People tend to think about their health once they get sick. However, it would be best to prevent the disease from occurring in the first place.
The best way to keep your immunity strong is to have a balanced diet, exercise regularly, and take care of your mental well-being.
In this post, we will suggest some of the foods, habits, and vitamins that will keep you healthy this winter.
Foods
Root Vegetables
Winter is not the best season for most vegetables. However, we have beets, carrots, and turnips. They are rich in minerals and vitamins C and A and make great ingredients for winter recipes.
You can either eat them raw, in the salad (like carrots), while others make a great addition to hot winter soups.
Broccoli and Cauliflower
Broccoli is one of the healthiest vegetables, and it is also abundant during winter. Besides, broccoli and cauliflower have amazing antiviral and antibacterial effects.
They are rich in Vitamin C and are scientifically proven immune system boosters. Also, another great thing about broccoli is that they don’t lose nutritional value when frozen.
Soup
Having a bowl of tasty hot soup or, even better, a potage should be your daily routine during winter. The secret ingredients of every soup are cream, beef, and salt.
You can put all the vegetables you want in a soup, or enrich it with beans or lentils.
Snacks
Grey winter days can feel too long sometimes, and we are prone to eating more than usual. In order to avoid processed sugars and fast food as snacks, try to surround yourself with some walnuts, chickpeas, and almonds. Nuts are rich in proteins, vitamins, and minerals.
Hydration
The importance of sufficient water intake can’t be stressed enough. It is crucial for the immune system, skin, nervous system, natural detoxication, etc. Insufficient and irregular hydration obstructs the oxygenation of cells and normal organ function.
Therefore, make sure to drink at least ten cups of fresh water every day. Also, don’t forget the power of medicinal herbs such as basil and mint. They are great ingredients for a comforting and healthy herbal tea.
Glutamine
Glutamine is one of the most important amino acids. It is of essential importance for so many functions in the body, from gut health to successful muscle tissue recovery.
The white blood cells can’t properly fight infection unless there is enough glutamine in the body. Therefore, try to find a good glutamine supplement or make sure to eat enough chicken and fish.
Vitamins and Minerals
Zinc
Zinc is probably the most important mineral for your immune system. The body needs it to fight the germs, grow, and heal.
So, in order to make sure you have enough zinc, make sure to eat red meats, oysters, beans, and nuts.
Vitamin C
The importance of vitamin C probably doesn’t need much explaining. It is among the top cold and flu-fighting Ingredients and the most common supplement recommended by doctors.
However, the main misconception about Vitamin C is that you should drink it only when you are sick. On the contrary, you will get the best effects if you take enough Vitamin C all year long.
Vitamin D
Our body needs sunlight to synthesize Vitamin D. As you could imagine, it has a hard time doing that when it’s cloudy most of the time and our bodies are fully covered due to cold. And, Vitamin D is vital for immunoregulation and fighting against germs and viruses.
That is why you need supplements for regular Vitamin D supply during winter. Also, there is a lot of Vitamin D in salmon, mushrooms, and eggs.
Healthy Habits
Sufficient Sleep
Stress and fatigue are some of the greatest enemies of your immune system. So, don’t hesitate to have enough “winter sleep”.
Also, except for sleeping at least 7 hours every day, make sure to regulate your Circadian rhythm. Try to go to sleep and wake up every day around the same time.
Meditate and Practice Mindfulness
Finally, don’t forget that mind and body are deeply connected. A lot of body illnesses are caused by a disturbed mind, and vice versa. Therefore, try to find time for regular meditation and mindfulness practice.
If you give it a try, you will see that only half an hour or even 20 minutes of meditation every day can do wonders for your wellbeing.
