Boost immunity – Eating well, getting enough sleep and staying active are all important during winter to help keep you and your family healthy and to support your immune systems. Supplements containing herbs and nutrients such as echinacea, garlic, vitamin C, and zinc will help to support healthy immune function.
Keep moving – Moving your exercise indoors during winter will help to keep you warm as well as fit and healthy. Be sure to spend time warming up before you start your exercise as it can take a little longer for your joints to loosen up in the cold weather.
Eating well – Find comfort in foods such as warming and nourishing soups and stews full of flavour and healthy vegetables. Be sure your diet includes winter foods such as sweet potato, green leafy vegetables, beetroot, kiwi fruit, mandarins, bananas, garlic and ginger.
Keeping bugs at bay – The viruses that cause colds are spread by sneezing, coughing and hand contact.Wash or sanitise your hands regularly and avoid close contact with someone who has a cold. Keep household surfaces clean as well as kids’ toys when someone in the family has a cold. Supplements such as vitamin C, zinc and echinacea may help relieve the symptoms and reduce the duration of a cold.
Stay hydrated – As the weather cools down and our thirst decreases it is easy to forget to drink enough water. You still need to aim for about two litres/day of water during winter as it is essential for our body to function. If you struggle with plain water (like we do sometimes) try herbal tea.
By Jessica Jenkins