Why We Need Hearty Nutritious Food During The Colder Months!
January is in full swing, and as an Irish Spring approaches it’s safe to assume that the cold weather is here to stay for at least a few more months. With this in mind, getting back into a healthy lifestyle after the indulgent Christmas period can be a challenge, however consuming hearty nutritious food during the colder months is really important for both your mental and physical health.
Essential fuel
Food is the fuel are body needs to function. As the seasons changed everything else tends to change with them. Our bodies and diets are no exception to this. This time of year our bodies need food that has a little more sustenance. A great meal that is cheap to make, good for your body, and with a relatively straightforward recipe is stew. A dish the whole family is certain to enjoy, stew is filled with vitamins and minerals essential to help your health during winter and early spring. If you are recovering from a cold or flu, stews are a great way to kickstart your immune system again.
Food for thought
Unfortunately, the evenings are still pretty long and will be for another few weeks. Whilst long evenings are a pain, the change in the weather can have very serious effects for some people. This is known as Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD. Symptoms of SAD include a shift in mood, and a lack of energy during the darker, colder months. There is good news if you feel yourself being affected by SAD - hearty nutritious food can help ease the symptoms!
Photo by Monika Grabkowska on Unsplash.
Quick and easy
Winter time can often consist of just wanting to get in out of the cold. Leaving the house in the dark, and returning when it’s dark can be annoying and leave you feeling deflated. The last thing you want to do after coming in out of a cold long day is spend ages cooking for you and your family. The best thing about hearty and nutritious food? It’s super quick to put together, and you can often batch cook it and refrigerate or freeze for future dinners - Two birds, one stone and all that jazz!
Pick up the pace
Hearty and nutritious food can be slightly more calorific than most foods, that’s why it’s important to get out and exercise even though it’s possibly one of the last things you want to do. Exercise is not only good for your physical health but it has a great impact on your mental health, especially if you struggle in the winter months as we previously mentioned.
