When we decide to make our health a priority, a few things come to mind: get active, eat better and drink more water. Sometimes doing all three at the same time becomes a challenge during the winter months—it’s cold outside, there’s ice and it’s windy. Favorite holiday dishes are what we’ve been looking forward to all year and drinking water is just blah. Here are a few tips to getting and staying healthy during our cold weather months.
Take advantage of the cold and program the thermostat for the optimal sleeping temperature at night between 60° and 67° F and save on the heating bill. Being well-rested improves clarity in thinking, elevates moods and helps keep our cortisol levels (a stress hormone) low.
Consider eating more soups for meals throughout the week to up your protein and vegetable intake. An InstaPot or similar product is perfect for a quick fix after work, or use a slow cooker to set it and forget it while you are at work. If you go the slow cooker route, prep the ceramic pot the night before and put it in the fridge, then the next morning while making coffee, throw it on for a slow cook.
Whether we like drinking water regularly or not, hydration is an important component of overall health. The water in our body moistens and protects tissues and organs, helps prevent constipation, assists with dissolving minerals and other nutrients, regulates body temperature and carries nutrients and oxygen to our cells.
Water also lubricates joints and decreases the burden on both our kidneys and liver by flushing out harmful toxins. For those that don’t like the way plain water tastes, instead of adding powders or squirt packets bought off the shelf at the supermarket, consider essential oils or tea for their added benefits. They can help improve digestion and lymphatic drainage, lift our mood and strengthen the immune system. Plus, a nice, hot beverage will help keep us warm and toasty in a Midwestern winter.
Check out some of GET FIT EGV's other articles published in Natural Awakenings Magazine here.
About Natural Awakenings Magazine
Natural Awakenings Chicago is a free monthly publication targeted specifically to Chicago, plus suburban Cook, Lake, McHenry and DuPage counties, and we’re all about healthy and sustainable living (mind, body and spirit). We distribute in locations throughout the area and continue to expand, reaching more about 75,000 readers each month through our printed magazine. We also publish a digital e-zine, as well as maintaining a robust website at NAChicago.com. We incorporate social media and live video into our social media outreach. Print subscriptions are also available.
Our readership is primarily women 25-55, in middle to higher income brackets, who are interested in healthier and greener living for themselves and their families. But of course, men read Natural Awakenings, too.
NA Chicago is part of a larger family of Natural Awakenings magazines that are in about 70 markets in the US, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. The first magazine was published in 1996 in Naples, FL, and it has been growing ever since. And, Naples is still publishing! We combine great national content with timely local articles to inform and educate our readers about ways they can enhance their lives and the planet in a variety of ways. We work closely with our advertisers and distributors, as well as the community, to include local practitioners and business owners in many articles (either as an author or a contributor). We also feature free news briefs about local businesses as well as calendar listings. We are the go-to resource in Cook, Lake and McHenry counties for all things related to healthy and sustainable lifestyles. We distribute free in these four ways:
Print – delivered to locations and street boxes in Cook, Lake, McHenry and DuPage counties, including a huge presence in the city of Chicago. We estimate 2.46 readers per copy, or more than 75,000 targeted readers.
Electronic – We deliver a monthly e-zine to our newsletter subscribers via email.
Print subscriptions are available – limited distribution because this is a Free publication readily available in the area. Click here to SUBSCRIBE.
Website – includes all Google-searchable articles in web format, online Community Resource that includes all print advertiser basic listings, and link to digital version of the magazine. Web advertising is available as well.
Mission Statement
To empower individuals to live a healthier lifestyle on a healthier planet.
To educate communities on the latest in natural health and sustainability.
To connect readers with local wellness resources and events, inspiring them to lead more balanced lives.