Winter Immunity: Can a Healthy Lifestyle Really Boost Your Immunity?

Action For Wellness - The naturopath's corner

I know you've heard that you can boost your immune system through healthy lifestyle changes? Probably lots of times, right? But could it really be that easy? The answer might surprise you.

As we head into winter and a potential new variant of Covid, booster shots are being recommended - but are there more proactive ways we can protect ourselves?

A healthy lifestyle, including diet, exercise and sleeping habits, can boost your immunity and keep you healthy during the winter months—without even going to the doctor’s office! Let’s take a look at some of the research.

A healthy diet boosts immunity

Last January, the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a perspective article, offering the idea that there is a dietary change which can be made to help reduce risk of infection with covid-19, as well as significantly reducing risk of severe infection.

A plant-based diet can have an impact on your immune system

We discuss three studies which all suggest that a plant-based diet (which can be vegan, vegetarian or pescatarian, so long as they rely heavily on fruit and vegetables, whole grains and nuts, and plenty of legumes) can have a potentially large impact, significantly reducing risk of being infected with a severe form of covid.

Why do these diets make a difference?

We know that healthy plant-based diets are rich in nutrients, especially phytochemicals (polyphenols, carotenoids), vitamins and minerals, all of which are important for a healthy immune system, and fish are an important source of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids, both of which have anti-inflammatory properties. So in increasing the volume of plant-based ingredients we can help ourselves get healthier (and if that helps reduce risk of severe covid infections- then that's even better news!)

What can you do to help support your immune system?

As we're approaching winter, it might be time to make some changes to your diet. Eating more grains, fruit, vegetables, and legumes can help boost your immunity and keep you healthy during the coming months.

Here's how to incorporate these foods into your diet:

• Add a variety grains such as rice, quinoa, pearl barley and buckwheat to your main meals, don't always go for the one you're used to.
• Add fruit whenever possible - as a snack, dessert, and whenever you're feeling peckish.
• Eat vegetables with lunch and dinner - it doesn't matter if they are raw, cooked, steamed or air-fried - however you enjoy eating them do that
• Keep legumes such as beans in the pantry, but more importantly keep them in mind and add lentils alongside your grains, or beans into soups or casseroles.

And of course there's lots more to do, including reducing your sugar intake, getting a good nights' sleep, getting enough exercise and spending time outside, drinking plenty of water, and using herbal medicine to support your body.

As ever, if you feel you need extra support in incorporating these changes into your life, I'm

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