Tuesday, December 09, 2014

 

Connecticut winters: Magical and messy


Winter in Connecticut can be a fun and magical time.  Images come to mind of sitting around the fireplace wrapped up in a cozy blanket, sipping a cup of hot chocolate, and watching the snow fall outside.  Don’t we wish we could do this every day?  
 
The reality is that winter is also the time when flu, colds, and other nasty viruses seem to be everywhere.  That isn’t quite so pretty an image. 
Here are some great tips to strengthen your body’s immune system during the winter season.
My friend and colleague Dr. Setu Vora, a Backus Hospital pulmonologist and  the founder of Health Transformers, Inc, suggests we focus on three things for optimal health:  Menu – Mind – Move. 
1) Eat healthy. Maintaining a good healthy diet full of fresh fruits, nuts and vegetables, at least 5 servings a day.
2) Minimize stress. Studies have linked high stress levels to making a person more susceptible to catching colds and flu. Minimize your stress by doing some type of quiet meditation at least 15 minutes every day.  Dr. Vora says meditation can improve our energy, stress levels, and even our creative thinking. coma2
3) Exercise regularly. It is important to exercise regularly, ideally about 30 minutes a day. Get out and take a short walk and enjoy the crisp, cold, invigorating weather.
Learn more at Dr. Vora’s website: www.myhealthtransformers.com.
Here are five more tips to keep your immune system in top shape in the winter months.
4) Get enough sleep every night. The average person needs 6-8 hours of sleep per night. If you’re not getting enough sleep, your body is very vulnerable to illness. Think of sleep like fuel that recharges your batteries! You’ve got to do it to keep the machine running.
5) Wash your hands regularly. Keep the bacteria and viruses off your hands and out of your mouth and eyes. Keep a bottle of hand sanitizer close-by for those instances when you can’t get to soap and water.
6) Don’t smoke. Most of you already know this, but it bears repeating because smoking significantly weakens your immune system.  Check out the Backus website www.backushospital.org  to find out when the next Freedom From Smoking © cessation class begins.
7) Eat lots of garlic. This is my personal favorite.  Your breath will make people with contagious illnesses like colds and flu keep their distance from you.
8) Harness the power of positive thinking.   There are proven health benefits to having a positive attitude. Whatever the situation, it’s possible to think positively. Some days it takes a little more effort, but you can put a positive spin on any situation – it just takes practice!
I am grateful for the opportunity to wish everyone a happy and healthy holiday season. Be well!
Alice Facente is a community health nurse for the Backus Health System. This advice should not replace the advice of your personal health care provider. To comment on this column or others, visit the Healthy Living blog at www.healthydocs.blogspot.com or e-mail Ms. Facente or any of the Healthy Living columnists at healthyliving@wwbh.org

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