a non-regular driver and get one cab ride per month through the Guaranteed Ride Home program. Info here!
• Plan meals for days you know will be hard so you have a fun reward at the end of the day, i.e. Know Wednesdays are always  tough? Treat yourself to a burger! 
• With winter biking you burn so many calories to keep your body warm, that it’s important to pack snacks for when you hit the wall or just need a little boost. Put little chocolate bars in the pockets of your bike jacket!

What’s your top snack?
For Patrick, it’s a fruity sweet snack like a Clif Bar. Because they have a long ride and often get hungry after breakfast, they make overnight oats with fruit and nuts and chia seeds so they can eat half at home before they leave and the other half at work. For France, it’s foods that are higher in fat and protein like hard-boiled eggs, sardines or avocado. Liz said they struggle with making a good breakfast in the morning so, knowing this habit won’t change, they eat a simple meal like a bowl of cereal or toast and, at work, they have a stash of bagels and cream cheese and lunch meat so they have something to eat if / when they’re hungry when they arrive or later in the morning. 

How do you carry your bike up and down the stairs?nbsp;
Remember to carry it at an angle with the heaviest part of the bike closest to your body. This could mean putting your shoulder under the saddle or under the top tube and your hand on the down tube. Take it slow and remember to manage for turns. If you have a back rack, consider taking the bike up or downstairs backwards!

Notes and take-aways from Noelle

There was so much community brilliance in this session! I appreciated hearing tips and even a few funny anecdotes from other winter riders. Patrick got us off to a great start by sharing what they’ve learned. Below are the bits that stuck with me most.

• Know your back up plan! Things won’t always go according to plan and it is not a personal failure. Your back up plan could be a warm place to hang out, a person to call for a ride home, or a bus route. Make sure to keep your options open.
• Double check that your winter bike will fit on the bus rack before you need it to. There are different places around the cities you can do this, including Freewheel.
• Your phone might not work in the cold— so let me again reiterate– know your back up plan (like old school memory, write it down on a piece of paper “know”, not “I can google it- Know”
• Metro transit has a Guaranteed Ride Home program. Pre-register on their website and qualify for up to $100 to reimburse you if you have to take a taxi, Lyft, or transit home unexpectedly.
• Google doesn’t always know best- Strava heat map can show you where people actually bike in Minneapolis
  • Hint- it’s not on Lake Street, but nice try Google.
  • Note- this doesn’t have a season specific filter, so it’s more general than “which roads have been plowed or are in good biking condition at this moment”
• Consider wearing Yak tracks on your shoes help stopping on ice
• Carbite studs are the way to go- they will last longer!
• Dark Sky weather app can give more hyper-local info about what you’ll be facing on a specific day. Consider windchill when dressing and packing back up layers.
• Ice ice baby- salt doesn’t work well under 10 degrees (F). Expect black ice in temps between -10 and 10 degrees.
• Safety gear: Be reflective. Ikea sells a cheap and effective reflective vest, and you can also find discount construction wear which can be way less expensive than “biking” gear. Fresh take- anything you wear on your bike is biking gear and it doesn’t have to cost and arm and a leg, it just has to do its job of keeping you warm (but not too warm) and making you visible to drivers.
• Your lights might lose charge faster in the cold! Bring back ups and keep chargers handy.

Notes and take-aways from Kym!

Safety while winter biking is a much broader topic than one would immediately think of. Patrick had a great handout with a couple of tips on a wide range of topics. Some of the discussions that the room got into  were options for goggles and glasses as well as back up options for bussing and phones. The group gave a lot of suggestions for falling, route finding, road conditions, and reflective wear.

A great general tip Patrick gave was to simply plan more time for the transportation.  It gives you more time to bike slower, take an alternate route if you find poor conditions, and manage the extra layers and gear when you arrive. 

Notes and take-aways from Kym!

