Perhaps it is cold outside, but winter doesn’t have to be the unhealthy time of year for you and your family. Here are several ways to make sure you can stay healthy and fit despite what the weather is like, even when your body want to hibernate.
1. Have enough sleep
Usually, people sleep six hours per night and it is much less than seven to nine hours which is recommended. It’s important to raise awareness of a good night’s sleep for health and wellbeing. During winter, it’s natural for us to sleep more because the nights are longer. It is perfectly normal to adopt hibernating habits when the weather is cold, and it is perfectly good opportunity to catch up.
2. Eat hearty breakfast
Winter season is perfect for porridge. During cold mornings, eating a warm bowlful isn’t just delicious but also a good way to boost the intake of starchy foods and fiber to start your day. This will give you necessary energy and help you to feel full for a longer period of time. Oats are also the good source of vital minerals and vitamins. Make your porridge with skimmed milk or water and don’t add any salt or sugar. You can add some raisins, a few dried apricots, a sliced banana or some other fruit for some additional flavor.
3. Boost your diet
In order to keep your immune system strong, you should eat foods which are rich in vitamin C. That includes veggies and fruits such as kiwifruit, lemons, broccoli, and capsicum in your weekly shop. If you have problems with having the recommended five serves of vegies and two serves of fruit every day then you can try juicing them.
It is recommended to make juice which consists of 2/3 of vegetables and 1/3 of fruit. A blend of beetroot, carrot, lemon and spinach is a combination for boosting your immune system. Also, make sure that your diet has plenty fish, lean meats, low-fat diary, poultry, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, and a lot of herbs and spices.
4. Eat more veggies and fruits
Even though it can be tempting to eat unhealthy comfort food, it’s important to make sure you still have a healthy diet which includes several portions of veggies and fruits per day. If you find yourself in a need for sugar than you should try a juicy satsuma or clementine instead. Winter vegetables like parsnips, carrots, turnips and swede can be mashed, roasted or made into soup for a great winter meal. Search for varieties of veggies and fruits which you wouldn’t usually eat.
5. Exercise regularly
It is very important to keep your workout routine during the winter because it has a long-term cumulative effect on your immune response. People who take a brisk walk for several times per week can reduce the number of sick days for roughly 40%. However, don’t go overboard, because too much effort can release cortisol, the stress hormone, in your body, which can weaken your immune system.