The weather transition as the season changes can be pretty gruesome. During this time, the human immunity is believed to be low and hence, it is advised to take adequate precautions to keep you and your family safe and healthy. Here are a few tips that if followed, can help you sail smoothly through the weather transition.

Keep your kids safe and healthy

Get involved with your kids’ activities at home and at school to help ensure they are eating right and ensuring an overall healthy lifestyle. This is the time when the chances of carrying diseases increases due to low immunity, and hence, keeping healthy is important. The parents also need to educate the children about how safety is important. Education about sports related injuries especially concussion, is important as in winters, injuries take longer to heal. So, it is advised to spend time with your children and see them flourish as happy and healthy humans.

Take steps to prevent the flu

The single best way to protect against the flu is to get vaccinated each year in the fall. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Wash your hands with soap and water. Stay home if you get sick so that the infection doesn’t spread within other people.

Get smart about antibiotics

Antibiotics can cure bacterial infections, but not viral infections. The common cold and flu are viral infections, so avoid using antibiotics if you have one of these. Using antibiotics when they are not needed causes some bacteria to become resistant to the antibiotic, and therefore stronger and harder to kill. See your doctor or nurse to find out if your illness is bacterial or viral.

Keep food safe

Food is center stage during the holidays. Be sure to keep it safe by following basic food safety steps. Clean hands and surfaces often. Separate foods to avoid crosscontamination. Cook to proper temperatures. Chill promptly. All these will ensure that no contamination takes place and your food is healthy to consume throughout.

Learn your family history

The National Family History Day is also observed on Thanksgiving Day. Over the holiday or at another family gathering, talk about and write down the health conditions that run in your family. Learning about your family’s health history can help you take steps to ensure a longer, healthier future together.

Be prepared for cold weather

Exposure to cold temperatures can cause serious health problems. Infants and the elderly are particularly at risk, but anyone can be affected. Know how to prevent health problems and what to do if a cold-weather emergency arises. Remember that using space heaters and fireplaces can increase the risk of household fires and carbon monoxide poisoning.

Don’t drink and drive

Alcohol use impairs a person’s skills needed to drive a car safely. It slows reaction time and impairs judgment and coordination. Alcoholrelated motor vehicle crashes kill someone every 48 minutes. Don’t drink and drive, and don’t let others drink and drive.

Wash your hands

Keeping hands clean is one of the most important steps you can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. It’s best to wash your hands with soap and clean running water for 20 seconds. If that’s not possible, use alcoholbased hand rubs.

Exercise regularly

Indoor or outdoor exercise is essential for optimum health. Indulging into any exercise for about one hour per day would be very good. Aerobics with some weight training would prevent obesity and also maintain your muscle mass. A daily intake of Vitamin D 1000 IU is advised by Health Canada to ensure good health.

Get the right amount of sleep

Research suggests that 7 hours of sleep is essential every day. Ensuring this keeps our immune system active and also our hormones in balance. Lack of sleep makes ones’ body weak and prone to infection and inflammation. So get the right amount of sleep every day, remember, you can’t compensate for your sleepless nights of the week during the weekend. A good night sleep is required every single day of the week.

Ensure not just a healthy body but mind too

If we consider our body as a car, then the driver of our body would be our mind. A healthy mind is composed of love, respect, compassion, forgiveness and sacrifices. Positive thinking, meditation, yoga and selfless service are some of the things develop healthy mind and soul.

Dr. Pargat Singh Bhurji
MD,FRCP ( C ) Consultant Pediatrician Surrery BC