BLOG: Three Keys to Winter Wellness

What can we do to improve our Winter Wellness?

NOTE: This BLOG page contains affiliate links. Amazon makes me say that....and, all links on this page other than the clickable photos will take you to websites that I do not own.

First key and foremost for health regardless of the season is SLEEP. In PubMed, we find this 2004 Prog Cardiovascular Nursing The impact of daily sleep duration on health: a review of the literature noting that "Individuals who report both an increased (more than 8 hours/day) or reduced (less than 7 hours/day) sleep duration are at modestly increased risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, and developing symptomatic diabetes."

The 2nd key which should be a daily habit positively impacting your health regardless of season is EXERCISE. Most of us do not have a problem with too much physical activity but rather with too little. In this PubMed reference, we learn that exercise changes immune regulation by affecting leucocytes, red blood cells, and cytokines, etc. And, the 3rd key, also regardless of season (wait, wasnt this BLOG supposed to be about WINTER?), is to EAT mostly clean, minimally processed foods and make sure you are hydrated to support your health. I frequently hear that water is boring or doesn't taste good. This is because we have been conditioned to drinking soda by creative marketing schemes. We are made mostly of water. When we are in a water imbalance, there are a myriad of negative or undesirable "minor" effects including but not limited to headaches, difficulties in concentration, irritability, and sluggish feelings. The most serious undesirable effect of dehydration is death. Need more reasons to drink water? Check these PubMed references. Skip the sugary treats as we eat our way from one sweets-focused holiday beginning with Halloween through Thanksgiving pies and Christmas cookies. As little as the equivalent of one teaspoon of sugar can depress the immune function for up to 6 hours. It does not take long to find an article in PubMed on the toll sugar reaks on the immune function. Keep healthy snacks on hand and eat before the parties to avoid mindless munching on high-calorie low-nutritional value "foods". Don't keep the junk in your house and it is harder to consume. Instead keep prebiotic and probiotic rich foods/drinks handy so that you can feed your gut-microbiome-2nd brain, which is reportedly responsible for approximately 70% of immune function. Read PubMed entries on the microbiome and immune function.