Low broke the ice (haha) by getting the room laughing. “The first thing you need for biking in the winter is a BIKE!” There is no one right way or only way to bike through the winter. There are benefits and drawbacks of many different set up options; types of frames, tires, breaks, and more, there is no one right way or only way to bike through the winter. 

Winter biking can get really gear intense and the $$$ can add up quickly. Low had great suggestions for low budget DYI options such as making a rear fender with zip ties and a lawn campaign sign. 

You don’t have to have the best set up to get started.  Low didn’t bike the whole winter their first two winters.  First winter they stoped  when there was crazy ice.  Second winter Low stopped when it got too cold and they didn’t have enough warm accessories to keep hands and feet warm.  Third winter Low got studded tired and became invincible!  You’ll develop a dream bike set up over time, but you don’t need to start with it! 

Don’t clean your chain naked! Or with long dangling things hanging from you.  Or while distracted. You can get hurt and you will probably get messy. Lubing and cleaning your bike is not entirely different than taking care of hair and skin. Some products are more protective but also get gunky and have build up and need to be cleaned off. Some products are light and don’t get as gunky but also don’t last as long.  

Notes and take-aways from Noelle!

It was great to learn more about how to take care of my bike in frigid, salty times! My key take-away from this session was that- I *can* do this! Low led a session that normalized learning as you go, making it work for you (even if that’s not what someone else has deemed the “right” way), utilizing our community resources. Some highlighted tips are below!

• Think about how your shifter will work with mittens
• Consider how snow and ice will impact your breaking mechanism- disc brakes are least affected
• Don’t your inflate tube all the way with studded tires- give em room to breathe
• Invest in a kick stand- I currently don’t have one on my bike and having one will make maintenance a lot easier!
• Clean your chain weekly, but not with tri-flow- get a lube that is specific for wet/cold conditions
• Tri-flow everything else that moves! Spoke nipples, derailleur, cables etc. Make it part of your weekly maitenance plan.
• Grease other threaded things and your seat post!
• Create a space to do the maintenance- you could use boot mats or a tarp to make sure you don’t trash your living quarters
• Windex with a drop of soap works as a great degreaser to clean your bike
• And my favorite bit of advice from the session: use a toilet brush to smack the snow and ice off your bike after each trip.

Liz gave a really thorough presentation on dressing for winter bike commuting from head to toe. Staying warm, staying visible and staying dry for winter biking was emphasized. She made a point of using what you have in your closet but also gave options for different shops like Target, Midwest Mountaineering, Thrifty Outfitters, Amazon, thrift stores, Repair Lair for newer, used or discounted gear. Having the option to have many layers and an outer shell versus less layers and a thicker coat, depending on how far your bike commute may be. You can get pretty sweaty from bike commuting, so having a place to change, like a nursing room, an empty room in the office as oppose to a bathroom or closet is  ideal. Hanging up your clothes to dry immediately so that when you leave work you will have a more comfortable ride. Basically, wind protection, staying warm with wool or other sweat wicking clothes, warm torso versus legs, riding with a helmet, having charged bike lights, warm hands and feet for a more comfortable bike commute. For more details, check out the presentation notes below!

Click here for Liz’s Powerpoint presentation!

Head

• Wear helmet to keep warm and in case of falling. 
• Cars are not looking for bikers in winter.
• Wear hat with wind protection, wool, fleece, hairs over ears to keep warm. Bern has insulated fleece helmet.
• BEST GEAR IS WHAT YOU’LL USE!

Eyes + Face

• Use amber and yellow lens ski googles to protect from cold and wind, it helps with flair from snow. Keep wind and precipitation out. Googles can cut out periferal vision. Safety glasses not as warm. To avoid googles from fogging up, create a seal with neck warmer. I use googles when it is 20 degrees or lower.
• Ski visor instead of googles, Gear West may have some.
• Try to keep airways warm and moisturized.
• Wear buffs when 25 degrees and fleece buffs for colder than 25 degrees.
• Breathe in your nose and out your mouth to prevent too much moisture.
• Columbia Omni heat does not collect moisture. Cold Venger Mask has valve structure, making it easier to breath in fresh air. 
• Use Vasoline to moisturize. Vasoline in nose with q-tip to prevent nose bleeds.

