Immune Boosting for Winter
As the weather gets cold, my thoughts turn to flannel sheets, hot cups of tea and, unfortunately, the start of cold and flu season. Ah yes, runny noses, sore throats, headaches, coughing… those flannel sheets look better!
Taking the time now to invest in good immune health means less time feeling poorly and more time enjoying the colder weather – whether that is out on the slopes or curled up in a warm bed reading a great book.
Here are my eight tips for building a strong immune system:
Get your rest. A well-rested body can better fight off the season’s various viruses. During sleep, the body repairs and restores itself. Consistent, sound, quality sleep is the very best investment you can make to stay healthy this winter.
Eat immune-building foods – eating a varied and healthy diet is an excellent way to stay healthy this winter. Adding extra onion, garlic and ginger to your foods is great as these are natural antimicrobials (fight germs and bugs.) Foods high in vitamin C, such as capsicum (especially cooked red capsicum), broccoli, pawpaw, guava, kiwifruit and lychees, are great for boosting your ability to fight infections this winter as foods high in zinc (pepitas, beef, lamb and oysters.)
Remember to get outside to soak in the sun to promote the production of vitamin D, which is also good for immune health. Plus, the fresh air is a great way to decrease your exposure to the common airborne viruses of winter.
Manage your stress – poorly managed stress will decrease your ability to stay healthy this winter (and beyond). So, although the days are shorter and colder, exercise, meditation, yoga and whatever else you do to manage stress need to take place during winter still.
Practice good hygiene – frequent hand washing, covering your mouth when coughing and sneezing and encouraging others to do the same are excellent ways to stop the spread of colds and viruses. Cleaning common areas such as taps, handles, and phones will also help.
Increase probiotic foods and drinks. A surprising portion of your immunity rests within the gut. Therefore, a healthy gut equates to a strong immune system. Probiotics are an excellent way to build your immunity through your gut. A stand-alone probiotic is great (and strongly recommended should you resort to antibiotics if your cold or flu becomes a bacterial infection). Antibiotics are ineffective against the viral cold and/or flu and, therefore, should be avoided unless it is known to have become a bacterial infection.) Probiotic foods such as saurkraut, tempeh, miso soup (so yummy on a cold night) and yogurt (not so much when you have a cold as it is quite mucous forming; you are already making enough mucous during a cold, so it best to avoid dairy [products generally) are great winter additions. Fermented drinks such as kefirs and kombuchas are also good ways to build and sustain your immunity.
Supplement—In addition, it may be a good idea to increase your immune boosters through supplementation, even if you have a healthy diet. There are quite a few, but you can’t go wrong with Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and Zinc as a good starting point.
Nurture your weak point. If I am going to get sick, it will, nine times out of 10, be in my sinuses. And it has been like this for years and years. For others, it may be their throat (think tonsillitis) or their lungs (such as bronchitis). Most people are aware of their nurture points. Looking after these areas of the body now means you are less likely to get sick this winter.
Avoid refined sugar and alcohol - both of which decrease the strength of your immune system. Look to get your sweet fix through fruit, especially berries. Mineral water and kombucha are great alternatives to alcoholic beverages. Moderation is important generally, but avoidance may be better during these winter months, especially if you are prone to viral infections.
For those who get sick every winter and/or those who just can’t afford to get sick, drop me a line to set up an appointment. I can help with medicinal herbs and nutrients to lessen your chance of getting sick. And if you do get sick, remember that medicinal herbs and nutrients are a great alternative to antibiotics, cold medicines and cough syrups. And with less side effects.
