When winter is knocking at the door, you will find many people happily bidding goodbye to the long, sultry, hot summers. On the other hand, there are many who would dread the arrival of the chilly weather. But with a little health care tips, there is hardly a reason for your health to suffer in the winter. Just take a note of what you should do to stay fit in winter.
Improve immunity
You know the basics of improving immunity round the year- staying active, sleeping adequately and eating well can do their bit. In wintertime, you can safeguard your body from different types of viral attacks by taking different types of nutrients and herbs, including garlic, Echinacea, Zinc and garlic to boost immunity.
Eat healthy
You might find it hard to resist the temptation of munching those deep-fried crisps in the wintertime. However, instead of picking your ‘comfort foods’ from them, choose from a long list of nourishing stews and soups, made from winter vegetable. A bit of creamy soup is okay. Take full advantage of the fruits that you primarily find in the wintertime, including, Cherimoya, Passion Fruit, Oranges, Clementine’s, Persimmons, Sharon Fruit, Pummelo, Red Currants, Red Banana and many more. Also, fill in your green grocery bag with green, leafy veggies, sweet potatoes, beetroot, garlic and ginger. Get your daily dose of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals!
Manage your weight
You know that over nutrition can invite a number of health conditions, thus wreaking havoc on your overall well being. Even if you undergo a little weight gain, it should be taken care of. While you might want to hide behind your comfy, warm clothes, you should actually try to brave the cold and workout a little.
Sleep deeply
Cut down on smoking, alcohol consumption and anything that can affect your good night’s sleep. There is hardly a better alternative to 8 hours of proper sleep to manage your impaired immunity. If you suffer from sleeping disturbances, then try some relaxation techniques. At least listen to a relaxation audio clip before you go to bed.
Keep your skin glowing
Winter can bring along a number of skin issues, developing dryness, flakes, itchiness, eczema and chill blains. They might occur due to a number of reasons, such as reduced humidity and lack of hydration, thus leading to in sufficient blood circulation, which might reduce the transportation of nutrients to the skin. Also, use a nourishing moisturizer, preferably one that contains garlic or vitamin C so that your skin gets its daily quota of antioxidants. You can try adding the contents of a Vitamin E capsule and crush a garlic pod (if you can bear the smell) and use it with your regular moisturizer. When it comes to managing eczema or psoriasis, you can consider consuming fish oil (as it is or in capsule form). It is high in omega-3 content, which helps to check skin itches. Also, do not forget your sunscreen! Irrespective of the weather, you can get sunburns.
Keeping away the bugs
You might land up with flu or cold if you do not stay well protected in the winter. Both of them can be contagious in nature and can bread through hand contact, sneezing and coughing. Make sure to keep your rooms dust free and clean. Also, clean your children’s toys if they catch a cold. Sanitize hands regularly and try not to get in close contact with someone who has fallen ill. Make sure to consume plenty of fluids, including nourishing soups, water and hot beverages. Health supplements like Vitamin C, Echinacea and Zinc as you have read earlier can also ease the indications or decrease the duration of illness.
Beat stress
Winter is often help responsible for development of mental health conditions like Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD, which is also known as winter blues. Often, the dark and dreary ambience in the winter takes its toll on out mental well being. However, beating the blue is not anything tough to accomplish. You need some help to manage it, though! For example, pair up with a friend and sign up for a yoga class, or join any course that catches your interest. Think of attending embroidery, cooking or photography classes. To keep your nerves strong and healthy (which might, again, help you to stay happy and confident), take B vitamin supplements. Herbs like St John’s Worth can also help manage nervous breakdown, emotional imbalance or irritability. If you still find it tough to control your emotions, then you might want to go for a professional counseling to help you out.