Torso

• Wind proof and water proof outer layer, build up layers or thick coat with less layers.
• Longer coats great for winter biking, ‘cold butt syndrome’ is real.
• Pull over, quarter zip with fleece interior recommended.
• Do not use cotton as first layer, it traps in moisture if wet and will stay cold. 
• More wet more cold, it’s a bad cycle.
• Synthetic, wool and silk wick away sweat.
• STAY AWAY FROM COTTON!

Hands

• Keep as warm as possible. Get blood moving to keep fingers warm.
• Lobster claw gloves are great, the more your fingers are grouped together, 
• the more warm it will be. Bar mitts are great but expensive
• Layer gloves with liner, so when you have to take off gloves you stay warm.
• Protect against wind, ski gloves are a good option. Use hand warmers.
• Do arm circles if your hand start to get cold to get the blood moving.

Legs

• Your legs are moving so it doesn’t need as many layers. 
• Fleece lined tights are recommended
• Layer: fleece pants/pants you’re wearing for the day/leggings
• Down skirt, extra layer for your butt because ‘cold butt syndrome’.

Feet

• Waterproof insulated boots with grippy treads
• Bring extra socks, just in case
• layer boots + pants, pull pants over boots, put rubber bands or velcro reflectors around ankles to keep from getting wet. Some pants have an elastic layer.
• Hand warmer in boots, on top of foot or the inside arches of your feet, whatever works for you.

Stay Dry

• Being wet and cold sucks
• Snow does not penetrate as much as rain. Use fenders.
• Put hood up and under your helmet to stay warm.
• Plastic bags over boots or inside boots over your socks. 
• Don’t let sweat get trapped in skin

Staying Visible

• Drivers aren’t looking for cyclist in winter. Safety neon vest super visible.
• Pick a lighter colored jacket, more visible than black; avoid wearing all black, add color.
• Running clothes company sell light up vest!
• Put reflective tape on jacket/helmet/whatever.
• Bike lights -have charging ports at home and work. 
• Don’t get stuck with dead lights in the winter.

Transitions

• Changing-use nursing rooms if it’s okay by HR. Usually it’s fine if you are changing in the morning and after work. Change in bathroom if it’s the only choice.
• Integrate your outfit with winter layers if you are unable to change.
• Wool sweaters and skirts with leggings.
• Fleece lined tights under jeans, also Prana sells flannel lined jeans
• Dry shampoo at work if sweaty.
• Hang your clothes to dry so your commute home will be more pleasant.

Where To Get Your Gear

• Grease Rag gear swap, your closet… 
• Thrift stores (read tags and labels for fabric content)-Arc’s Value Village in Richfield, Salvation Army.
• Sporting goods store: REI, Backcountry.com, Thrifty Outfitters, Midwest Mountaineering 
• Local bike shops for specific bike gear, like shoe covers, Lake or 45 North boots.
• Amazon- Read reviews first
• Repair Lair on Lake Street- Consignment and resale shop $15 minimum for repairs.

Other Tips + Tricks

• If you go outside and you’re warm right away, take off a layer, so you don’t get too hot.
• Wet hair: windy+cold=not good
• Get bus pass just in case.
• Get regular maintenance throughout winter.
• Carry a snack, your body burns more calories in the winter.
• Charge lights, batteries die faster in the winter. External battery chargers are very useful.
• NEO’s over shoes allow foot to move for better circulation.
• Get neoprene from JoAnn’s Fabric for DIY bar mitts.

Self care is a big subject but we will be focusing on physical self care, because winter bike riding! Self care is about balance. Think about what you need right now, because when you leave today, you can start your first act of self care, if you haven’t yet. With drastic weather changes, your body needs extra care because the winter months can be cold and drying, you aren’t getting as much sun, we want to warm you up and make sure you are nice and hydrated.

