Although late this year, winter seems to have arrived and I’m often asked for tips about good health over the festive period.
Viral illness, of course, is more common during the winter period as we are often crowded together in hot offices, metro and shopping stores. Flu vaccination really does work and helps to prevent the illness. For smokers and those with other health conditions such as asthma, heart disease and bronchitis, it’s also a good idea, as all these background factors can cause the viral infection to be fiercer. There is a reasonable supply of Western vaccine in Ukraine, so now is a good time for a shot. If you are ill, treat yourself to a few days in isolation rather than spreading the virus.
Another problem in Ukraine is the high temperatures that exist in some apartments and even worse – the very low humidity that goes with them. This tends to make all respiratory illnesses worse and those with asthma and recurrent chest, ear and sinus infections will find adding some humidity to their apartment helpful. In general, viruses and bacteria love hot stable climates so a quick blast of cold damp air will work wonders against them.
While many Ukrainian girls are trained to run on snow and ice from an early age, for most of us the pavements in winter pose a huge hazard. I see a constant stream of patients with fractures from falls. I am sure the best prevention is steel Norra spikes, which clip onto the underside of your boots. They are a human equivalent of winter tires and work brilliantly. Certainly not looking at the girls running on ice also helps!
I think prolonged periods of cold do lower our immunity, so it’s important to keep well wrapped up. Below minus 12, you do need to cover as much skin as possible as frost bites are extremely painful, as well as damaging to our skin.
It’s hard not to go skiing or snowboarding in Ukraine. The Carpathians are beautiful in winter, and even the train journey west turns magical, once you learn the art of picnicking in your compartment. Do remember to do some pre-ski exercises to loosen up and ski within your ability. Those with back problems should avoid jumps and very bumpy patches, which cause considerable compression forces to our spines. Whilst we all appreciate the dangers of alcohol and driving, recent studies have shown that many serious ski injuries are linked with heavy alcohol intake, so perhaps it’s best to leave it for the evening.
The Christmas and New Year’s break in Ukraine can feel long, running from St. Nicholas Day on Dec.19 to Christmas Day on Jan. 7. The best tip to avoid hangovers is not to drink at all. But I bet you want a few more practical suggestions! These include making sure you are well rested before partying.
An afternoon sleep may be helpful too. Drink something nearly pure like vodka, as it contains much fewer congers – you can think of them as collateral poisons – than, say, cognac and whisky. Drink lots of fluid before, during and after to combat the dehydrating effects of alcohol and take a sweet drink to bed to treat the low blood sugar that often kicks in the morning. If you can drink slowly – 50 millileters of vodka will be dispersed in about 30 minutes – that will be your salvation. Don’t sleep in late after a heavy night but have a large breakfast and a hot and cold shower.
That holiday immersion in the Dnipro on Epiphany (Jan.19) will certainly be invigorating and should cause no health problems. In fact, it’s as safe as is rolling in the snow or plunging in a cool pool after a sauna. In general, I think saunas are good for health and help drive out a lot of toxins from our systems and certainly help you relax and wind down. Ideally you shouldn’t eat or drink in the sauna although many Ukrainian saunas will tempt you with that! Heart disease sufferers should refrain from saunas or seek advice from their general practitioners.
Whilst dipping in the Dnipro is without hazard, an offer to go ice-hole fishing needs to be viewed with both suspicion and a good insurance policy, the more so if your host has more vodka than fish bait in his backpack. Large numbers of mildly drunk Russians and Ukrainians die each year falling through the very holes they made to catch that elusive fish! On a more positive note I can only wish our readers a very fit, healthy and happy Christmas and New Year, a time to be with families and take in the beauty of this country and the huge hospitality of its residents.
Dr. Richard Styles is a British family physician at American Medical Centers, a full-service clinic, in Kyiv.
