Winter illness isn't inevitable. From diet to exercise to vitamins and supplements, here are Dr Hilary Jones' 10 ways to ward off troublesome winter bugs.
🕒 4 min read
Winter is nearly upon us, bringing with it not just cold weather but also a host of seasonal respiratory viruses; at best inconvenient and at worse capable of making us very ill indeed.
There is plenty of evidence to suggest that after some Covid lockdown-related respite, people are again starting to experience more frequent common colds, together with sinusitis, tonsillitis and ear and chest infections.
Don't worry – you don't have to spend winter feeling rubbish. Here are 10 ways to optimise your natural immunity and stay healthy and symptom-free as the cold weather comes.
1. Eat healthily
Eating plenty of fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, lean proteins and healthy fats provides the immune-boosting vitamins and antioxidants that keep your immune system strong.
Highly coloured vegetables such as bell peppers, carrots and green leafy vegetables, along with citrus fruits and berries, are packed with vitamins C, D and zinc, which are essential to protect us from infection.
2. Practice good hygiene
Cold weather itself can't give you a cold. Only microorganisms can do that, so give those who are coughing and spluttering a wide berth and consider wearing a mask if social contact with people who are poorly is unavoidable.
Wash your hands frequently in soap and water and open windows where appropriate to provide plenty of fresh air. Bin any used tissues and dispose of them safely.
3. Get plenty of refreshing sleep
It's tempting to burn the candle at both ends during the festive season, but this can make you more prone to illness. Good-quality restorative sleep is vital to repair the body and support the systems that recognise and neutralise invading germs.
Daytime fatigue promotes unhealthy eating and drinking habits, which reduces our resistance further.
4. Exercise regularly
Studies have shown that very strenuous exercise can harm immunity, but a regular amount of moderate exercise improves the circulation and enhances the immune system.
Physical activity promotes numerous other physical benefits and is something that should be enjoyed all year around – whatever the weather.
Vitamin D is vital for immunity, as well as muscles, bones and teeth. Dr Hilary Jones explains.
Find out more
5. Avoid excessive stress
Too much of the stress hormone cortisol makes us more susceptible to inflammation and infection. Try to identify any causes of tension or stress in your working or social life and learn to manage them appropriately.
Learning to meditate or practicing deep relaxation exercises, together with spending more time in the open air in a calming natural environment, can help.
6. Dress for the weather
Give your body the best chance of defence against infection. Cold, wet feet or hair cannot give you a cold, but there is some evidence that low temperatures in the mucous membranes lining the nose or respiratory passageways can reduce the efficacy of the immune cells lining them.
These membranes are the first line of defence, so on especially cold days wrap a warm scarf around your nose and face and keep moving.
7. Don't sabotage your health
There are plenty of things we do that seem like a good idea at the time but make us more vulnerable to ill health.
Smoking is an obvious one but too much alcohol and overindulgence in ultra-processed foods and sugary drinks should also be on the list. They are fine as occasional treats, but over the course of time will take their toll.
8. Stay hydrated
Too few of us drink adequate amounts of water, but dehydration can prevent your immune system working to maximum efficiency.
9. Take appropriate supplements
Top of the list should be a vitamin D supplement. This is recommended by the NHS for everyone, especially during the winter months. Known as the sunshine vitamin, it's mainly produced by the action of natural sunlight on the skin, and sunlight is harder to come by at this time of year.
Vitamin D is essential for good immunity, yet a significant proportion of the population are deficient.
Vitamin C is vital to the function of the white cells in our blood responsible for fighting infection. Although it can't cure an established cold, it may help to reduce the duration and severity of symptoms.
Group B vitamins and the mineral zinc also boost the production of protective antibodies and maintain the integrity of mucous membranes.
Finally, probiotics preserve good gut health and function, while keeping unfriendly bacteria in our digestive system under control and protecting the gut lining from allowing harmful bacteria to leak into our bloodstream.
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10. Get vaccinated
Some doctors are already worried about a tripledemic this winter. The Covid virus is still around and on the increase, but there are also warnings about influenza viruses and the respiratory syncytial virus, which is so threatening to young children and the elderly in particular.
Fortunately, the risk of all three can be significantly reduced through vaccination. If you are in an eligible group for a free NHS vaccine, I would certainly recommend you take up the offer.
Even if you are not eligible and would like to pay for your own flu vaccine, there is a great deal to recommend it. Just remember that the jab cannot give you flu, as it contains only a killed virus that can alert your immune system and protect you without giving you symptoms. I've already had mine!
These 10 simple steps are well worth adopting if you wish to stay well this winter. Exposure to germs is random and sometimes unavoidable, but surely it's worth giving yourself the best chance of staying fighting fit?