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. 
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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