MOVEMENT 

A few minutes of movement will help you warm up and prevent injury, mimicking the movements in biking. Some movements for bike riding are leg swings front & back and side to side, arm rolls, squats, cat cows, neck rolls. Start rides out slower so your body has time to warm up joints, tendons, muscles to prevent injury and strains.

Foam rolling for warm up and cool downs, helps release tension in your muscles. Lymph flow and increasing circulation helps warm up the body by dry brushing, sauna, jump rope, trampoline/rebounder, self massage, la cross ball (to pin point specific spots).

SKIN CARE

Hydration is important. The skin is the first line of defense from pathogens in the body. Warming balm’s can be great for warming up hands and feet. Find some at the coop or make your own. I added ginger, clove bud and sweet orange to my last batch of whipped tallow. Olive oil infused with herbs or just a few drops of essential oils makes a great moisturizer.

WHIPPED TALLOW BALM (external use only)

Beef Tallow moisturizer is anti-microbial/ anti-inflammatory, great for winter skin and skin conditions like eczema, diaper rash (make sure to use baby safe essential oils) or just your regular face and body oil.

• 4-ounces grass fed beef tallow (I get mine at the coop)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (extra-virgin, cold-pressed)
• Few drops of lavender essential oil (I only use enough to cover up the tallow smell, essential oils are concentrated enough that you don’t need more than a few drops. Try lavender, it’s calming and good for your skin. Ginger is warming.)

In a double boiler add beef tallow and warm until melted, add olive oil and essential oil. Let the mixture cool for about an hour at room temperature. After an hour, whip with a hand mixture until to get a frosting-like consistency. Place in a clean jar & store at room temperature, fine to store in the fridge if you have extra. 

HYDRATION

Ideally, you would drink half your body weight in ounces, so if you are 150 pounds, you should be drinking 75 ounces of water. If you are having diuretics through out the day, you have to make up for it, by drinking 1 and 1/2 more water. So if you are drinking 8 ounces of coffee, caffeine, sodas, juice, you want to add on another 12 ounces of water. Drinking enough water in a day can be hard, so I try to stay away from the diuretics. If you are eating fresh non processed foods, the water in your meals count. Drinking spring water, filtered water would be ideal. Adding lemon and sea salt helps with electrolyte balance as well as broths. I like to add bone broths/fish broth/mushroom broth for extra minerals and protein.

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN BROTH 

Nourishing Traditions, Sally Fallon. Makes 1 gallon.

• Saved bones from 2 pasture-raised chickens fed non-GMO feed
• 1 pigs foot or hock, from hogs fed non-GMO feed and/or chicken feet and heads from 2 chickens
• ¼ cup vinegar
• 1 onion, cut in quarters (no peeling necessary)

Place all ingredients in a slow cooker and fill with filtered water. Cook overnight on low. In the morning, allow to cool. Use a ladle to remove the broth, ladling through a strainer into a 2-quart Pyrex pitcher.  Place the pitcher in the fridge to cool the broth. Fill the slow cooker again with water and cook overnight on low.  The next morning, allow the broth to cool and remove the bones with tongs and a slotted spoon. Ladle the broth through a strainer into a second 2-quart Pyrex pitcher and refrigerate. The first pitcher of broth should gel very well; the second will gel but less so. You may remove the fat that congeals at the top of the broth but it is not necessary. Use the broth within 3 days or transfer to containers (graded 2, 4 or 5) and freeze.

DIY IMMUNE BROTH

Borrowed from Urbanmoonshine.com

• A selection of medicinal mushrooms: 5-6 slices of reishi, 7-10 shitake, 1 large maitake, could also add in turkey tail
• 10 slices of astragalus root
• ½ bunch of celery, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 red or yellow onion, chopped
• 5-6 garlic cloves
• 3 quarts of water- adding a little more as 
• needed while it simmers.
• 7-10 springs Parsley
• 3-5 springs of sage
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Optional add-ins could be: nettles, burdock, turmeric, ginger.

