3 Ways to Boost Your Winter Wellness
It's that time of year where some of us get struck down by a cold and flu or that horrible gastroenteritis that always seems to be floating around.
The immune system helps protect us from infection and disease. It also helps us recover when we are sick.
Winter wellness is all about supporting our immune system
Did you know that the health of your immune system is greatly affected by the food you eat? This is because approximately 70% of the immune system resides in our gut.
So when I talk about boosting your winter wellness, I mean ensuring that you aren’t compromising your immune system during the time of year when common colds, viruses, and the flu are abundant.
Factors which compromise our immune system
• Excess sugar consumption
• Stress
• Nutrient deficiencies
• Exposure to known allergens
• Lack of sleep
Do you feel run down, stressed, or are you always reaching for sugars or carbs to sustain you throughout the day? You may be inadvertently setting your immune system up for failure this winter!
Here are three ways to boost your winter wellness this season
It’s important to support and boost the immune system throughout the whole year, but especially so in the lead up to winter.
The three ways you can do this is by making changes to your diet, lifestyle, and supplements.
Dietary tips to boost your winter wellness
You may not need to completely change your diet, but here are some factors to consider:
Eat a fresh whole food diet, rich in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant foods such as berries, turmeric, ginger and oily fish.
Include probiotic foods such as yoghurt, kefir, and sauerkraut
Include prebiotic foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes
Include reishi and shitake mushrooms as they help boost immunity
Stay hydrated
When you are sick avoid mucous forming foods, such as sugar, refined carbohydrates, dairy and excessive animal proteins.
Lifestyle factors that can impact your immune system
It’s well documented that lifestyle factors can impact your immune system in a variety of ways. When it comes to boosting your winter wellness with lifestyle changes, you may want to start slow.
Changing habits takes time. If you find that you fall back into your old ways, don’t give up! It’s so important to focus on our lifestyles to support our body’s ability to fight off colds and flus.
Try to:
Maintain a healthy body weight
Get regular exercise
Avoid exposure to environmental toxins
Get plenty of sunshine for Vitamin D production
Specific supplements that help fight off colds and flu
Naturopathy offers a holistic approach to health that considers your emotional, physical, and mental wellness. Many naturopaths draw upon nutrition, herbal medicine, pathology, and mineral therapy in their consultations and assessments.
During the winter season, you may like to supplement your healthy and balanced diet with these vitamins and minerals:
Zinc – helps promote a healthy immune system
Vitamin A & C – both help to enhance the immune system
Probiotics – can help support the immune system and boost good bacteria within the gut
Andrographis, Astragalus and Echinacea are herbs which have immune-boosting properties
Garlic – known as natures antibiotic, it helps maintain a healthy immune system
If you suspect your immune system is compromised this winter, reach out
If you're are constantly sick, pick up common colds or the flu easily, or would like more guidance and support to help support your immune system, BOOK YOUR FREE 10 MINUTE DISCOVERY CALL HERE to chat about how I can help you boost your winter wellness.