Tips to Boost Immunity and Stay Healthy During the Winter Season

25 Jan, 2021

Good health and well-being are always our top priority; however, it becomes more crucial to remain healthy during winters.

Moreover, adding to the high risks of getting ill is the recent COVID-19 outbreak, which has intensified health issues this year, making you concerned about your health more than usual.

You might also have wondered if you should take prescription supplements to boost your immunity or get cleaning equipment to obliterate germs. Therefore, to help you learn more, in this article, we have discussed how you can keep away diseases by staying healthy during the winter season; read through it.

Before going further, let’s read a few facts mentioned below.

According to several healthcare experts;

• People are more likely to get sick during the winter months.
• People are usually forced to remain in enclosed spaces for longer due to cold weather, increasing the risk of infectious diseases.
• Viruses tend to sustain longer in cold temperatures and lower humidity.
• According to CDC, millions of common cold cases are reported each year in the US, with adults averagely getting colds 2-3 times a year while the average tendency for the same is higher in Children.

Common Diseases That More Frequently Occur During Winter Season

• Dry Skin
• Common Cold
• Strep Throat
• Whooping Cough
• RSV/Bronchiolitis
• Flu
• Norovirus
• Pneumonia

Tips to Take Precautions and Fight Against Winter Diseases

1. Keep Yourself Warm

• Do not let the cold weather make you ill; wear thick, woolen clothes in multiple layers ensuring enough protection against breezy winds and snow.
• People living in colder areas should use warm hats, gloves, and boots to retain a suitable body temperature, especially while going outdoors.

2. Stay Active

• Staying active promotes better bone, muscle health, and improves sleep patterns, helping you develop a healthier lifestyle.
• Being healthier enables you to fight off various illnesses or recover quickly in case you fall sick even after putting your best effort into avoiding it.
  

3. Exercise Daily

• Physical activity is vital to keep yourself fit and healthy throughout the year. However, specifically in winters, even light workouts, including walking, jogging, running, push-ups, or yoga, can help you keep your body warm and healthy.
• This can boost your immune system, improving defense against seasonal diseases such as colds and flu.

4. Make & Follow a Healthy Diet Plan

• The human body needs vitamins and antioxidants to stay healthy; therefore, prepare a well-balanced diet plan that includes milk, whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, poultry products, lean meats, fish, herbs, spices, and to name a few.
• All these are essential to strengthen immunity, supporting your body to resist infection and viruses.

5. Take Vitamin C, D, and Zinc

• Ensure you are having an optimum intake of foods rich in vitamin C.
• Besides, since vitamin D is one of the essential requirements of your body, which also helps maintain immunity and overall health, consider going outdoor and soak under the warm sun for some time whenever possible.
• Include whole grains, nuts, beans, and fortified cereals in your diet as these are a good source of Zinc – a mineral vital for your body that keeps your immune system strong, helping you prevent diseases.

6. Keep Yourself Hydrated

• Stay hydrated by drinking the required amount of water as it helps provide nutrients to body cells, clean our system by removing toxins, and balance body fluid.
• However, you should avoid consuming cold water due to some obvious reasons and drink mildly warm water during winter.

7. Maintain Hygiene – Wash Your Hands & Sanitize Your Surroundings Frequently

• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), germs can get on your hands from various sources. Therefore, wash your hands multiple times a day using soap and water to remove germs from your hands and protect yourself from viruses and infections.
• In the absence of soap and water, use a water-based hand sanitizer.
• Besides this, make a habit of cleaning and wiping out most-touched surfaces (tables, doorknobs, etc.) using a cleaning material to kill germs.

8. Moisturize Frequently to Avoid Skin Issues

• Cold weather can damage your skin; as a result, your skin gets dry and itchy, lips get chapped, and heels get cracks.
• Moisturize your skin frequently to avoid dry skin; if your skin gets dry or rough more than usual in winters, you may use cold creams and increase water intake.

9. Take Enough Good Sleep

• Taking inappropriate sleep has a tendency to make you sick.
• In order to get your body and mind in synchronization, you need to relax and take enough amount of sleep, leading to maintaining a healthy immune system.

10. Get a Flu Shot

• To increase your ability to fight against common flu or recover from it, consider getting vaccinated with a proper flu vaccine from your doctor.
• This is important for people who have recently been suffering from any diseases or are on other medications.

When you spend more of your time indoors, especially during the fall and winter, you might live in close contact with other people. As a result, it increases the chances of you catching viruses that cause cold, flu, or COVID-19.

Dry and harsh winter air can also weaken mucus barriers naturally present in the nose, mouth, and lungs, from where viruses can make their way to your body. Thus, follow these tips to ensure your body remains healthy enough to fight various diseases.

Are you experiencing minor or significant symptoms of cold or flu? Have you consulted a doctor? If not, get in touch with Central Valley Medical Providers. For quality healthcare services from reliable and experienced primary care physicians, please talk to one of our customer service representatives today and get appropriate help.

Call us at (877) 216-4215 or local: 559.450.6334.