7 Ways to Boost Your Immune System This Winter
Written by Rachael Hunter
We all know how much easier it is to stay healthy in summer. Water is a must to help cool you down, fresh fruit and vegetables are in abundance, gardens and allotments are brimming with fresh produce, spending time outdoors is a luxury and the hot summer sun makes us happy and topped up with all the vitamin D we need.
However, it might surprise you to know it’s actually just as easy to stay healthy in winter. All that is required is a little more thought and some help from wonderful nature.
Whether it’s your physical health or your mental health, both tend to go hand in hand. A healthy diet is always required in order to stay healthy but, without taking care of your mental health as well, our immune systems can still suffer as a result.
We are very fortunate, without even realising it, that nature provides us with everything our bodies need throughout the year. Whilst berries, citrus fruits and luscious green veggies are ripe and juicy in summer, our comforting and wholesome root vegetables are fully grown in time for us to hunker down in winter.
This fantastic miracle of nature means our bodies and earth stay in sync with one another, our land is properly utilised and our immune system stays perky and obedient.
So, whilst nature takes cares of what we need to eat in winter, our mental health and our gut health, still needs that little bit of extra TLC. Here are 6 things you can do to help support your immune system this winter:
1. Increase your Vitamin D
Despite nature’s support, one of the main ways our immune system struggles in winter is with the lack of vitamin D. The sun is our main source of vitamin D and, here in Scotland, we definitely can’t be guaranteed enough throughout winter to maintain the right levels.
Increasing our intake of fatty fish, mushrooms and egg yolks will help, but a vitamin D supplement is a great way to go especially in the current circumstances as vitamin D is known to help fight off colds, flu and viruses by boosting our immunity.
It is also worthwhile to note that vitamin D is easier absorbed when taken alongside magnesium, this is because the magnesium assists the activation of vitamin D inside the body.
2. Look after your gut
Looking after your gut in winter is a great way to boost your immune system. 70% of your immune system cells live in your gut so it’s important to keep it healthy. Food such as sauerkraut, probiotic yoghurt, kimchi, miso, kombucha, pickles and even some cheeses can help look after your gut.
Look for natural, raw foods with active or live cultures inside. I have worked with some fantastic small business in the past who create delicious gut-friendly foods such as The Crafty Pickle Co., Ace Kombucha and Bad Gal Boocha.
3. Light is key
Daylight hours are limited in winter but it’s important to get as much light as possible. Doctors are now recommending light therapy as one of the first treatments for SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder.)
Daylight positively impacts our body's regulation of melatonin, a hormone that helps control your sleep-wake cycle. As well as this, it also increases serotonin, which helps regulate your mood. Sun lamps have been used in Scandinavian countries for many years and have had a positive impact on seasonal depression. Sun lamps (also known as SAD lamps) are available from many high street retailers and come in various sizes and budgets.
4. Get enough sleep
Sleep can sometimes be trickier to navigate in winter but it is one of the main priorities during the colder months. Our bodies, as always, need the time to rest and rejuvenate and just as our diet is in sync with nature, our sleep can be too. However, less light means our bodies naturally want some extra shut-eye but this isn’t always necessary.
Studies have shown we don’t need any extra sleep in winter than in summer. It is the increase of melatonin that causes our bodies to believe it does. To help curb this, it’s important to get as much light as possible to enable us to keep our normal bedtime routine. Aim to stick to a daily routine and keep your bedroom cool.
5.Stick to a routine
Getting into a daily routine can really help boost your mood in winter by encouraging us to stay focussed and fight those winter blues. Get plenty sleep, participate in some gentle exercises, eat a healthy balanced diet and spend as much time as possible doing things that make you feel good.
6. Get regular exercise
It doesn’t matter what time of year it is, exercise is always vital to our health. Walking, running, swimming, gym, yoga - whatever it is, keep at it. Gentle exercise is fine just aim to stay active.
Even better than just exercising is exercising outdoors. Get all that light, fresh air and exercise you need, all at once. Online classes and apps are fantastic when you can’t get out. There are so many free exercise videos and tutorials out there but some of my favourites are Fitness Blender, Do Yoga With Me, Jessica Smith TV and The Body Coach TV.
7. Keep yourself entertained
As the days get shorter, plan for lots of indoor time when the weather gets too bad to venture outside. Stock up on crafts, journals, good books, films or box sets you’ve been wanting to watch. Cosy drinks are a must and why not invite the family round for some food and spend some quality time together to boost your mood.
Whilst the above steps encourage a healthy, balanced lifestyle that will assure your immune system stays happy in winter, I know how difficult it can be to stay motivated each and every day.
On those days, do what you need to do for yourself. Spend the day cosied up indoors if you need to or eat that tub of ice-cream! Being kind to yourself is half the battle. Do your best, look after yourself and forgive yourself when things don’t quite go to plan.
Why not team up with friends or family and encourage each other. Walk together, cook together, cosy down together. Sometimes all we need is a little support.
No one is perfect. Find out what you enjoy and what makes you happy and do more of that. If you can follow just a few of the steps above then you are making a positive impact on your health. This, in itself, is an achievement to be proud of.