It is that time of the year when the days get shorter, and the temperatures drop. Yes, and there’s no better time for renewal and refreshing. This is the right time to give your health a boost by making a few lifestyle changes – changes that will ultimately result in something big.
In this article, we discuss some essential tips that can give your health a boost during the fall and flu seasons. Want to learn more? Read on and find out.
Healthy nutrition tips for the fall
Something unique happens during the fall: people eat more. Yes. There is always this tendency to increase one’s calorie intake, especially from carbs. This translates to increased portion sizes and more eating.
John de Castro, a psychology professor at the University of Texas, El Paso observes that people tend to increase their caloric consumption by more than 200 during the fall. Of course, the blame goes to the weight gain that we put on during the holidays, but other factors contribute to it.
More than likely, the cause is biological – an evolutionary cause if you will. Our ancestors usually added weight in preparation for the potential winter famine.
Whatever may be the reason, it is important to note that foods eaten during the fall can be healthier compared to foods eaten during other seasons. They are loaded with nutrients, like vitamin C, beta carotene, protein, and fiber.
Here are some nutritional tips that can keep you healthy during the fall season:
Soups: They are excellent if not made with cream or cheese. However, you must monitor your portion sizes so you don’t end up overeating.
Stews: A very wonderful meal, but it can be fattening. Use lots of vegetables, and moderate your consumption of potatoes and meat.
Food and TV: If you eat when watching the TV, you may end up eating more than you should. Avoid bringing the whole bowl or bag to the coffee table or couch. Measure your portions in the kitchen. Chips should be baked, and not fried.
Pumpkin: Want to have some pie? You can try out some pumpkin pie made with egg whites, artificial sweetener, and low-fat milk. What’s more? Limit your intake to just a piece.
Harvest: There are many ways of celebrating the fall harvest. It isn’t by making pies only. Apples contain few calories when they are off the tree. Baking it into a pie increases the calorie content.
Increase your protein intake to boost your heart health: A study published in the Journal of Nutrition showed that eating more plant and animal-based proteins lowers arterial stiffness and blood pressure. According to the study, the association between low protein consumption and blood pressure is similar to other lifestyle risk factors such as physical activity, salt intake, smoking, and alcohol consumption.
Away from nutrition, what are the best ways to exercise during the fall? There are better ways than pounding away on treadmills.
Here are some good exercise tips for the fall:
Walking: It is easy and fun. Simply take a stroll around your neighborhood or your favorite park. What’s more? There are tons of activities you can include while walking out in the fall season. Spice up your walk with pumpkin patches, corn mazes, apple picking, or leaf-peeping opportunities. You could even stroll down to Starbucks and grab a pumpkin spice latter to make your walk more fun.
Biking: Biking is more fun during the fall – thanks to the crisp, cool air, and the leaves turning orange, yellow, or red. Biking for an hour can help you burn many calories – and not much effort is required from you by the way. Just pedal away with a smile
Hiking: Very important! There are no two ways about this. Ensure that you take a hike during this fall. It is fun and very healthy. First, you get to enjoy the beauty of the fall, and then, you are also doing some great workout. You’ll boost your cardio and exercise some major muscles – including your hamstring quads, glutes, feet, and calf muscles.
Running: Running on a treadmill can be very boring, especially when compared to the beauty of nature that is outside. So, there’s no better time to run outdoors than during the fall. The weather is perfect for the activity. it isn’t too hot, neither is it too cold. You only need a light jacket. Want to make it more fun? Come along with your dog let’s see who makes it first to the finishing line.
Detoxing during the fall
A fall detox will boost your immune system. This is of great importance especially for kids returning to school. A typical fall detox focuses on the large intestine and the lungs, which are important for heart health, circulation, and proper digestion.
Here are some good detox tips for the fall:
- Eat mainly whole foods. Take out processed foods from your diet and eat healthy and clean.
- You may amp your detox with some detox broth and teas.
- Take hydration seriously. Increase your water intake. It helps to flush out your systems.
- Be careful with the kind of cosmetics and soaps that you use. The human skin is the largest organ in the human body. Give it the best you can. Do not use toxic soaps or cosmetics. Your skin absorbs toxins easily.
- Reduce or lower your stress levels through yoga, meditation, or other forms of exercise.
- Reduce or eliminate your alcohol intake.
Preparing for the flu season
The flu (influenza) affects thousands of people every year. At least 200,000 people are admitted to healthcare facilities each year due to the flu, and no less than 20,000 die. So, what can be done to prevent this sad recurrence? What are those steps you can take as the flu season approaches?
Fill your pantry with the necessary medications
It is important to stock your medicine cabinet even while you are healthy. Discard expired medicines and replenish your stock. Never leave out pain relief and fever medicines, antihistamines, decongestants, and cough medicines. You should also buy throat lozenges, cough drops, and nasal sprays (saline and decongestant). Consult your doctor if you have any underlying health condition.
Don’t leave out drinks and comfort foods
You must stock up your kitchen while you are healthy. There’s nothing fun about running to the grocery store when you are sick. So, consider it now and do the needful. Fluids are important during a cold or flu. Dehydration causes the lousiness that comes with the flu or cold. Water is your best bet, but you can also make do with hot herbal teas. Natural fruit juice will boost your vitamin C intake. Prepare some of your favorite foods and eat with fun.
Get a flu vaccine
Getting an annual flu vaccine helps to prevent the flu. Flu is very contagious. Some people can spread it even when they are not showing the symptoms. The flu vaccine offers protection against the most common strains of the flu. This changes yearly based on the predictions for the forthcoming flu season. Vaccines are usually administered by October, but you can get it even during the season itself.
Other helpful tips include:
- Clean up household surfaces
- Practice healthy living habits
- Keep your hands away from your face
- Wash your hands properly.