Winter is Here!

Although it’s not officially winter yet according to the calendar, but where I live in Northeast Ohio, we got our first dose of winter. Cold, blustery, icy, bitter, glacial, windy winter!  Not much accumulation, but just enough to delay some schools for two hours and to cause major traffic issues.

So, let’s talk about tea and winter. I think that drinking tea in winter is like giving yourself a warm bath on the inside. Perhaps a silly analogy, but it works for me.

In my opinion, winter is the time for warmth and comfort, and I doubt many people would disagree. There are a lot of people however, who are eager for the winter weather and all it brings with it – the holiday’s – skiing, sledding, snow days etc. While others dislike the frigid temperatures and the ailments that follow the cold air.

Did you know…

That according to research, a quarter of our DNA changes with the changing weather. During the winter months our bodies pump up the levels of many genes linked with inflammation, triggering symptoms like swelling and uneasiness that our bodies use to protect us from cold and flu. By the way, have you gotten your flu shot yet?

Let’s face it GERMS love cold weather. In fact, the flu and the common cold spread easily in winter, for they thrive in low humidity, cold environments. Kleenex to the rescue!  The chilly weather makes it harder for the hairs and mucus in our noses to protect us against GERMS. Not just this, but our bodies barely produce any melatonin due to shorter sunlight hours. I know about the diminished sunlight thing – as soon as the sun goes down- I’m a mess.  Plus, the frost brings about ache and pain in joints and old injuries. The stress of the festive season is just the tip of the iceberg.  But let’s not even talk about the STRESS of the holiday’s! We overdo celebrations which tire our bodies, all the while staying huddled indoors. This only makes it easier for GERMS to transfer from one person to another, thus bringing about sickness. All of this can slow our immune system and make the holiday season barely bearable.

So, if the early winter weather where you live has already begun to taken its toll and you want to keep those nasty flu and cold GERMS at bay  – banish them and the early winter blues and drink more tea!