WinterBlues

Living in Wisconsin we get to experience the best and worst of all the seasons, whether it be the scorching hot, possibly drought filled, summers or be it the incredibly cold, snow and ice covered, winters. Keeping our spirits up throughout it all can help our ability to stay healthy. There are many lists of staying healthy during the winter and some include lifestyle changes but here are five little changes that may not seem so daunting to help you beat our Wisconsin winters.

 

1. Drink healthy fluids.
Most people associate being hydrated with the summer months in our great state. But we need to remain hydrated through the winter months as well. Water, herbal teas, coffee, milk (we are the Dairy State), and juice. Just be careful with amounts of sugar and caffeine that could be in them as well, as they can cause adverse effects.

2. Spice up your diet.
Try some new recipes with some garlic, onion, ginger, or cumin in them or add those spices to your old favorites. This can help in two different ways, it can liven up your menu from regular warm comfort foods, but it also has nutritional effects ranging from helping with digestion to lowering risks for cancer.

3. Don’t just stay home!
Yes, sometimes weather absolutely forbids leaving the confines of your home but on the days when it is safe to travel set a lunch date with friends or take in a movie at the theatre. Cabin fever can lead to seasonal depression.

4. Develop a winter exercise plan.
Going for a daily walk/jog can be hard in the winter. But there are other things that can take its place such as yoga, taking a few extra trips up and down the stairs, or using an exercise DVD. Something else that is on the rise is joining virtual exercise classes via the internet, this way you can still get the motivation of others but not have to leave your house on dreadful winter days.

5. Write a “Pick Me Up” List.
Make a list of winter activities that you enjoy. Then on days that you are feeling down you can chose something from that list that will “pick you up.” Activities can be something like taking winter landscape pictures, ice skating, reading a few chapters in your new book, or cooking a new recipe.

Sources Warming Winter Spices, Dr. Leo Galland, MD & Jonathon Galland; 7 Tips for winter health, Dr. Joey Shulman; 20 Ways to Beat Winter,theartofsimple.net