It is generally observed that a shift into colder temperatures is correlated with more people getting sick, whether it is just a common cold or the flu. Some years are better than others in terms of the severity of the illness. More severe illnesses include symptoms such as fever and congestion, which are a real hassle to deal with as it forces us to put things on hold. Nobody wants to get sick, but for some people it seems like an inevitable occurrence every year. A healthy immune system can help in not only preventing us from getting sick, but also decreasing the amount of time we are sick if it occurs. What are your immune boosting tips? These could be anything that you have found useful, ranging from lemon water to cutting out certain foods.
I generally try to eat healthy all year round in order to boost my immune system. It can be a chore sometimes, but I try to get in my fruit and veg quota on daily basis. Also, I try to eat made from scratch food more than take out and fast food. Furthermore, I like to take supplements including a multivitamin as well as drink a lot of water. It doesn't hurt to do some exercises, no matter how light. As such, I rarely get colds and flus when the weather turns cold. At the slightest hint of a cold/flu, I take Berocca for a few days and also a crushed garlic clove mixed with a huge dollop of honey. More often than not, that staves off the bugs!
I try to eat healthy, and I always intend to. But I do not have the best immune system anyway. And that eating healthy thing hardly ever works out for me. Perhaps because I don't purchase the food in the house, or earn a lot of money. So I kind of just have to go with what everyone else in the house eats, if that makes any sense. Though that is not to say that there are not healthy foods and items in our house. We have a smoothie machine/extractor/blender here!!! And my mother's boyfriend is a chef, so he makes all sorts of healthy concoctions, though some of them taste as bad as they smell.
Yes, eating healthily is really important - not too much processed stuff, lots of fruit and vegetables. I don't always do it but I know I should (and I currently have a horrible throat infection so I wish I'd done a bit more of it this winter!) Getting fresh air and exercise is important too, even though it often seems more comfortable to stay inside; it's been raining here a lot recently, and the world outdoors has not looked especially inviting. I know lots of people take supplements as well, although I haven't tried any.
I try to boost my system with apple juice to add more Vitamin C during the day, or I, like @ Lushlala take a tablet if I have a long day ahead. The important thing is to have a good amount of protein at the start of the day so it provides energy make the immune system stronger and give you energy. Without it, the body gets weaker as more energy is used up fighting any infections.
I normally take a couple vitamins everyday but during the winter I buy Vitamin C, and that seems to be enough for me. Exercising is supposed to help, too, since it makes the immune system stronger, but I haven't really tried it. Maybe it'd be a good idea to try that as well.
I actually think the most important thing, way more important than diet, is getting enough sleep. If you aren't getting enough sleep it doesn't matter how healthy your other behaviors are, your immune system is going to be shot. I also think making sure you're eating enough vegetables and getting enough vitamins, particularly vitamin C, is crucial.
I get sick a lot throughout the year, so I'm always taking supplements or vitamins to boost my immune system. My to go supplements are zinc and Echinacea Goldenseal Complex, which in addition I also eat a magnesium and probiotic enzyme pills. Also, I drink Norwegian Cod Fish Oil to help with my heart and bone healths. It's not the cold that makes one get sick, it's the fact that the human body loses more heat which lessens the strength of their immune system, thus airborne microbes floating in the cold water droplets or rain get into pores and other openings of humans with less resistance. Vitamin C does not help cure a seasonal cold or flu, which is fallacy many people believe in that is not true, but it does help in many other areas of the human body including one's deficiency in their immune system e.g. Scurvy.
I actively avoid taking supplements because I believe they do more harm than good. I used to take vitamins all the time, and I would get sick all the time. I would get the flu every year, and severe sore throats every year (sometimes strep, sometimes not). I have stopped taking supplements, and just adopted a healthier lifestyle, and I have not been sick in 5 years. My hypothesis is that high dose vitamins and herbal supplements tax your body's systems, and it is so busy processing these toxic substances, that you are left defenseless when exposed to the bugs that make you sick. Our bodies are amazing things, and are remarkable at doing what they do. They don't need extra "help", they just need the basics, healthy food, exercise, water, and sleep.
I always try and go outdoors if there is even the merest hint of sunshine. Regardless of what the weather is like, I start to feel bad if I haven't had a good couple of hours of daylight for a few days. So, no matter how cold it is, I always make the effort to go outdoors. Our bodies use up more energy trying to stay warm so I also make sure I get plenty of sleep during the winter months.
During the winter I make sure to drink orange juice which has one hundred percent of vitamin C and I would totally drink apple juice too. I also watch what I eat and make sure I'm getting enough fruits and vegetables in my diet. If I eat a healthy diet then there is no need for me to take supplements that come in a bottle since I'm getting all my vitamins from food. I used to supplements before but now I don't.
I tend to get sick with a cold or flu whenever the seasons are changing. Mostly when it goes from winter to spring and then from summer to fall. I never seem to be able to run away from the flu, as for some reason my immune system loses the balance whatever I try to do. However the thing that I always do is drinking a lot of water. I find that overall that is the easiest and most effective way to keep your immune system up.
I couldn't say it more, but VITAMIN C, VITAMIN C, VITAMIN C!!! It's all that vitamin that you're going to need the most in my opinion, from my experience. It'd work better if you are going to couple it with exercise and proper sleep. The key is to avoid stressing yourself and fill yourself the proper nutrition that it deserves. Don't exhaust yourself, as it wouldn't do any good in the long run. Also drink a lot of water, preferably warm to warm your body because during winter your body is really having a hard time to maintain homeotasis because it's really cold during winter.
I agree that vitamin C is a good idea. However, the vitamin C will be more effective if you also cut down on sugar. Most supplements that boost the immune system have more of a benefit if you don't eat sugar. It is difficult to do, but it really does help.
I'm not one for trying to trick my body once in while when it suits me, so I take care of myself year round. I don't eat processed foods, I move whenever possible and I keep a positive attitude. The three most important things a human being can do for their health and should do every day of the year. Tricking yourself once in a while is pointless. Especially since your body can't be tricked lol.
I take vitamin D3, C, and E, and a multivitamin. I also take a zinc supplement. Additionally, I make sure that I get more sleep during the winter.
