We are now in the thick of the dreaded cold and flu season as we draw closer to winter. Given this, there’s no need to condemn yourself to rely solely on cough syrup and cold medicine for the upcoming months because there are a variety of natural therapies that can help you strengthen your immune system and stay healthy throughout the entire season.
Let me dispel a significant myth before we continue: There is no such thing as “getting a cold” from cold, which is a common fallacy regarding why more people become sick in the winter than during warmer seasons of the year. Actually, a number of studies have shown that getting a cold boosts immunity.
Why do more individuals become ill in the winter, then? There is no unequivocal solution. Some experts argue that this is because humans spend more time indoors and have more opportunities to spread bacteria and viruses to one another. Others speculate that it might be related to how the sun’s rays affect your health and how strong they are. Whatever the cause, you can always overcome it with some sound guidance and prevention!
Here are seven strategies to strengthen your immune system this season
Focus on vitamin D first (BUT NOT IN “FORTIFIED” FOODS OR SYNTHETIC FORMS LIKE PILLS)
The majority of people have low amounts of vitamin D, which may surprise you (especially in the Winter). hazardously low at times. I’m aware of some people who, despite believing they were in relatively good health, really had levels below the critical threshold of 20 ng/ml, which can seriously impair your immune system and hormonal equilibrium.
The best source of vitamin D is sunlight if you have access to it. The finest source of vitamin D is the sun, and moderate sun exposure helps your body naturally make vitamin D, which plays a crucial role in the potent immune system boost it provides.
Your skin’s oils react with UVB (not UVA) photons from the noon sun to make vitamin D, which is slowly absorbed by your body. The production of vitamin D by your body is inhibited by sunscreen, so keep that in mind.
Most usually, if not always, you require a vitamin D pill if you spend your workdays from 9 to 5 in an office. But when it comes to vitamin D, you need to be cautious about the synthetic versions that are present in many supplements because they are nearly always either ineffective or even dangerous when compared to natural ones.
The finest sources of natural vitamin D in food include egg yolks, fatty fish like salmon and mackerel, organ meats, and certain mushrooms. Although, in the winter, getting enough vitamin D from diet alone might be challenging.
INGEST MORE GARLIC
A powerful superfood is garlic, which ranks high. The use of garlic as a remedy for illness dates back thousands of years, and more recent research has confirmed the lore that it strengthens the immune system.
Start adding fresh chopped or powdered garlic to your meals, and take one or two garlic supplements daily.
USE PROBIOTICS
Millions of gut-friendly microorganisms (probiotics) are present in the fermented tea kombucha, which supports the growth of healthy microorganisms in your gut and so strengthens your immune system. The first line of defense against infections that come from your food and drink is provided by this.
Your gut flora and the well-being of the helpful organisms there protect you from pathogens and disease to a degree of seventy percent, which is the basis of your immune system.
In health food retailers like Whole Foods, you may purchase bottles of probiotic beverages like Kombucha tea.
Kefir is a dairy beverage that has been produced and fermented for thousands of years as a health tonic. However, variety is key when it comes to probiotics, so use a range of sources for the most benefit to your immune and digestive systems. Kefir is an even greater source of probiotics than Kombucha tea. Kefir is often 99 percent lactose-free and is also the easiest type of dairy to digest.
DRINK WARM TEA
There is proof that chamomile and green tea can boost the immune system. You can’t go wrong as both are packed with potent antioxidants that are specific to each tea, even if the effect is slight.
Therefore, I make an effort to have a few cups of green tea in the morning with a tiny bit of raw honey, and a few cups of chamomile or mint tea in the evening.
PURCHASE KRILL OIL
Deep in the ocean, there is algae that naturally produces astaxanthin. Crabs, lobster, salmon, and other marine species eat astaxanthin, making it the best source of Omega-3 fatty acids. Krill also consumes it. This algae is a highly strong antioxidant that can support the body’s defensive mechanism by adding an extra line of defense and assisting the body in reducing inflammation, which is a major contributor to disease.
PERFORM SOME SIMPLE EXERCISE
When you’re feeling sick, a high-intensity workout isn’t a good idea. Hard training forces the body to recover a lot at a time when your body needs all of its energy to fight off the impending illness. As a result, if you suspect you’re getting sick, switch to light-intensity exercise.
In the winter, I like to get some fresh air by going for a hike or snowshoeing. These activities aren’t very strenuous, so my body won’t have to do much recovery. Just going outside helps my body recover!
If it’s too cold to go outside, try some gentle yoga instead.
AVOID PROCESSED FOODS AND SWEETENED SOFT DRINKS
These toxic “treats” make your body work harder to get rid of all this junk and repair the internal inflammation they cause. Grain-based foods, such as bread, cereal, muffins, pasta, and bagels, are also major contributors to internal inflammation and disrupt normal gut function, so avoid grains as much as possible.
