Staying Healthy This Winter

How to Stay Healthy This Winter

The first and most obvious remedy is sleep! Your body fights illness the most when you are a sleep. It builds up your immune system to keep you healthy during the day. Have you ever noticed those times in your life when you just never slept, do you remember getting sick most of those times? I know I do. Do your best to get eight or more hours of sleep, your body will thank you for it.

Another way to keep your body in top operating condition is to eat plenty of healthy foods. Avoid foods with high amounts of sugar. Sugar has actually been proven to slow down your immune system by blocking out your vitamin C intake. Rather than drinking sodas and other drinks, including most fruit juices, which are loaded with sugars, try just drinking water and eating an orange. This gets your body the Vitamin C that it needs without filling you up with sugars. Besides, sodas and sugars also can have a terrible rotting effect on your teeth. So help avoid ridiculous dental bills and just drink water.

Another key to staying healthy this winter is a consistent workout routine. It has been proven that a steady workout routine will strengthen your heart, and your immune system, but be careful to not over-exert yourself. This will cause your body to spend its energy on healing your muscles rather than on fighting bacteria in your body. You can start by walking 30 minutes a day for 3 days a week, then move to 1 jog per week, then increase your speed gradually from there.

One of the most commonly heard ways for staying healthy is to wash your hands. However many do not wash their hands correctly. The most effective way to wash your hands is to scrub your hands together away from the water for at least 20 seconds. Then after scrubbing rinse off your hands with hot water. An easy way to measure 20 seconds is to sing happy birthday in your head, or out loud, and by the end, you have approached 20 seconds.

Lastly, a common mistake many mothers will make in an attempt to keep their children healthy, is loading down in layers and layers of clothes during the winter. The problem is that many time without realizing it, we will begin to perspire, causing us to be wet and cold with no chance of drying off due to the pounds of clothes we are wearing. So be sure to dress appropriately and don’t over do it.

In conclusion, five helpful ways to stay healthy this winter are to get plenty of sleep, eat healthy foods, get a consistent workout routine, wash your hands correctly, and dress appropriately. Practice these five habits regularly and your chances of beating that winter bug this holiday season will be much higher.