Tips to Protect Yourself from Winter Illnesses

Summary: Your plans are set for the last week of December, and you are heading to a scenic place to celebrate New Year's Eve with your family and friends. On your flight, you find many people having a cold; by the end of your journey, you also catch it. Now, your whole trip will go to waste as you battle a blocked nose and fever. Well, flu and the common cold are common during winters, but the good news is that such illnesses can be easily avoided. Read on to learn a few tips to prevent illnesses during winter.

Introduction

As temperatures drop, fashionable winter clothes come out of the closet. The winter season brings the joy of cosying around a bonfire with our loved ones and gorging on seasonal delicacies like gajar ka halwa. Some even think of running towards the hill stations in anticipation of playing in the snow. But amid all the fun and frolic, we have to remain cautious. As the weather changes, our bodies and immunity get tested against illnesses like colds, flu, bronchitis, and pneumonia. Well, a few stay-well strategies can shield you from illnesses, just like a Mediclaim policy protects your finances during medical emergencies. For the elderly who are susceptible to infections due to their compromised immunity, parents health insurance can shield their savings against medical expenses.

Tips to prevent winter illnesses and stay healthy

1. Practice good hand hygiene: COVID-19 taught us the importance of hand hygiene to decrease the risk of infection. The flu virus can spread and survive on hands and surfaces for 24 hours. One sick person in the family can pass the flu to the entire household. To prevent winter illnesses, make sure you wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before preparing food, eating, or touching your face. Regularly disinfect door knobs, keyboards, and remote controls. Avoid sharing items like towels, utensils, glasses, and cups.
2. Eat healthy: A healthy and well-balanced diet with green leafy vegetables, nuts, fresh fruits, and whole grains will boost your immunity and keep infections and diseases at bay. Eating healthy will give you sufficient nutrients to keep yourself fit.
3. Drink more water and other fluids: Due to the cold weather in winter, we don't feel thirsty, so our water intake decreases. Conversely, our fluid intake should increase during the cold season to improve blood circulation and fight infections. Water helps flush out toxins from our body, so ensure you have at least 8-10 glasses daily. Have other fluids like juices, soups, lemon tea, etc.
4. Get enough sleep: When we get at least 7-8 hours of quality sleep at night, our body releases cytokines, a type of protein that helps the body fight infections. Inadequate or poor-quality sleep weakens our body's immunity, making it difficult to fight infections and viruses. So, ensure you get enough rest and sleep to boost your immunity and help fight winter illnesses.
5. Work out regularly: Maintain a regular exercise regime, like walking, yoga, cycling, running, etc. Exercise not only helps you lose weight or build muscles but also strengthens your immunity to fight winter illnesses. Physical activity also improves blood circulation and is a great stress-buster.
6. Get adequate Vitamin D: Our body produces vitamin D naturally when exposed to sunlight. In winter, due to inadequate sunlight, there's a risk of developing vitamin D deficiencies, which can lead to a weak immune system, bone weakness, infections, cardiovascular diseases, autoimmune disorders, etc. Ensure you get adequate Vitamin D, particularly in winter, as it helps in the optimal functioning of the immune system. It is recommended to be in direct sunlight for only 30 minutes/day. You can also include foods rich in vitamin D in your diet, such as egg yolks, salmon, sardines, mushrooms, milk, and yoghurt.
7. Drink green tea: As per some studies, catechin or EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) present in green tea can suppress pneumonia-causing bacteria in our body. The flavonoids or antioxidants in green tea can lower blood pressure and lessen the chances of developing cardiovascular diseases. But limit it to 1-2 cups a day, as overconsumption of green tea can have adverse effects due to its diuretic properties.
8. Steam regularly: Steaming will not only give relief from coughs and colds but also help prevent winter illnesses. During the cold season, the air becomes dry, causing dust allergies. Inhaling steam for just 10 minutes every three to four days will protect you from ailments related to poor air quality.
9. Wear proper clothing: Wear warm clothes and avoid exposure to the cold.
10. Get vaccinated: Make sure all family members get the yearly vaccine shots. Those who are allergic to influenza vaccines must seek the advice of a medical practitioner. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone over 6 months old must get the annual flu vaccine.

Conclusion

We all wait for winter for its pleasant weather, but it also brings several illnesses. Unless we are prepared to cope with winter illnesses with a strong immunity, the cold weather can take a toll on our health. A healthy and balanced diet, proper hygiene, regular exercise, and the above-mentioned tips to prevent winter illnesses can help you stay fit. Likewise, a Mediclaim policy can lessen your financial worries during medical emergencies by taking care of the expenses.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purposes only. For more details, please refer to the policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.