Great Tips to Keeping Healthy This Winter

When that northern gust threatens to sweep us off our feet, and when half our colleagues are on sick leave to the flu, we know it can only mean one thing: winter is approaching.

Winter comes with all sorts of unpleasant surprises, which tend to have a negative impact on your physical, as well as psychological wellbeing. In order to keep you healthy and happy this winter, we have combed the world for some of the best tips and brought them together. Everyone has a different approach on how to stay healthy, but just in case your local witch-doctor's remedy is faulty, let's look at this year's words of wisdom:

Your Nutritionist says: Consume carbs, carbs, carbs! Forget Atkins, forget low-carb diets, your body needs carbohydrates in order to keep itself warm throughout the winter. Don't overdo it, of course - keep in mind that everything is best consumed in moderation. What is essential to a healthy diet is to eat quality foods (whole foods, starch, protein, veggies) in the right quantities.

Your GP says: Build up your defences in as many ways as you can. One of the ways you can do this is by getting the flu jab. Modern medicine is a wonderful way of tacking long-existing illnesses. Other ways to boost your immune system are to take vitamin tablets and to get plenty of rest. A few extra hours of sleep a night will also increase your chances of staying healthy, doing miracles for your mind as well as your body. Also get some extra nutrients in addition to your daily meals, such as Zinc, Iron, and Vitamin C, will help strengthen your defences against the inevitable flues and sniffles that come knocking at your door at this time of year.

Your Osteopath says: Don't just treat the symptoms of a disease - treat the root cause of it. Various forms of muscularskeletal manipulation tackle illnesses straight at the source. Ancient Asian practice such as acupuncture and acupuncture are excellent examples of such practices, as they help channel the energy that is stored in the body and create a sense of internal balance. A deep-tissue skin massage is also a great way to keep your body in good shape. It will loosen your stiff muscles and joints and stimulate blood flow in a healthy manner. Go on; treat your external problems from within.

Your Psychologist says: Many of my clients suffer from seasonal depression. This is primarily caused by a lack of sunlight during the winter months - you won't believe the positive impact light has on your mood, as well as your body. Go on a vacation this winter, to a place where you can get plenty of sunlight, exercise, and peace. The French Alps or Spain are excellent destinations.

These expert perspectives should be enough to keep you healthy in every possible way this winter season: physically, mentally, and emotionally. So beat down the problem before it gets you down - eat that well-balanced meal, take some vitamin pills, get a deep-tissue massage and plan that holiday for mid-January. We all have our own ways of ploughing through another long winter, but hopefully, armed with these bits of advice, you are well on your way to emerging from that bitter cold unscathed, whole, and happy.

Andrew Mitchell, co-ordinator of Osteopath Network, writes articles about, back pain, neck pain and soft tissue injuries. If you are looking for an Glasgow Osteopaths or for osteopaths elsewhere in the UK please visit the osteopath website.