Natural Ways to Support a Happier Mood

We could all stand to be just a little happier, some more than others. After all, is there really anyone out there who is completely content with every aspect of their lives? We think you should always be striving to be the best, happiest you, and there are some simple things you can do every day that can help you get there.

What Makes You Happy?

Some people are just genetically programmed to be happier. But, that doesn’t mean that if you aren’t one of them, your doomed to a life of unhappiness. You just might have to put a little more effort into your happiness. Researchers suggest the key lies in our thoughts, and our actions. If you can change one or both to avoid what makes you unhappy, a new happier you should emerge. Here are some tips to help you achieve that…

Tips to Become Happier

1. Destress Your Life – It’s almost impossible to completely rid your life of any stress at all. There will always be deadlines, traffic, and spilled milk when you’re late getting out the door. But, it is possible to lower the amount of stress that is a major source of the unhappiness in most of our lives.

●      Exercise – Even seven minutes a day can help relieve stress. Extra points if you can get exercise and fresh air in at the same time!

●      Mediate – Take your mind on a mini-vacation when stress starts to heat up.

●      Get Plenty of Sleep  – When you’re tired, you’re more stressed.

●      Take Supplements – Try herbal remedies to get help with your stress. Good options include Mood Uplift (vegan liquid phyto-caps) by Gaia Herbs or California Poppy by Herb Pharm.

2. Forgiveness – Holding a grudge against someone who wronged you, only hurts your own happiness. Forgiveness can instantly lift a major weight off your shoulders and drastically improve your happiness. While you’re at it, make an effort to spend more time with friends and family, science says it will definitely make you happier.

3. Help Others – Doing something nice for someone else, or going out of your way to make another person happy has a bounceback effect on your own happiness. About two hours per week seems to be the magic number for helping others, while trying to make yourself feel happier. So, get out there and volunteer, or help an older neighbor with the trash or light work around the house. We dare you not to feel good about yourself when you’re done!

4. Address Depression – If you suffer from depression or any other type of mood disorder, do something about it. Some cases may require a doctor’s attention, but most of the time the blues can be fixed at home. Here are some things you can try:

●      Eat a Healthy Diet

●      Exercise More, Especially Outside

●      Stick to a Daily Routine

In addition to these tips, there are also some natural supplements that support mood health you can try to help push out feelings of sadness. Here’s a list of tried-and-true natural remedies for depression and sadness:

●      St. John’s Wort by Herb Pharm

●      Kava Kava Root by Gaia Herbs

●      SeroSyn by Metagenics

●      Lithium by Pure Encapsulations

●      Turmeric by Oregon’s Wild Harvest

Why not try to make yourself happier? A little effort goes a long way. What are some of the things you like to do to lift your mood each day? Tell us in the comments below!

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Photo by Artem Bali on Unsplash

Hearty Plants to Grow in Winter

The weather outside may be frightful, but it’s not too early to start planning your springtime garden or even growing indoors! Some cold-hardy varieties can be planted as soon as the ground is thawed to yield early-season greens. Additionally, some plants thrive on a blend of indoor/outdoor growing time and can be grown inside during the winter and moved outside when the weather warms up. And don’t forget seed starting, if you live in a more temperate zone, such as zone 8 or warmer, now’s the time to start your outdoor veggies under a greenhouse light so they’re ready to thrive when spring rolls around.

Keep reading to learn more about hearty plants to grow in winter!

Understanding Your Zone

Not all plants will grow well in every climate, so before you decide what to grow in winter, it’s best to understand your growing zone, or your USDA plant hardiness zone. If you don’t know your zone, click here and enter your zip code to figure it out. Once you understand your growing zone, you can better select plants for your vegetable garden and landscaping, no matter the season.

5 Winter-Hearty Plants

Most plants, when cared-for correctly in the right zone will survive the winter months, although they may appear dormant and colorless. However, here are 5 plant varieties you may want to consider growing during the cooler months.

Olive Trees

Olive trees are both beautiful and beneficial as they can both add greenery to your home and boost your health. You may already know about the benefits of the olive fruit, but what you may not know is that the olive leaf has nutritional benefits as well. Olive leaf extract can support blood health, reduce free radicals, and may support a healthy immune response.

