Winter Health Problems-Causes, Treatments, Cold, Flu

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For those who haven't spent much time in colder climes, winter may have taken on a few misleading qualities. The cute, chunky, wool sweaters and evenings spent sipping hot chocolate following an afternoon sled ride only exist in films like A Christmas Story. Winter (at least for this writer) is more like a hell-frozen-over death trap, involving virus particles and the fact that even four layers of the most thermal leggings won't produce a warming effect in the frozen tundra that is the outdoors.

Yes, a wee bitter over here. Because even if you're super careful about maintaining a relatively healthy lifestyle, winter is bound to grace you with some sort of ailment, whether it's picking up a runny nose from a cube mate or packing on a few extra pounds through some post holiday boozing and bingeing. Fortunately, staying healthy and treating the most common cold weather inconveniences doesn’t have to involve a shopping spree at the pharmacy — some of the best remedies are sitting right in the pantry. Get ready to tackle old man winter with these all-natural ways to heal the blues, aches, sniffles, and itches.

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