The clocks are going back this weekend. Throwing us back into the dark. Causing an abundance of diseases. Take a look at our self-help guide to keep yourself nice and warm.
WHAT YOU DON’T WANT TO HEAR WITH ADVICE SEASON THROUGHOUT PRODUCTION, WINTER IS WORSE FOR YOU
Alcohol causes blood flow to the surface of the skin, where most of your heat sensors are located. This may make you feel hot for a moment. Alcohol causes your blood vessels to dilate, especially under the surface of the skin, so the blood cools quickly. As it shunts blood away from your internal organs, causing your body temperature to drop, you may actually feel colder. When the weather is cold, studies have shown that drinking alcohol
reduces the body’s ability to shiver (where rapid muscle contractions normally produce heat). Eliminate another valuable method your body uses to keep warm.
ARTICLE:
Winter weather can really cause joint pain. Arthritis and joint pain sufferers are badly affected by cold, dampness, humidity and drop in temperature. The relationship between pain and these conditions may be due to differences in the density of muscles, tendons, and bones, which contract at different rates. Cold weather also has a negative effect on mood, lowering our pain threshold because we lack the feel-good factor of bright sunny days.
In addition to wearing warm clothing, try using heat packs or hot baths and being active for 40 minutes each day to keep your joints moving. If the weather is not too bad, try a walk outside, if it’s not so nice, maybe a walk around the mall or a suitable indoor area.
ASTHMA
Asthma sufferers can feel really bad in cold weather as it can make asthma symptoms worse. Cold air itself can irritate the airways, causing them to constrict, causing coughing and wheezing, while colds and flu can inflame the airways. Hospital admissions peak during really cold weather. A puff or 2 on your blue (sedative) inhaler is recommended before going outside or exercising.
AVOID FALLING
Approximately 7,000 hospitalizations are attributed to people who slip on snow or ice each year. These falls can be really bad for the elderly, as a serious fracture can be fatal. The incidence of hip fractures is much higher during the winter months. It is recommended to wear sturdy shoes with good grip and walk in a way that maximizes the compression surface of the foot. Try to lower your entire foot, rather than heel-toeing, sliding, or dragging your feet. If you can’t afford good winter boots, you can buy a set of spikes that slide over the soles of your boots for around £5.
CHRISTMAS TREES
If you are prone to allergies, they can be caused by real fir trees or plastic trees. When you open your plastic tree, it can cause many problems. For example, asthma, eczema, stuffy nose or runny eyes to name a few. So as soon as you turn on your tree vacuum and or hose down. All types of trees can harbor a fungus that releases spores and pollen. Caring for your artificial tree. Wrap and store them well to protect them from mold, dust mites and worse.
DRY EYES
By drying the indoor air with central heating, our tears evaporate faster. Also, the cold air outside contains less moisture, which means we can end up with dry eyes. When our eyes become dry, they become irritated, causing the tear-producing cells to shut down to protect themselves from the irritation. When the environment we live and work in is dry, we have to blink more to compensate. This helps produce more tears, but the tears we do produce aren’t very effective at lubricating the eyes. This causes inflammation that can spread and cause red, itchy, painful eyelids that stick together and become crusty or oily: blepharitis (painful inflammation of the eye). Your doctor may prescribe ‘artificial tear’ eye drops to help with this problem, or they can be bought from most chemists.
flu JAB
If you are over 65, pregnant, overweight, or someone with a weakened immune system or health problems such as asthma. Children aged 2 to 6 years will be given as a nasal spray. You should ask your GP surgery if you qualify for a free vaccination. If not, pharmacies offer a drop-in service from £12.99. It can take up to 3 weeks for absorption protection to kick in. So aim to take it in October before flu season starts. A flu specialist says the shot can be especially helpful if you’re overweight, as they’re more likely to get the flu and have complications.
Party season is in full swing! Try using a hand other than the hand you would eat with to touch public areas such as doorknobs, elevator buttons, shopping trolleys, and greeting people, just to name a few. This will reduce the number of disease-causing bacteria and germs like campylobacter, E.coli, or norovirus that can get into your mouth and make you sick. Clean your hands regularly with antibacterial gel to kill any cold or flu viruses, especially this time of year.
