7 Tips For Winterizing Your Health

Your car, your home, and your health all need winterizing. As the weather changes, we change our wardrobes. Out come  woolens,  jackets, coats, and more. We may even change our closets and shift clothing, shoes, outerwear, pocketbooks, and accessories into storage so that our seasonal items are out of the way and what is appropriate is at hand.

Preparing for winter health needs also involves changes. Here are some tips for winter health.

Get a flu shot. Safeguarding against the flu is especially important for seniors, those who have recently been hospitalized or are on medications/treatments that lower the body’s immune system. Getting the flu shot in a doctor’s office will cost you a copay for a visit. If you walk into a pharmacy with your insurance card, you don’t pay a copay.

Sanitize, sanitize, sanitize. You want to deactivate  germs from other people by wiping down surfaces and washing your hands thoroughly with anti-bacterial soap or a hand sanitizer. High touch surfaces are keyboards, phones, doorknobs and faucets. Make a habit of wiping them down regularly.

Keeping your extremities warm. Wear warm footwear and gloves to maintain circulation and retain heat. The old adage that most body heat is lost through the head is a myth that has been disproven through science. We lose the same amount of body heat per square inch of exposed skin anywhere on the body. On the other hand, we feel cold more in the parts where the blood vessels are more densely packed (head and chest) than where they are less dense (such as the legs).

Hydrate sufficiently. Dry winter weather takes its toll on the skin and kidneys. Compensate with water if you are drinking extra coffee to warm up. Coffee dehydrates!

Bring your fitness routines indoors and keep exercising. Don’t let the cold slow you down! Use body weight exercises using the stairs, floor or a chair after consulting with a doctor regarding your fitness levels.

Get enough sleep to keep your cardiovascular health and blood pressure stable. Prioritize your sleep as much as your diet.

De-stress with repetitive breathing. Whether you do yoga or another type of meditation, any repetitive act of banishing thoughts, focusing on breathing, and repeating a phrase or word fires up the body’s relaxation response. Compound benefits accrue through increased immunity and lowered blood pressure.

A veteran nonprofit leader, Faigie Horowitz, MS is a columnist, motivational speaker and active community rebbetzin in Lawrence, NY.

 By Faigie Horowitz, MS