Breezing through Autumn: Keeping on top of your health this season

As we head into the autumn season on Sunday 22nd September, there’s plenty to get excited for!

However, as the days get darker and colder, it can be hard to put our health and wellbeing first.

We’ve put together some tips and advice to help you keep your health and wellbeing on top during the autumn season…

Keep Walking

Summer is fast becoming a distant memory and whilst this season may have been a great motivator to looking after our health and wellbeing. Ensuring we continue to get regular exercise is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Walking is not only beneficial for our mental health but also our physical health and has been known to improve our cardiovascular fitness, strengthen our bones and muscles, and improve our sleep and mood. Learn more about the benefits of walking in our blog.

It can also be motivating to take a walk during autumn when the leaves turn orange and yellow and there is a cosy atmosphere in the air. It’s also worth noting that exercising in the cooler temperatures reduces the risk of overheating, allowing for longer and more comfortable walks.

Get ready for flu season

It gets a lot of us year on year, but sometimes catching the flu is just unavoidable. There are, however, some things you can do to boost your immune system and be ready for flu season.

There are certain people more at risk from the cold weather, including people aged 65 and older, people who have a long-term health condition or a disability, pregnant women and those who have a mental health condition.

You can prepare and reduce your risks of catching the flu by wrapping up when you head out in cold weather, keeping the house heated where possible and regularly washing your hands when out and about.

You can also try to boost your immune system, which can help to improve your body’s ability to fight off illnesses. Bupa recommends boosting your immune system by:

• Getting regular exercise, which helps with circulation and moving the cells of your immune system around your body, meaning they can do their job.
  
  
• Having a varied and balanced diet, which gives your body all the nutrients needed to boost your immune system. Some of the recommended foods for boosting immune systems include: high-fibre plant-based foods, fruits and vegetables, wholegrains, nuts and seeds, and fermented foods such as yoghurt and kefir. 
  
  
• Reduce stress. There is a link between your mental health and your immune system. When you’re stressed, there are changes in your body. This can cause effect if it's regular or long term stress as it can increase inflammation in your body and disrupt how well your immune system works.

Following steps to encourage a healthy and active lifestyle will help to boost your immune system and hopefully keep you well during flu season!

Stick to your routine

Although the days are going to feel shorter, don’t let that disrupt your routine. It’s important also when it comes to sleep to keep a good routine, for example sticking to the same bedtime, even when nights get darker earlier. It’s also essential to continue waking up at your usual time to ensure you’re getting a good quality of sleep.

Clocks going back and darker days can also affect many people causing mood changes, feelings of sadness and decreased energy, isolation and depression.

Maintaining a consistent exercise routine is also important, as it significantly enhances our overall health and wellbeing. Regular physical activity releases serotonin, a mood-boosting chemical that helps us feel happier and more positive.

Top up your Vitamin D

During colder months we need to try and get as much vitamin D as possible. Low levels of vitamin D have been linked to depression.

Although the simplest way to get vitamin D is through sunlight, during the colder and darker months food supplements can supply the vitamin D we need. You can get vitamin D from foods such as oily fish, red meat, egg yolks and some fat spreads and cereals.

Vitamin D has many benefits on our body and health. Without sufficient vitamin D, bones can become thin, brittle, or misshapen.

Make the most of in season foods

Different fruit and vegetables come into season during the autumn months.

Eating good natural food, such as fruit and veg, brings us many benefits, including:

• A good source of vitamins and minerals
• Reduce risk of heart disease, some types of cancer and strokes
• Contribute to a healthy, balanced diet

To maximise the benefits of fruit and vegetables, it is recommended to:

• Include different fruit and vegetables, ranging in colour as different combinations have different amounts of fibre, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients
  
  
• Eat it as soon as possible, rather than keeping it in the fridge for a while

Foods in season in autumn include, apples, beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, chestnuts, cucumber, marrow, parsnips, potatoes, pumpkins, swede, tomatoes, turnips.

Consider health checks and assessments

Health checks or assessments are a great benefit that come with many health insurance policies.

UK health insurers like Vitality offer a virtual health check using an at-home test kit or you can opt for a face-to-face appointment. They include checks on: blood pressure, glucose, Body Max Index (BMI) and cholesterol.

These are usually done once a year and are a great way to make sure that you’re on track with your health. 

Aviva offer a service with their health insurance policies called MyHealthCounts. 

You'll need to answer some questions about your health and lifestyle choices, such as what you eat and how much exercise you do. They'll then offer you personalised advice and online tools that can help improve your health. 

The Exeter offers a health MOT for policy holders. This involves a yearly health assessment through a pin prick blood test. This test checks 20 different markers to spot any problems early on. You will receive a report in the app with the findings.

Other insurers such as Bupa or AXA offer discounted health assessment options when you have a health insurance policy with them. 

The NHS also offer a health check every five years if you’re aged between 40 and 74 and don’t have certain pre-existing conditions. The check includes a range of routine health tests and questions about your diet, exercise, and lifestyle. The results give your doctor a clearer picture of your risk of developing:

• heart disease
• stroke
• kidney disease
• type 2 diabetes
• some forms of dementia.

What are the benefits of having health checks or assessments?

Health checks can be beneficial in identifying health risks early on. Both acute and chronic conditions benefit from early diagnosis. 

They can be a great way to kick-start lifestyle changes for the better, such as partaking in more exercise, improving your diet or reducing smoking. Lifestyle changes like these can also be a great way to reduce your premiums with a health insurance policy.

If you're feeling motivated to put your health first as we head into a new season, get in touch with our expert advisers who can help you to find suitable cover for your needs. Fill out our form below or give our advisers a call on 01285 864670.