Wash Your Hands Often

Winter is peak season for contagious illnesses; so, everyone’s first priority in the winter should be to protect against cold and flu. The most effective way to prevent the spread of germs is to wash your hands frequently. When washing your hands, remember to get a good lather going on your hands, and scrub for at least 20 seconds with warm water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer whenever you touch potentially germ-covered surfaces such as public door handles.

Eat Healthy, Stay Healthy

As part of your efforts to stay healthy and avoid the flu this winter, it’s important to eat healthy foods that support your immune system. Some foods to help give your immune system a boost include fruits, vegetables, garlic, citrus, spices, probiotics, prebiotics, and herbs. Yogurt is an excellent source of probiotics, and apples, bananas, and onions are good sources of prebiotics.

Get Moving

The winter months can be a challenging time to stick to your exercise routine. Not only can preparing for the holidays leave you feeling stressed out, but the drab seasonal weather can also sap you of energy and motivation. While it’s important to stay active during the winter, it’s also necessary to follow local health guidelines and cold weather safety instructions to stay safe. Consider working out at home with online classes or at-home exercise equipment, such as a treadmill or home pull-up bar. Try to add extra movement into your routine throughout the day, and when the weather permits, take the opportunity to get some fresh air with a brisk walk or hike.

Get some sun

While the availability of sunlight is limited during the winter months, it’s important to spend some time outdoors even when it’s cold. Exposure to sunlight has been shown to help improve your mental health by boosting the release of a hormone called serotonin. Sunlight is especially important to help treat those suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a form of depression. Exposure to sunlight also helps regulate your circadian rhythm, which controls your body clock and affects sleep habits. If you can’t get a decent amount of natural Vitamin D, consider using a light therapy lamp, which emits UV rays to mimic the effects of sunlight all in the comfort of your home anytime you need it!

Maintain Good Skin Health

Cold weather can take a toll on your skin, leaving you with dryness, flaking, cracking, and rashes. To keep your skin healthy through the winter, be sure to drink plenty of water, and hydrate your skin with moisturizer. Thicker creams offer more protection than lotion and should be applied before as well as after heading out into the cold. Also, remember to use sunscreen whenever you’re out during the day. Though many people attribute the damaging power of the Sun’s rays to its heat, the real danger comes in excessive UV radiation on your skin. Exposure to the Sun’s UV rays hurts your skin year-round, so be sure to choose a sunscreen that has an SPF factor of 30 or above to ensure adequate protection.