Winter Wellness Highlight: Navigating Cold and Flu Season
- Tam Phan
- Feb 2, 2023
- 3 min read
Disclaimer: This article is intended to be a general post about maintaining health and wellness and is not published by a medical professional. Please see your medical provider if you have symptoms of concern or require treatment.
At 7am, we want to support our community to be their healthiest and happiest selves. Holistic health is not just limited to non-toxic nail care and personal care products, but maintaining our immunity during the dreaded cold and flu season…
Feeling that runny nose or tickle in the back of your throat? We have a few tips to stay on top of our health and put ourselves in the best position possible this winter.
Sleep is not only beneficial for our health, but proper sleep hygiene is a foundational pillar of our wellbeing. Getting in the recommended 7-8 hours should not be considered a luxury, but rather, a NECESSITY.
Sleep has been proven to reduce your risk of chronic disease such as diabetes by regulating our hunger hormones and preventing overconsumption of calories and carbohydrates during the day. Adequate sleep also allows our brains to “clean house” so to speak, thereby boosting our immunity and improving cognitive function & mood. Think of sleep as the time were our bodies are able to cleanse, digest food, and repair damaged cells - sounds pretty important right??
Setting yourself up for a good night's sleep does not need to be a long, drawn-out process of massage oils, baths, elixirs, and a 12-step skincare routine. Let’s focus on the basics and work from there. As with anything “wellness-related”, aim for consistency over perfection.
First things first - get natural light in the morning - Sunlight is crucial for regulating our circadian rhythm and regulating our hormones which can get disrupted with late nights and lots of bluelight. In Chicago where the sunny days are pretty limited in the winter, even the light through the clouds can help to balance us and blue light glasses are wondering for filtering the brightness of our screens. Talk to your provider if you are curious about your Vitamin D levels and want to supplement.
Be consistent with your sleep schedule - Waking up and going to sleep at the same times every day helps support your circadian rhythm.
Reduce blue light - Bright light suppresses melatonin, a hormone that regulates your sleep-wake cycle. If you can’t get away from screens, especially with lots of us working remotely, try blue light glasses and turn down the brightness of those devices to reduce eye strain.
Now, let’s break down some additional tools we can have in our pockets to boost our immunity!
Avoid eating large meals, alcohol, and caffeine before bedtime and replace with another habit such as tea with ginger and lemon to aid digestion.
Set your thermostat in the 60s. Cool temperatures are best for sleep quality.
Implement grounding rituals like reading, journaling, or calling a friend.
Try progressive muscle relaxation (Epsom salt bath, massage, body scan).
Try hanging eucalyptus leaves in the shower and allowing the steam to open your sinuses.
Ashwagandha is definitely gaining popularity in media (you might see it included in everything from smoothies to coffee to granola), but this Ayervedic herb is more than a fad - it promotes muscle relaxation, recovery, and balance within the body.
Chamomile contains a variety of flavonoids which have calming and sedative activity in some but not in all studies may reduce anxiety.
Set aside time for yourself! This can be a 15 minute walk, five minute journal, or even a full Netflix binge…sometimes we just need to hit the reset button before we can give to others.
We hope these tips help ward off the cold and flu symptoms this winter and we look forward to seeing you at your next appointment!
Sources:
This post offered such a refreshing perspective on navigating the colder months. I was genuinely surprised by how thoughtful and comprehensive your approach to winter wellness was. What struck me most was the identification of the biggest gap in current thinking, which often focuses on just physical remedies rather than the holistic approach you've outlined. It's easy to overlook the mental and emotional components when the sniffles start, but you've highlighted their crucial role https://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/social-media-influencer-testimonials.pdf I've actually been documenting my own winter wellness journey for a few years now, and looking back at my progress has been incredibly motivating. Seeing the real growth in how I handle the season, from better sleep to more consistent movement, is proof that these…
Wow, I rarely feel compelled to write such a big thank you, but this piece truly earned it! Your take on winter wellness is so incredibly refreshing; it genuinely captures the ebb and flow of navigating these colder months. I’ve certainly been through my own ups and downs with staying healthy when it’s frigid outside, and you’ve articulated what so many of us feel so perfectly https://www.justice.qld.gov.au/about-us/services/liquor-gaming/contact-us/lg-complaints The team dynamics you touched upon concerning winter wellness are particularly worth discussing further. It’s easy to focus on individual habits, but I’ve found that having a supportive group, whether family or friends, makes a huge difference in sticking to healthy routines. For instance, my running group keeps me motivated to get out…
This is a fantastic post, and I really appreciate the effort you've put into exploring winter wellness! You've definitely gone the extra mile in providing such comprehensive advice. I particularly resonate with the idea of proactive health measures; it's something I've been trying to incorporate more into my own routine. For instance, I started a daily ginger and lemon infusion last winter, and I genuinely felt a difference in my energy levels and overall resilience https://payid.com.au/payid-for-business It's one of those simple habits that makes a significant impact. Your writing style truly makes this topic, which can sometimes feel a bit daunting, genuinely enjoyable to read and absorb. It's the kind of piece I can see myself referencing back to for…
This post has truly given me so much to think about regarding winter wellness, and I appreciate you taking the time to delve into it so thoroughly. It's refreshing to see such a comprehensive approach to a topic that often gets oversimplified. I particularly resonated with the idea of proactively managing our health rather than just reacting to illness https://asic.gov.au/ It reminds me of how I've started incorporating more vitamin D supplements and trying to get outside for short walks, even when it's chilly, just to boost my mood and energy levels. Your analysis really clicked for me on that front, highlighting the interconnectedness of physical and mental well-being during these colder months. This is definitely a resource I'll be…
This is such a fantastic overview, and I'm honestly emailing this to myself right now so I don't lose it! The real-world accuracy of your points about navigating cold and flu season is truly remarkable. You've definitely earned a loyal reader with this write-up; thank you so much for sharing your insights https://www.counsellingonline.org.au/ It's funny, because just a year ago, I had absolutely no clue about the importance of intentional winter wellness, and now it's become a significant part of my routine. I was a bit skeptical at first, I have to admit, but this content on staying healthy during the colder months has completely won me over. It’s refreshing to see such practical advice presented so clearly. This is…