Combine everything in a large pot and bring to a boil. Cover, and let simmer on low heat for 2-3 hours. Keep an eye on the water levels; you may want to add a bit more. Once the time is up, remove from heat and strain through a strainer or cheesecloth. Use as is, or in soup, or freeze for later use. All ingredients can be found at the coop or health food store like The Medicine Tree or Tao Foods.

Your more likely to get sick if your lungs and sinuses are dry. Netti pot, facial steam with eucalyptus essential oil and humidifiers can help keep you lungs and sinuses moist.

FOOD

Eat breakfast high in fat and protein helps with blood sugar balance and will give you more sustained energy through out the day, as opposed to high carb.

I’d start with a 30/30/40 diet and figure out what works for me. 30 fat/30 protein/40 carbs (whole grains and veggies). Depending on your activity level, you may need more or less of those numbers. Food plays a huge role on winter activities, because it effects your energy level, your muscles, your circulation…

Eating mindfully, chew your food is easier on your digestion. If you chew your food to a soupy consistency, the enzyme salivary amylase helps break down carbohydrates to use as energy and as the food goes through your digestive system it breaks down fats a proteins. If your digestion is working properly, you absorb the nutrients better, which helps your body function better.

What should your plate look like? 1/2 veggies, grains. Eat a variety of color, cooked and raw to get a variety of nutrients. Probiotic rich food like, kim chee, saurkraut, yogurt… 

Eating for the season keeps you warm. Save the salads for summer time, unless you’re having a warm salad. Eating soups and whatever foods are in season, like root vegetables, cooked vegetable, winter squashes, broths. Making soup can be easy, especially if you have a crock pot…. Makes meal planning for the week easier, unless you have some kids. lol.. you know what you’re putting in your body.

CREAMY CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM SOUP

4 servings, Chelsea at doyouevenpaleo.net

This dairy free soup uses cauliflower and potatoes to  create a creamy base. Feel free to remove the potatoes and use a little more cauliflower if you prefer!

• 1 tablespoon ghee or extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped (~1 tablespoon)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
• 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 5 cups broth (I used homemade bone broth)
• 1 cup yukon gold potatoes, cubed
• 1 head cauliflower, chopped into large chunks 
• 2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• Fresh parsley, finely chopped, for garnish

Heat ghee in a large pot over medium heat. Add  onion and saute for 5 minutes, until soft and  translucent. Add garlic and cook for an additional  1 minute. Pour in broth, then add potatoes, cauliflower, thyme, sage, and rosemary. Increase heat to medium-high and bring the broth to a boil. Boil for 10-15 minutes or until the cauliflower and potatoes are fork-tender. Meanwhile, add chicken breasts to a small pot and sprinkle with salt. Cover completely with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Simmer for 12 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and shred using two forks. Set aside. Carefully add the entire contents of the potato, cauliflower, and broth pot to a high powered blender. Add 1/2 cup mushrooms to the blender. Blend for 4-5 minutes, until mixture is completely smooth. Return the cauliflower mixture to the pot. Add mushrooms, chicken, salt, and pepper to the soup, stirring to combine. Cook over low, stirring frequently, until heated through. Serve sprinkled with fresh parsley.

Teas, tinctures and supplements would be a good vitamin boost for winter, if the foods aren’t cutting it. I generally go for nourishing teas like chamomile, calendula, milky oats, nettles. Also teas high in vitamin c, like rose hips, elderberry, hibiscus. Warming teas with ginger, fennel, cardamom and cinnamon, boost your immune system with some fire cider.

