Face winter chills with right choices

With Pune recording its coldest day this season on Monday at 10.1 degree Celsius and the temperature expected to remain the same for a few days more, citizens need to take precautions against the cold. Experts tell DNA on what should be done to stay healthy and fit this season

Senior citizens having joint pains should take extra care
When you are at home, eat warm and small quantity of food with at least one teaspoon of ghee. As you feel hungry during winter, the tendency is to gorge on food. So if you want to eat, have it in small quantity. Drinking warm water, mixed with honey, ginger or lemon, can give your body a detoxifying effect.

Everybody should apply warm oil on the whole body, gently massaging your body parts. Oils sesame or coconut can be used. A regular massage will stimulate blood circulation and help keep the body warm. The massage also has a detoxifying effect. 
Apply anu tail (oil) to the nostrils from inside in the morning and evening. One can also apply ghee. This will act as an antibacterial and avoid the nostrils from becoming dry. It is good for the nose, respiratory system and eyes.

While going out, wear warm cloths and avoid exposure to extreme cold. Especially during the night, it is important to keep the body warm. Senior citizens having joint pains and other ailments must take extra care. They can use mahanarayan tail (oil) for massaging the joints.

It is better to avoid heavy food during winter. Food such as curds can be had moderately in the daytime but one should avoid it at night.

Dr Pandurang Kulkarni, consultant and Ayurveda professor

Those suffering from respiratory illnesses should stay indoors
What is more harmful to the body during winter is not the cold temperature, but the sudden fluctuation in the temperature, which increases infections of ear, nose and throat. These sudden changes are conditions which help the viruses to multiply. During winter, the cold air constricts the blood vessels in the respiratory passage and the  amount of blood reaching these areas lessens.

This leads to drop in our immunity level. It is important to keep your body warm, by wearing warm clothes or using room heaters. Since it is cold, people don’t tend to drink enough water as they feel less thirsty due to less loss of moisture from the body. But during winter, the body needs as much fluids as in any other season because cold air dehydrates your body.  If you are not feeling thirsty, force yourself to drink water.

The pollution levels are also high during this period, so those who are suffering from respiratory illnesses should either preferably stay indoors or use masks while venturing out. Avoid too much exposure and have flu vaccines. 

Whenever there is a sudden change in the weather or extreme fluctuations in temperature, children especially below five years are more prone to cold and cough. Keeping them warm is important. Nowadays thermal underwears (vests/ leggings) are available for children, which are a good option.

Dr Sumit Bhatti, ENT Surgeon

Omega 3 food keeps immunity at the strongest level
We feel hungrier during winter and generally people tend to go overboard eating more than required. As it is cold, one must drink more warm beverages such as soups and food such as fried vegetables and cooked salads. Indian fast food like chat and panipuri is preferable if cooked in a healthy way.

Various warm up exercises are good to keep your body warm and toned. Adding more ginger, pepper and garlic seasoning in your diet acts as natural decongestants for your respiratory
system.

Lots of Vitamin C by adding lemon, amla, sprouts and green salads to your food can help in boosting your immunity. As you sweat less, the body loses less moisture and water intake becomes less. But the body’s water requirement is
the same; therefore, you must drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water to flush out the toxins. Avoid having food at cold
temperature.  

Eating curds and butter is fine provided they are consumed at room temperature and not from the refrigerator directly. Having more Omega 3 food such as soybeans and flax seeds will help in keeping your immunity level at its strongest.

Geeta Desai, nutritionist

Wear a helmet or headgear to protect your skin from dryness
Avoid soft drinks and sour food items during winter. Wearing a helmet or any headgear while riding a two-wheeler is a must because it can protect your head from the cold cold air. Your facial skin is protected from dryness and also keeps you away from Allergic Rhinitis. A helmet prevents dust and dry cold air from entering your respiratory passage.

Cold air creates a vascular constriction in the respiratory passage, due to which less blood is supplied to the throat and nasal passage, attracting infection.

The winter season is the time to eat and your digestive system is at its best. Having warm soups along with some butter keeps your body warm and has a lubricating effect. During winter, we are prone to allergic illnesses, which may sometimes turn into infections, due to low immunity.

Older people can keep themselves warm by using as much covering as possible and preferably having a regular oil massage.  The cold can aggravate pains from old fractures, injuries and dryness of skin leading to itchy feeling. Using Vaseline can prevent the skin from drying or losing its moisture.
Infants must be protected from cold and made to play more so that their bodies remain warm. Exposure to morning sun is good for children during this season.

Dr Sarang Narahar Phadke, BAMS

Non-vegetarian food, cooked in a healthy way, can be good
It is not necessary to take special precautions during winter. What you do the whole year is enough. It is important to balance the outside temperature with your body temperature. As your body needs more energy to combat the temperature outside, you naturally feel hungry during this season. People tend to fall for oily food such as bhajiyas. There are healthy options to make bhajiyas such as using green leafy vegetables.

These are days when you require more oil, to keep your body, especially, your skin and hair healthy and oily. It is alright to use external cosmetic creams to a certain extent, but improving beauty from inside is much better. For your body to be beautiful inside, a balanced intake of water, right food, exercise and sleep is important. If you know how to balance these things as per your body requirement, you have the secret of good health.

Eating non-vegetarian food during winter is good, but it should be cooked in a healthy way. White meat or red meat already has fat content. The meat can be boiled in water to separate the fat, which can be discarded. Then, the meat can be baked or roasted, because dry preparation is healthier than having it in rich curry form.   

Any season you take, knowing how to do the balancing act is important to stay fit.

Aditi Kulkarni,  wellness, fitness and diet consultant  

Have small sips of water even when you don’t feel thirsty
The most common thing that people do in winter is drink less water, as they don’t feel thirsty. They forget that the body needs the same amount of water in any season. Water is necessary to keep your skin moist. The best practice is to carry a water bottle all the time and take regular small sips, even if you are not thirsty.

It is also necessary to change your skin care products. People use the same product throughout the year. In winter, the skin changes and tends to lose moisture due too dry and cold air. It is important to use a slightly richer moisturiser and cleansing cream to protect your skin from chapping and getting dry.

Generally during this season, people tend to sleep more and feel drowsy. This is a natural tendency and there is nothing wrong in it. A good sleep as per your body requirement is needed to keep your skin healthy. While venturing out, wear a sunscreen, because though the temperature is low, direct sun exposure can still be harsh. The best choice is to use a moisturiser with anti-pollution complex.          

Lippi Lal, founder director, Lilac Academy