Everything Winter: Eating, Drinking, Exercising, Dressing, Saving on Electricity

In case the chill in the air and frost on your windscreen was too subtle, we’d like to remind you about the arrival of winter. You may have noticed fewer shorts and t-shirts and the mild battle with hypothermia every time you leave the shower. That’s why, this July, in an effort to help warm you up to the idea of the cold, we’re all about everything winter.

Let’s start with your health. Because it matters.
The cold season traditionally brings with it a small encyclopedia of potential health risks – from the less feasible (like frostbite) to the potentially serious (pneumonia and bronchitis), cold weather can be a problem if you’re not adequately prepared. It does a number on your body, especially in a country with sunshine and rainbows the rest of the year, and this is why it’s vital that you stay warm, healthy and on top of the sniffles this winter season. We’ll get to the clothing in a bit but for now, we’re all about vitamins, medication and everything in between.

Ever wake up with a sore throat and, two days later, you’re in bed contemplating the meaning of life?

We have, and we know it can be a pain, which is why we strongly advocate for vaccinations or a flu shot at the earliest hint of trouble. Don’t ignore that cough or the way your nose keeps running. Keep them fingers and toes nice and toasty and, if you feel like you may have something coming on, don’t try to be Superman. A quick jab is often the difference between a nice relaxing sleep followed by perfect health, and a few weeks of bed rest, sore tummies, runny noses and 500 unread emails once you hit your desk.

What about warmth?
A staple of any wardrobe has to be a nice, cosy, fleece or padded K-Way jacket. Available at Cape Union Mart, the Softshell Jackets also come with a nifty optional extra – the addition of your name for a complete personalised experience (which, incidentally, also makes them pretty good gifts).

Gloves, warm hats, beanies and beyond – you may hear a few sniggers of “it’s not that cold” but we Joburgers know that it can turn in an instant – which is why we say keep it wrapped up.

All things food:
It’s a well-known fact that cold weather makes you crave all sorts of yumminess. Why? There’s actual science behind it. In order to stay (somewhat) warm, your body requires more energy to keep you alive. As your survival instincts dial up to 100, so too does your appetite – think of it like pressing down the accelerator really hard. So, in case you were wondering, you’re not the only one.

Problem is that with the winter cold comes early sunsets and less of an inclination to get out and exercise (besides, how are you gonna have your morning jog in 4-degree weather?). If you’re not careful, that could result in more than a few hours spent on the couch feasting yourself silly, which means by the time winter is done, your Thor imitation will have really gone full circle.

The solution?
Eat foods that are filling, nutritious and still delicious. Healthy butternut or carrot soup, oatmeal, stuffed portobello mushrooms, roast chicken – it’s a long list. Swap the chocolate brownie and ice cream for some beautifully roasted peanuts. There are plenty of solutions, you just have to mix, match and find what suits your palate.

Or you could just go to Woolworths, where everything is done for you, and keep track of the nutritional information while you’re at it.

There you have it – our top three tips for surviving this Jozi Winter. Don’t ignore the flu, keep things nice and cosy and eat right. Sounds simple, but it’s easy to let your guard down.

Oh, and we almost forgot, our number one secret to making this a fruitful winter? Spend your spare time with us in Sandton Central. It’s warm, it’s vibrant, there’s food and atmosphere aplenty, but most importantly, it beats sitting at home any day.

And you know you’re always welcome.