Having come from Scotland, I have to say that it does make me chuckle that what used to be a nice spring or summer day for me with the temperature in the mid-teens has now become my autumn or winter days. We have a saying in Glasgow whenever the sun comes out and the temperature gets in the double digits: We call it ‘Taps aff’ weather. This is when the sun deprived Glaswegians litter the parks (and the streets) in their bikinis and board shorts catching all the rays they can. Often ending in everyone looking like lobsters for the days to follow. But it is not just on the ‘taps aff’ days that you will see people out and about. If we were to wait for the sunny days to do things we would be waiting one heck of a long time!
Capetonians are known for their hibernation instincts in winter. Parks and gyms grow quiet, there are fewer runners and cyclists around, the winter woollies start to come out from the back of the closet and people are snuggled up under blankets in front of a fire.
Hibernation by definition is a state of inactivity and metabolic depression. The function of hibernation is to conserve energy during a period of insufficient food supply and it can last for days, weeks or months. Before entering hibernation, animals need to store enough energy to last through the entire winter. The issue with humans ‘hibernating’, is that our food intake either stays the same or increases. With colder weather and lower moods we tend to reach for lower quality comfort foods. This results in the winter bloat that we often feel. This along with our reduced exposure to sunlight negatively affects our moods. Then, when the sun starts to come back out in spring with summer just around the corner, we have the sudden realisation that we want to look good again for the beach and so the start of the yo-yo dieting begins.
Beat the ‘Winter Blues’
- One way to combat the winter blues is to start making lifestyle changes that are sustainable not just for the Summer bikini body! (Check out our article from September 2015 for more details on how to do this.)
- We also often associate winter with cold & flu season, so making sure that you are getting regular chiropractic adjustments can help your body to be more resilient.
- There are lots of Winter Specials going on in Cape Town already so take advantage of enjoying them while it’s quieter and not full of tourists!
- Winter in Cape Town is also known as the “Secret Season” – take advantage of the clear, calm days between storms and get out and about in nature and soak up the sun’s rays. We are spoilt for choice; we have mountains, beaches, forests, vineyards and much more all within easy reach. Plan for at least 2 outdoor activities in your week.
How Chiropractic Care Can Help
Chiropractors are specifically trained to assess the spine and nervous system to detect, analyse and correct misalignments. By performing safe, gentle and specific ‘adjustments’, Chiropractors can realign the spine and restore proper communication between the body and the brain. Chiropractors are also able to give you advice on lifestyle factors that may be effecting your health and well-being.
Live your bigger life with Chiropractic care.
Peak Chiropractic Centre located in Claremont are family-friendly chiropractors focused on relieving aches, pains and posture correction. We offer in-house X-Ray facilities.
