It’s no secret as the cooler months roll in, so too do the coughs and sneezes! Thankfully there are a few things we can do to really optimise our immune system during this time to ensure our body is ready to fight off any nasty bugs we come in contact with. We’re here to give you the tools with the biggest bang for their buck in keeping you healthy this Winter.
First thing’s first
We don’t really want to ‘boost’ our immune system as an overactive immune system can be problematic! Instead, the goal is to support our immune system to optimise its current function. So, how do you do it?
1. Load up on fruits & vegetables
Fruits and vegetables contain a number of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and antioxidants that help to support good health. When choosing your fruits & vegetables aim to include as much variety and colour as possible! Try roasting, frying, steaming and grilling them to get different flavours and textures. Soups can be a brilliant way to load up on veggies and warm you up on a cold night. Who doesn’t love a big bowl of chicken & vegetable soup!
2. Skip the calorie deficit & weight loss goals for a while
When you eat in a calorie deficit either intentionally or unintentionally, the body is placed under a certain amount of stress and energy can be diverted away from the immune system temporarily. In order to give your body everything it needs to run on all cylinders, make sure you’re eating enough energy to support your activity levels, lifestyle and recovery each day. We often see an increased occurrence and duration of sickness in athletes expending a lot of energy in their training and not taking in enough with their nutrition - leading to a negative energy balance.
3. Sleep is your best friend
Sleep is your body's way of regenerating, repairing and strengthening a number of systems/cells - including the immune system. Without optimal sleep, you could be putting yourself at risk of being more susceptible to germs and pathogens getting through this protective barrier and entering the body. Not ideal! It’s recommended that adults get a minimum of 7 hours of sleep per night and a good night time routine and sleep hygiene can really help with this!
4. Hydration!
Last but not least, hydration is key. Not only can optimal hydration reduce the severity of many cold & flu symptoms, it can also help to fight off bugs by keeping your mucosal membranes functioning to trap any incoming invaders! For most adults, 2-2.5L of fluid per day is ideal although this does increase if you are highly active, have a high sweat rate or are living in a particular hot/humid environment. Aiming for your bathroom trips to be light yellow through to clear is another way to assess hydration and spreading your fluid intake relatively evenly throughout the day is recommended.
In summary
We can’t always control our fate when it comes to sickness (hello daycare/school bugs!) but we can adopt certain behaviours to optimise our immune response. Try aiming for 3 different coloured vegetables at dinner, planning in your 2 fruits a day and going to bed an hour earlier each night and you may just save yourself a whole lot of sick days!