Take Advantage of these Fall Health and Wellness Tips and Stay Healthy this Season!
Fall season is finally among us and the change of seasons often has a variety of effects upon the mind and body. Some people prefer the crisp air and lower temperatures that fall and winter bring while others feel better in the spring and summer. So, what can you do to support your good health during this time? We have gathered a selection of fall health and wellness tips to support your health during this season of brisk weather, changing colors and falling leaves. Here are a few of our end of summer health tips:
1. Vitamin D
Vitamin D is an important supplement to take and is one of our tips to stay healthy this fall. Because we will be spending more time indoors with the cooler weather, and because the hours of actual sunlight will decrease, we won’t be getting enough sunlight. Many individuals experience SAD, or seasonal affective disorder, which can result from lower amounts of Vitamin D in our system. SAD can cause seasonal depression and also upset your biological circadian rhythms. It can also affect serotonin levels in the brain that affect your mood. Vitamin D is an essential nutrient for maintaining healthy bodily functions.
2. Colds and Flu
Seasonal changes often bring about an increase in cold and flu outbreaks. Our fall health and wellness tips include eating nutritious meals, staying well hydrated, and getting enough sleep to support a healthy immune system, and to avert the risk of getting a cold or flu. Avoid contact with those who are sick, and practice good hygiene like washing your hands for 20+ seconds, and don’t touch your nose, mouth or eyes. Use a hand sanitizer and wipe down surfaces and doorknobs with a disinfectant to kill germs. If you do catch a cold or the flu, taking Vitamin C supplements, or having citrus fruit or juices is a good way to help combat cold and flu symptoms.
3. A Healthy Diet
Another one of our tips to stay healthy this fall is to eat a nutritious diet full of vitamins and minerals. Seasonal foods such as kale, beets, squash, cabbage, eggplant, broccoli, yams and leafy green vegetables are all excellent choices for healthy eating. Other great choices to round out your meals are lean meats and poultry, fish, whole grains, fresh fruit and dairy. Try to avoid sugar, trans fats, high fructose corn syrup, processed food, white processed flour, artificial flavors and colors, and preservatives. The closer your food is to its natural state the healthier it will be.
4. Drinks
The end of summer health tips should also include healthy drinks. If you are a coffee lover you should try to limit your intake to 2 cups per day. Alcohol, beer and wine should be used in moderation, and binge drinking or drinking alcohol constantly should be avoided at all costs. The recommended dosage for women is one drink, and for men it is two drinks per day. One of our tips to stay healthy this fall is to drink tea. Black tea has been shown to reduce the risk of cancer, diabetes and other diseases. Herbal teas come in a very large variety and are suitable to all types of conditions. Drinking tea, whether hot or iced, is a great way to stay healthy during the fall season. Water is nature’s greatest hydration system and should be your first choice for drinking. You can flavor your water with mint sprigs, fruits, or lemons and limes.
5. Exercise
Maintaining an active lifestyle is another one of the more obvious fall health and wellness tips, but something many people let slide when the colder weather approaches. Keep your body limber and in shape by staying active. You can go to the gym, take a walk, swim, play a sport, or coach a junior league to keep the body in shape. Other exercise options could include mowing the lawn or raking leaves in the yard, housecleaning, organizing closets, washing or waxing the car, performing house repairs, painting or wallpapering etc. Walking in the mall is a great way to keep the body moving while you do a little window-shopping. Try to get in some exercise every day to improve your health and stay fit.
Fall is a beautiful time of year for making pumpkin pies and apple cider, and preparing for Thanksgiving. By keeping our fall health and wellness tips, you can enjoy the beauty of the season and stay healthy too. Learn more about season-appropriate wellness tips at www.BetterHealthKare.com
Sources:
http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/tc/seasonal-affective-disorder-sad-topic-overview#1
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/recommended-alcohol-intake-per-week-5280.html