Season’s changing! Are you?

Damn! This year was hot! Well, it’s even now, but there’s been a slight change, especially during early mornings and late evenings. I really wish the season would change as quickly as possible and make way for foggy, icy cold winters, with smoke coming out of the mouth and hands shivering while holding a hot cup of coffee! Good heavens, I love winters ☺.

I know not all might like the wintertime, but don’t hate me for that – it’s an indispensable change, we might as well embrace it 😉

One aspect of embracing is to change with the changing season. The winter season typically makes you prone to some common diseases.

• Common cold

People usually observe coughs and colds during the changing seasons. If untreated, it might aggravate mucus accumulation, headache, sore throat, and nasal infection.

• Flu

The flu or influenza is the most common health problem during winters. It can cause cough, fever, body ache, headache, and fatigue. It is an infectious disease and primarily infects the nose, throat, and lungs.

• Pneumonia

Pneumonia is caused due to a viral or bacterial infection that starts with a cold and might get worse. It can lead to cough, fever, chills, excessive sweating, and chest pain.

• Dry skin

Dry skin is a prevalent condition during winters. Your skin gets dry when humidity and temperature are low; extreme dryness might result in itchiness and rashes.

• Bronchitis

For some people, bronchitis is a usual problem during winters. It causes inflammation in the bronchial tubes causing hacking cough, and mucus accumulation. You may also feel congestion in your chest, fatigue, and shortness of breath.

It is not the season that causes diseases but the presence of viruses and bacteria. The growth of these pathogens multiplies during changing weather. For instance, rhinovirus and coronavirus are the main viruses leading to the common cold.

Hence, it is very crucial to take care of yourself during seasonal shifts so that your body can appropriately adapt to the change.

Changing seasons

It’s incredible how our Earth and Universe operate. The Earth rotates around the Sun to make us experience different weathers, beautiful sceneries, and exotic nature’s colors. Based on which part of the Earth faces the Sun, we get varied seasons and seasonal peaks characterized by solstices and equinoxes.

• March 21 – Vernal Equinox
• June 22 – Summer Solstice
• September 23 – Autumnal Equinox 
• December 22 – Winter Solstice 

Climate change

Despite things being so natural and systematic, the Earth’s balance is transforming, imbalances are creeping in, and the climate is changing drastically!

We ourselves can observe how the summer period has become way too unbearable and prolonged, leaving only a countable number of days for the winters. I, as a layman, can see the difference in the last couple of years – we definitely started our winter school uniforms latest by 15^th October and could go on easily till mid-March (even March end). However, now that situation hardly stays from December to February – hard time for winter lovers 😐

The blog is primarily aimed at talking about the upcoming seasonal transition and welcoming winters, however, we will also utilize this space to talk about the bigger picture (climate change) in short.

Climate change is not something that is set to come in the future and impact us; it is already in process and is gradually affecting us.

Statistics suggest global temperatures have risen around 1.1⁰C from 1901 to 2020. Increasing temperature is not the only outcome of climatic changes; these changes also result in floods, droughts, rising sea levels, and more. All ultimately impacts our entire ecosystem, animals, plants, human health, agriculture, energy sources, etc. 

Per a report published by United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

• There has been an increase of 25% in the amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere since 1958
• Global temperatures have increased by 1⁰C from 1901 to 2020
• There has been a decline of almost 40% in the area covered by sea ice in the Arctic
• Sea level has increased to 3.2 mm/year from 1.7 mm/year since 1993

Besides, snow is melting, and glaciers are shrinking at an increasing rate. All these are our water resources, and such changes in them would have a massive impact on the entire world and each & every living being.

Some of the broad level impacts include:

• Increase in floods and droughts – both having damaging impacts on human life, wildlife, and plant life.
• People relying on snow for freshwater would no longer be able to do so.
• Changes in weather patterns are directly putting human health at risk. Extreme heat, dry conditions, hurricanes, etc., lead to many direct and indirect deaths. Most impacted of the human population are the elderly, children, low-income groups, people with other health problems, and outdoor labor. 
• Agriculture is the main occupation impacted by global warming and climatic changes. An increase in temperature, weather extremes, droughts, floods, resultant epidemics creates a challenging situation for the farmers. As the end result, it blows off the food supply proportion, thus indirectly impacting human health.
• The climate change crisis affects the entire ecosystem and the environment at large. At present, the Arctic stands as one of the most vulnerable ecosystems, posing a threat to all its existence. 
• Climate changes pose a threat to even the toughest of infrastructure and transportation systems. The results of extreme weather conditions in the form of unanticipated heavy rains, floods, droughts, etc., pressure existing infrastructures, including roads, bridges, internet connections, and ports. All these again directly or indirectly disrupt human lifestyle, employment, and human health.  

The situation is grave, as even the lockdown-dominated year 2020 saw a rise in two of the most harmful gases, i.e.., methane and carbon dioxide.

Can we do anything?

While I am no master in this subject, some of the research in the area and some ideas have led to few basic points.

• We need to limit warming and reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases. It would require a significant technological shift that can be done gradually. This step comes with the added benefit of generating new and more jobs. 
• We should include this as a topic of study for students. A holistic education requires youth to be aware of the existing situations as early as possible. While making them knowledgeable, we might introduce some new ideas and innovations to implement on the subject matter.
• We must do our part in saving energy – energy saved is energy produced. This is something all of us can do starting now by always switching off the electrical appliances, not in use.

These are nothing but simply points for everyone to get a sense of the gravity of the situation. Experts around the world are continually figuring out and suggesting solutions to minimize global warming, drastic climatic changes, and consequential impacts. These solutions would help us understand the right type and time of investment to be made.

Shall we end?

How can I end without blabbering some amateurish advice from my side ☺

The season is changing; it’s time you take care of yourself and stay safe from the season-changing cold, fever, and other effects on your body.

• Gradually change your wardrobe from t-shirts to jackets and other stuff.
• Do not drink ice-cold water – eventually, shift to mild and then normal (or warm) water. However, make sure you keep yourself hydrated.
• Gargle using a pinch of salt in warm water if you feel itchiness in the throat, cough, or cold. 
• You may start using lukewarm water for bathing if it feels too cold (but please don’t stop bathing :D). 
• Eat a balanced and healthy diet.
• Sleep well and maintain an exercising routine.
• Since we now know that most season-changing diseases are caused due to viral and bacterial infection, the following points are critically essential.
  • Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, especially when you are going out or coming back to your home, and before & after eating your meals.
  • Use a safe and effective sanitizer for your hands. Sterloc best suits the current requirements – it is 99.9999% effective against bacteria and viruses, including the coronavirus. It is non-toxic, chemical and alcohol-free, harmless, and safe to be used on your skin. #GetSterlocked #GetPreparedforWinters!

The rest, your body, can decide the best.

Have a delightful winter season!

Avani Raj Arora