Getting through winter can be a challenge unless you’re ready for those chilly, dark days. From preparing nourishing meals, to getting your body moving, these tips will help you enjoy a healthier, more positive winter.
Eat Seasonally
Many of us continue to cook our favorite summer meals like salads or sandwiches throughout the cold season, simply out of habit. This is despite the fact that many of the ingredients we need for summer dishes are not in season, and so will probably be more expensive, and not as delicious! (Habit is a powerful thing.)
One of the reasons we keep cooking what we’re used to eating for the rest of the year during winter is because having the same food every day can feel comforting, and winter is a time when we need comfort. Rather than giving in to the need to have your kiwi fruit on top of your granola every day through winter, now could be a good time to create new food rituals, incorporating warming, seasonal dishes into your diet. Try warming porridge with cinnamon and dried fruit, for example.
If you’re already familiar with the joys of making things from scratch, big-batch cooking will come to the fore in winter, when soups, stews, and rich sauces are all so welcome!
Listen to Your Body
The cold season can be a drag on your wellbeing, even if you begin the winter form a place of relative health. It’s more crucial than ever to look after your physical health, and pay close attention to any signals your body is sending you about what it needs. For example, aches and pains could be indications that something is not right, and you need to take it easy. That scratchy throat and fever should not be ignored, as you could be coming down with the flu.
This is not the time to grab a shovel and start clearing snow from your yard. Get yourself a cup of Lemsip and call for professional snow removal instead! If you get the sense that you have an illness coming on and you spot the signs early enough, you are much more likely to help your immune system along, thus potentially avoiding full-blown illness. But if you do find yourself in the grips of a cold or flu, remember to make every effort to keep a constant temperature and drink plenty of fluids.
Move Your Body Daily
Exercise is a fantastic way to keep your body warm and limber during the winter. But it’s easier said than done, right? Who wants to venture out in the cold when you don’t actually have to? The truth is, even if you know exercise would be a good idea, you probably won’t always feel like going for a jog or heading for the squash court when it’s cold outside.
Even the idea of a brisk walk might make your body protest, especially when the days get so short that you’re leaving for work and arriving back home in the dark. But if you can get yourself going every day and manage a little exercise, the endorphins and fresh air will do wonders for your mood.
Though the season can be beautiful and atmospheric, a long, cold winter is not for the faint of heart! These tips will help you stay cozy and well this season.