by Health Solutions: Summer is ending, and the leaves are starting to change. Every coffee shop smells like pumpkin spice, and some of the more shameless retailers are already setting up holiday displays. This is a time of change, so why not take the opportunity to make some changes for your physical health?
Here are a few health solutions tips for staying healthy, so you can achieve the rest of your goals for 2021.
Eat For Success
As the temperatures go down, our bodies become more vulnerable to infection. This is particularly true for our respiratory systems, which are weakened by the constant shift between warm and cold. That’s one major reason why cold and flu season takes off during the winter. Eat foods that are rich in Vitamin C, including citruses, berries, bell peppers, and broccoli. This will help boost your immune health.
Along the same lines, the decreasing quantity of sunlight can damage your body’s natural Vitamin D production. So try to get more of your diet instead. Eggs and milk are both rich in Vitamin D, as are fatty fish like salmon. When you buy fish, try to buy wild caught, if you can. Factory farmed fish tend to have fewer nutrients, especially the omega-3 fatty acids that make them so healthy to begin with.
Another important nutrient for your immune system is beta-carotene. You’ll find high levels of this compound in orange and yellow veggies, such as sweet potatoes, carrots, and butternut squash. Kale is also rich in both beta-carotene and Vitamin C.
A healthy gut is key to a healthy immune system. So while you’re at it, don’t neglect your gut health. Instead, try to incorporate foods with natural probiotics into your diet. These include some fermented foods like yogurt, kimchi, and kefir. Probiotic fiber is helpful as well, such as that found in apples, bananas, asparagus, and even whole oats.
While getting your nutrients directly from food is ideal, it’s not always possible to get all the vitamins you’d like. In that case, some healthy natural vitamins, like those sold by Hope Health, can be a great boost for your system.
Finally, remember that what you drink is just as important as what you eat. If you’re drinking a lot of soda, alcohol, or energy drinks, try to drink more water instead. For one thing, you’ll be cutting out a lot of empty calories. For another thing, good hydration is essential for a healthy immune system.
Get Plenty of Rest
One of the most common health tips you’ll hear is to get plenty of sleep. You’ve been hearing it ever since you were a little kid and your parents made you go to bed. But there’s a good reason for this time-honored piece of wisdom; it’s true. Most healthy adults require seven to eight hours of sleep per night.
Of course, that’s sometimes easier said than done. Stress, anxiety, and other distractions can keep us up well into the night, leaving us groggy the next day. To get a better night’s sleep, avoid drinking caffeine in the later part of the day. Shut off your cell phone and stop staring at the screen at least an hour before bed time.
And if you have a nightcap, keep it moderate. Alcohol might help you fall asleep, but it makes it difficult to get the deep, regenerating sleep your body needs.
Exercise – Outside if Possible
Exercise isn’t just good for your waistline – it also reduces stress, boosts immunity, and helps you get a better night’s sleep. At least 30 minutes of exercise a day will help you reap all these benefits.
Hitting the gym is fine, and so is your home treadmill. But when the weather permits, the outdoors is the best place for exercise. The fresh air and sunshine will lower your cortisol levels, providing significant stress relief. Not only that, but sunlight is also essential for your body to produce Vitamin D.
Switch Up Your Skincare Routine
When the weather changes, it doesn’t only affect our immune systems. It also affects just about everything else in our bodies, but nothing as much as your skin.
Colder air is dryer air, and when that air comes through a heater, it gets dryer still. If you’re still following your summertime skincare routine, you might end up with dry, cracked skin. Instead, you might find it helpful to use a moisturizer, even if you normally don’t. Also, keep in mind that you can still get sunburned in cool weather. If you normally wear sunscreen outside, keep doing it.
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