It's hard to keep skin healthy during the winter months
When the weather's freezing and damp, it's difficult to feel healthy and beautiful. Especially at this time of the year it's easy to become run down with the winter blues.
And as if we haven't got enough to worry about, there's a hundred and one health worries that we stress over. We've come up with a winter health guide to make sure that you can glow, whatever the weather.
Give your immune system a boost
Dragging yourself out of bed in the morning to an office full of coughing and spluttering co-workers doesn't exactly make you feel healthy. To make you feel as immune as possible the first thing is to make sure you're getting enough sleep. Winter is for hibernating (not all day - although it is tempting) and it's advised to make sure you're getting a proper nights sleep in order for your body to feel replenished and ready for the day.
What you eat has a massive effect on how you feel. Eating healthy foods which are rich in nutrients will feed your body and fill you up with rich vitamins and minerals so you can keep fighting off them bugs. Drinking milk will provide your body with calcium so your bones stay strong. Fruit and vegatables are packed full of the necessary vitamins.
Keep hydrated is a tip on every single diet or health list. It's the most boring tip of all and it can be gruelling to drink glass after glass of water but it really is a great way to keep your body and skin glowing.
Avoid a cold
According to th NHS, we're 80% more likely to develop a cold in winter months. There's no known cure for the common cold and with over 200 different varieties, the chances of us catching one is pretty high.
The phrase that took over the nation during the sweep of the swine flu "catch it, bin it, kill it" is still as applicable to any cold and fu virus. During these months there's germs and bugs everywhere to it's more important than ever to keep clean and wash your hands!
Nuritionists recommend all sorts of supplements and aids to keep the body healthy but to prevent feeling cold make sure you wrap up warm in lots of layers. Hands and feet are particularly vunerable to feeling the frost so whenever you're leaving the house, make sure you're feet are wrapped up warm and don't forget your gloves.
If you're concerned further about your health, it's best to pay a visit to your GP and maybe consider the flu jab. The common cold isn't normally a massive problem for adults but for young children and elderly people, it can be dangerous.
Lose the festive pounds
We've all over-indulged slightly over Christmas and consumed a few too many roast spuds and turkey sandwiches. So, if you're feeling unhappy and unhealthy, now's the time to do something about it.
Upping your exercise will boost your immune system, metabolism and help you shed the pounds. After a few weeks of doing a new exercise routine, you'll instantly feel the benefits. This doesn't have to be pounding the treadmill everyday but just gently exercising a few times a week will have an effect. Whilst you're on a new year-new you keep fit campaign, take advantage of it and try to include more fruit and veg into your diet.
Stay Beautiful
We tend to not get much sunlight in winter and this can leave skin dry and pale. It's essential to keep skin polished through exfoliating and firm and soft through mosturising. Hands can especially become dry and irritated so it's a good idea to keep some handcream in your bag at all times.
Another winter beauty worry is chapped lips. Uncomfortable and sometimes painful, chapped lips don't feel attractive. Using the correct lip balm for your skin and maybe swapping to a moisturising lipstick with keep your lips plump and healthy. (Don't mean to go on but drinking water helps too!)
Alexandra Baracskai
Tagged in Health cold and flu Winter Health