Ciao lovelies! As the Northern Hemisphere moves further into
Fall and soon into Winter, a big factor comes looming over the horizon- Cold
Weather. It’s hard to maintain health in these months (both mental and physical
health) as the days get shorter, colder, and we get less sun. It becomes harder
to maintain health and stay active. Today, I’d like to share some tips on how
to manage your health as the weather gets colder.
How to Stay Healthy in Colder Weather
Staying Active
Seasonal depression and the cold, harsh weather outside may
discourage you from staying active in the winter, but you should still get some
activity daily in order to stay healthy! A big way to stay active in the winter
is doing Indoor Exercises, like Yoga or Dance. I might be super busy as a
college student, but I think I’m going to try to wake up earlier in the Winter
to do a small Yoga session before class. Just staying active in any ways that you
can will really make a difference in both physical and mental health.
Getting Necessary Vitamins and Nutrients
It can be hard to get certain vitamins in Winter (Vitamin D from
the sun, for example). If a doctor says it’s ok, try taking supplemental vitamins
like a multivitamin or just taking Vitamin D and B12 pills. (PLEASE get
permission from a Doctor or other health professional before starting any sort
of supplement!) Vitamin D is often diminished during Winter as sun exposure
drops, and B-12 is good for energy levels.
Make sure also to look at what you’re eating. While certain
fruits and vegetables might get more expensive during Winter, or even become unavailable
in certain areas, try seeing what local fruits and veggies are grown in the
colder months. Eating locally helps cut back on your carbon footprint which is
great for the environment, but also eating locally can help you get fresher
food!
Even if you don’t have access to a lot of fruit, try at
least having some lemon slices or orange slices in your water. Vitamin C is highly
necessary during colder months to help you not get sick (or recover from being
sick faster!)
Illness Prevention
While vitamins, nutrients, and diet play a big role in illness
prevention during Winter, there are some other simple ways you can keep
yourself healthy too.
Bundling up is a big way to stay healthy, to avoid things like
pneumonia or a cold. (Of course, you can still get these even while bundled up,
but it could help). Oh, and it’s often said that you lose heat through the
feet, extremities and head, so be sure to cover your feet, hands and head!
Another big way to prevent illness was mentioned above in
the nutrients and vitamins header- Vitamin C. If you find that you can’t get
enough of this through food, ask your doctor about a supplement.
Mental Health
Seasonal depression affects many individuals, so know that
you’re not alone if you experience depression or worsening depression symptoms
during the colder seasons. All of the methods listed so far in this post can help
with the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder.
A big thing to keep in mind regarding your mental health is
to develop a Support System. Finding a few people that you can reach out to
when you’re not feeling your best is very important. I also recommend trying 7
Cups of Tea, an online guided mindfulness program that also has volunteer “listeners”
who you can talk to about what’s bothering you. I prefer to talk to the chat-bot
Noni because of my social anxiety, but others may choose to talk to a person.
OVERALL
Be sure to stay on top of your health this Winter. It’s so easy
to slip and become sick or unwell, and then have to run on empty, so be sure to
take care of yourself! There is no shame in needing a day to yourself.
How do you stay healthy in the winter? Leave a comment below
to tell us how you stay healthy in colder seasons!
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