The further into winter we get the more the cold, wet weather seems to have an impact on your life. You might notice that small things get you down more than normal. Or perhaps it’s easier than usual to fall ill. It could be that the one day you forget an umbrella leads to you getting that wet that you catch a nasty cold – which is never fun.
Let us learn from a naturopath near Bendigo and Castlemaine, how can we properly take care of our immune system during the cold days of winter season.
Dietary Support in Winter Season
Look after your health and support your immune system by having a look at your diet. There are a lot of foods you can include to support your health and reduce the likelihood of falling ill, try:
- Eating a rainbow: a wide variety of nutrient dense foods is perfect for supporting your health. Different colours of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, proteins, and healthy fats contain different nutrients, so a wide variety of colours is important.
- Looking after your gut: a healthy gut microbiome is essential for a healthy immune system. Support by eating fermented foods that help nourish your gut and microbiome. Try sauerkraut or kefir.
- Try bone broth: a great support for your gut microbiome and full of nutrients that help support your immune system. Select from our bone broth collection here.
- Top up on protein: eat enough to support the function of your immune system. You can try legumes, nuts, meat, poultry, eggs, seeds, or a good quality protein shake.
Lifestyle Ideas In Winter & Your Immune System
There are things that you can incorporate into your daily life to help support your immune system. Little activities that help improve your quality of life. These include:
- Catch some winter sun: you’ll need to be outside for a while, but it will boost your vitamin D levels.
- Forest bathing: spend time outdoors, away from everything and reconnect with nature. This has been shown to reduce stress and support immune function.
- Stay connected: reaching out and staying socially active has been linked to improved mood and improved recovery from illness.
- Check your hydration: it can be easy to end up dehydrated which has a negative impact on your immune function.
- Sleep well: make sure you are getting enough quality rest to recharge your body and your immune system.
Supplements For Your Immune System During Winter
Sometimes what you can do at home isn’t enough and you need some extra help. If this sounds like you it might be a good idea to have a chat with your naturopath. They will be able to help you and suggest supplements to support your health picture. Some of the things that might be recommended include:
- Herbs to support your immune system such as echinacea, astragalus, liquorice, holy basil, elderberry, or turmeric.
- Specific nutritional supplements including b vitamins, vitamin D, vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, selenium, glutathione, quercetin, vitamin A, or iron.
Have a chat with your naturopath to determine which supplements are right for you and what else you can do to keep your immune system – and yourself – in good health.
