As we settle in for the winter ahead, taking care of our immune health and keeping our defences strong and able to protect us against those persistent seasonal illnesses becomes a priority.
While we can't completely avoid exposure to all of those coughs and sneezes, we can certainly become Winter Warriors by supporting our body's natural defences with good nutrition. In this blog, we're going to explore how eating the right foods will help you to stay well as the temperatures plummet.
The Power of Immune-Boosting Nutrients
Our immune system relies on a variety of nutrients to function optimally, all of which can be found in the food that we eat.
Vitamins A, C, D, E, B6, and B12, along with minerals like zinc, iron, and selenium, play crucial roles in keeping our immune systems robust and resilient.
Here's how you can incorporate some of the essential immune-supporting nutrients into your winter diet:
Vitamin C. Your First Line of Defence
Citrus fruits are a gift to our immune system and are abundant at this time of year. Oranges, lemons, and grapefruits are packed with vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that enhances immune function
But don't stop at citrus, though. Different kinds of peppers, kale, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage are also excellent sources of this immune-boosting vitamin and again abundant at this time of year.
Eat the rainbow. So much more than a cliché
We make no apologies for talking a lot about rainbow foods a lot because we know that a diet rich in colourful fruit and vegetables is the way to keep the bugs at bay, especially as science supports us on this one. The different colours in these foods provides a wide array of antioxidants like vitamin C and nutrients such as beta-carotene that support both our immunity and our overall health.
There are lots of ways to include rainbow foods into your daily diet. Try incorporating at least 5 different coloured vegetables from dark green spinach and broccoli to orange-coloured carrots and sweet potatoes and red tomatoes and peppers and 2 pieces of fruit from delicious seasonal greens and reds in apples or pears to a deep purple plum.
Vitamin D. The Sunshine Vitamin
More than half of us in the UK are considered to be vitamin D deficient. With reduced sunlight exposure in winter, this figure rises even further.
Vitamin D is crucial for both immune cell development and function but it can be challenging to get enough vitamin D from food - fatty fish such as salmon and mackerel and egg yolks being the main food sources.
We are advocates for testing your vitamin D at least twice a year - many GPs will do this for you - and then supplementing appropriately - talk to us if you are unsure about how to test your vitamin D and how to supplement safely.
Zinc and Selenium. The Mineral Defenders
These two minerals are crucial to keeping the immune system strong and able to spring quickly into action when needed. Zinc is critical for the development of immune cells and their ability to communicate with one another, while selenium activates, boosts and protects them.
To ensure that you have a good supply of these minerals include a portion of chicken, turkey or lean meat every day, some fish or seafood at least 3 times a week and enjoy a daily handful of unsalted nuts and seeds.
The Gut-Immune Connection.
Don't forget about your gut health! A significant portion of your immune system resides in your gut and including probiotic-rich foods which feed the gut microbiome like plain Greek yogurt, kefir, and fermented vegetables such as sauerkraut will keep it happy and diverse, which in turn bolsters your immune defences.
The gut microbiome also loves a diet full of different vegetables and fruit and so here we go again with our rainbow cliché - eating a colourful diet is a really powerful way to keep your immune system in tip-top shape.
Hydration. Winter's Unsung Hero
We all know that staying properly hydrated when the weather is warm is a sensible thing to do but as the weather cools, we often feel less thirsty and forget to have enough to drink.
However, keeping hydrated whatever the weather, is crucial as water is essential to allow our cells to move around the body when we need them to. This includes our immune cells that need to be able to get to viruses and infections quickly to do battle on our behalf.
Staying well hydrated during the winter will also support your energy levels, helping you to stay active - another way to boost your immune system.
Aim to drink enough water so that your urine is always a pale straw colour - herbal teas and warm broths are an excellent winter alternative if cold water leaves you, well, cold at this time of the year.
A Recipe for Winter Wellness
Incorporating these immune-boosting foods into a delicious and nutritious winter soup or any of your meals will help to keep you well this winter.
Start with a base of garlic and onions for their antimicrobial properties.
Add colourful vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, and kale.
Include protein-rich beans or lean meat.
Season with immune-supporting spices like ginger and turmeric.
Finish with a squeeze of lemon for an extra vitamin C boost.
The key to keeping your immune system winter-ready is consistency - regularly including these foods as a regular part of your diet will give you the best results.
So keep warm, keep nourished and stay healthy this winter and if you would like to find out more about how to keep your immune system, or any other system for that matter, robust and resilient, whatever the time of year, please do get in touch.
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