Handling Winters in Canada

Winters in Canada will be very cold and snowy, with a varying degree of intensity across the country, ranging from -5° C to - 50° C. In one of my previous posts, I explained how brutal winters can be at Canada. If you missed to read it, you can check out the post here. 

                                         

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You may find below few means to tackle the harsh climate at Canada. If you are new to Canada or planning to relocate to Canada or a similar place with terrible winter season, hope you might find this article useful.

• Dress up in layers: First and foremost is to dress up in warm and cozy attire, even while indoors. When you are exposed to cold weather for longer duration, you may experience frostbite. Feet, hand, nose, ears are affected the most and they may become black, numb, swell and pain. At home, you may wears socks or slippers to keep your feet warm and avoid frost bite. When you intend to step out, do not forget to wear your thermals, jacket, gloves, cap and winter shoes. 
• Invest in good winter wear: Well insulated jackets, gloves, caps, winter shoes, snow boots are must haves for Canadian winters. You may also buy snow pants, if you are an outdoor person and want to explore skiing, sledging, ice-skating, etc. Choose good quality winter wear against cheap buys; they will not only protect you well, but also last longer. Look out for best deals during boxing day and clearance sales at the end of winter season. I love the shoes in this link. They are super stylish yet, protect you from winter chills and slippery. When it comes to a jacket, Calvin Klein's down jackets are the best. I have been using this one from their light weight collection. It has lasted for 6 winters and still counting. The pull-on caps from Bula are super good to protect you from the windchills. There are convertible balaclavas come in a pack of two and help to secure your head, ears and face from the winter winds. Check those by clicking on this link.
• Indoor heating: Maintain room temperature between 18° to 21° C. Have your heating system serviced well before the winter kicks in, so that you have uninterrupted heat in the house. Generally condos and apartments have centralized heating system (charges included in rent in most of the cases). If you live in a detached or semi-detached house, ensure to always maintain an optimum temperature to avoid damages to water pipes.
• Humidifier is a must: Due to indoor heating, the air becomes very dry and can cause nasal congestion, nose bleeding and dry skin. So have the humidifiers always switched on. You may use warm or cool-mist humidifier, based on your preference. We have been using cool mist humidifier from Homedics over the past 4 years and it has been just perfect to balance the moisture inside the home. Here is the link to the product.
• Stay active: I know gloomy weather and staying active are contradicting terms. But trust me, this is the best way to keep the cold at bay. Try exercising at least 30 minutes a day, as it pumps up the blood, makes you feel warm and preps you for the day. 
• Don't take hot showers: Yes, you read it right. Who doesn't love to enjoy a hot shower on a cold winter day? But doing so is harmful. It not only rips off the natural moisture and make your skin dry, it also makes you feel colder once you step out of the shower. So always shower in cold or mild warm water.
• Moisturize: Cold weather makes the air around us dry and sucks out the moisture from our bodies. So use moisturizers, lip balms, hand lotions to keep yourself well moisturized. For the first couple of years, I tried different products and none was right as I have very sensitive skin and my body gets extremely dry to the weather. Finally I found the ones that work well for me and  Lubriderm (moisturizer), Burt Bees (lip balms) and Glycomed (hand lotion) have become my personal favourites.   
• Hydrate: Try to drink as much water as possible to keep yourself hydrated. Water aids in maintaining our body temperature and improves metabolism. I hear you. We generally don't feel thirsty during winters; but try to keep reminders to drink at 8-10 glasses of water every day, which I am still trying to achieve. 
• Eat healthy: Internet is full of content on the benefits of eating well balanced and nourished meals. I won't preach the same, but would insist on including good amount of fats in your diet as it helps to maintain the body temperature. One thing I look forward to for winters is to snack on delicious protein balls (click here to view the recipe) which is full of proteins, nutrients and healthy fats  that are essential to keep you warm in winter. Also try to have warm, light meals and include ingredients like sesame seeds, flax seeds, peppers, horse gram, figs etc. in your food, which generates heat in the body. 
• Check your vitamin D level: During winters sunlight is not only scarce, but we too don't expose ourselves to sunlight when available, dreading to the chillness outside. So naturally vitamin D level in the body goes down. Try to consume food rich in vitamin D like salmon, cod liver oil, egg yolk, mushrooms etc. Also if need be, take vitamin D supplement, only based on the evaluation by your doctor, as higher levels of D are harmful.
• Follow weather forecasts: Check weather forecast before you intend to step out of the house. This helps you to dress up appropriately and plan your travel better and comfortable. Don't get mislead by the actual temperature. Pay attention to "feels-like" temperature, as it takes wind chills into consideration and this can vary drastically in comparison to the actual temperature. One should be very careful when going out, if feels-like temperature drops below -15° C with gusty winds beyond 40km/hr.
• Clearing snow: Most municipalities in Canada requires home owners to clear snow and ice from their sidewalks. So if you live in a detached or semi-detached house, ensure to clear snow at the earliest from side walks and driveways to prevent any damage to people using it. Snow shoveling will become very strenuous, if it is allowed to accumulate and solidify. Also failing to clear snow in a timely manner can be a chargeable offence, depending on your location. In the event of any passer-by falls or trips on your uncleared sidewalk and suffers an injury, you could be held responsible, if the negligence is proven. Injured party can sue you for damages like medical expenses, lost income and so on.
• Car care: Before the winter kicks in, change your car tires to winter tires, which are designed to withstand severe winter conditions. They have more traction and help in better braking. Do not use water for wind shields. Instead buy fluid meant for winters, as water can freeze at low temperature. Also remember to use anti-freeze coolant for your car. If you have uncovered parking space, before the snowfall, ensure to lift the wipers up, to prevent them from freezing and sticking to the windshield. This also makes cleaning the snow easier. Car battery health checkup is another point to take care of.  Get your battery checked regularly and have a jump start in your car tool kit. It comes handy in case your car battery dies, providing a quick and reliable solution to get you back on the road.

These are some ways to sail through the 5-6 months of winter at Canada. First time is always new and tricky. With experience, we will be able to adapt, adjust and enjoy the season!!!

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