How To Boost Immunity In Winter
Your immune system is what allows your body to fight infections and diseases.
With the arrival of winter also comes the season of colds and flu.
If you ‘catch everything going’ and are susceptible to colds, and chest infections during winter, you may have a weak immune system.
For this reason, it is during this period that our immune system needs extra support from the outside.
The basis of healthy immunity
To function well, your body requires balance and harmony.
Your immunity functions better when you lead a healthy lifestyle, such as eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep.
Replacing bad habits (such as drinking and alcohol and smoking) with good ones can help to keep your immune system healthy.
How can we boost our immunity in winter?
Get a good night’s sleep
There is a strong and immediate bond between enough sleep and immunity.
Poor quality sleep is linked to being more vulnerable to illness.
Not getting enough sleep also increases cortisol levels which raises your stress levels which, in turn, will adversely affect your immune system.
Adults should aim to get between 7 and 8 hours of sleep each night. Teenagers need between 8-10 hours, while younger children and infants should be getting up to 14 hours.
Eat balanced diet
A well-balanced, healthy diet plays a key role all year round, but with the arrival of the first frosts, it becomes extremely important.
Whole foods
Whole foods like nuts, seeds, fruit, and vegetables are packed with essential nutrients and antioxidants.
The role of antioxidants is to fight unstable compounds in your body, known as free radicals. It is these free radicals that cause inflammation and lead to sicknesses.
By regularly consuming certain foods or nutrients, we will be able to naturally support our immune system, preparing it to fight off pathogenic germs more effectively.
Oily fish
Oily fish is a great source of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids.
The first food that should certainly be included in our winter diet is oily fish.
Among others, we can include such fish as mackerel, sardines, or salmon. They are one of the richest sources of vitamin D3, which we lack in autumn and winter due to insufficient sunlight reaching our latitudes.
Fish with a high-fat content also contains a veritable wealth of omega-3 fatty acids, which also contribute to improving our immunity.
Both Olive oil and the Omega 3 fatty acids found in oily fish are anti-inflammatory. These anti-inflammatory foods help keep chronic inflammation from weakening your body’s immune system.
Spices
Your daily menu should also be enriched with spices, which not only improve the taste of a dish but also strengthen the immune system. These include garlic, ginger, black pepper, turmeric, and chili.
Choose vitamins that boost your immune system
We need vitamins and minerals to keep our immune systems healthy. The best vitamins for boosting immunity at a cellular level are Vitamins C, D, A, folic acid, zinc, and selenium.
A healthy immune system relies on vitamin D. In the summer, exposure to sunshine helps enormously. However, between October and March, the sun’s rays aren’t strong enough to bring this health benefit. Instead, take a daily supplement of Vitamin D to help you maintain a healthy level. You can shop specialist dietary supplements from brands like Your Secret Is.
You can get vitamin C from lemons, limes, mandarins, oranges, kiwi, cranberries, rosehips, and even peppers.
Vitamin A can be found in foods such as eggs, fish, and green leafy vegetables.
Food supplements are a great way to make sure you get enough essential vitamins and nutrients to maintain or improve your health.
Exercise regularly
Moderate exercise helps to reduce inflammation within your body as well as to boost the regeneration of your immune cells. Studies have revealed that moderate exercise boosts the effectiveness of vaccines in people whose immune systems are compromised.
Moderate exercise can include swimming, jogging, brisk walking, and steady cycling, as well as other activities that leave you feeling warmer and a little out of breath.
