5 Simple Ways to Fight off the Cold and Flu Season

Here are some simple strategies you can try this winter to look after your body and mind, and to keep on track.

Tip 1: Enjoy a rainbow every day

Vegetables of different colours provides you with a range of vitamins and antioxidants – so enjoy a combination of colourful plants to benefit your whole body. Fight off flu symptoms, infections and inflammation as well as reducing your risk factors of serious chronic diseases. Eating more plants also feeds your friendly gut bacteria with fibre, as well as being helpful for regular bowel movements.

Tip 2: Pass on supplements and elixirs

While vitamins and minerals intake can reduce cold and flu episodes and symptoms, research shows that they are more effective when eaten as wholefoods rather than in supplement form. This is possibly due to the complex mix of nutrients and compounds found in foods. So it’s time to refer to your Free Foods list to add delicious seasonal veggies to give your favourite winter classics a flavour and health boost.

Tip 3: Get 6-8 hours of sleep and relax!

Sleep and rest are very important to allow your body to recover from physical and mental stress and fatigue. Accumulated stress, both mental and physical, can cause havoc to your immune system, your mood and compromise your food choices and motivation to exercise. Make an appointment with yourself to have adequate sleep each night. Establish a sleep routine that works for you and regular times to focus on yourself to relax. Turn off electronic devices an hour before bedtime, enjoy a soothing herbal tea, or do a couple of easy stretches before you tuck yourself in.

Tip 4: Enjoy a serve of probiotics daily

Your gut and its friendly army of good bacteria are important defence walls against harmful bacteria and viruses from entering your body. A healthy gut will also benefit your mood, inflammation and immune system. A simple way to increase your population of friendly bacteria by is enjoying a daily serve of probiotic-rich yoghurt or kefir (a fermented milk drink). Or, why not try a new probiotic-rich food such as tempeh, kimchi or sauerkraut as part of your meals. Research has shown that maintaining a healthy weight can also help to increase your friendly gut population and reduce harmful bacteria.

Tip 5: Keep moving to keep warm

While we all just want to rug up and sit on our couches, this means activity is even more important for maintain good health. We tend to get sick from more indoor days rather than getting out and about. As well as exercise plans for rainy days and darker evenings, setting up a go-to exercise routine for the outdoors can do your immunity as much good as your muscles and overall health.