As the temperature gauge takes a dive, many find themselves coughing, sneezing, sniffling, feeling run down, and extra susceptible to colds and flus.

You don’t have to wait until you’re already sick to support your immunity! Taking steps to actively support your immune system throughout winter’s colder weather is the best prevention strategy, so you don’t get sick in the first place.

The immune system is the body’s frontline defence against harmful pathogens such as viruses and bacteria.

A weakened or compromised immune system can lead to infection. In this state, your body is more susceptible to recurrent and persistent infections. Over time, this constant activation of the immune system can further weaken immune defences setting up a vicious cycle.

When we’re run down, stressed and eating poorly, the body is less able to fend off the viruses that we’re all exposed to every day.

To stay well, it’s important to be actively involved in setting firm foundations for a robust, resilient immune system.

At the core of good immune health are simple health principles and practices. Healthy lifestyle choices are your first line of defence – helping not only your immune system, but every part of your body, function properly.

If you do get sick, your state of health at the time of illness can greatly influence the severity of illness and your recovery. Optimising your physical and psychological health every day is the single best step you can take to naturally keep your immune system primed and ship-shape.

Here are a few tips to help turbo-boost your immunity so you can stay well and ward off the nasty symptoms of a cold or flu throughout the colder weather.

7 Tips to stay healthy over winter

✳️ Tip 1: Get plenty of sound sleep

Sleep is an essential piece of the puzzle for maintaining your immune health. Poor sleep can compromise your immune system, increasing your risk of illness, leaving you vulnerable to colds, flu and infection. Aim for 7 to 8 hours of restorative sleep each night.

✳️ Tip 2: Stress less 

Mental stress drains the resources your body needs to stay strong physically. As a result, your body’s ability to fight off illness is weakened or suppressed. Actively manage stress and support your wellbeing by implementing strategies to maintain a calm mood and perspective. This could be a relaxing hobby, spending time in nature, practising mindfulness, meditation or breathing techniques. Find a self-care strategy that works for you and your lifestyle.

✳️ Tip 3: Eat fresh, whole foods 

Eating enough nourishing nutrients is required for overall health – not just the immune system! Diet and nutritional status impact immune system function and your ability to fight infection. There are many nutrients involved with normal immune system function, so ensure you’re eating a wide variety of nutrient-rich whole foods, close to their natural state – vegetables, fruits, lean protein, beans, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds.

• Warming, home-cooked soups and slow-cooked casseroles are ideal winter dishes that can easily include plenty of nutritious vegetables and herbs 

• Kumara, pumpkin and carrots contain beta carotene which can be converted to vitamin A to help prevent and fight off infections

• Onions contain flavonoids, particularly quercetin, a powerful antioxidant that is also a natural antihistamine and anti-inflammatory compound

• Regularly adding fresh garlic and ginger to winter meals adds flavour and bolsters immune benefits

• Vitamin C rich fruits and vegetables including frozen berries, citrus, kiwifruit, capsicum, tomatoes, broccoli, and cauliflower support immune system defences

• Mushrooms contain beta-glucans which have been found to be potent immune enhancers

• Fermented foods such as yoghurt, sauerkraut, miso, and kimchi offer protective probiotic benefit, while prebiotic foods such as leeks and lentils feed good gut bacteria – your gut microbiome is a fundamental component regulating immune function. Did you know that between 70 and 80% of the body’s immune cells reside in the gut/digestive tract?

✳️ Tip 4: Stay hydrated 

For your immune system to benefit from the nourishing nutrients you’re eating, they need to be transported around your body via your blood stream – which is mostly water. Drinking plenty of water helps deliver nutrients where they need to go, helps flush toxins, and supports mucosal barriers like your mouth and eyes, to help prevent infections from gaining entry.

✳️ Tip 5: Exercise regularly 

Regular physical exercise and movement keeps your body functioning well and strengthens your immune response, priming it for when illness comes knocking – reducing inflammation, lowering stress, and supporting infection-fighting cells. Movement gets blood circulating, allowing immune cells and lymph to move freely through the body, and go about their daily tasks. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity five times a week.

✳️ Tip 6: Spend time in the sunshine 

Skin exposure to sunlight is the most important source of vitamin D, which helps regulate your immune system. Low levels of vitamin D increase your susceptibility to infection.

✳️ Tip 7: Consult a naturopath 

A registered naturopath is a qualified expert who will work with you to create a wellness plan tailored to your individual needs. During an initial naturopathic consultation, you’ll be asked questions about your diet, lifestyle, and specific health concerns and goals, to fully understand your unique health picture.

Winter is the perfect time to strengthen your immunity and focus on wellbeing. A naturopath will provide personalised guidance to support your gut and immune health, recommending:

• Lifestyle modifications
• Nutritional changes, identifying any gaps in your diet.

While dietary and lifestyle improvements can go a long way towards supporting a robust immune system, individualised herbal medicine and nutritional supplementation can offer another layer of valuable immune support at this time of year.

A registered naturopath can advise on safe, appropriate nutritional supplementation and herbal support.

A naturopath may suggest testing to determine your nutrient status and recommend ‘practitioner only’ supplements – evidence-based, trusted brands adhering to good manufacturing practice and quality control. Safety and drug/herb/food interactions are taken into account.

🌱 Nutrient considerations for immune resilience include:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin D
• Zinc
• Selenium
• Quercetin
• B vitamins
• Magnesium
• Probiotics
• Omega-3 fatty acids

A naturopath can help you to simplify the supplements you may already be taking and make sense of the overwhelming range of options available, advising on the most beneficial options for you.

🌱 Helpful herbs for immune health

Proactively taking immune-supporting herbs can help keep you well and break the cycle of recurring or lingering infections.

Herbs such as Echinacea, Astragalus, and medicinal mushrooms Reishi, Shitake, and Maitake, support immune function by increasing production of white blood cells and other immune factors.

Withania and Siberian Ginseng, known for their stress-supporting properties, nourish the immune response as well, helping to rebuild a depleted system and supporting a healthy recovery.

With greater immune resilience, you’re less likely to experience severe symptoms if you encounter a bacteria or virus.

Always consult a registered naturopath/medical herbalist to ensure herbal medicine is safe, therapeutic, and appropriate for you.

As winter sets in, the colder weather and shorter days can pose unique immune challenges. Focusing on giving your immune system a little more love at this time of year can help you thrive, stay well and enjoy the season fully.

I’d love to work with you, to help you to actively support your immune system, so you can thrive through winter and beyond!

Book an initial consultation with me today.