Tis the season to be mindful of the low humidity and chills that come with the harmattan season in Nigeria.
Whether this is your first time in Nigeria during this harmattan season or not, these are some things you should never lack in your everyday carry-on.
Vitamin C
What a beautiful coincidence it is that the Christmas season and the Harmattan season are at the same time.
Forget the calendar, you know that once you smell that dry cold harmattan air, it’s a matter of time before you see the fireworks at night and see the Christmas costumes in marketplaces.
However, for some people, this coincidence is tragic.
The season comes with some respiratory diseases such as the flu, cough, and catarrh.
It’s almost impossible not to have at least one of these in this period.
But thanks to the gift of vitamin C, this season can be completely tragic-free for you and your loved ones.
Vitamin C has both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that make it possible to boost your body’s immune system during this period and protect and fight free radicals that could contribute to any of the harmattan-prone diseases.
So as a pro tip, consume lots of fruits and vegetables during this period, as they are naturally rich sources of Vitamin C.
Then as a bonus, you may also want to have some Vitamin C tablets in your bag everyday in this season.
But be careful not to abuse the drug. Two tablets in the morning, two at noon, and two at night are just enough to strengthen your immune system and keep your nostrils clear of mucus.
Water Bottle
Every normal adult body expects 3 – 4 litres of water daily, however, not every normal adult meets this expectation.
A characteristic feature of the harmattan season in Nigeria is low humidity of the air which causes dry throat, nose, skin, and eyes.
It also causes an increase in the amount of raised dust particles as the soil becomes more arid than in other seasons.
All these can easily make you a target for inflammatory or airborne diseases, such as bronchitis and the flu, during this Harmattan period.
Or they could be prevented.
Carrying a water bottle with water in it at all times is a great way to remind yourself of the importance of staying hydrated, especially during this period.
As a pro tip, you can set your timer for every hour in the day and take a full gulp of water once the alarm rings. Do this till it becomes a habit to drink water.
You also don’t want to overdo it because of the dangers of drinking excess water.
Lip Gloss/Balm
The low humidity of the air will not only impact the well-being of your inner body but also your outer body, like your lips and skin.
During the harmattan season in Nigeria, one of the common things that is experienced is drying of the lips.
If not taken care of, the lips begin to break and superficial bruises may appear on them.
I have a friend who’d cut off the broken skin of her lips because she believes they’re only shedding like the skin of a snake.
If you’re like my friend, I urge you, just as I did her, to start using lip gloss. I recommend the Absolute lipgloss, as it lasts longer and might not need reapplication during the day.
And if you’re a male and think the idea of applying a gloss on your lips is ridiculous, thanks to Nivea lip care, you don’t have to look like a pretty girl with a deep voice while going about your day and still not have dry lips.
Aside from lip glosses and balms, shea butter is also a good lip moisturizer and will keep your lips safe from drying or breaking during this period.
Moisturizing Cream/Lotion
Just as we’ve stated earlier, your skin can also take a hit in the harmattan period, especially if your body cream/lotion is not a moisturizing one.
Moisturizing creams/lotions are those creams/lotions with the ability to seal the moisture of your skin and often include ingredients like shea butter, olive oil, or coconut oil.
Since the humidity in the air is low (low water content of the air), it is only wise that you help your body to maintain and retain whatever water it has.
One way to do this is by staying hydrated, the second is by staying moisturized.
EveryDay Health has a great article to help you know if your cream/lotion is moisturizing or not.
As a pro tip, it’ll help if you know your skin type, to determine what type of moisturizer will be suitable for you.
Takeaway
It is possible to enjoy the harmattan season in Nigeria, as well as celebrate Christmas and New Year in great health so long as you have these 4 must-haves in your harmattan kit.
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