While the thought of winter conjures up images of warm clothes, snuggling in a warm bed, or reading your favorite book by the fireplace, winter can actually be quite different. The weather conditions are extremely harsh, with low temperatures and low humidity levels. As if that weren’t enough, the days are also much shorter, with less sunlight.


These conditions make for quite a hostile environment that takes its toll on your health as a whole. Every winter children and adults alike fall victim to a host of winter health ailments from winter allergies and winter flu, to winter depression. So instead of enjoying the holidays, many of us end up spending the winter vomiting and feverish.


Apart from these common illnesses that afflict almost all of us there are certain other conditions and illnesses that can turn particularly problematic in winter like arthritis, rheumatism, circulatory disorders like Raynaud’s, and a lot of other muscle and joint problems that are accentuated as a result of increased stiffness.

There is hope though, as almost all of these health conditions can be averted or minimized with some simple winter care and diet tips.

Lifestyle Tips:

• Make sure that you get adequate sleep, and at regular times.
  
  
  

• Try to relax and reduce those stress levels, by cutting back your workload or by not taking on more than you can handle.

• Moisturize your skin daily to avoid dryness and flaking, and always use sunscreen when exposed to sunlight, no matter how cloudy it is. This is an essential element of your winter skin care routine.

• Massage your scalp and hair with oil at least twice a week.

• Have a warm soak, with bath oils added to your bath occasionally as this will moisturize and nourish your skin.

• Keep yourself warm, with woolen clothes and sweaters, jackets, shawls or blankets.

• Keep your indoor heating down to the minimum required as they contribute to dryness. You can also get yourself a humidifier for your room.

• Avoid frequent and drastic temperature changes.

• Exercise is vital for you to stay healthy in winter. It is particularly important for combating circulatory and stiffness problems. Simple stretching exercises and light aerobics would suffice.

• Sunlight is also essential and the diminished exposure to sunlight can contribute to vitamin D deficiency and problems like SAD or Seasonal Affective Disorder. So make it a point to go out in the daylight hours, and if not possible at least sun yourself at a window.

Diet Tips:

• When it comes to your winter food, as always a balanced, healthy diet is your best bet.

• Vitamin C is extremely important as it serves as a cleanser, and boosts your immunity’s ability to fight of a winter cold or coughs. Oranges, guava and lemons are some of the good sources.

• Dehydration can be problematic in the winter months, so although you may not feel the urge or need to drink as much water as in summer, make it a point to do so. This will help to keep your skin moisturized and body hydrated.

• Eat warm foods, with a lower fat content, and make it a point to have a healthy breakfast. This will also help balance insulin levels.

• Instead of the three big meals, switch to frequent but smaller meals. This will ease digestion.

In case you are afflicted with the seasonal ailments resort to natural remedies and winter herbs instead of conventional medications that have side effects. Natural methods are the healthiest way to stay healthy.