Five Tips for Cold Weather Health
With cold weather comes a lot to keep track of, so it’s easy to neglect our own health. This comes in the form of poor eating habits, not getting enough exercise, and generally forgetting what it’s like to live in the cold weather, except maybe heavier clothes. Here are five simple things to remember about keeping your body in tip-top shape to make it through the cold weather with as few health issues as possible.
Get Vaccinated
Specifically, get the flu shot and your COVID shot or booster. This is the time to catch up on all of your vaccinations, not just to keep yourself safe, but to protect other people from anything you might be carrying. You can carry many diseases, including COVID, without showing symptoms, so your best bet is to just take care of any shots you need. You’ll avoid flu symptoms like congestion, fever, and fatigue, as well as keep an eye out for your fellow humans.
Wash Your Hands
Some people have forgotten that washing your hands has always been good medical advice, to keep from spreading germs – including to yourself! We can, indeed, pick up diseases from some place that don’t enter our body, but through contact with our face, those things can make their way in and make us very ill. Washing your hands frequently, especially after contact with germy surfaces (there are more than you probably realize, and in places you wouldn’t expect!), with soap and water is key. If you can’t access any soap and water, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Eat Foods that Boost Immunity
Sure, the simple idea of eating and drinking healthy seems straightforward enough, but a big challenge in the cold weather is avoiding and staving off disease and infection. Eating foods and spices that promote immunity is a great way to kill two birds with one stone. Yogurt is great for those important probiotics, and garlic, mushrooms, citrus, prebiotics, and certain spices and herbs can help you with immunity as well. Some great sources of prebiotics are onions, apples, garlic, and bananas.
Get Exercise
If you’re outside, make it a walk or some yard work. If you’re indoors, do some chores. Staying active is a great way to burn calories and promote a healthy cardiovascular system without having to do strenuous exercises that might be too much while you’re dealing with cold weather, as well. You might also consider exercise classes, including remote classes, as well.
Watch Your Skin
Skin health is incredibly important as cold temperatures and wind can cause it to dry and crack excessively. Key to fighting this off is moisturizer, but more important is simple hydration. Making sure your body has enough water is a great way to help keep your skin supple, and with an ointment moisturizer (and through the use of sunscreen – yes, even when it’s cold out) you should be able to keep your skin healthy. A good pair of gloves will help, as well.
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