Moving from a hot climate to a cold climate, or vice versa can wreak havoc on people's well-being. In the case of the arrival of cold winters, you have to be very careful not to get diseases like the flu. Although we do not usually consider it serious, it can be. Therefore in this post, we offer some advice to take care of us in the cold seasons and avoid a cold.
6 tips to avoid a cold this winter season:
1. Cover your body properly
In times of cold weather, it is essential to wear clothes appropriate to the temperature. That is to use coats, wool shirts, and long sleeves, long pants, closed shoes or boots.
In case winter brings snow, wear scarves that protect the neck area, winter gloves (https://thereviewbox.com/best-winter-work-gloves-for-dexterity/), and earmuffs. You do this because the garments retain skin moisture and keep the skin and body warm. With this, you increase your chances of avoiding a cold.
If you are outside working in a very populated area, it's also advisable to use a face mask. This not only helps with cold, but it can also help you avoid viruses like Corona(https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/about/prevention.html).
2. Maintain body hygiene
One of the main causes of colds is a large number of viruses that swarm in the environment.
Therefore, it is essential to maintain adequate hygiene during the cold times of the year. Wash your hands frequently, and definitely after coming home from outside. Take regular baths, and use clean clothes.
To avoid a cold, it is advisable to use caution with the areas of the mouth, eyes or nose if you have not cleaned your hands.
3. Maintain cleanliness and home temperature
Cleaning the home environments is necessary to avoid a cold.
As in the previous case, it is important to keep the house clean to avoid a cold.
This includes cleaning every corner of your house. Disinfect(https://www.nytimes.com/guides/smarterliving/how-to-clean) the kitchen, bathrooms, living rooms, as well as the materials or objects in those rooms. Clean your house with a disinfectant at least once a week and vacuum/sweep home daily.
It is also recommended to keep the temperature of the house at the ambient temperature (23ยบ C), avoiding having the windows and doors open for extended periods.
4. Opt for a good diet
It is advised that during the cold season you consume foods such as fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins C and D. These help prevent a cold and keep our immune system strong.
Besides, it is advisable to opt for the intake of hot drinks, such as tea or coffee. Try to avoid cold drinks and foods. This will allow you to maintain body temperature at an appropriate level.
It is also important to stay hydrated in these seasons. To help you, it is recommended to drink plenty of water, broths, and soups.
5. Perform physical exercise
Physical exercise increases our defenses and allows us to avoid colds.
Despite the cold that may occur, it is necessary to perform the physical or aerobic activity. It allows you to increase the defenses in the body, so it will help you avoid a cold and be immune to any type of virus in the environment.
When you work out and get your blood pumping, immune cells can circulate through your body more quickly helping them seek and destroy infections. But this immune boost only lasts for a couple of hours, so exercising regularly is required to see long term benefits.
6. Have a good sleep schedule
To prevent a cold, proper rest of the body during the night is very crucial. Sleeping at least eight hours and avoiding late-night will allow mood and health to be in optimal condition.
Exposing yourself to sunlight during the day is so important to sleeping well and feeling good throughout winter. Light exposure first thing in the morning will inhibit melatonin production and stimulates cortisol(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538239/).
It is also advisable that you sleep well clothed at bedtime. That is, sleep with pajamas or slightly thick cloth. This should be accompanied by a quilt that keeps you warm at night.
Avoiding a cold is up to you
The arrival of the cold can be devastating for health if we do not take into account the previous recommendations. It is not only a matter of taking care of a cold but also taking care of your body in general.
For example, there are studies conducted by dermatologists that show the effects of cold on the skin. It is important, in any case, to always keep your defenses high. Also, stay away from closed places where there is a greater influx of people who can infect you with some type of virus. Unfortunately, many of the colds are usually easy to spread.
Remember that the main thing is the care of our health and, above all, opt-in for habits that help us strengthen our immune system.
My name is Ernest Terrel, and I have done my master's in Immunology at Baylor College of Medicine, Texas. I have been working as an allergist physician at North Texas Allergy & Asthma Center for 9 years.