Feeling the chill? Here are some tips to protecting yourself against anything that winter might hurl your body's way...
Slow food
It's time to dust off the slow-cooker and prepare some hearty tucker to warm your insides. Go coconutty with a
Thai green chicken curry or embrace the hungry Hungarian in you with a fiery pork
goulash. Invite friends over for a homemade
pumpkin and feta soup, a
sausage and lentil casserole or traditional
roast beef with Yorkshire puddings and nose-stinging horseradish sauce. Remember, comfort begins with a full, warm tum.
Warm-drobe
Become a master at layering — it's much better to wear three thinner shirts than one chunky jumper. Now is the time to invest in a pair of new season boots and make sure you get a pair of soft slippers to sink your tired feet into at home!
Cosy claws
Our nails become weaker during the winter months, so always dry them properly after hand-washing, apply hand cream regularly and keep them shorter to avoid painful splitting. Use a nail strengthener and eat lots of protein to make them as hard as, erm, nails. Finally, don't neglect your toe talons just because they're covered up in cold weather.
Flu, begone
It's really important that you boost your immune system in order to keep colds and flu at bay. Foods rich in vitamin E such as sunflower seeds and avocado, together with vitamin C-packed kiwi, capsicum and sweet potato all help keep immunity in check. Get antioxidant selenium by munching on brazils, tuna and eggs and tuck into proteins such as meat, fish and pulses to stop bacteria from taking over. To say farewell to phlegm, chomp on beta-carotene veggies such as carrots and avoid sugary foods that interfere with bacteria-destroying white blood cells.
Balmy beverages
There are loads of warming drinks to help you through goose bumpy weather. Having a movie night with the girls? Grab hot chocolate sprinkled with cinnamon and marshmallows. To wake you up first thing in the morning, have a piping peppermint tea with honey and if you're on a health kick, sip on hot water with a slice of fresh lemon. Although you should avoid alcohol if you don't want to catch a cold, there's nothing more comforting than a mug of warm red wine and orange with mulling spices such as cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Tress treatment
You risk breakage of hair during cold weather, so make sure you use conditioner, wear a scarf or hat to protect it from the cold and never go outside with wet hair. Try and limit how often you use a blow dryer or straighteners and avoid having a steamy-hot shower or you will dry out and damage your luscious locks.
Thermatology
To neutralise the side effects of winter on delicate skin, moisturise your face twice a day and your body once a day. You might need to change to a thicker cream during the cold months. Replace antibacterial face masks with nourishing or vitamin masks. Drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated. Get a good emollient for your lips to avoid unhappy chapping and remember that you still need to use sunscreen during the day.
