Six Winter Health and Wellness Tips
As the days grow shorter and the temperatures cool off, maintaining your health and wellness often becomes more challenging. Add to that the holidays and celebratory indulgences, and even the most dedicated can get off track.
Here are six health and wellness tips to help you stay healthy this winter and create healthy habits that can carry you into the new year!
- Improve your indoor air quality. When the temperatures drop, people tend to spend more time indoors, and indoor air quality is often poorer than outdoor air quality. Indoor allergens and air pollutants can also negatively impact health. To help improve your indoor air quality, aim to vacuum twice a week, wash your towels and sheets every week, keep a clean home, and replace your air filters every six months.
- Wash your hands regularly. Washing your hands is a simple and effective way to help prevent the spread of germs, especially those associated with the cold and flu.
- Eat healthy. Maintain a healthy diet that includes fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, and lean protein. Chili, beef stew, lentil soup, roasted vegetables, and even pot roast or chicken cooked with vegetables are all good winter food options that are both healthy and hearty.
- Stay hydrated. It’s easy to get dehydrated during the winter as the cooler temperatures often make people less diligent about drinking water. Aim to drink six to eight, 8 oz. glasses of water each day.
- Stay active. During the winter months, it can be difficult to maintain your motivation to exercise. Whether you bundle up in weather-appropriate layers and enjoy a walk or run, or join a gym, aim to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day.
- Visit your primary care physician. Scheduling annual visits with your doctor is one of the best things you can do to maintain good health and wellness. Request an appointment with your primary care physician to get your annual physical and any recommended tests.