Keep Warm & Well

12 December 2019
Health and Wellbeing, Magazine Sections

Keep Warm & Well

Being cold is not just uncomfortable, it can be bad for your health, this is especially the case for older people, the young or those with long-standing health conditions. With the arrival of December, it is a good idea to think about the health challenges of the season, and it is not just the cold – think about winter illnesses, the flu jab, and increased alcohol and food consumption associated with Christmas.

Keeping warm and well is all about being active, depending upon your general physical health this can be a challenge. Where you can, try to do as many balance, flexibility, and strength exercises as possible. Remember to eat a healthy diet – this includes eating the recommended five-a-day pieces of fruit and vegetables, and in winter, eat at least one hot meal a day. When you can and do go out, try to go out in natural daylight and keep to a daily routine of when you wake and go to bed at night.

The winter sees the arrival of a lot of nasty bugs – colds, sore throats, and earaches are all common and can be treated with over-the-counter-medicines. Flu, however, is a serious condition which can lead to admission to hospital and in cases where patients are vulnerable, it can be fatal. Fortunately, there is a vaccination given free by the NHS for those at greatest risk – those aged 65 and older, young children, expectant mothers, and those with long-term health conditions.

A couple of glasses of wine a-night may appear harmless, but once added up over the course of time the units involved can soon mount up – a standard glass of wine is 2.3 units, so two glasses a night every night adds up to more than 32 units a week. At Christmas it is quite possible that your alcohol consumption will increase further all of which leads to a greater risk of cancers, strokes, disease of organs, and reduced fertility, therefore, even at Christmas it is important to drink in moderation, with NHS guidelines recommending consumption of no more than 14 units a-week.

Remember
Your Relatives

If your health and wellbeing is well set for winter, do not forget those around you whose health and wellbeing might not be so tip top. Take the time to visit elderly relatives or neighbours, especially those who live alone or have long-term illnesses, make sure that that they are warm and well.