by Gauri Trivedi

Created on: October 30, 2009   Last Updated: November 26, 2009

All seasons are different. With its own beauty and character, each season depicts nature's wondrous ways. Winter is perhaps the most challenging of all the seasons. To some, winter brings in the beautiful snow; to some relief from heat; and to some others, the dreaded cold.

Winter brings in the fear of cold-related diseases that cause sickness in millions of households every year. The flu, cough and cold and other respiratory viral infections peak during winter, affecting all ages.

So is there a way to skip winter? Not really, but there are ways to fight the ill health that comes with it.

1) Enhance your immunity.

Some people fall sick all the time and a few others manage to stay away from illness even when the rest around them are down. Have you wondered why? Immunity. It is our body's defense mechanism and the stronger it is, the less vulnerable we are to common ailments and diseases.

To save yourself from getting the cold or any such illness during winter, you need to prepare beforehand. The body can gather enough power to fight the sickness that attacks, but you need to work on it long ahead of time. Following are some natural ways to boost immunity.

a) Regular exercise

b) Nutritional food rich in antioxidants

c) Balanced lifestyle with enough time for rest and recreation

2) Take vitamin C.

Whether or not vitamin C has any effect on common cold is debatable. Some research had suggested vitamin C intake was helpful against fighting colds. Later on, other research came up concluding it was not true. Irrespective of its cold-fighting prowess, what is a fact is that vitamin C provides antioxidants to the body. A glass of orange juice, therefore, may or may not prevent you from catching a cold, but it will definitely help your body put up a fight. Daily intake of vitamin C naturally by way of orange or lemon juice seems is one thing you can do to try and avoid getting sick this winter.

3) Maintain good hygiene.

Maintaining cleanliness and personal hygiene should be an everyday affair, especially so in winter when germs spread fast and people around you are falling sick. Make it a habit to disinfect and keep your house, workspace and surroundings clean. Germs cannot be seen with the naked eye, so do not skip areas that "appear" clean.

Catching a cold or a virus like flu are probably the most common dangers of winter. Protect yourself from these highly contagious illnesses by washing hands as often as possible. Maintain strict hygiene by keeping personal belongings such as towel, soap, etc., separate.

4) Get vaccinated.

Not every disease has a vaccine, but for some there is. Prevention is the best cure. Flu vaccines are available for anybody older than 6 months and they do provide protection against some, if not all kinds of viral infections. Children specially need to be given all the protection that is available in winter as their bodies are not strong enough.

5) Be vigilant.

Being careful can help you more than you think. Life need not come to a standstill in winter, but it would be a good idea to stay away from crowded places or areas that are already hit by disease. It wouldn't be rude to stay away from sick people even if they are your friends or colleagues. Check out the local news regularly. Infections spread fast from schools and offices, so keep an eye out for sick people around you. At the same time be responsible enough to cover your sneeze and keep your sick children at home.

With all its challenges, winter still is a beautiful time of the year. Greet it with a healthy body and mind, rest assured, winter will not let you down!

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