In case you don’t live in a zone that’s conducive to growing your own olive tree, check out this Olive Leaf Extract from Gaia Herbs, these Olive Leaf Capsules from Oregon’s Wild Harvest, and these 500 mg Olive Leaf Supplements from Natural Factors.

Holly

The subject of holiday music, holly bushes are easy to grow and hardy to zones 5 or 6. In fact the holly bush is actually greener in winter, with lovely little red berries, adding color to your homescape all year long. You’ll want to plant your holly bushes in pairs and they do best when planted in the early spring.

Evergreen Trees

Evergreen trees are the classic choice when looking to add color to your yard in the frigid months. If you live in a colder zone, these are a perfect choice as they actually require a cold freeze to thrive. Before planting evergreens in your yard, consider what purpose you want them to serve and take into consideration how tall your selected plant will be when mature.

Chard & Kale

Some of the first vegetables to be harvested each year are cold-hearty greens such as swiss chard and kale. In fact, these veggies require colder temps to produce. Rich in fiber as well as vitamins A,K, and C, swiss chard and kale can be started indoors and moved outdoors in the early spring. Unlike many other greens, they are resistant to pests and can even continue to produce indoors when moved inside and kept in cool, moist soil.

What does your winter gardening routine look like? Tell us about it in the comments section below!

3 Simple, Stunning DIY Winter Crafts

Let’s be honest, for those who love a good DIY project, there is no wrong season for crafts and creativity. Still, there is something about the blustery winter months that calls for a mug of warm tea and a satisfying craft project. After the holiday decorations come down, many of us are left with bare spots on our shelves, walls, and end tables. It’s too early for the spring summer decor, but we’re so over pine trees and Santa – so how to fill in the gap?

To help you solve this home decor conundrum, we’ve highlighted 3 DIY winter craft projects perfect for whiling away a chilly afternoon. Enjoy!

Pinecone Door Hanger

Looking for winter crafts that can grace your front door once the holidays are behind you? This pinecone door hanger fits the bill perfectly. For this project you’ll need large 8-12 large pinecones (available in your backyard or at your local craft store), ribbon, and a hot glue gun.

Cut 8-12 pieces of ribbon (1.5 - 2 inch width) into 2 foot long strips before gluing each piece to the top of a pinecone. Allow the hot glue to dry completely and then gather your ribbon up, pulling the pieces to varying lengths to give your door hanger a layered look. Tie your ribbon into a tight double knot before hanging on your front door.

String Heart Yarn Cards

These adorable heart cards are a great way to keep your kiddos busy while getting their valentines crafts done early. As an added bonus, this project also helps your kids hone their sewing skills. All you’ll need for these heart cards is yarn, thick cardstock, a threading needle (large and blunt for little hands), a heart cookie cutter, a pencil, and some fun markers if using as a Valentine’s Day school card.

Trace around your heart, and punch holes around the shape before erasing your pencil marks. Thread your needle and tie a knot at the end, then let your kids criss-cross the heart with the yarn, filling in the shape. Once all the holes have been filled with colorful yarn, tie off and finish up. If you want to, write “Happy Valentine’s Day” in marker for your kids to use as cards at school. These winter crafts also look adorable in frames and make great gifts for grandparents.

Yarn Pom Wreath

No winter crafts list is complete without a yarn pom project, and this creamy, white pom wreath is the perfect decor piece for the winter months. This DIY craft is easy, fun and worthwhile as the large, full wreath makes a statement on both walls and interior doors.

For this project you’ll need both white and cream yarn, a pom maker, a wreath form, and craft glue. Make your poms by wrapping them around your pom maker, regularly laying them out on your wreath to estimate how many you’ll need. You’ll want to tie on a loop of white ribbon or twine for hanging before gluing your poms into place. Be sure to vary the cream and white yarns for a layered effect.

Other DIY projects we love include making homemade soap with essential oils, or preparing for Valentine's Day early be hand-crafting DIY Valentine's Day cards for your loved ones.

What’s your favorite way to craft away the chilly winter days? Share your best winter crafts and DIY tips with us in the comments section below.

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Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash