Winter can be a challenging time of year to stay healthy. Especially for most countries in the northern hemisphere. The flu, colds, and other illnesses seem to increase during the coldest season. If you don’t take care of yourself, your immune system can become weak, making you more vulnerable to colds and flu viruses.
Running your business with a cold can be extremely challenging. Your energy, focus, decision making, and communication skills can be compromised — which is very frustrating.
To avoid getting sick during this winter season, there are a few things you can do. In this article, we’re going to cover what you can do to stay healthy and keep the common cold from affecting your business.
Why Do People Get Ill During Winter?
As well as stress, pharmaceutical medications, and poor diets, winter-based illnesses can be brought on by a sudden drop in temperature and lack of sunlight. Sunlight is an essential component when it comes to maintaining good health. UV rays from the sun help our bodies to synthesize cholesterol into Vitamin D3 — the immune-boosting, anti-inflammatory vitamin.
Getting enough vitamin D3 in your diet can be tough, hence why many people become deficient during the winter months — subsequently weakening their immune system. Along with vitamin D3, you need a wide range of nutrients to support your immune system during winter. Here is what you can do to boost your immune system and avoid these illnesses.
Stay Healthy By Boosting Your Immune System
There are many things you can do during the winter months to keep the colds and flu at bay.
Nutritional Yeast
This is a superfood, packed with energy-boosting B vitamins. B vitamins, especially Thiamine, are essential for many bodily functions, including boosting your immune system. During cold and flu season, your energy may be lower — this is why nutritional yeast can help.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is renowned for its immune-boosting benefits. But what are the best sources of Vitamin C? Broccoli, blackcurrants, spinach, peppers, and kale are all rich in vitamin C and easy to get in your diet. Steam some broccoli with your dinner, add some blackcurrant to your breakfast, or wilt some spinach into a soup.
Vitamin D
As previously mentioned, you want to focus on getting more vitamin D3 — the active form of vitamin D. Good sources of D3 include oysters, wild-caught salmon, sardines, egg yolks, and cod liver oil — always opt for the best quality product.
Probiotics
The state of your internal gut flora affects your overall health. Over 95% of your immune system is located in your intestines — meaning it’s crucial to maintain proper levels of beneficial bacteria. Taking probiotics, or consuming probiotic-rich foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut, and kefir can significantly boost your immune system by helping you to replenish your gut bacteria.
Digestive Enzymes
During the colder months, your digestive system may become more sluggish — thus compromising your immune system. Taking digestive enzymes will help you to kickstart your digestive system, breaking down foods so you can extract all of the nutrients. Digestive enzymes work hand-in-hand with probiotics — it’s a good idea to take these in conjunction to maximize your results.
Herbs & Spices
Herbs such as basil and rosemary are known for their cold-fighting benefits. Spices such as black pepper, cayenne pepper, and ginger are great for reducing cold and flu symptoms — they can stimulate circulation, relieving blocked sinuses and headaches.
Prevention Is Better Than Cure
Staying healthy is important all year round. However, you must take precautions to ensure your immune system is fully functional during the winter month to help ward off cold and flu-like symptoms.
Avoid having your energy zapped this winter by following the steps in this article. If you’d like to learn more about how you can boost your health and achieve the best results as an entrepreneur, check out the latest post on our blog.
Written by Lewis James