Tips to help you look after yourself during the festive period
It’s important to look after ourselves over the winter and be active as the miserable weather sets in and our bodies begin to restrict the amount of blood that’s pumped around – particularly in our hands and feet. Exercise keeps our joints supple, keeps the blood flow strong and vibrant and reduces any aches and pains.
Other tips to help your body through the winter months
- Eat the rainbow: The brighter and more varied the colours of fruit and veg – yellows, greens, purples and reds – the more loaded they are with antioxidants, great for your immune system, skin, eyes and organ function.
- Foot massage: Rolling your foot across the top of a tennis or golf ball can boost blood circulation and relieve tight or painful muscles in your feet.
- Keep your friends close: Friends provide emotional support, helping you deal with stress, boosting the body’s production of feel-good chemicals dopamine and oxytocin, which in turn has been found to promote brain growth and combat ageing.
- Sleep more: Going to bed just one hour earlier can lead to a significant drop in blood pressure, lowering the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
- Improve your balance: To keep your limbs flexible and strong, try balancing on each foot for as long as possible every morning. This will help to strengthen your leg muscles and improve their ability to sense movement, boosting your stability and reducing your risk of falls as you get older.
- Reduce inflammation: Inflammation plays a major role in the joint cartilage deterioration that leads to arthritis. Eating a diet rich in anti-inflammatory nutrients can help prevent this. Foods rich in inflammation-fighting free radicals include green tea, berries, fatty fish, extra-virgin olive oil, red grapes and apples, garlic, onions, orange or yellow fruits & vegetables and the spices turmeric and ginger.
