Seasonal Health Checklist: What to Do Each Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter

Whatever season of life you’re in, the four seasons cycle around us like clockwork through every age and stage, reminding us that nature takes its course. Utilizing a health checklist by season can help you stay healthy by customizing your self-care routine to the time of year. Here are some seasonal wellness tips to help get you started.

Spring Allergy Tips

With spring being such a beautiful time of year, it seems unfair that allergy sufferers are often feeling at their worst with their condition when everything is in bloom. Here are a few tips so that you can better enjoy the spring season.

• Avoid being outdoors on windy days, especially mid-morning to mid-afternoon, when pollen counts are often highest.
• Have non-allergic family members or others do the cleaning. Try to be out of the house during all cleaning, especially during carpet cleaning.
• Keep car and home windows and doors closed.
• Shower, wash your hair and change your clothing after coming in from outside.
• Use over-the-counter antihistamines as needed.
• When cleaning, use caution with household cleaning products. Make sure the area to be cleaned is well ventilated.

If your allergies are so severe that they’re impacting your day-to-day living, visit your primary care provider so you can get tested. They might recommend additional allergy medications, therapies and other environmental controls.

Summer Heat and Staying Hydrated

Summer is a time to enjoy the sunshine and warmer weather. It also means making sure you and your loved ones stay hydrated in the heat. Whether you’re spending the day at an amusement park, playing an outdoor sport or splashing in the pool, it’s important to take in enough fluid to replace what’s lost through your skin as you sweat.

First, it’s important to recognize the signs of dehydration. Mild dehydration can cause irritability, headache and fatigue, all of which can ruin your summer adventures. However, severe dehydration can be a medical emergency

Learning to recognize the signs of severe dehydration can be lifesaving. They are:

• Dark urine
• Disorientation
• Dizziness
• Dry lips and mouth
• Irritability
• Nausea
• Headache
• Slow reaction time

To prevent dehydration, be proactive. Just as you apply sunscreen to prevent sunburn, you can prevent dehydration and heat-related illness by taking steps to keep your fluids up. Ideas include:

• Avoid too much caffeine and alcohol
• Carry a water bottle
• Drink between meals, not just during meals
• Drink lots of fluids (especially water)
• Eat water-rich foods like watermelon and smoothies
• Give coconut water a try
• Hydrate first thing in the morning

Prepare for Flu Season During Fall

To steer clear of a cold, the flu and a host of other sicknesses, prevention is key.

To stay well during sickness season, start prepping in the fall. Preparations include healthy habits such as:

• Avoiding processed sugar, which can increase the risk of infection in the body
• Gargling with water and salt, or warm water and apple cider vinegar
• Getting sufficient rest
• Getting the flu shot
• Maintaining a healthy diet
• Taking vitamin C and zinc daily 
• Taking elderberry products, like capsules and lozenges
• Staying well-hydrated
• Washing your hands frequently and thoroughly 

Winter Wellness Tips

The winter months are known as cold and flu season. Experts say that flu season starts at the end of autumn and influenza cases increase during the cold season because the influenza virus thrives in cold climates. The colder weather is conducive to the flu virus, so it’s not that your immunity is weaker during the winter months.

During the winter, people often get inflammation of the sinuses, ear infections, sore or strep throat, bronchitis and pneumonia or bacterial pneumonia.

Along with the flu, common winter illnesses include:

• Bronchitis
• Otitis media, or middle ear infection
• Pharyngitis, or sore throat
• Sinusitis
• Upper respiratory infection

Here are some things you can do to stay well during the winter months.

Staying physically active is one of the best ways to improve your mental and physical health. It offers a host of benefits, including:

• Bolstering your immune function
• Helping you sleep better
• Improving your balance
• Lowering your blood pressure
• Reducing your anxiety
• Strengthening your bones and muscles

Experts recommend getting at least 150 minutes each week of moderate-intensity physical activity. That’s about 30 minutes a day, five days a week.

While you’re keeping up with physical activity this winter, also be sure to stay on top of your nutrition. Eating a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, lean protein and whole grains can help benefit your overall health.

The winter months also give you a chance to enjoy seasonal fruits, like grapefruit, kiwi, mandarins and oranges — not to mention seasonal vegetables like broccoli, carrots and cauliflower, which are perfect for adding to stews and casseroles.

You can also help yourself stay healthy in the winter by getting your flu vaccine and including other healthy habits, like:

• Avoiding touching the eyes, nose and mouth
• Getting enough sleep
• Washing your hands frequently
• Wiping down surfaces

Your Year-Round Health Guide: Seasonal Tips for Every Phase

We hope this seasonal health guide is helpful and that you can refer to it anytime you need a friendly reminder. At AdventHealth, we’re here for you through every season of life to help you live healthy and feel whole.

Learn more about our wellness care services and our primary care services so you can stay well the whole year through.