Taking Care During This Winter

Dashain and tihar has now taken the backseats and now we are once again back on our toes and moving on with our normal life getting back to work at our offices, schools, colleges. Though we enjoyed the festive season with gusto now slowly the seasons are changing and winter season is before us. It is important you stay protected against a drop in temperature as cold weather can affect your body’s ability to fight off virus and infections. It is time for us to take action to sail through the season in good health. It is likely that you catch cold very easily and have throat, nose and chest infections when the temperature gets severe. You might get swollen blisters in your fingers and feet from frost-bite. You could feel intense shivering, slurred speech, drowsiness and lack of coordination. To avoid any of these symptoms in harsh conditions it is necessary we have protection to combat coldness in chilling winters.

Not only you but even your pets must be protected against harsh winter because they are also prone to extreme cold seasons.
Do you know you’re at greater risk of illness in cold weather if you are:
• Aged over 65
• In a low income level( finding difficult to afford heating system)
• Have disability
• Have lungs, heart and kidney disease.
• Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) like depression also termed as winter blues.

Here are some of the tips you can use to protect yourself from extreme cold (Hypothermia):

Keeping yourself warm:

In winter it is utmost important to keep yourself warm and hydrated. If you wear right clothing you are blocking the cold coming to your body. Winter wear like thick gloves or mittens, furred jackets, wind cheaters, thick pants, long socks, water resistant jackets and hoodies, thick boots, woolen caps, scarfs can protect you from extreme coldness and numbness. Cover yourself with blankets and make your room cozy to beat the odds.

Heat your home (insulation):

We are not saying you to crank up the heaters 24/7.There are many simple yet effective ways to insulate your home which can reduce heat loss while lowering your heating bills. You can insulate your loft, flat roof, attic, underneath your floor boards, tanks, pipes and radiators. Draught proof your home to block unwanted gaps that let cold air in and warm air out. This reduces moistures producing at kitchens, bathrooms and utility rooms.

Eat well:

In winters we tend to eat more than any other season. We opt for warm meals and beverages. But making sure you are not taking more calories from the food you eat. Stick to organic food. Stick to a balanced diet of whole grains, lean proteins, fresh fruits, veggies. Foods that have anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties are good for your health. Cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, garlic, ginger, peppermint, honey are very good during winter seasons. Enjoy hot cup of tea preferably green tea and hot chocolates.

Stay active and keep in touch your family:

scientist have discovered that social exclusion make you feel colder than if you were socializing and spending time with people. Try to keep active social life with your family, friends and colleagues and share your feelings rather than hibernating at home to make winters warm and fuzzy.

Look after your pets:

Just like you your pets are also affected by the spell of winter season. Your pets whether it might be dogs, cats, guinea pigs, horse, birds need protection against cold. Make sure that they are not having frost bites, don’t overfeed as it can bring obesity, take for walks but keep them insulated with gears and make sure they are trained and looked after. Consult vets to know about their health conditions.

Focus on health and wellbeing:

Your health is very important especially during winters. We must have temperature between 36.5 degree Celsius to 37.5 degree Celsius. Above or below this range is abnormal. During winters we catch viral fever and infections easily. We must be hydrated and boost immunity to combat cold. Apart from daily food you can also add supplements to your diet. Don’t forget to stretch out, exercise for few minutes because it can improve your blood circulation and improve digestion which is also very important.

Nourish your skin to keep it soft and glowing in winter:

In winter skin tends to become dry, flaky, sensitive, rashes, wrinkled and fine lines become visible. This can be due to drinking less water and not taking care of skin. You can moisturize your skin with Vitamin enriched oils, moisturizing creams, aloe, coca rich creams, Indian gooseberries which are rich in Vitamin C. You can also have sunbath to give you more immunity power.

Make a donation and offer help and assistance to older people stay warm and well in winter:

In winters we are normally living in a cozy home and taking care of our families by making them comfortable. If we step out of the house and look around we generally see less privileged people who can’t afford warm living conditions. If we could give these people our helping hands then we are definitely saving lives of many people. Charity can also largely contribute to welfare of people.

Don’t let children stay out of home during winter:

Adults can manage things on their own. They also have duty to protect children and the young ones. Coldness can cause lot of harm to a child’s health. Bronchitis, influenza virus can make their heath miserable. Children should be kept warm and indoors with plenty of rest to prevent from cold conditions.

Take care of plants:

Normally plants shed their leaves during winter which is commonly known. Usually, the top part stem and the foliage will survive to a temperature of about-20 degrees Fahrenheit but immature roots die at 23 degrees above zero and mature roots at nine degrees. In the ground it is insulated by earth but in containers root damage would occur rapidly if unprotected. Avoid exposing plants to freeze/thaw cycle, choose bigger pots, wood containers are better than plastic pots. For insulation mulch pots with straws or shredded leaves. If low temperature looms cover them with plastic or burlap at night.