8 Healthcare Tips to Keep You Well This Winter

Healthcare Tips to Keep You Well This Winter

As winter approaches, so does the cold and flu season. Check out these healthcare tips to keep you well this winter!

Winter brings a lot of excitement with it: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah and more. But along with this comes the dreaded cold and flu season.

Between 5% and 20% of people suffer from the flu each year, and an average of 20,000 people end up in the hospital because of it.

Nobody ever wants to get sick, but sometimes it\’s unavoidable. But there are some things we can do to reduce the risk of illness.

Looking for ways to stay healthy this winter? Here are 8 healthcare tips to keep you on top form.

1. Eat a Healthy Diet

When the weather is cold and dark outside, nothing compares to some warm comfort food. But most comfort food isn\’t super healthy and doesn\’t help your immune system much.

Instead, make sure to stock up on plenty of fruit and vegetables, but make sure you don\’t have any allergies to them. Getting your 5 a day can help you stave off illness and feel energised.

Look up recipes for healthy veggies and enjoy a delicious bowl of soup or stew instead. They are still very comforting and can help keep you feeling great.

2. Get Out and Active

Exercise is a great way to strengthen your immune system, so make sure to stay active. Even a daily walk or light jog can make a difference, and it can leave you feeling great.

A lot of people are also affected by SAD (seasonal affective disorder). This can have you feeling depressed throughout winter and disrupt your sleep cycle. Lack of sleep and negative attitudes can have an impact on your immune system.

When you get active and get out the house, you feel better both physically and mentally.

3. Wash Your Hands

Our hands carry thousands of germs and a lot of them can make us very ill. Thus, it\’s important to remember to wash your hands.

Wash them before and after you prepare and eat food. Wash them after you\’ve used the bathroom. Keep your hands away from your mouth and face to avoid contracting more germs.

If you keep your hands clean and dry, you pick up fewer germs throughout the day.

4. Sleep Well

When you feel ill, the last thing you want to do is go out to stock up on supplies. So make sure you have everything on hand before it happens.

Stock up on painkillers, cold and flu medications and cough medicine. For worse symptoms, get some rehydration salts and anti-diarrhea medicines.

At least if you do fall sick, you\’ll have everything you need in the house ready to go. The sooner you have the medicine, the sooner you\’ll start feeling well again.

5. Stock Up the Medicine Closet

When you feel ill, the last thing you want to do is go out to stock up on supplies. So make sure you have everything on hand before it happens.

Stock up on painkillers, cold and flu medications and cough medicine. For worse symptoms, get some rehydration salts and anti-diarrhea medicines.

At least if you do fall sick, you\’ll have everything you need in the house ready to go. The sooner you have the medicine, the sooner you\’ll start feeling well again.

6. Get a Flu Shot

A flu shot may seem like an unnecessary precaution, but it can help you a lot. It\’s an essential medication for the elderly and young children, as well as pregnant women.

But you don\’t have to fit these categories to get one. If you want to stay as healthy as possible this winter, a flu shot could help you fight off a nasty bout of illness.

If you have a weak immune system or work as a carer, a flu shot is an essential healthcare precaution. Not only do you keep yourself healthy, but you prevent others falling ill too.

7. Get Lots of Light

ike we mentioned above, lots of people suffer from SAD due to lack of natural sunlight through the day. If you\’re one of these people, your mental health can suffer a lot in the winter.

To combat this, make sure to get as much light as possible. Get out through the day to get as much natural sunlight. When it gets dark, invest in some SAD lights for your home.

This can make a huge difference to your mental health. When your mental health is stable, you boost your physical health too.

8. Steer Clear of Sick People

It\’s an obvious one but it\’s worth mentioning, if someone is sick, stay away from them. Cold and flu viruses spread by being in contact with other sick people, so reduce your risk.

Sometimes you can\’t help it if it\’s a child or family member. In this case, make sure to wash your hands and surfaces as much as possible.

If you notice people coughing or sneezing, try to stay away from them. If you can, you\’ll reduce your own risk of getting ill significantly.

These Healthcare Tips Will Keep You Feeling Great

Winter can leave us feeling ill with all the germs it brings. But if you follow these simple healthcare tips, you should be feeling fit and healthy. Make sure to get out and about often. Eat some good, healthy food and get plenty of sleep.

These things will help boost your immune system as much as possible. If you follow these tips, you\’ll be ready for the healthiest, most productive winter of your life!

Find this article helpful? Check out our blog for more great functional medicine tips.

Dr. Anand Thakkar has an extensive background in internal medicine. His mission is to help people become the healthiest versions of themselves using movement, nutrition, and a whole-body approach to medical care. If you would like him and his team to help you reach your health goals, contact Chicago weight loss Clinic to see what resources are available to you and schedule a free consultation.

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