the winter season is a tough time of the year for many people. To make matters worse, the days are long and cold; weather extremes can strike at any moment with dangerous conditions that can lead to intense sicknesses. For the fragile and those with weaker immune systems, it's important to stay active and healthy during winter to combat the risks of getting sick. Give our stay healthy and strong tips during winter a try!
1. Immune Boosters
Our immune system is a beautiful and complicated thing; there's no simple trick to boosting it. Making sure you eat a wide variety of foods from the five food groups is the best way to make sure everything is in top shape. Pay particular attention to getting enough:
- a. vitamin C: it's in most fruits and veg
- b. zinc: it's in most animal products and many nuts and seeds
- c. iron: it's in meat, beans, and lentils and good ol' spinach
2. Stay Active
Don't let the nasty weather get you down. Attack the cold weather with some fun indoor activities such as home exercises, YouTube dance classes, Ninja Warrior style obstacle courses, indoor rock climbing, and any other adrenalin pumping activities that can be done to have fun and keep you active.
3. Drink Plenty of Water
Feeling hot is often a trigger for most people to drink. However, it's just as important to stay hydrated during the winter season. The easiest way to remember to drink your water throughout the day is by keeping a bottle in sight to remind yourself to drink water. Add soups and cuppas towards your fluid intake – they count too!
4. Cut Down Alcohol
Alcohol can take a toll on your mood, sleep and energy levels, leaving us feeling more stressed and run down. As you may know, it is also damaging for our long term health, increasing the risk of many diseases and conditions such as stroke, high blood pressure, heart disease, liver diseases and certain cancers. This means reducing your drinking will benefit you right now and you'll reduce your risk of cancers and other health problems later. Not drinking alcohol at all is the safest and healthiest option.
5. Practise Good Hygiene
Being vigilant about hygiene has never been more important than the times we are living in right now. Not only will it protect you against the COVID-19 infection, but it also helps stop the spread of colds and common cases of flu.
- a. Wash your hands regularly, particularly before preparing any food.
- b. Cough and sneeze into a tissue or your elbow.
- c. Throw any snotty or used tissues in the bin straight away.
- d. Keep your spit to yourself and avoid sharing cups and cutlery.
- e. If you're sick, stay home and keep the germs to yourself.
6. Vitamin D is Essential
The sun is the main source of vitamin D. However, during the winter season, it is unlikely to get access to this luxury. We tend to get less sunlight on our skin in winter, which can lead to less production of vitamin D, which is crucial for bone health and general health. This is also a great mood boost when you've been cooped up inside all day. Remember, it is still possible to get sunburned in winter for extra vitamin D benefits; get moving outdoors!