While winter gives us a welcome respite from the intense heat of the Australian summer, it also brings along a few less desirable companions. Yes, it’s flu season, when colds, influenza, and other pesky infections have us retreating under our cosy blankets, seeking solace.
But fear not, because there are some simple precautions and healthy habits you can embrace that will help you breeze through the cooler months with your usual grace, with no unsightly sniffling and sneezing.
Here are six ways to lovingly nurture and strengthen your immune system this winter.
Cooking up healthy habits
It’s no secret that healthy habits start in the kitchen.
A well-balanced diet, filled with nutrient-dense whole foods, should stand you in good stead to not only battle winter bugs, but stay healthy all year round.
Make sure you include plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains, while incorporating immune-boosting foods rich in vitamins C and E, zinc, and antioxidants to really power up your immune system.
For foods high in vitamin C and zinc, try eating more of these all-in-one wonders: Avocado, peas, spinach, edamame and lima beans.
For a big dose of vitamin C, which our bodies need daily, include a mix of these to help fortify your immune system: Citrus fruits, red bell peppers (capsicum), papaya and kiwi fruit.
To increase Vitamin E, go for nuts such as almonds, and sunflower seeds.
Adding turmeric, ginger and garlic to your meals can also work wonders as part of a balanced, healthy diet.
To really pack an immune-building punch, try including a green smoothie in your daily routine. Here’s our favourite for a quick, easy and powerful meal on the go:
- A handful of baby spinach or kale
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1/2 avocado
- 1/2 lemon
- 1 small piece of fresh ginger (1-2cm)
- 1 orange
- 1 green apple
- 1 tsp of honey (to taste)
- 1 cup coconut water (or just plain water)
Blend all ingredients together until smooth, then pour into a glass or pop into your favourite tumbler with a straw to enjoy at home or on the move!
Elysia’s team of health and nutrition experts can provide tailored advice across naturopathy, nutrition, iridology and zinc testing, and biocommunication. Explore our Wellness Menu for details.
Stay hydrated, stay healthy
Staying well-hydrated is essential for supporting your body’s immune functions and overall health all year long. While a cold glass of water might not seem as enticing during the cooler months, you can still achieve proper hydration by mixing things up a bit.
To stay warm while you’re boosting your fluid intake, consider sipping on refreshing, beneficial teas such as green, peppermint, chamomile, or even roasted dandelion root tea, which supports healthy liver function. Enhancing your green or peppermint tea with a squeeze of lemon or a touch of honey can further boost its immune-supporting benefits.
Sleep, glorious sleep
We all know 7-9 hours a night is the gold standard, but the pressures of modern life – via work, family and other external sources – can make it hard to consistently achieve that magic number.
Prioritising quality sleep is important to allow your body to rest and repair. Across the four sleep cycles – light, moderate, deep and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep – our bodies and minds experience a range of benefits including muscle relaxation; increased blood supply to muscles; tissue repair and growth; and the release of essential hormones for optimum health.
Practise good sleep hygiene by creating a calming routine. Switch off the screens at least an hour before bed, and listen to a podcast instead; wear an eye mask to block out any light; avoid large meals, caffeine and alcohol close to bedtime; and try some breathing or meditation to start reaping the benefits of better quality sleep.
And if you feel like you need to catch up on sleep, why not try the TikTok self-care trend of “bed rotting”? Consider this your permission to stay in bed all day doing not much at all.
Reduce stress, improve immunity
Minimising stress is vital to your wellbeing. When our stress levels are high, our immunity can be compromised, making it easy for illness to infiltrate our natural defences.
While it can be tricky to find the time to set aside for vital self-care, incorporating some stress-reduction techniques – no matter how small – into your daily routine can help.
Meditation, yoga, deep breathing exercises, and other mindfulness practices such as journaling can all help you to destress. Start small, with just five minutes of breathing exercises or mindful meditation to provide a mental reset that promotes overall health and wellbeing.
Here’s a breathing exercise you can try for a quick, mindful reset. Sit comfortably, with your back against a wall or in a chair, or lay down, closing your eyes. Stay as still as possible. Inhale through your nose for four seconds; then exhale through your mouth, pursing your lips like you are blowing up a balloon, for 6-8 seconds.
Don’t worry if you can’t quite make it that long at first – the important thing is that the exhale should be longer than the inhale.
Repeat this process 6-8 times. When you’re done, slowly open your eyes and start moving again. This can be done at any time during the day or night when you feel you need some grounding.
Elysia’s breathing and meditation sessions will assist you to easily master and integrate a meditation practice into your daily life for enhanced energy and greater relaxation.
Make your move
Regular physical activity can help to ward off winter illness. Whatever your chosen activity – be it yoga, dancing, hiking, running, or gym and strength training – keeping active for at least 30 minutes a day can have multiple health benefits for your body and mind. Better yet, it helps to warm up your body in the cooler months!
If you’re just starting out on your exercise journey, have been unwell or are nursing an injury, consult an expert to make sure what you are doing is right for you.
Elysia’s team of physiotherapists can help find the right workout for you. Explore our Wellness Menu for movement support including our In Body Composition Analyser, physiotherapy, personal training, yoga and run and swim correction classes.
Give yourself a supplementary boost
Winter months typically involve less exposure to natural sunlight, meaning supplements – taken under the guidance of a healthcare professional – can provide a helpful boost.
Vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, and probiotics can all help strengthen immune systems and also reduce the severity and duration of some illnesses.
Combined with a healthy, balanced diet, the right supplements can help your body get what it needs to function optimally, all year round. Elysia’s expert team can help you to find out what you need.
Ultimately, while winter may bring more colds, flu and other illnesses our way, it is possible – through prioritising a balanced diet, proper hydration, quality sleep, stress management and regular physical activity – to give yourself the best chance to stay healthy all year round.
If you’d like to improve your winter wellness, nothing beats an escape to Elysia Wellness Retreat, where you can retreat from the noise and distraction of your daily life and breathe in the fresh country air in the heart of the Hunter Valley.
Secure your reservation before 4 July 2024 to enjoy savings of up to $990* when you book any tailored or all-inclusive package. Find out more and plan your stay here.
