Good preparation can help you to cope better when those winter ailments arrive for you and your whānau.
See what you can do to get ready!
In this blog, we will talk about healthy foods to eat during winter and the right supplements to support your well-being and healthy life during the cold season.
Healthy foods to eat during winter
In general, foods that take longer to digest can help raise your body temperature and make you feel warmer.
Bananas
Bananas have a lot of vitamin B and magnesium, which are important for your thyroid and adrenal glands to function properly. These glands help regulate body temperature. Bananas can also boost your mood and preserve your memory, among other health benefits.
Ginger Tea
Hot ginger tea can make you feel warm inside on a cold day. Ginger is known to be good for digestive health and can stimulate thermogenesis. It’s also diaphoretic, which means it will help your body warm from the inside out. Keeping you warm is only one of the many health benefits of drinking ginger tea.
Oats
Start your day with a hot breakfast of oats or other types of porridge. Oats are a great source of whole grains and fiber. Fiber can improve your cholesterol and make you feel full. In addition to keeping you full and warm, oats are full of other nutrients.
Coffee
One of the benefits of drinking coffee is the caffeine. Caffeine increases your metabolism, which can raise your body temperature. Technically, iced coffee can be even better because it has more caffeine. However, if you can’t give up the warm cup of coffee in your hands, you’ll still get the benefits from a hot cup of coffee.
Red meat
Red meat, such as beef, lamb, and pork, is a good source of iron. Iron is an important mineral to help carry oxygen throughout your body. People with low iron may notice cold hands and feet or feel tired easily. Eating red meat can also supply vitamin B12, which contributes to healthy nerves and a strong immune system.
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes and other root vegetables need more energy to move through the digestion process, which raises your body temperature. High in vitamin A, vitamin C, and potassium, sweet potatoes can add fiber and other nutrients to a warm winter meal.
Butternut Squash
Butternut squash is a nutritious way to warm up on a chilly day. This fall food is packed with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and other key nutrients. High levels of vitamin C and potassium offer a boost to your immune system and dietary fiber helps keep your digestive system healthy.
Drink Water
A simple way to help your body stay warm this winter is to drink water. Water keeps your body functioning at its best and helps regulate your internal temperature. Dehydration causes your core temperature to drop, which may lead to hypothermia. People are less likely to drink water when it’s cold outside because they don’t feel as thirsty, you may want to carry a water bottle with you to serve as a reminder.
Avoid Alcohol
You may follow the old adage that a shot of whisky can keep you warm. However, whisky and other kinds of alcohol actually lower your body’s core temperature. You may feel warm at first but it will be hard to stay warm over time. Alcohol also impairs your ability to shiver, which is a natural response to raising your body temperature. To stay warm this winter, avoid drinking alcohol at tailgates at other outdoor events.
Keep warm and get help with heating
Heat your home to a temperature that’s comfortable for you. If you can, this should be at least 18°C in the rooms that you regularly use, such as your living room and bedroom. This is particularly important if you have a health condition. It’s best to keep your bedroom windows closed at night.
Exercise daily
While there are no absolutes and a host of variables, health experts and scientists all agree that getting 20-30 minutes of exercise a day is a win for health and mental well-being. Getting physical help to optimize blood pressure, reduces the risk of stroke and heart attack, balances metabolism, regulates blood sugar, and improves mood.
Stay hydrated
You are more likely to get dehydrated in cold weather because cold air tamps down thirst. While you may not need the same fluid intake as during summer, you still need to maintain the same approach to hydration.
Apply sunscreen
It may not feel hot, but you can still get sunburned in winter. Your risk increases if you are surrounded by snow, which can reflect sunlight. Always wear a product that blocks both types of ultraviolet rays UVA and UVB with at least 30 SPF, and a lip balm with sunscreen.
Take the right supplements
Serving up a daily medley of five to nine vegetables a day is ideal! but even that may not be enough to boost immunity over the sluggish winter months. Supplements contain potent doses of essential nutrients in convenient tinctures, powders, and capsules. Loads of vitamins and minerals boost immunity but there are some superstars in the mix. Among them are olive leaves, zinc, vitamin C, vitamin D, and vitamins B6 and B12, along with probiotics, garlic, echinacea, and turmeric. To optimize health, fill your diet with anti-inflammatory foods that prevent low-level inflammation, which compromises the body and makes it more vulnerable to infection.
Probiotics regulate the immune cells (systemic and mucosal) and intestinal epithelial cells, which have proven to be therapeutic against viral infection.
Zinc fights off invading bacteria and viruses and helps the body regenerate protein and DNA, so also helps heal wounds.
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that supports the cell functions of the immune system. Reduced levels of vitamin C make the body more susceptible to infection.
Vitamin D regulates the body’s immune system and has been shown to aid in the prevention of respiratory infections.
VB6 and B12 help keep the immune system strong by supporting the biochemical responses.
By following our simple advice, you will be able to achieve a good balance between staying healthy and being able to focus on your work.
We ‘Hi Well’ are always here to support your health for a better life.
*Follow us for your healthy lifestyle!*
Hi Well official Instagram
Hi Well official Facebook
Amazon USA
Health NZ
※Disclaimer
The information on this site is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content, including text, images and information, contained on or available through this website is for general information purposes only. Hi Well Healthcare is not responsibly liable for any advice, course of treatment, diagnosis or any other information services or products that you obtain through this website.
※References
1.Cohen, A. B., Lee, D., Long, M. D., Kappelman, M. D., Martin, C. F., Sandler, R. S., & Lewis, J. D. (2013). Dietary patterns and self-reported associations of diet with symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease. Digestive diseases and sciences, 58(5), 1322–1328. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-012-2373-3
2.Singh, S. S., Devi, S. K., & Ng, T. B. (2014). Banana lectin: a brief review. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 19(11), 18817–18827. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules191118817
3.Nikkhah Bodagh, M., Maleki, I., & Hekmatdoost, A. (2018). Ginger in gastrointestinal disorders: A systematic review of clinical trials. Food science & nutrition, 7(1), 96–108. https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.807
4.Chang, J. S., Wang, K. C., Yeh, C. F., Shieh, D. E., & Chiang, L. C. (2013). Fresh ginger (Zingiber officinale) has anti-viral activity against human respiratory syncytial virus in human respiratory tract cell lines. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 145(1), 146–151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2012.10.043
5.Bashir, K. M. I., & Choi, J. S. (2017). Clinical and Physiological Perspectives of β-Glucans: The Past, Present, and Future. International journal of molecular sciences, 18(9), 1906. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms18091906
6.Zhang, T., Shao, J., Gao, Y., Chen, C., Yao, D., Chu, Y. F., Johnson, J., Kang, C., Yeo, D., & Ji, L. L. (2017). Absorption and Elimination of Oat Avenanthramides in Humans after Acute Consumption of Oat Cookies. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity, 2017, 2056705. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/2056705
7.Mumford, P. W., Tribby, A. C., Poole, C. N., Dalbo, V. J., Scanlan, A. T., Moon, J. R., Roberts, M. D., & Young, K. C. (2016). Effect of Caffeine on Golf Performance and Fatigue during a Competitive Tournament. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 48(1), 132–138. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000753
8.Hong, C. T., Chan, L., & Bai, C. H. (2020). The Effect of Caffeine on the Risk and Progression of Parkinson’s Disease: A Meta-Analysis. Nutrients, 12(6), 1860. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12061860
