Every autumn, people start thinking about the upcoming winter and how it will affect their health. It is all too common for us to get a little lazy during the colder months, and we tend to eat more fatty and sugary foods than we should.
At the same time, we are often less active outdoors due to rain and falling leaves, which means that our exercise levels also drop off at this time of year. All of these factors combined mean that autumn usually packs a bigger punch when it comes to illness, so now is a great time to be proactive about staying healthy in autumn!
Here are some guidelines on how to stay healthy in autumn:
Avoid Alcohol Intake and Smoking
For decades, studies have shown that there is no question smoking is bad for your health. Many reports state that smoking causes several deaths around the world. It is well known that it can increase your risk of cancer and heart disease, but did you know using a vape and smoking makes you more vulnerable to respiratory illnesses? In autumn, flu bug season begins, so do not smoke. Avoid smoking if you want to avoid falling ill. Another tip on how to stay healthy in autumn is by reducing alcohol intake. Your immune system is already weakened during autumn, so you should avoid alcohol as much as possible. Alcohol will only weaken your body more and maybe even cause a cold or some other virus to get worse.
Stay Active
Another important guideline on how to stay healthy in autumn is being active. Activity does not just mean doing lots of sports or other physical activities; anything that gets your heart pumping counts, including walking to the store with your dog instead of driving in case you live in a pet friendly apartment, taking the stairs, gardening, attending physical therapy sessions, etc. By staying active, you keep yourself healthy and help avoid weight gain, which many tend to do during the colder months.
Autumn is a beautiful time of year, and it is important to stay active during this time! It is also important not to get too stressed or busy at work, as this can lead to serious problems too. We can all make a few changes in our lives which will help us maintain good health throughout the year.
Autumn weather means that many of us spend less time outdoors than we do during spring and summer, which is a shame because there are loads of great benefits associated with exercise: not least improved cardiovascular fitness! If you have been on holiday or spending lots of time relaxing indoors this summer, now is the time to ease yourself back into exercising again. Try walking or cycling to work instead of taking the car or cutting your lawn with a manual mower instead of riding on it.
One crucial point when seeking how to stay healthy in autumn is practicing less sitting to increase your fitness levels. As the weather gets colder outside, many people take to their rooms for entertainment instead of heading out into the garden or park. This can be detrimental to our fitness levels as we become less active during the autumn months. We must try and stay active at least 30 minutes a day: hopefully, this might include going on a walk or bike ride with friends if possible! Staying inside all day not only makes us more passive but also increases our risk of becoming obese.
Practice Healthy Eating
Healthy eating is important when looking for how to stay healthy in autumn. Whether you love being at a pizza parlor, a Japanese restaurant, or at a Mexican food distribution store, look at what you eat keenly. A balanced diet is key to maintaining good health during autumn. Taking foods that are rich in Vitamin C is crucial. Did you know that Vitamin C is an antioxidant? That means it helps fight cellular damage caused by toxins in our body called free radicals. Studies show that eating fruit and vegetables high in Vitamin C may help prevent the onset of everything from cancer to heart disease! It can also boost your immune system, so if you are looking for how to stay healthy in autumn, make sure you eat plenty of vitamin C rich foods like oranges, strawberries, and tomatoes.
Consider eating more pumpkin seeds. Pumpkin seeds are a great vegan source of vitamin E: a powerful antioxidant that can help to prevent cell damage that results from free radicals. As we age, we produce fewer antioxidants as our bodies cannot keep up with the amount we need to be healthy, which means that eating vitamin E-rich foods like pumpkin seeds is a great way to boost your antioxidant levels in autumn.
Lower your risk of catching colds and flu with garlic. Garlic has long been a natural antibiotic thanks to compounds called allicin that it contains. Allicin is a powerful antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal agent, which means that garlic can help to boost our immune system in autumn.
When looking at how to stay healthy in autumn, you should think about increasing your fruit and vegetable intake. One of the best things about summer fruits like strawberries is that they are basically at their peak during autumn too! Along with oranges, tomatoes, and pumpkins, there are plenty of tasty varieties available during this season, so why not try cutting some grapes or blueberries for breakfast?
Another guideline on how to stay healthy in autumn is by eating foods higher in healthy fats. Healthy fats like omega three and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) help keep our hearts healthy, which is why we should be making an effort to eat more of them during autumn. Nuts and seeds such as almonds, peanuts, and pistachios are some of the best sources of MUFAs, so make sure you add them to your diet.
As you practice healthy eating, always read the labels before buying food. If you have food allergies or dietary restrictions, then this will not just ensure that your new groceries are gluten-free, nut-free, and dairy-free, but also that there is nothing else added to them that you would rather avoid.
