7 Tips to Stay Healthy in Winter

The season that makes us crawl back under our blankets and get comfortable with hot tea, soups and parathas. Yes, its winter time and the sweaters and socks once again see themselves after a long time in the cupboard. It is just not enough to keep yourself warm in winters but also not get yourself put on more kilos only to feel awful once summer arrives.

Here are 7 tips to help you face this winter with more than just sweaters and comfort food.

1. Catch up on your ZZZ’s- That’s right, sleep (at least 7-8 hrs.) is important and more so in winter. It is a common feeling to get more sleep during this season and the long cold nights set the perfect scenario to make you sleep more. This will help boost your immunity, fight off colds and help keep your energy up for the day.
2. Exercise the cold away- It can be challenging to get up on cold mornings and get your heart running, but it is necessary. It is important to exercise regularly, even if only for 15 minutes a day! Get out and take a short walk and enjoy the cooler weather.
3. Clean hands- Keep the bacteria and viruses off your hands and out of your mouth and eyes. Wash your hands frequently with a soap (preferably a moisturizing soap) and water. Go easy on sanitizers as this will dry your hands out and make them rough on frequent usage.
4. Fill yourself with the right foods- It is important you eat the right foods to keep yourself healthy this season. Some points for healthy eating are:

• Keep your sweet tooth under control and keep sugar intake low.
• Have fruits to satisfy your need for eating something sweet and don’t gulp down a glass of fruit juice which is less fruit and more sugar.
• Eat a good amount of protein by consuming beans, lentils, meat, milk, cheese, fish and eggs. This will help build better immunity and keep your frequent winter hunger pangs at bay.
• Have foods high in vitamin C (like citrus fruits) and high in zinc (green leafy vegetable and fish) and high in iron. These will help fight off common colds and flu and keep your mood light and happy.
• Grab a healthy, high fibre and protein breakfast with a punch of fruit to give your day a heated start.
• Snacking is unavoidable in winter as your body needs the energy from food to keep warm, but snack wisely. Choose a clear soup/bone broth over a creamy soup, have a trail (nu7ts and seeds) mix with yogurt rather than a pack of cream biscuits, substitute pakoras with popcorns or bean toast.
• Eat foods rich in vitamin E and omega-3 fats (eggs, seafood and flaxseeds).

5. Drink enough water- This healthy drink, with no calories will help your body’s metabolism going, help clear toxins from body and boost immune function. Aim for atleast 7-8 glasses of water, you might not feel thirsty, but have plenty of water, your body will thank you.
6.  Pamper your skin- With the dry air and the dropping temperature; it is important you keep your skin in good health. Winter wreaks havoc on your skin and leaves it dull and dry. Let this not happen to you. Avoid taking hot showers and enjoy lukewarm waters, apply moisturizer on damp skin, use a lip balm with SPF to protect your lips from chapping, use pumice stone to slough off dry skin from the feet and prevent the heels of foot form cracking, always wear a sunscreen when you step outside (the sun is still there!) and cover your hear with a scarf to prevent it from being messed up by the dry winds.
7. Keep calm- Stress causes your immunity to go down and this in turn leads to you falling ill easily and creating more stress on the body. So to stop this cycle, reduce stress. It is true, winters with the dark and the colds makes one feel down but perk up. Aim for at least one night per week to spend with friends and family. 
   Keep your mind involved, grab a book or groove to your favourite tunes, do things that will keep the blues away.

So embrace this season and let your health flourish. Keep yourself happy and healthy with these tips and nourish your body, mind and soul, after all ‘tis the season to be jolly, tra la la la la!!