Staying Healthy as the Seasons Change
Posted by espuxi on November 20, 2008
By Cecilia Yu and Kirsten Smallcombe, Elementary School, Puxi
If you or your kids aren’t suffering from the sniffles at the moment, you more than likely know someone who is. As the seasons change, so too can your health.
It is a common belief among the medical profession that changes in wind, temperature and moisture are significant factors in getting sick. In the past week here in Shanghai, everyone seems to be talking about how cold it is getting. As the season changes from autumn to winter, we are more prone to develop various symptoms of colds or flu, such as fatigue, nasal drips/congestion, sneezing, coughing, sore throats, earaches, headache, sinusitis etc.
“As the weather has become colder and dryer, I am also seeing more incidences of skin, nasal allergies and nose bleeding”, says Cecilia Yu, ES Puxi Nurse, “so consider smearing a thin layer of vaseline to ease skin irritation to the nasal lyings, and massaging the upper bridge of your nose can ease watery eyes due to blockages in the nasolacrimal ducts. And if you or your kids are already predisposed to skin allergies or lung problems, now is the time these problems may flare up.”
Have you considered how often these days you are moving between a ‘natural’ and ‘artificial’ temperature? Most of us and our children are frequently moving between a ‘natural’ environment, such as walking outside to catch the school bus, and an ‘artificial’ environment, such as heated school buildings, offices, home and the car/bus. These exposures to vastly different temperatures can weaken our resistance to getting colds and flu. Celilia Yu, ES Puxi Nurse agrees and warns that, “children prone to asthma or who have developed a persistant cough should be more careful when moving from indoors to outdoors” and recommends, “breathing through a handkerchief when going outside to a cold area may lessen the shock of extreme cold to your throat and lungs.”
Now is the time, if you haven’t already, to take extra precautions as we advance towards the winter months at what seems to be a galloping pace. There are a few easy things we can remember to do to maximise the resiliance and immunity of our family members. These tips are largely common sense that we have read or heard before, but do take a moment now to refresh your memory:
- Get Enough Good Quality Sleep. Studies have shown that rest and sleep are vital to a properly functioning immune system.
- Stay Warm. Keep your wrists, ankles, and especially the back of your neck from exposure to the cold. When you’re outside, ‘bundle up’ to make sure your extremities (hands and feet) don’t get too cold.
- Don’t Stress. Be aware of and try to keep to a minimum any emotional, study or work-related stress or worry in your life.
- Check your Diet. Be aware of what and when you are eating and drinking. We have all heard well-intentioned advice from the medical profession about avoiding fast and processed foods, overly fatty or sweet foods – well it is true, a heathly diet is vital to the general maintenance and good functioning of our bodies and minds.
- Drink Plenty of Fluids. Have you noticed the increased dryness of your skin and lips lately? With cold and wind, there is more dryness in the air, which affects your skin and lungs. Even though you may not feel thirsty, it’s important to drink enough fluids to make sure your skin and lungs don’t dry out. Cecilia Yu, ES Puxi Nurse adds, “more children are coming to my clinic complaining of tummy pain during this period. I think the cause is most likely due to constipation because of a lack of fluids. Kids are still active and running around outside but can forget to drink because they don’t get overly hot and sweaty. I suggest parents remind their kids of the importance of drinking plenty of fluids. Giving a variety of drinks such as water, juice, soup and milk helps to increase fluid intake. Parents should ensure their kids eat a high fibre diet too.”
- Eat Less Spicy Food. As we have already mentioned, the lungs are especially sensitive during the autumn/winter months, so another tip we came across in our research says to minimize the amount of spicy food you eat, to avoid irritating your lungs.
Cecilia Yu, ES Puxi Nurse is quick to point out that the above tips are preventative measures, so if cold or flu symptoms do not improve, she asks that you have your child stay at home for a full day to get proper rest, otherwise she says the symptons may prolong unnecessarily. And should symptoms worsen, please seek medical assistance.
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