Winterise your Health

Winterise for your health   With cold weather here to stay we all need a survival guide to staying healthy in the winter months. Here are some top  tips to get winterised for your health.   Get Enough Vitamin D Vitamin D from the sun’s rays helps to jumpstart our body’s natural defences. But during the colder, shorter days of winter getting vitamin D from the food we eat becomes even more important. Make up for the lack of sunlight with Vitamin D from low fat dairy products, whole grain cereals and oily fish like salmon or tuna. Also, brave the cold and get outside for a natural dose of the sunshine vitamin.   Snack Smart With wintertime being indoor time, we tend to snack more. So set a regular snack-time as part of your daily routine and stick to it. This will help you avoid mindless snacking, especially around the holidays. And always try to include fruit and vegetables as part of your snacks.   Boost Your Immunity Improve your chances of staying healthy all winter long with immune boosting foods. A balanced diet that includes foods high in antioxidant vitamins A, C and E is a great way to help build your defences. Try sweet potatoes and carrots for vitamin A. Get your vitamin E from nuts and fortified cereals and eat citrus fruits to provide a daily dose of Vitamin C. For all three antioxidant vitamins in one power food, go for spinach.   Move Indoors If you prefer to exercise indoors rather than brave the cold; consider a workout video featuring your favourite dance routine. Dance videos range from ballet to ballroom and from Latin to hip-hop. If dance isn’t your thing, try yoga, Pilates or a gym session.   Gear Up For Winter Safety Avoid injury during inclement weather. Make sure that your shoes or boots are waterproof and built for traction on ice and snow. Layer up with clothes that make it fun to go outside for a walk, even when the thermometer drops.   Keep Your Skin Healthy This Winter Avoiding dry chapped skin during the winter months can be a challenge. Meet the challenge head on. Follow these tips to winterise for healthier skin. Moisturise for the Season Choose oil based moisturisers over water based for maximum protection. Oil based moisturisers form a layer of protection for your skin.   Keep Up Your Sun Cream Routine Keep applying sun cream to the few areas that are exposed to the sun when you’re out in cold weather for extended periods of time. Your face and hands still need protection from UV rays during the winter. Some sun creams can also help protect your skin from exposure to wind, snow and cold.   Invest In A Humidifier Heating your home during the winter months can remove moisture from the air. This dry heat can wreak havoc on your skin. Use a humidifier to replace the moisture and lessen the likelihood of chapped skin from dry indoor heat.   Seal Your Lips Chapped lips are a common side effect of cold weather. Arm yourself with lip balm before chapping becomes uncomfortable. Lip balms that include wax or lanolin as the main ingredient soothe and provide a barrier to help moisture from escaping. Apply lip balm frequently and liberally all winter long and kiss chapped winter lips goodbye.   Hot Beverage Warm-ups A hot drink is the perfect antidote for a cold day. Here are some simple ways to winterise for your health at the coffee bar.   Go for the skinny option Espresso based drinks like lattes, cappuccinos and flat whites are concentrated shots of coffee with steamed milk added. Their milk content provides a calcium and vitamin D boost. So when you warm up with an espresso treat, cut calories by asking for skimmed milk and try and avoid adding sugar.   Try a Herbal Tea for A Change

There are a number of great herbal and fruit tea’s available in supermarkets and coffee shops including peppermint, camomile and lemon and ginger. These type of tea’s are caffeine free and low calorie so are a great way to keep hydrated

Stay Active this December

Stay active this December

 

With Christmas fast approaching and the celebrations beginning it’s easy to fall out of your normal fitness routine. So with that in mind here are some three simple tips to staying active this December:

 

Keep Active

 

Sounds simple, right?!

You may not be able to get to the gym or do your favourite exercise class as easily this month but that’s no excuse not to exercise. It could be a good time to get out of the house or office and go for a power walk or maybe even a little run? If you don’t fancy getting out on your own, at this time of year you will more than likely have friends or family over so here is a great opportunity to get out for a walk and socialise at the same time. In the lead up to Christmas get off the bus one or two stops before you normally do and walk it instead and try taking the stairs instead of the lift or escalators. If you’re working between Christmas and New Year take advantage of a quieter office and go for a walk at lunchtimes, this will clear your mind as well, making you work more effectively.

 

Plan

 

If you have a party to go to in the evening then aim to take some exercise during the day so you can, at least, get some calories burned off beforehand! Also, look to eat really well on the day of a party so that you have filled up on healthy food, taking in plenty of vegetables and protein. Factor in at least 2 consecutive days, during the holiday period, without alcohol so that your body has a chance to recover and to give your liver a rest! On the days that you don’t drink plan in some exercise as well. Again, this could just be a vigorous walk with friends or better still a little run. Whatever it is, plan it in and write in on your calendar as a healthy day

 

Get Ahead of the Game

 

The New Year always brings big plans and resolutions to get fit and healthy so why not get ahead of the game this year? Start to increase your exercise levels, now, in December, so that you can already be underway come January. Don’t wait until the second week in January to start your exercise regime, when you have eaten the last bits of cheese or chocolates. Get out there in December and especially in the week between Christmas and New Year.

 

Why not ask your nearest and dearest for personal training or gym related vouchers for Christmas? This way you can be sure that your exercise regime for the new year is going to be effective and long lasting.

 

Having personal training sessions will also give you the knowledge you need to exercise effectively on your own ensuring you can get the best of any sessions you do without your personal tra