Harmattan is here guys!!!It’s that time of the year when the weather and everything becomes dry , dusty and cold during the early hours of the morning and late hours at night .
Harmattan comes with a lot of unfavorable things ranging cracked lips, flu , dry chesty cough , extreme dehydration , cracked and scaly looking skin (worse with people who have dry skin) , hair breakage but to mention a few…
It is important to stay informed and equipped to ensure you breeze through this period without health hassle especially if you’ve got little ones to care for!!!
Here are a few tips to care for yourself and the family .
STAY HYDRATED : Water ! Water and more Water!!!! Since harmattan comes with very dry and humid weather conditions , dehydration becomes the order of the day . So staying hydrated is top priority to be able to function well..Do not replace water with any other liquid but water only , else you will be doing your body a great disservice..A great way to encourage kids to remain hydrated is by feeding them fruits with high water content e.g watermelon etc.
TAKE VITAMINS SUPPLEMENTS : Harmattan comes with all kinds of related diseases such as flu (which can destabilize children) , dry chesty painful coughs etc. Vitamin supplements help prevent some or reduce the symptoms of this diseases especially vitamin C. I usually go get some prescribed because my boys don’t do well with cold and it is always better to prevent it than treat/ cure a full blown one!!
ADJUST YOUR WARDROBE : Wear cloth warm enough to protect you and the kids from the cold (especially when your kids are more susceptible to cold) . Unfortunately the weather gets super hot in the afternoons so keep an extra top in your Nappy bag or kids bag that they can change into when the weather gets warmer !
BALMS /MOISTURIZERS /PETROLEUM JELLY : Can’t stress this enough or who wants to go around with dry ashy skin!! Moisturizers ensure your skin retain its water . They also make the outer skin super soft . Mixed with Vaseline , your skin will be soft to touch and extreme drought and skin cracks will be prevented. Balms create that warm effect attributable to the menthol in most of them …
RELATED POST : HERE
PROTECTIVE STYLING : Hairstyles that keep your ends hidden are the most appropriate this season (especially if you carry or have little girls with kinky 4c natural hair like me ) or alternatively wrap your hair to protect it from dust. Moisturize hair generously to ensure your hair doesn’t dry out totally and starts to break..
AVOID DUSTY ENVIRONMENT : Reduce exposure to dusty areas especially if you are asthmatic or have other respiratory conditions that can be irritated by dust.Cover your nose , close doors if you can just to minimize your contact with the dust directly !!!Wash curtains , wipe windows , fans with wet rags and service air conditioners as they tend to trap a lot of dust too.
BE FIRE CONSCIOUS: Keep your house warm but remember harmattan is the season with most fire incidents because everything is dry and flammable!! Do not leave fire in whatever shape or form unattended at any time to avoid fire outbreak and indescribable damage to properties and lives.
Still not sure what to wear tomorrow? see my recommendations HERE and HERE
Hope you learnt a thing or two from this post? Are there other ways that you keep you and your family safe and healthy during harmattan season? Share with me in the comment section below . I would love to learn more!!
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Thank you so much for all this valuable advice! It’s so important to plan ahead with taking vitamin supplements and dressing appropriately for changing temperatures! I’ve definitely learned that it’s important to choose the best skin products especially in this weather!!
Thanks Jenny for stopping by
I never even knew about harmattan season so this was really interesting to learn! I bet these tips would be great for the summer when it is hot and dry in NYC too!
Thank you! These tips are very useful. It is exceptionally cold outside because it is humid so you feel it way more and everything gets ruined. I will follow all of your tips. Merry Christmas again
Thanks for stopping by simonetta
I’ve actually never heard of the term Harmattan before! Loved all your tips though, this really is the time of year where lips crack, skin dries and everything is just blah. I’m going to follow your tips to help me get through it <3
Thanks Kirsten!harmattan is a thing in Nigeria almost same as winter but less cold compared to winter!!!
These are all great tips! Very useful and practical.
xx, Maryam
http://www.glamandposh.com
I actually have been suffering a bit lately so I’ve followed all of these things. And although I at times would want to vary it a bit, I’ve stuck to water so I’ve been a good lad, haha. 🙂
Thomas xx
Honestly it’s the first time I hear about harmattan! It sounds very unpleasant! I’m visiting Barcelona with my family and there are cold gusts of wind, so your tips come at the right time! Thank you so much dear! Love, Valeria
Wow now I have learned something new…
Awesome tips to survive that time my darling. Thank you for sharing and I will sure try to take care after myself more during harmattan
These are such great tips! Thanks for sharing!
Off to stock up on vitamins as we speak! Love your post darling – so good to remind us all! And make sure you’re staying nice and safe too x