The winter cold and flu season is no joke. No one likes the feeling of coming down with illness, and while sometimes catching something is unavoidable (using public transport, being in a stuffy office, the kids bringing home colds from daycare or school) there are things you can do to bolster your immunity to give yourself the best chance of fighting off those nasty viruses! We were lucky enough to pick the brain of one of Herbs of Gold‘s knowledgable Naturopaths who spills the tea on how we can remain healthy this winter!
Can you explain what an immune system is and why it is important for our health?
The immune system works as the body’s “defence force” against illness and injury. With a built-in memory, it not only recalls pathogens it has come up against and fought before, it’s also backed up by an effective teamwork of a complex network of cells, chemicals, tissues and organs. Without an immune system our body would not be able to either detect injury or fight illness to keep us healthy.
What is something I should be adding to my diet daily to boost my immune system during winter?
A healthy immune system is reliant on a whole range of vitamins, minerals and nutrients that must be taken regularly in the diet. Some of them are water soluble, which means they’re not stored in the body so need to be consumed on a regular basis.
My top dietary powerhouse for winter is a green smoothie. Consider adding any greens that take your fancy including spinach, kale, cucumber and green apple. For some diversity in flavour other immune options include the addition of ginger, orange, mango or berries.
What is something I can reduce from my diet to boost my immune system during for winter?
When it comes to a healthy diet, my motto is just to “keep it real”. There are no replacements for fresh, real food. This means avoiding processed food and especially artificial sweeteners that are marketed as a healthy alternative to sugar – a statement which is simply just not true.
Say I do get sick, how can I recover from a cold quickly?
There are a few key things you should do.
1. Rest – don’t just “push through it”, see it as a sign your body needs a break.
2. Plenty of liquids – from herbal teas to chicken soup, not only are they comforting they help to break down mucous.
3. – Increase immune nutrients – more vitamin C, vitamin D as well as herbal support in the form of Echinacea, Elderberry or Andrographis.
What are your top three vitamins to support the immune system?
Simply think of the alphabet to support immunity through winter – C, D & E. Vitamin C and vitamin D are the go-to nutrients for winter, acting as potent antioxidants.
While vitamin E would not be the first vitamin you would think of, vitamin E is found in higher concentration in immune cells compared to other cells in blood and is one of the most supportive nutrients known to maintain immune function.
Are there any lifestyle tips you can give us to help with boosting general wellness and health during winter?
While there are many great things you can do for your health this winter, here’s my top 3. Don’t think of them as a chore, consider committing to just one each month:
- Keep moving. Don’t let the cold weather be a deterrent to exercise, while it can be tempting to stay under the doona where it’s warm, short bursts of moderate intensity exercise of up to 45 minutes each day increases both the recruitment and circulation of the immune system’s best defensive cells[1].
- Prioritise sleep. One study has shown that people who sleep six hours a night or less are four times more likely to catch a cold when exposed, compared to those who get more than seven hours of sleep each night[2].
- Reduce stress. Stress directly reduces the number of immune cells you have to help fight illness, so the higher the stress the more likely you are to get sick. Do yourself a health favour through winter and stress less!
[1] Nieman, D. C., & Wentz, L. M. (2019). The compelling link between physical activity and the body’s defence system. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 8(3), 201–217.
[2] Prather, A. A., Janicki-Deverts, D., Hall, M. H., & Cohen, S. (2015). Behaviourally assessed sleep and susceptibility to the common cold. Sleep, 38(9), 1353–1359.