HIV infection
People may experience hives during cold weather when the temperature drops dramatically. This is an itchy, bumpy, red rash (known as cold sores). Your chemist can confirm if this is the problem and supply you with an over-the-counter antihistamine.
immune system and sleep
Lack of sleep affects the body’s immune system. It is a fact that if you sleep less than 7 hours a day, you can be 3 times more likely to catch a cold than a person who sleeps 8 hours. Disrupted sleep interferes with the function of an immunity gene called TLR9. When the chemicals controlled by the gene are in abundance, we are better able to resist infection. Gene levels can drop due to poor sleep, jet lag, and nighttime light pollution. If you are fighting a cold, extra sleep is very important because energy resources are diverted from the muscles and brain to the immune system.
CLOSENESS
People who have sex once or twice a week, which in addition to being a sign of a happy and healthy relationship, provides relaxation and social support. Both have been shown to boost the immune system. These people have 30% higher levels of cold-fighting immunoglobulin than those who used it less, so don’t let your fear of germs stop you from being intimate. Having more sex than that doesn’t mean you’re gaining more. People who had sex very frequently, 3 times a week or more, had lower IgA levels than people who did not have sex at all. The assumption is that people in the high-frequency group may be obsessive or in bad relationships, which causes them great anxiety, leading to a decrease in IgA.
TEETH
Believe it or not, teeth can be especially sensitive during the winter months because the icy air stimulates the nerves that are exposed to the removal of damaged enamel or gums. Using a special toothpaste for sensitive teeth that works by filling the microscopic holes in the enamel. Each brand contains slightly different combinations of ingredients. As with anything your body gets used to it, it pays to switch brands once in a while.
A VIRUS
If someone near you coughs or sneezes, tilt your head for 10 seconds until the air clears. Try to sit away from this person. The cold virus can survive on a touched object for 48 hours. It only takes 1-30 drops to catch the virus. A single sneeze can send 100,000 virus-containing droplets into the air. Each droplet can travel up to 3.5 meters through the air. The flu virus lives longer when the air is cold and dry. Wash your pillowcase at least once a week or every day if you share a bed with someone who doesn’t allow it to prevent the spread of germs. A 60c hot wash will get rid of nasty viruses. Another thing that cold, dry air does is exacerbate skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis because the skin is deprived of surface moisture from the air. If you use a dehumidifier on your desk or bedroom during the winter months, it’s important to clean it regularly to prevent mold, mildew and bacteria from building up in the device. (Following the manufacturer’s instructions). You don’t have to spend a fortune to dehumidify your home. This can be done by leaving your bath water on after you leave and allowing it to cool naturally, causing the moisture in the air to evaporate, before pulling the plug. If you use a shower, simply open the shower door after showering. You can also place a plate of water near the radiator, it is just as effective.
Vitamin D & SAD
Vitamin D is produced by our bodies in response to sunlight. Lack of sunlight makes you more tired and sluggish. Especially when it’s dark when we go out to work and again when we get home. We also get vitamin D from certain foods, such as eggs, meat, and oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, and sardines. Using a daylight lamp for 30 minutes every morning can help people who don’t sleep well in the winter. This is a symptom of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Daylight helps stimulate the production of the hormone melatonin, which helps regulate our moods and sleep patterns. If you really suffer from SAD very badly. You can purchase a Light Therapy Lamp.
IF EVERYTHING CHANGES AND YOU’RE SICK
Rinse your nose to fight a cold. You may be able to protect yourself from the cold by using a saline nasal spray to moisturize the lining of your nose.
A 2012 study found that nasal irrigation is known to significantly reduce coughs and colds in children. The extra moisture is thought to help the cilia (the hair structures lining the nose) do a better job of keeping bacteria and viruses at bay, counteracting the drying effects of cold air and central heating. Vicks Vapo-Spray or other products are available through your doctor or chemist.
Echinacea can strengthen the immune system by stimulating the activity of white blood cells. There are different varieties of Echinacea. Drops, capsules, tablets, lozenges, which can have a useful antiviral effect.
Many over-the-counter cough medicines are little more than a sticky sugar syrup that soothes a cough by coating the throat. This still gives you relief.
FINALLY!
If you are taking any medication, check with your doctor or pharmacist before trying an over-the-counter cough remedy or anything else. They know what medicine you are taking and how what you are taking is or may affect you individually.
INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR