How good hydration can save you from the flu and winter illnesses?

To begin, let's go back to an essential point: the impact of the cold on the human body! What exactly is going on?

First, in cold weather, our closeness to others increases. We warm up in houses, bars, restaurants, in short, confined places where the air is not renewed enough. The viruses of winter illnesses (colds, sore throats, bronchitis, flu, etc.) are actually present all year round in our environment, but in winter, due to our proximity and our increased physical contact in enclosed places, we offer virus a great opportunity to convey between our different organizations.

This observation would not matter if our protective barriers remained intact during the winter. But, there is a but ! The cold reduces our ability to resist infections. Indeed, cold air dries out and dehydrates the mucous membranes that line our respiratory system. In addition, our trachea and bronchi are made up of vibratory cilia, the main function of which is to eliminate waste and foreign bodies. The cold, by drying out the mucous membranes, also reduces the effectiveness of these eyelashes. The cold therefore has a physical effect on the barriers of our respiratory system, and then greatly facilitates the entry of viruses into our body.

Finally, the cold also has a metabolic effect on our body. Indeed, it lowers our body temperature, which slows down the development of our cells, in this case our immune cells and finally, also slows down our immune response to infectious agents.

But then what are the real solutions to avoid getting sick during the winter?

As you surely know, barrier gestures, a balanced diet and restful sleep are your best allies against winter. Quality sleep allows, in the same way as for our brain, to create memories for our adaptive immune system. This system allows us to develop adapted immune responses depending on the infectious agent and to remember how to react to this infectious agent if our body is confronted with it again. Sleep is essential to maintain the efficiency of our immune cells day after day.

Regarding food, you are surely already aware: eating in a balanced way is necessary to provide our body with all the components it needs to develop and protect itself.

Now, let's talk about an often overlooked parameter in our daily winter routines (especially when it's cold and all we dream about is hot chocolate): HYDRATION .

However, in winter, despite lower temperatures, our water losses are not much lower than in summer. Every day, regardless of the season, we lose 2 liters of water daily. Moreover, in winter, closed places are often very heated, which increases our water losses even more, but the effect felt by our body is less than when exposed to the sun or to high temperatures.

Hydration also makes it possible not to dry out the respiratory mucous membranes, to better thin the bronchial mucus and therefore ultimately to keep the barriers of our respiratory system effective.

Poor hydration , which results from an intake of less than 1.5 liters of water per day, leads us into a state of dehydration. The first symptom of dehydration is the feeling of thirst. Ideally, it is advisable not to wait until you are thirsty, to prevent this state of light hydration. Then, second clearly visible sign, the color of the urine: if it is dark, it means that you need to drink more. The recommended amount of water per day is 1.5 / 2 liters of water. The rest of the symptoms of dehydration should also not be taken lightly: dry mouth and skin , headaches, high heart rate, nausea and vomiting.

The effects of good hydration over the long term lead to better development of physical and mental performance.

Hydration is also essential to maintain a good cellular and blood osmolarity, that is to say a good pressure between our cells and our different organic fluids between them. A good osmolarity guarantees a good exchange of the elements necessary for the proper functioning of our cells, and therefore of our organs, our muscles (enzymes, proteins, minerals, etc.). This will also be important in good cell development in order to have a good immune response. Attention ! Similarly, drinking too much is not good either because it will also disrupt cellular osmolarity which can then lead to too low sodium levels in the blood, and therefore cause metabolic and neurological problems. Fortunately for us, these effects occur beyond a consumption of 4.5/5 liters of water per day.

Now that we have the keys to never getting sick again, let's see how we can feel even better during this tough season!

Boost your metabolism? How ?

Two solutions are available to you: Hydration or dietary supplements.

Hydration is essential to feel good. For example, by giving yourself a ten-day goal of drinking 1.5 liters of water a day, you will directly feel the beneficial effects of hydration on your body. Moreover, the best way is to have a gourd to find your bearings on your daily consumption. Regarding food supplements, they help to sustainably strengthen the immune system by providing essential nutrients for its proper development, such as vitamins B, C and D, minerals (zinc, magnesium, iron, etc.) as well as probiotics (which allow stimulate the immune response).

The products offered by Hydratis provide a real solution for optimal hydration. Each product contains the minerals and trace elements necessary to obtain water rich in contributions. In addition, to boost the metabolism during these harsh periods, Hydratis and Natura Force have joined forces to offer a specific range for winter. The food supplements offered are natural and certified organic. These two combined solutions will ensure a good energy balance throughout these long winter days. With that, good hydration everyone!