The days would be shorter and nights would be longer!!
We are now talking about the winter season that could make the lives of many difficult. The chilly winds during the winter season would bring diseases and other health issues to us. Therefore, elderly persons must try to avoid going outdoors in the winter season.
There are 6 common winter health problems that we must try to avoid.
Cold / flu:
Our body would become weak as we would stay indoors in the winter season. We would not get enough sunlight that would be needed to make vitamin D. Our immunity would go down and we would get affected by cold and flu easily. Therefore, we must eat foods like blueberries, ginger etc.
Joint pain:
The reasons for joint discomfort in the winter season would be due to cold low temperatures. It is true that in the cold temperatures the body would go into muscle spasms. This would aggravate the joints and cause stiffness. The bones and joints would lose strength in the winters due to lack of exposure to the sunlight.
Asthma:
Truth is that the cold would act as a trigger for asthma in certain people. The increase in the allergens in the winter season is the reason. The asthma condition would become worse in the winters as the dry air would bring pollen. The dry and cold air would lead to spasms in the respiratory muscle.
Strep throat:
An infection due to group A streptococcus bacteria is strep throat. Having strep throat could be a big issue for a person. It is shocking to note that if strep throat is untreated then it might lead to kidney inflammation, rheumatic fever etc,
Heart health:
In the winters, the body temperature could reduce in elderly persons and this is called hypothermia. Point is that elevated heart rate and high BP would put more strain on the heart and due to that heart would have to work harder to maintain body temperature. There are more chances of blood clots and vascular thickening etc and this could lead to strokes and heart attacks in the winter season.
Dry skin:
Reduction in the humidity levels during the winter season would lead to dry skin in us. As the skin would evaporate water quickly, the skin would become dry, itchy etc. The dry skin issue would be troublesome for certain persons. It is important to avoid ththis dry skin issue by using indoor room humidifiers etc.