Keeping well during the winter

What you can do to stay healthy

• Take regular excercise. It is well known that this  can help maintain a strong immune system.

• Remember if you become cold, you will dampen your immune system. Be sure to wrap up when your out, and if it's particuarly cold, wear a hat. Did you know that 20% of body heat is lost from the head?

• Eat sensibly, as over eating lowers your immune response.

• Stop smoking! Smoking damages the protective defense mechanisms of the respiratory tract.

• If you drink alcohol, keep it within a sensible limit.

• Eat plenty of fruit and vegatables, as they contain essential miconutrients which help maintain your immune system.

• Save your money when it comes to taking vitamins. There is actually very little evidence that taking high doses of vitamin C and zinc make a significant difference. A healthy and varied diet should be good enough.

• If you have just had a baby, breast feeding helps build your babies immune system.

• Relax, because stress can dampen your immune response. Try and keep stress minmal by making time for yourself.

• Get plenty of sleep, read our “Triangle of Health” article to see why getting enough sleep is so significant.

• Keep well hydrated. The first thing doctors do when a patient is admittied with an illness is to ensure their patients are well hydrated.

• If you have a chronic medical condition, check with your GP whether your eligible for the annual flu vaccine.

• The best cure is prevention, if you know someone is ill then try and stay well away from them until there better.

• If someone in your house has a cold, tell them to sneeze or cough into a tissue and discard it immediately.

• If someone has a cold in your house, make sure that the surfaces they touch are wiped down with a disinfectant.

Dr Shazan Chughtai MB BS