Get Enough Sleep
Getting an adequate amount of sleep every night is important when looking for how to stay healthy in autumn. It helps our immune system to grow stronger, reduces stress levels, and reduces the risk of becoming obese or developing diabetes in later life. We need at least six to eight hours, but even getting 12 hours can be more harmful than it sounds! If you do ever need an afternoon nap, try not to sleep for longer than 30 minutes or else risk feeling groggy and tired later on.
If you are struggling to get enough sleep every night, now is the time to make changes. Try not to eat or exercise within two hours of going to bed, and make sure your bedroom is completely dark when you go to sleep by keeping your mobile phone out of reach! Experts recommend that adults should be getting between seven to nine hours of sleep per night, so if you are feeling tired throughout the day, then perhaps it is time for an early night!
It is tempting to stay up late watching television, but if you want to feel refreshed and energetic in autumn, make sure you get your eight hours’ kip a night. Studies show that adults who do not get enough sleep are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure and heart disease! In case you are wondering how to stay healthy in autumn, going to bed earlier is one crucial way to do so.
Make sure you get enough sleep every night: aim for at least eight hours of sleep a night, and try to go to bed earlier if you are struggling to feel refreshed and energetic in the morning! Sleep well! If you have trouble sleeping, try adding melatonin to your daily routine for a good night’s sleep. Melatonin is a natural solution for those who have trouble sleeping because it causes drowsiness, so take this before bedtime and see how it helps.
You need more sleep during autumn because there is less sunlight during this time of year, which means your body produces less serotonin (the chemical that makes you feel sleepy at night). So, when looking for how to stay healthy in autumn, make sure you get yourself into a routine where you go to bed earlier but still allow for seven to eight hours of sleep every night. Another tip will be to wear an eye mask if the light is seeping through your window while sleeping. This will make it easier for you to fall asleep.
Observe Hygiene
Many of us drink coffee, tea, or other hot beverages while we work throughout the day but did you know that the handle of your coffee cup or mug can be a major carrier for germs? Watch what you touch! Touching dirty doorknobs, handles, etc., is another way that bacteria enter our bodies, so make sure you wash your hands more often if you have done either of these things recently.
Our hands are an excellent way for germs and viruses to enter our bodies, so washing them regularly is a step in the right direction and approach on how to stay healthy in autumn. Try not to touch surfaces with your hands either, as this can transmit anything from colds, flu, and other sicknesses. Cold and flu germs spread through sneezing, coughing, touching infected surfaces/objects, and touching your mouth or nose without washing your hands first.
Another tip on how to stay healthy in autumn is by cleaning your home and workspace: practice mold remediation for areas with mold. Now that we spend more time indoors, it can quickly become a germ-haven if we do not clean regularly. This includes the areas in which we live and also our place of business. The cleaner you keep these places, the healthier you remain, so add this to your routine!
Wash your hands often with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds, especially after touching public transport handles and doorknobs. But it is not just about what you touch: make sure you do not share towels or cutlery too! To protect yourself from nasty microbes, you should wash your hands with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds, especially after touching public transport handles and doorknobs. Practice preventative dental care services and visit a dental clinic for assistance with upholding good dental hygiene.
Take a Lot of Fluids
Another tip on how to stay healthy in autumn is to drink plenty of fluids, especially water. This will help with your throat when it becomes dry due to the cold air outside and the warm air inside buildings. If you do not like drinking plain water, many options are out there that can flavor the water. Many flavors are available for water, including lemon, orange, raspberry, peach, grapefruit, and more.
Drinking plenty of water helps to keep the skin hydrated and glowing. Next time you think you might like a glass of water, check how much liquid you have already had to drink for the day: it might surprise you! On average, we need to drink about six glasses a day, but we all know that not everyone drinks that much every day. Drinking a glass of water before you eat can help reduce the amount of food you eat during a meal. It also aids with healthy digestion and helps us feel fuller for longer! This is because it is more filling, meaning that we are less likely to be tempted to buy snacks in between meals.
Do Not Forget the Multivitamins!
Multivitamin supplements are great to keep on hand throughout autumn because they help strengthen the immune system and provide other health benefits that may be lacking in some people’s diets.
Multivitamins are especially useful for vegans or vegetarians who tend not to eat certain food groups (fruits and vegetables) regularly; everyone else will also see significant benefits from taking daily vitamins.
Whether you call it Old Man Winter, the cold weather months, or just winter, autumn is a great time of year. There is more time spent indoors with family and friends, warm sweaters and heavier coats come out of storage, holiday parties have just ended or are about to start up again.
This all sounds nice, but it does nothing for our immune system. This leaves us in a fantastic position: we can and should take action now to stay healthy during these colder months when we will be spending more time in close quarters with lots of other people who bring germs along with them!
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