FIRE CIDER

borrowed recipe from IG: @rosemarygladstar

• ½ cup grated fresh horseradish root
• ½ cup or more fresh chopped onions
• ¼ cup or more chopped garlic
• ¼ cup or more grated ginger
• Chopped fresh or dried cayenne pepper ‘to taste’. Can be whole or powdered. 
• Optional ingredients; Turmeric, Echinacea, cinnamon, etc.

Place herbs in a half-gallon canning jar and cover with enough raw unpasteurized apple cider vinegar to cover the herbs by at least three to four inches.  Cover tightly with a tight fitting lid. Place jar in a warm place and let for three to four weeks. Best to shake every day to help in the maceration and reserve the liquid. Add honey ‘to taste’.  Warm the honey first so it mixes in well. “To Taste’ means your Fire Cider should taste hot, spicy, and sweet.  “A little bit of honey helps the medicine go down……” Rebottle and enjoy!  Fire Cider will keep for several months unrefrigerated if stored in a cool pantry.   But it’s better to store in the refrigerator if you’ve room. A small shot glass daily serves as an excellent tonic Or take teaspoons if you feel a cold coming on. Take it more frequently if necessary to help your immune system do battle.

SPICED ELDERAPPLE CIDER

borrow recipe from IG: @thatfoodgirl, foodgirl.com

Perfect for cold weather gatherings to keep your guests healthy…cinnamon, glove, ginger and star anise are natural immune boosters and prickly ash berries are a surprise ingredient to add warmth to this tasty sipper.

• 6 Cups Apple cider
• 1/4 cup dried elderberries
• Juice and zest of one lemon
• 1” chunk fresh ginger root, sliced thin
• 1 Star anise
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• 6 whole cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon prickly ash berries or bark

Simmer all ingredients together in a sauce pan and serve warm. It’s best if it simmers for at least 30 mins and wonderful served in a crock pot for gatherings. Can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator and reheated when you are ready to serve.

Hi-C Vitamin Tonic Tea

borrowed from IG: @the_medicine_tree

Protects against cold and flu

• 4 parts Rosehips
• 3 parts Hibiscus Flower
• 2 parts Lemongrass
• 1 part Cinnamon Chips

Make as much as you’d like and save in a jar. When ready to use, steep 2 teaspoons in hot water for 20 minutes. Strain in cup and enjoy!

REST & ROUTINE

Sleep is really important. Getting enough sleep with help your energy level for the day. If you can’t sleep, try calming teas, give yourself time before bed to wind down. Read a book instead of your smart phone. Do some mindful breathing. Maybe you can get a massage from your partner or self massage. Aromatherapy with essential oils can be calming. Journaling or making a list can get things out of your head so you can have an easier time settling into bed. magnesium before bed. foot bath, epsom salt bath

Developing a routine can help make your life run smoother. For example sleep better… But having your things ready the night before can be helpful.  Having your keys in the same spot every time. If you plan on winter bike commuting, there are a lot of extra things to think about.

CLOTHES

Dressing for the weather is an act of self care. There’s no such thing as bad weather, but bad clothes. I think that is true for the most part. If you dress in layers, you can always tear some off. Wool hats and gloves and sweaters. Good boots are super important, bad shoes can really ruin your activities. I’m sure we all know that from experience, right? Waterproof/all weather with enough room for circulation in your toes. If all those warming techniques aren’t helping you, its okay to use hand and foot warms. Have fun outside and make sure to get some vitamin D! I would recommend taking vitamin D as a supplement in the winter since its hard to get in food and because of lack of sun to skin exposure.

BALANCE

Since self care is about balance and giving yourself what you need, it’s always going to change. If you are already a really active person, maybe you need some rest days. If you are always tired, but your activity level is low, maybe you need to add some activity in your life. Join a gym or try a new activity through community ed or continuing education. If you spend a lot of time alone, maybe make a friend date. If you are always out and about with other people, maybe try spending some time alone. Do a 30 day self care challenge and see how that works for you. If it feels good, keep doing, if it doesn’t…