Stay Healthy this Winter l Easy-to-do Tips!

Winter is for late snuggly mornings, warm porridges and soups and of course sniffily noses! So, we’ve gathered up a few easy-to-do tips to stay healthy in winter so you can enjoy the cooler months and make the most of the season. Do these everyday and you are set to feel positive, energised, relaxed and healthy!

Consume Food With High Nutritional Value

One of the easiest ways to stay healthy in winter is to ensure you consume foods with high nutritional value. This includes foods that are vitamin rich, contain carbohydrates, protein and good fats and are low in sugars and fat. These will not only nourish you and help boost immunity but it’ll also make you feel positive and more energised! Basically look for,

• Powerful antioxidants - think turmeric, spices, berries, nuts, brightly coloured veggies and fruits. Cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, pepper, rosemary, sage, turmeric, cranberries and blueberries contain some of the most powerful antioxidants. Add spices for a delicious tea infusion!
• Protein - think eggs, lean meat, legumes such as lentils, kidney beans, chickpea etc, 
• Fibre - ground linseed, bran, oats (oat groat or steel cut oats are best),  grains such as whole wheat, veggies such as carrot, brussel sprouts, broccoli etc, 
• Vitamins - Vitamin C (orange, lemon, kiwi), Vitamin A (veggies such as carrots, sweet potato, dark greens) , Vitamin D (egg yolks, cheese, fatty fish such as tuna etc), Vitamin E (wheat germ oil, sunflower seeds, almonds etc), Vitamin B group (especially Vitamin 12) (eggs, fish, beef, diary etc), Omega 3 Fatty Acids (Fish, walnuts, chia seeds etc), Iron (meat, fish, tofu, nuts, seeds etc), Calcium (diary, seeds, lentils etc), and Magnesium (green veggies, legumes, seafood etc).
• Good Fat - avocado, nut butter, olive oil etc.

Drink Up to Flush Out Toxins

Another easy way to stay healthy is to hydrate, hydrate and HYDRATE! It’s so easy to not drink enough water in the cooler months but drinking more water = flushing out toxins and keeping the skin healthy and warding of winter bugs! Aim for at least two litres of water every day.

Any fluids will add towards your daily intake of water. Add citrus and mint for added flavour and health boost. Trust us, your skin and body will thank you for it and you’ll feel great too! To flush out toxins and for extra energy boost try dandelion tea, fresh cranberry juice, apple cider vinegar and lemon. 

Workout to Ward of Illness & Feel Positive

And lastly, be active! We all know how hard it is to get out of bed on a cold frosty morning and how the warmth of the doona keeps beckoning to us. But it’s the thought of getting out that keeps us in! We can almost guarantee that once you’re out of the bed and get straight into your workout clothes, you’ll feel more motivated and ready for workout! Want to know more about the mind body connection and how exercise helps? Read here..

Or, if you’re more of a working out in your jammies kinda person, who is there to say you can’t exercise in your jammies…it’s definitely done! And that’s the beauty of working out - as soon as you start moving your body, the muscles start producing heat and the body starts getting warmer. How about some natural body heat for these chilly days! And be warned you will feel a sense of achievement too!

Whatever you do make sure you stay healthy this winter to make the most out of the beautiful season!