Winter Health Tips: Winterize Your Body and Stay Healthy
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During the winter months, people will take steps to winterize their homes and vehicles. They shut off outside water to keep pipes from freezing, and may put snow tires on their car if they live in areas with heavy snowfall. They may also winterize their wardrobe, putting on heavier clothes when they venture outdoors. Most of us don’t think about winterizing our bodies, primarily because indoor heating and cooling tend to reduce the impact of seasonal weather, but perhaps we should! Here are some winter health tips you can use this winter.
There is a perception that you’re more likely to get sick during the winter, and there’s some evidence to back that up. Due to colder temperatures, we tend to spend more time indoors, where germs can more easily develop and spread in enclosed spaces. Viruses also tend to survive longer in cooler, lower-humidity conditions. However, there are many things we can do to help boost our immunity.
Some Concerning Winter Issues
Most people know that winter is the cold-and-flu season, when we are more susceptible to viral infections, sore throats, and pneumonia. It’s not just infectious disease that increases during the winter months, which is why focusing on winter health tips is important.
People are also more prone to itchy skin, joint pain, and depression during the winter. People with asthma are more prone to asthma attacks, too. Even heart attacks, the leading cause of death in Western society, are more likely to happen in the winter months.
We also have to mention cardiovascular health because the cold constricts your arteries, reducing blood flow to your extremities to help keep your body warm. If you have high blood pressure, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, or heart problems, be careful when outdoors.
7 Ways to Support Your Body This Winter
Try to focus on the season, as nature does, when it comes to what to eat and what foods should make up your diet. If you are climate-controlled, it may not be as big an issue; the cold requires more calorie-dense foods to generate heat. Here are winter health tips to keep you feeling your best.
1. Get that beauty rest. Your body depends on a full night of sleep at the end of each day to restore and rebalance. Many regenerative processes are happening while you sleep. Depriving yourself of time for that to happen weakens your immune system and makes you more susceptible to illness.
2. Eat your veggies. Eating a balanced diet is a common-sense way to boost your body’s immunity. How our body performs and feels is a direct result of the type of nutrition we’re providing our bodies. Try to eat a rainbow! Leafy green vegetables and whole fruits will power your body with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and all of the building blocks your system needs to prevent sickness and rebuild itself. What you eat also impacts your gut health, and the more nutrients you feed your gut, the more your gut feeds your body with its balanced microbiome.
3. Enjoy fermented foods. Fermented foods are an awesome way to boost the healthy bacteria and probiotics in your gut. Your digestive system affects your overall health. This makes sense since it’s where absorption from your food takes place.
4. Love life. Maintaining physical activity, participating in hobbies, and socializing with friends are great ways to help reduce stress, which can contribute to illness. These activities also help keep your body active, which can help you maintain a healthy weight while also providing you with endorphins to support your mood and immune system.
5. Support your lungs. If you have lung concerns or spend a lot of time breathing cold, dry air, consider adding a humidifier to your home or diffusing essential oils You can diffuse some essential oils like frankincense or sweet orange to moisten and soothe your airways. You can use eucalyptus to soothe your airways and relieve congestion. There are herbs that focus on supporting lung health, like astragalus, for cold and dry air.
6. Supplements. Consider that Vitamin A and D are both needed nutrients that support a healthy immune system and help your body defend against infections. Vitamin C is also wonderful for its high antioxidant content. You can also fortify your immune system with some immune blends containing mushrooms.
7. Support your skin. Focus on keeping your skin healthy, and make sure to drink water and eat healthy fats to keep your skin moist. You may also want to add some spicy herbs to get your body sweating and stay warm.
Top 5 Activities to Stay Active During Winter
If you live in a winter climate, this is the time of year when the cold settles in and spring and summer start to feel a long way off. One of the best ways to combat the winter blues is to look for seasonal activities that are enjoyable, accessible, and affordable.
Remaining active is an excellent way to help maintain a positive mental mood as well as to avoid packing on those extra winter pounds from all of the comfort food and time indoors. Boosting your activity level can also promote a better night of sleep and reduce anxiety, not to mention the variety of health benefits, including a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and many kinds of cancer, strengthening bones and muscles, and lowering blood pressure. And research is even emerging to indicate that physical activity can boost your immune system as well!
Remember, one of the most important winter health tips is to dress appropriately in layers, check the weather, wear sturdy shoes, and stay hydrated. What are you waiting for? Let’s get started!
1. Enjoy nature. Winter has a beauty all its own, and taking regular walks is a wonderful way to enjoy and appreciate what nature has to offer this time of year. Notice the birds, dormant plant life, and patterns in the sky. Bring a sketchbook and record details of what you are seeing.
2. Do outdoor chores. Just because the season has changed doesn’t mean there isn’t work that needs to be done outside. On a warmer day, you can work in the yard, do home repairs or take the dog for a walk. Take a look around to see what areas of your home could use improvement before the busier months of spring and summer arrive.
3. Get sporty. Winter offers a variety of sports such as snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, and tubing. Check your local area for rentals and availability.
4. Look for the unique. Does your area have something unique to offer during the winter such as ice castles or sculptures, snowshoeing expeditions, lantern lighting, nature hikes, etc.? Take a look and find something new that you have never done before!
5. Take to the ice. Ice skating, ice fishing, and other ice-related activities can also be a fun experience! Certainly, check that the ice is safe to support your weight, and do not go alone.
Maintaining A Balanced Lifestyle This Winter
Maintaining a balanced lifestyle can be tricky during times of stress or frenzied schedules, which can happen during the holiday season. Trying to maintain healthy habits will pay huge dividends when it comes to your health. If it feels overwhelming, just start with one area where you think you can improve, and you’ll likely see positive growth in other areas as well.
As you can see, winter doesn’t need to be a time that we simply endure, waiting for it to pass. It can be a time of wonder, exploration and activity. Remember, your health is your wealth and with every changing season brings different concerns. You’ve got this!
For more tips on staying healthy year-round, check out the Healthy Habits Challenge or join one of our wellness programs.