For many of you, winter is here in full force, while for others it’s just starting to peek around the corner. Either way, the season is upon us—that means the holidays will be here and gone before you know it, and Old Man Winter tends to stick around for a few months after that. These winter months can give your health a real “gut check.”
Of course, you’re very well aware that you should have health insurance in case something unexpected or drastic happens, but it’s even better to take care of yourself so that you don’t have to use your insurance in the first place.
While no one can foresee the future or prepare for every health contingency, there are a few things that you can do to help boost your health this winter season and hopefully prevent unexpected trips to the doctor.
1. Get Outside
Put on your coat and go soak up some sun. Being shut in during the winter months can make you feel tired and sluggish and a lot of that has to do with the lack of sunlight.
Getting outside and getting some of that much-needed natural vitamin D that the sun provides can drastically improve your energy levels, especially if you incorporate some exercise routines like jogging or road cycling.
2. Boost Your Immune System
Winter is the cold and flu season, so you need to protect yourself as much as possible. Along with getting your flu shot, if you want to stay healthy this winter you also need to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
Furthermore, you should take some of the most popular supplements in order to ensure that your body is getting all of the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that it needs.
3. Kill Those Germs & Pathogens
You may have gotten in the habit of washing your hands over the past year or so, but you need to step that up during the winter. Wash them with soap or good sanitizer for at least 20 seconds in order to remove pathogens from your hands. Furthermore, you should use antibacterial wipes to clean surfaces such as tables, chairs, countertops, and your desk.
4. Drink Plenty of Milk
We all know that milk has protein and calcium that are good for our bones and can help keep our teeth healthy, but it can also help strengthen your immune system.
Milk provides a variety of nutrients that help ward off diseases by fortifying your system with vitamin A and B12. You can also substitute whole milk for low-fat or skimmed if you’re worried about weight gain.
5. Try Meditation
The cold and holidays can easily bum you out and increase your stress levels so much that you want to pull your hair out. Meditation can actually help manage your stress levels, in addition to lowering blood pressure, boosting immunity, and even reducing PMS symptoms.
Fortunately, it doesn’t mean that you have to go see a meditation guru or watch a ton of videos to learn how to do it. Simply sit or lie down on a pillow or cushion and make yourself comfortable enough to sit there for two to three minutes, shut your eyes, breathe naturally, and focus on the way your body moves with every breath. Doing this every day can help you relax and reduce stress.
Staying healthy through winter can be the difference between catching the flu, someone else’s cold, or even Covid-19. Winter makes certain illnesses even more commonplace than normal and can even make certain medical conditions worse.
However, getting outside, sanitizing, meditating, drinking milk, eating right, and using supplements can help you survive the winter months and fortify your immune system so that you are healthy enough to enjoy the holidays.