With a chilly breeze in the air, we can confirm that winter is finally here! And now that we are in the mid of wintry weather, maintaining winter health is our priority. While the cool and damp weather might be a welcome break from the summer warmth, it also presents winter health hazards. For example, moderate Rainfall and stagnant water on the streets encourage the growth of mosquitos carrying diseases, including malaria and dengue fever.
In India, the winter season begins in mid-November and continues until the last week of February. People experience health issues during these months owing to climate change. Cold weather can have an impact on your health, both mentally and physically. It may also aggravate pre-existing medical diseases such as asthma, arthritis, influenza, and psoriasis. Along with these health concerns, winter necessitates protection against colds, flu, and hair and skin damage.
Some Common Winter Health Issues and Preventive Tips
1. Common cold
The common cold is far too common, and we often dismiss it as a natural part of the changing seasons. However, a typical cold can cause a sore throat, chest congestion, headache, sneezing, runny nose, and other symptoms. The common cold, affecting adults and children, is expected to go away in a few days with immediate medical attention.
Tips to prevent:
- Prescribed medications by your doctor
- Decongestant nasal sprays
- Sip warm liquids
- Warm water vapor
2. Flu
While the flu is not as severe as the average cold, it should not be neglected. The flu is a contagious respiratory illness affected by a virus known as influenza. It might also be minor or severe. Like a cold patient, a flu patient suffers from body pains, sore throats, fever, headaches, and other symptoms that can ruin the season.
Tips to prevent:
- Maintain respiratory hygiene by often washing your hands to avoid flu germs and bacteria
- When you cough or sneeze, keep your mouth covered with your hands
- Prescribed medications by your doctor
- Exercise daily to boost your immunity
3. Sore Throat
A sore throat is highly irritating and uncomfortable. However, strep throat is even worse! Strep throat is a severe sore throat accompanied by a fever caused by an infection. It is caused by a bacterial infection and affects many children. Strep throat symptoms include difficulty and pain swallowing food or water, headache, swollen lymph nodes, fever, and so on.
Tips to prevent:
- See a doctor as soon as possible
- Get plenty of rest
- Drink Warm water with honey
- Add lemons to your diet to boost immune system
4. Bronchitis
Bronchitis is a respiratory infection caused by the respiratory syncytial virus. Breathing difficulties are common symptoms caused by the inflammation of airway passages in the lungs when they get congested. As a result, Bronchitis patients endure a slight fever, nasal congestion, wheezing and coughing.
Tips to Prevent:
- Use a cool mist vaporizer or saline nose drops to relieve a stuffy nose
- Rest more and sleep well
- Stay hydrated
- Use honey to relieve cough
5. Pneumonia
Pneumonia is another prevalent lung infection in the winter. A bacterial disease can be minor or chronic. People with weakened immune systems or health conditions such as asthma, heart disease, or cancer are more likely to contract pneumonia. Unfortunately, in its early stages, this winter health risks are challenging to identify. However, if the patient has a persistent cold or a high fever, consult your doctor and do not let it grow chronic.
Tips to prevent:
- Wash your hands regularly
- Exercise daily.
- Consume nutritious foods such as seasonal vegetables and fruits.
- If you smoke, stop immediately
6. Winter Skin Ailments
Along with respiratory problems, winter comes a slew of skin problems, including itching, eczema flare-ups, and psoriasis flare-ups. So winter health tips for the most basic skincare requirement is to keep the skin hydrated.
The most frequent winter skin problems include dry, itchy skin, dehydrated skin, UV damage, and chapped lips. Unfortunately, many people are unaware that they must continue to wear sunscreen before going outside.
Tips to prevent:
- Stay hydrated from the inside out by eating healthily, drinking plenty of water, and moisturizing yourself.
- To remove flaky skin, apply an exfoliator and avoid using soaps with a high PH
- Also, after a bath, do not scrub yourself dry
- If you have chapped lips, utilize vitamin A and E formulations
- Bathing in boiling water will cause dry patches on your skin
- Apply a natural cleanser and a thick moisturizer
7. Asthma Attacks
Common Colds, flu, and pneumonia are most common in the winter. During the winter, people who are allergic to dust, mites, mold, and pet dander suffer. Specific allergies trigger asthma. As a result, when an asthmatic person has a cold, flu, or pneumonia, their respiratory issues worsen. Cold air also begins the airways to generate histamine, the same chemical our bodies create during an allergic attack. Histamine is responsible for triggering wheeze and other asthma-related symptoms.
Tips to prevent:
- Limit outdoor exercise and work out at home or in the gym
- Wear a scarf and use it to warm the air you are breathing
- Get the flu vaccine
- Have an Asthma Action Plan in place
- If dust mites and mold trigger your signs, keep your home cool and dry to inhibit their growth
8. Joint Pains
Most people with arthritis will experience joint discomfort over the winter. This is because during the winter, the synovial fluid, which acts as a protective fluid within the knee joints, thickens. This causes higher tension, which contributes to rigid motions between synovial joints. In addition, the pain is caused by the stress on the nerves that cover the joints.
Tips to prevent:
- Stop Tobacco because it aggravates joint pain
- To increase circulation and loosen muscles, apply wet heat. A warm bath might suffice
- Exercise strengthens your bones and muscles around your knees, relieving pressure on the joint
9. Heart Attacks
Heart attacks are more frequent in the winter than in other seasons. This is because a person with high blood pressure may experience increased heart tension due to the chilly winter. In addition, the heart must work harder to keep the body warm throughout the cold. The primary factors are atherosclerosis, heavy smoking, poor eating habits, and obesity.
Tips to prevent:
- Maintain a heart-healthy diet
- Moderate level exercise
- Winter health check up for blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels
- Take actions to reduce stress
Healthy Food for Winter
As the temperature falls, your metabolism slows down to preserve energy and keep your body warm. However, certain foods might help raise your metabolism and keep you active throughout the day. The winter healthy foods listed here will keep your body warm and help you fight winter illness.
- Jaggery- Helps improve digestion, purifies the blood, and keeps you warm.
- Fish- High in protein and omega-3 fatty acids, and strengths the immune system.
- Spinach- Freshly available in winter, full of zinc, irons, and other nutrients.
- Sesame seeds- High in zinc and iron, which are suitable for the production of blood.
- Citrus fruits- Full of Vit C, Vit B, and anti-oxidants.
- Eggs- High in protein, healthy cholesterol, and vitamins.
- Honey- Helps combat cold, cough, and flu. And also cures digestive issues, boosts immunity, and is suitable for the skin.
- Herbs and spices- Ginger, parsley, chamomile, garlic, pepper, etc., for digestion and anti-inflammatory benefits.
- Vitamin supplements- If you have a Vitamin D deficiency.
Final Words
Wintry winds, gloomy and short days, sporadic precipitation, and air dryness are challenges in winter. As a result, colds, coughs, lung infections, fever, and pneumonia are also common throughout the winter. In addition, darkness and cold climate are ambient environments for mold, a fungus, to grow in homes. Aside from that, the body’s immune system weakens, and proper winter health care is essential to preserve excellent health.
Winter brings with it an abundance of fruits and green vegetables, which aids digestion and exercise which ensures that the heart and other organs function properly. Proper sleep, nutrition, and hygiene will help you stay healthy in winter and prevent illness. In addition, you will get vitamin D from the early morning sunlight. Do not forget to keep a tab on your health and follow our winter health and safety tips to be happy and healthy.
