Although some people thrive in the cold, many others dread the onslaught of freezing temperatures. In fact, their primary goal each day may simply be to stay warm. While you won't create a beachy feel in December, you can use some strategies to stay warm and healthy this winter. 

Furnace Check 

People who put off their own physical checkups are not likely to have their furnaces checked out. Furnace maintenance is not the most entertaining thing, but it is essential to keeping your heating bills down and your air quality good.

Mold can thrive on your furnace coils and be released into all the rooms in your house. Mold can also cause or exacerbate already existing respiratory conditions, so it needs to be corrected as soon as possible. You can use a bleach and water mixture to regularly wipe down your coils, but if you notice standing water, you need to call in the professionals to make repairs. That way your furnace will work better and not adversely affect your health.

Eat and Drink

Although you should not be a glutton, wintertime does mean that you should consume enough calories to properly fuel your body. If your blood sugar falls too low, you will have more difficulty in staying warm. Also, losing too much body fat will cause you to suffer more from frigid temperatures. Being too skinny in the winter means you will be uncomfortable. You should also stay well-hydrated to keep your metabolism working properly. When you eat and drink properly, you will be healthier and feel warmer.

Showers

Crawling into a hot shower is one of the great delights of wintertime, but experts recommend that you don't stand too long under a toasty stream of water. In fact, alternating hot with cold water is the best way to go. The warm water makes you feel great immediately, but the cold water boosts your circulation, which will keep you feeling warmer after the shower is over. As a bonus, cold showers can also improve your immunity, something that is of vital importance during the winter when colds and the flu often strike. Train yourself to turn off the hot water for a bit midway during your shower and then finish with a cold blast. 

Although everyone gets chilly when the temperature drops, you can employ a variety of strategies to stay warm while protecting your health. Properly maintain your furnace and then try these other methods to provide healthy warmth. For more information, contact local professionals like MD AIR Heating and Cooling, LLC.

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