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How to Ward off The Winter Bugs
5 Surefire Hacks to Stay Healthy!
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Everyone around you is getting colds. More and more people are taking days off sick. How do you stop yourself falling victim to the winter viruses?
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The solution is simple – with a few lifestyle changes in the winter, we can all beat the bugs which are going around.
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Below are 5 ways you can stay healthy during this season.
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How to Ward off The Winter Bugs: Sensible Hack #1
Keep on top of your sleep
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You may have heard before that sleep is the best healer. This has been proven in many tests.
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Researchers at the University of Chicago found that men who only slept 4 hours a night each week produced half the amount of flu-fighting antibodies in their blood. This is in contrast to those who slept over 7 ½ hours a night.
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We should all in fact be sleeping more in the winter than in the summer. Less sunlight during the winter months means that our bodies receive less vitamin D. Vitamin D is an essential nutrient for our immune system. Less vitamin D means that we need more sleep to build up those antibodies at night.
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How to Ward off The Winter Bugs: Sensible Hack #2
Cut out smoking
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Smoking seriously affects your immune system, causing inflammation in the lungs. Given you are already more at risk to viruses in the winter, smoking leaves your body fully open to attacks.
Cut down on your weekly amount of cigarettes, or use nicotine patches and hypnotherapy as alternatives. There is also the new boy in town, vaping, the side effects of which may not been obvious until it may be too late.
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How to Ward off The Winter Bugs: Sensible Hack #3
Vaccinate yourself with veggies and fruits
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Everyone knows that fruit and vegetables are loaded with vitamins. These are all essential to boosting our immune system.
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Most of us eat more fruit and veggies in the summer when salads and refreshing fruit seem more appealing while opting for more meat-heavy diets during the winter.
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Yes, we should regularly be eating big quantities of fruit and veggies and certainly more in the winter when we need those vitamins more.
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How to Ward off The Winter Bugs: Sensible Hack #4
Move more
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Regular exercise can also help improve your immune system. A lot of us stay inside during the winter months to combat the cold temperatures, but by doing so we’re not walking and moving as much and leaving our bodies more open to bugs.
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You don’t have to leave the house – a few home exercises in front of the TV could be just as beneficial.
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How to Ward off The Winter Bugs: Sensible Hack #5
Stay social
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Everyone likes being surrounded by friends. Now a new study has found that more friendships don’t just make you more mentally healthy but also more physically healthy too.
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Doctors at Carnegie Mellon gave 83 college freshmen an influenza vaccine. Results showed that those with larger social networks produced more flu-fighting antibodies than those who hung out in small groups.
Expand your social circle by joining more groups in the winter. Get social and be healthy!
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