Staying Healthy During Winter

Winter is a season that comes in the country annually making it a normal phenomenon in the United States. Cold, chilly, and sometimes snowstorms occur, but we managed to get through it every year, but this year can be a little different. Given the fact, the COVID-19 is still lurking in the corners turning everyone a health-savvy, it will make a slight turn on your activities this year because social distancing is still important to be practiced even inside the comfort of your homes. 

According to John Hopkins Medicine, respiratory infections or illnesses are common during winter, and staying indoors allows easier infections for viruses such as colds, flu, and worst, Coronavirus. To avoid infections coming into your homes, Echo News gave some tips to keep you healthy and disease-free this winter season.

ALSO READ: Staying Safe Indoors During Winter Amid COVID-19

Good Nutrition

Having a balanced diet and good nutrition is important even when the winter season is not in the picture. However, according to the NZ Nutrition Foundation, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants can heighten the immune system. They emphasized eating fruits in season and vegetables such as broccoli, apples, mandarin, Brussel sprouts, carrots, potatoes, and cauliflower. They further said that it is ideal for a vegetable or fruit every serving of meal or snack.

Adequate Sleep

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, most adults need seven to eight hours of sleep on a regular schedule each night. They added that getting enough sleep can help an individual get sick less often, having a healthy weight, reduces stress and improves the mood, help in thinking more clearly which makes you do better at work or school, and avoids accidents such as accidents linked to the sleep-deprived driver. 

READ ALSO: How Dinner Plays a Vital Role in Achieving Better Sleep

Washing Hands Regularly

Centers for Disease Controls and Prevention said that washing the hands properly can keep an individual healthy by preventing the spread of respiratory and diarrheal infections from one person to another. This only means that hand washing can also reduce your risk of spreading and getting infected with Coronavirus and other viruses. They added that unclean hands and suddenly touching your eyes, nose, and mouth, or preparing food could spread the virus or bacteria present in your hands that can harm people around you. World Health Organization (WHO) added that humming or singing happy birthday twice while washing your hands can even remove the microbes present. 

Increasing Vitamin D

Also known as the sunshine vitamin, Vitamin D is not only essential for bone health. Healthline mentioned research showing vitamin D reducing the risk of respiratory tract infections other than COVID-19. They also added another study saying that COVID-19 mortality is higher in countries farther away from the equator where many people are vitamin D deficient because of the diminished amount of sunlight. Taking supplements can help in sufficing the ideal intake of the vitamin per day. However, Mayo Clinic warns people to take precautions in taking this supplement because vitamin D toxicity can occur. 

These are just some of the steps you can do to assure you are healthy and have less risk of convening the virus in your home. Remember that COVID-19 is not the only enemy you should take precautions this winter. Having a healthy lifestyle and practicing these steps may help you get through the winter, virus-free. 

READ NEXT: Over 80 Percent of Patients with COVID-19 Have Vitamin D Deficiency, Research Reveals

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