During the winter months, it can seem like more people get sick. With lots of colds, coughs and flus going around it can be really easy to pick up some sort of illness around this time of year. With Christmas just around the corner, you want to feel your best and celebrate with your family and friends. 

We all have a level of natural immunity throughout the year, but there is also evidence to suggest that in colder temperatures, such as the winter months, your immune system can be suppressed slightly. This can open up even more opportunities for infections to increase and your health to be affected.

In this article, we will be looking at what way you can help yourself beat any illnesses, how to build your immunity this winter and what are our top tips which can aid you in feeling fit and healthy this winter season. 

1. Staying On Top Of Your Vitamins 

Staying on top of your vitamin intake, whether that be through supplements or ensuring you meals are varied enough that you are getting everything you need through your food in-take is important all year round. However, during the winter months, you may find yourself feeling less energetic and wanting to curl up in bed way earlier than usual.

This is usually because the sun goes down earlier in the day, than in the summer months. On top of that, it’s also really cold in the United Kingdom at the moment, making it all the more easier to curl up in bed with a cup of tea and a good book in the afternoon. 

To combat getting this feeling, try taking some vitamin D tablets. The supplements help regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in your body, which are the nutrients your bones, teeth and muscles need to continue being healthy. Vitamin D helps support your immune system whilst also giving you that boost of energy you might have got from the sun. If supplementing your diet with additional vitamins is not for you, then try adding food which is rich in vitamin D. For example, oily fish such as salmon, sardines or herring are great. As well as liver, egg yolks and most red meats. 

2. Stay Active

Definitely one of the harder parts of winter is staying active. With some many outside activities with no off limits, due to how cold it is, finding time to get your body moving can be extremely challenging for many. In addition, with many of us working from our houses, or adopting the working at home / working in an office hybrid system, getting in that much needed thirty minutes to an hour of exercise can seem impossible.

However, to avoid those awful winter colds, we have to keep active. Exercise can benefit our immune system in many ways, including increasing the blood flow around your body, which helps clear out bacteria. In addition, this brief elevation of your body temperature that occurs during most exercising can act as an extremely protective shield for your immune system, which leads to your antibodies being strengthened. 

Of course, exercising also means a decrease in your stress-levels, which is linked to your immune system. If you are continuously stressed, then it may leave your immune system slightly more open to being attacked. 

3. 5-a-day Keeps The Doctor Away

We are sure that it isn’t news that eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day is really good for your immune health. But, being more selective about what greens are on your plate can offer a much needed boost to your health that you may not have thought of. For example, watermelon. We know, it doesn’t sound much like a winter fruit. But as well as having amazing benefits on the hydration side, it also has plenty of a certain antioxidant, which is called glutathione. This antioxidant can actually help fight infections, directly aiding your immune system during the colder months. 

Spinach is at the top of our list when it comes to what vegetables to include in your winter dishes. This ‘superfood’ is filled with so many nutrients, as well as being an amazing source of fiber, vitamin c and even helps your body produce new cells. We recommend mixing it raw into a salad or even just cooking it slightly to get all the benefits this amazing leafy green has to offer. 

4. Manage Your Daily Stress Levels

Stress can be one of the most detrimental aspects of our daily life which can weaken our immune system. When we’re stressed, we comprise the immune system’s ability to fight off any antigens which may come our way. We become so much more susceptible to infections, as our number of lymphocytes are severely reduced. 

There are so many things around this time of year that could be causing us stress. Christmas is around the corner, which can bring around a fear of entertaining guests, financial stresses about getting Christmas presents or even just working to close deadlines to get everything complete by the end of 2021. 

Whatever the stress is, it’s important to take some time for yourself, relax and make a valiant attempt to have a self-care routine that you stick to. One of the best ways we find to relieve stress is having a bath with the addition of an essential. For example our Sleep Well Wellbeing Ritual Oil For Body Bath & Shower is perfect for those needed moments of ease. Relax your body and quieten your mind with this deeply relaxing and nourishing multi purpose oil. If you are looking for another addition to your self-care routine, might we suggest the De-Stress Wash and Lotion Duo?  This is a remarkably soothing blend of essential oils to help you juggle more throughout your day, keeping you calm and in control.

5. Uninterrupted Sleep