5 Tips for Staying Healthy This Cold Season

Depending on where you live, you’re either just starting to see some chillier weather or already experiencing a preview of Winter! Either way, this Key Nutrition blog article brings you our Top 5 health tips for fighting off common illnesses during our colder months. 

1. Take an active role in your relaxation

Yep, you heard us! Stress can be a huge contributor to illness, causing as much as 95% of doctors visits according to some studies. The reason is that stress causes our bodies to use up all the good feeling vitamins and nutrients, so our immune systems plummet. 

With the Holidays and New Year facing us late in the year, we are often rushed and stressed. Our typical modalities for relaxation might not work as they should- that’s why we want you to take an active role in your relaxation. 

Some tools to improve relaxation include: 

• Infrared saunas
• Yin Yoga 
• Meditation 
• Dance classes 
• Essential Oils 
• Deep breathing 

2. Wash Your Hands, OFTEN

UNICEF has reported that almost all seasonal diseases could be prevented simply by regularly washing our hands, however people are not educated on how to properly wash. This may seem obvious to many of you, but 97% of Americans are washing their hands incorrectly. 

You should wash your hands for a minimum of 20 seconds with antibacterial soap and warm to hot water. Make sure you wash your entire hand surface, between your fingers, and underneath your fingernails. Then use a clean towel or an air dryer to dry. And carry a quality hand sanitizer as a backup when you're on the move. 

3. Eat Nutritious Seasonal Foods

During warm months, many of us enjoy seasonal fresh produce to in-take our daily supply of helpful antioxidants. Unfortunately, those vibrantly-colored fruits and vegetables aren’t as available during colder months. 

Here are some of our winter alternatives for healthy eating: 

Black Rice 

This rice variant actually rivals the antioxidants of blueberries and is a delicious addition to salads and as a side for proteins like chicken or fish! 

Black Beans

This easy, affordable food is packed with fiber, folate and iron! 

Purple Potatoes 

These colorful potatoes have 3x the antioxidants of yellow or white potatoes!

4. Move your exercise routine indoors

Research shows that regular, moderate-intensity workouts can boost your immune system and significantly cut down on common illness, like colds. In a study from the American Journal for Medicine, women who exercised for 30 minutes each day had half the occurrence of colds as women who didn’t work out at all. 

Another study showed that people age 65+ who exercised regularly had the same number of T Cells (a type of white blood cell) as a 30-year-old! That’s pretty good considering common colds pose a bigger threat the older you get. 

5. Gear Up Your Defense!

It’s football season which means lots of wings, tailgating and beer! But Key Nutrition wants you to gear up your body’s defense as well! Two ingredients will keep you healthy through the cold, germy months: 

• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Turmeric 

Both of these ingredients have been used for centuries as a one-stop health cure. The probiotics in Apple Cider Vinegar have an immune-boosting effect which helps combat colds and other illnesses. The acidity of the ingredient also works to kill pathogens in the body! 

Turmeric has multiple functions that help combat illness.The antiviral and antibacterial properties fight infection, and it’s anti-inflammatory helps relieve coughs and throat swelling! Plus, it increases mucus production which flushes out microbes and decongests you. 

You can eat and drink both of these ingredients, but one should take them regularly to get the full benefit of their defense. In order to ingest them on a daily basis with no hassle, try our Key Nutrition Apple Cider Vinegar Capsules and Key  Nutrition Turmeric Curcumin Complex Capsules, which will give your immune system the boost it needs all winter long!