Staying Tip Top when the temperatures drop
Winter’s in full swing, and so is the winter sports season. Whether you’re a committed athlete or just enjoy staying in shape, adopting a few smart lifestyle habits can help you stay healthy, active, injury free and performing at your best. We’ve got five helpful and easy tips to keep your body running smoothly this winter, whatever your pace.
Layer up and stay warm:
Making sure you’ve got enough warm clothes during winter is a must. It’s not just about feeling comfortable, your body also needs to stay warm to properly function. When your body is at the right temperature, it won’t need to spend as much energy trying to keep warm. If you’re not too keen on the bulk that occurs when layering, some of the newer fabrics like merino and DryLete fabric will give you the same warmth, as well as being sweat resistant.
Boost your immunity:
If you’re active all year round, you’ll be less likely to succumb to ills and chills during winter. However, you’re still not immune to the germs that could force you to take a break from your workout routine. Proper sleep and the right nutrients can give your immune system an added boost to keep your body strong and healthy.
To support your body’s defences and immune response try the Viralex Range with Viralex Attack for rapid immune defence, Viralex Kids Chews and even Viralex Soothe throat lozenges and Revive Elderberry and Blackcurrant Immune drink.
Drink up (water that is):
Staying hydrated is essential because it directly impacts your immunity. Water helps your lymphatic system — which is basically in charge of filtering the rubbish out of your body, as well as carrying white blood cells and immune cells. It’ll also help with digestion, energy levels and will keep your skin looking bright and clear from breakouts.
Warming up and down:
Before exercising, stretching to warm up elevates the heart rate. It prepares our joints and ligaments, improves our flexibility to help prevent injury by increasing the circulation of blood and oxygen throughout the muscles.
Warming down to recover from an activity is just as important, to gradually bring your heart rate back down to its resting level. Stretching when your muscles are warm, after a workout, will also help to improve your flexibility over time, which in turn helps prevent injury.
Protect your muscles and joints naturally:
Injuries are a common occurrence when participating in winter sports. Whatever your fitness level is, there are some key natural supplements you can take that’ll support your body.
Magnesium is great for muscle relaxation and recovery, so magnesium cream is perfect for protection and can be easily applied.
Glucosamine provides the building blocks for keeping them healthy and supple. This means they’ll stay healthy and be able to repair and restore themselves quickly if they do get damaged.
Staying active during winter is a great way to support a better mood, help manage stress and improve mental focus. Whether you are old or young, with these smart lifestyle habits and a little help from nature, you can stay healthy, active and injury-free this winter.
