How to change living habits to improve health?

During the cold season, you need to keep your body warm properly, adjust your living time, avoid cold drinks, maintain humidity in the house...

Master - Doctor Kieu Xuan Thy, Deputy Head of Facility 3 - University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, said that when the cold season comes, the risk of respiratory diseases such as flu, sore throat, bronchitis or bone and joint diseases increases due to low temperature and changes in air humidity. Therefore, in addition to a varied and balanced diet, maintaining healthy living habits and taking preventive measures is extremely important to protect health.

Below is a traditional medicine expert's advice on some appropriate lifestyle measures during the cold season, to help keep warm and maintain health.

Keep your body warm properly : Pay attention to keeping your neck, back and feet warm because these areas are susceptible to cold, which reduces yang energy. You need to wear enough warm clothes and avoid sudden cold, especially after exercise or bathing.

Pay attention to keeping your neck, back and feet warm because these areas are susceptible to cold, which reduces yang energy.

Adjusting living and resting time : Traditional medicine emphasizes "Thu tang" - that is, accumulating energy in the cold season. Going to bed early and waking up late helps the body recover and avoids wasting blood and energy in the early morning when the yang energy is still weak.

Practice gentle exercises : Qigong and Tai Chi are exercises that help increase blood circulation, reduce stress, improve the immune system, circulate blood and warm the body from the inside.

Avoid cold drinks and raw foods : In cold weather, the body is vulnerable to yang damage, so avoid cold, raw foods to protect the spleen and stomach, and maintain a healthy digestive system.

Avoid eating cold foods to protect the spleen and stomach.

Maintain indoor air humidity : Dry air can easily cause sore throats and coughs. Using a humidifier or placing a pot of clean water in the room will protect the respiratory tract, help keep the lungs warm and nourished.

Massage and hot compresses : Massage your feet, wrists, and ankles before going to bed to warm up the meridians and promote blood circulation. Apply hot compresses to the lower abdomen and back to protect kidney qi and keep the body warm.

Warm bath and steam bath : Warm bath and steam bath with ginger, lemongrass, cinnamon essential oils help blood circulation, stimulate the immune system and eliminate cold evil. Remember to bathe before steaming. Steam for the recommended time of 15 - 20 minutes. After steaming, you must drink water, avoid exposure to cold wind, dry your body, and be careful to avoid burns while steaming.

"The cold season is a sensitive time, vulnerable to attack by pathogens. Maintaining a healthy diet, supplementing foods rich in nutrients and having a warming effect, combined with appropriate lifestyle measures will help each person improve their resistance and prevent diseases effectively. Take care of yourself with the simplest habits to protect your health in the cold season," Dr. Xuan Thy recommends.

Notes on respiratory disease prevention

Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control (HCDC) recommends people to follow 7 principles to prevent respiratory diseases:

1. Keep a safe distance from people who have colds, flu or coughs.
2. Wash your hands with soap properly to remove bacteria and viruses on the skin. In addition, you also need to guide children to wash their hands properly to prevent disease.
3. When a family member has a respiratory illness, regularly clean your home, kitchen, and bathrooms with disinfectant.
4. Drink enough water every day to keep your body hydrated, ensure effective metabolism, increase resistance, and reduce the risk of disease, including respiratory diseases.
5. To reduce stress, you can exercise regularly, meditate, breathe deeply or try muscle relaxation techniques such as massage... Try to sleep 7-9 hours a day to keep your body healthy.
6. Sleep plays a very important role in the body's immune system.
7. You may want to consider supplementing zinc, vitamin C and probiotics during the cold season to prevent illness. These are essential micronutrients for the immune system to help the body fight off illness.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/mua-lanh-thay-doi-thoi-quen-sinh-hoat-the-nao-de-tang-cuong-suc-khoe-185241118140917614.htm