It's that time of year again – everyone around us seems to be sniffling, coughing and spluttering, and as tempting as it is to hibernate indoors until the winter (and germs) have passed that's not a realistic solution. The last thing you want is to be is sat at work with a streaming nose and a desk full of dirty tissues. Don't let yourself become the office sprinkler; be sure to prepare for winter with our top immune boosting tips.
1) Don’t hibernate – keep up a healthy lifestyle
We all know the feeling of wanting to curl up under the duvet until the cold snap ends, but keeping yourself fit and active over the winter helps to boost your immune system. A study undertaken by the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that the fitter a person is, the less prone they are to catching a nasty cold or flu when the weather worsens. You might also find yourself turning to comfort foods to serve as a pick-me-up, but your immune system needs nutrients to make sure it can fight viruses and stop you from getting sick. Maintain a healthy diet that is loaded with fruit and veg. Green vegetables activate your white blood cells which in turn fight all those nasty germs floating around. Brussels sprouts (if you like them!), lettuce, broccoli and spinach, are just a few of the veggies you should be aiming to incorporate into at least two meals a day. Try a salad for lunch, or add leafy greens to your soups and pasta dishes.
2) Sweat it out
Toxins are harmful chemicals which get into our bodies through food, water and the environment. We process them through our liver and kidneys and then eliminate them in the form of sweat.
You can sweat out those harmful toxins in a sauna, or even better is Bikram yoga. This abdominal-intensive, body-bending, fast-paced hatha yoga is all carried out in 40 degree heat: the perfect way to sweat out all the bad stuff.
3) Drink ginger tea
Ginger is rich in many properties and a great preventative and treatment for many symptoms. Packed with antioxidants, ginger will strengthen your immune system and leave you ready to fight winter.
For the perfect brew, peel your ginger and cut it into thin slices: use as many or as few slices to suit your taste, but 5 is a good rule-of-thumb. Place your ginger into a mug and pour boiled water in and let it brew for a few minutes. Add a dash of honey for a sweeter flavour and a few drops of lemon juice for a dose of vitamin C. Just be careful when you drink it, because ginger is also a proven aphrodisiac!
4) Don’t deprive yourself of Vitamin D
Vitamin D is produced from sunlight by your body, which is why it’s affectionately known as the ‘sunshine vitamin’. With the days getting shorter and daylight hours dwindling, winter is a hard time for us to get all the Vitamin D we need. With Vitamin D, your body has the ability to generate antimicrobial peptides, or in layman’s terms that’s the component needed for battling infections. When it’s not possible to get Vitamin D through sunshine, and you don’t want to take supplements, many foods offer a great alternative. Try fatty fish, like salmon, cheese, fotified milk and fortified foods like cereal.
5) Fight fatigue and stress
A stressful job or burning the candle at both ends can leave you feeling exhausted and burnt out; this can lead to your immune system working less effectively. Meditation is an easy and practical way to soothe your mind and body, leaving you feeling rested and rejuvenated. Most people are unaware that meditation is now considered a serious form of treatment for depression by the NHS.
6) Keep hydrated
You’ve heard it a million times before: drink 8 cups of water a day to stay healthy... well once again this fail-safe advice is essential in boosting your immune system. Water helps to flush out harmful toxins in your body, including those winter germs. By keeping your body well-hydrated you can make sure that it can fight any harmful viruses and stave off colds for longer.
For our immune-boosting and detox programmes check out SHA Spain Wellness Clinic for advanced immune-boosting and detox programmes, Euphoria Retreat, Greece for holistic mind-body rejuvenation, Palace Merano, Italy for award-winning medical spa for vitality and detox, and Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary, Thailand for natural immunity and energy retoration.
Check out some of our other relevant blogs :
Our Top Immune-boosting Tips for Wellness and Resilience
6 Easy Changes for a Healthier Lifestyle
Why Wellbeing Escapes?
