How To Skip Getting Constantly Sick Over Winter

Do you get sick every single winter? 

Your immune system might be in need of a little TLC. Let’s look at some ways to boost your immunity naturally.

Add some probiotics

Did you know that much of your immune system is in your digestive tract? That is why adding good bacteria with probiotic foods is a vital step for supporting your gut and immune health.

Probiotics replenish and maintain the good bacteria that live in your digestive tract. These bacteria help to prevent the overgrowth of the wrong bacteria, maintain a healthy lining of the gut and directly enhance some of your immune cells. 

Probiotics can be found in foods such as:

• Natural yoghurt
• Non-dairy yoghurt
• Milk kefir
• Non-dairy milk kefir
• Water kefir
• Sauerkraut
• Kimch
• Miso

Munch on prebiotics

Adding good bacteria to your gut is a good start. But you also need to feed those good bacteria so that they can thrive. That is where prebiotics come in.

Prebiotics are a type of fibre that act as fuel for good bacteria. They can be found in a variety of foods, as well as some supplements.

Good sources of prebiotics include:

• Apple 
• Pear 
• Kiwifruit
• Papaya
• Banana (slightly green is best for prebiotic fibre)
• Garlic
• Onion
• Leek
• Asparagus
• Chia seeds
• Flaxseeds
• Oats
• Lentils and beans

Up the antioxidants

When you think of boosting immunity and avoiding infection, you probably think of vitamin C. But vitamin C is only one type of antioxidant that supports your immune system. Instead of focusing on vitamin C only, your best bet is to include a variety of antioxidants.

The easiest way to get plenty of antioxidants is to eat lots of fresh organic fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices. Some of my favourite antioxidant-rich foods are leafy greens, oranges, blueberries and cabbage just to name a few.

Don’t forget your zinc

Zinc is a key player in immune function. But many of us are either not consuming enough zinc, or have a higher demand for it. Our soils in Australia are so depleted of zinc that our food has very little stores of zinc. Constant stress will deplete your zinc rapidly.

Some good sources of zinc include:

• Fish
• Seafood
• Eggs
• Meat
• Milk
• Cheese
• Beans and legumes
• Pumpkin seeds
• Hemp seeds
• Cashews

Know your vitamin D

As the days grow shorter and colder, many of us become deficient in vitamin D. Vitamin D is one of the key nutrients the immune system needs to function. 

It’s a good idea to get your vitamin D tested at the start of the season. That way, you can correct any deficiency before you end up sick. 

The best way to boost your vitamin D is by exposing as much skin to direct sunlight for at least 20minutes a day. The best time is 11-3pm.