Top 10 Winter Skin-Care Tips

Even in our region of North Carolina, the combination of wind, cold, indoor heating and variable humidity can really do a number on your skin, causing it to become dry, cracked and irritated.

 

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to make sure that your outer layer remains healthy throughout the season. Here are our top 10:

1. Use humidifiers at home.

2. Skip very hot showers and baths.

3. Opt for a cleanser rather than soap.

4. Apply oil-based products to your skin.

5. Avoid skin-irritating ingredients.

6. Pay special attention to sensitive areas, such as lips, hands and feet.

7. Protect yourself from the sun. (Yes, even in winter.)

8. Dress in layers.

9. Immediately remove any wet clothes.

10. See a dermatologist if necessary.

 

 

Best in Show

Your furry friends Fido and Fluffy are demonstrably good for your mental and physical wellness. Research shows that sharing your Durham house or Raleigh condo with an animal results in these benefits for you:

  • Improved overall health
  • Greater physical fitness
  • Fewer doctor visits
  • Decreased stress
  • Less loneliness
  • Lower blood pressure
  • Higher levels of feel-good hormones

 

 

Catch This?

Stuffy nose. Sore throat. Irritating cough. At this time of year in the Triangle, symptoms such as these are as common as...the common cold.

 

But do you have a cold or the flu?

 

The indications are similar (although the effects are more intense with the flu), so it can be difficult to distinguish between the two illnesses. To make the determination, a doctor can give you a test within the first few days of your feeling sick.

 

There's still no cure for the common cold, and antibiotics are useless against it. Over-the-counter medications can help relieve some symptoms. Drink lots of fluids, get plenty of rest, soothe your throat, adjust the room's temperature and humidity, and use nasal drops.

 

    Symptoms of flu are:
  • Fever, usually over 102 degrees
  • Headache
  • Dry cough
  • Sore throat
  • Extreme tiredness
  • Runny or stuffy nose
  • Muscle aches
  • Stomach symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea

The single best way to prevent the flu is to get vaccinated.