4 quick ways to boost your immunity this winter

As most of Australia moves out of autumn and into winter this month I thought I'd talk about how to boost your immunity!

Personally, I've had a few bouts of the cold/flu recently (courtesy of day care) and I've recovered reasonably quickly due to having good immune boosting habits in place.

So I wanted to share with you 4 tips on how to boost your immune system this winter. Check them out below:

Increase your intake of foods high in Zinc and Vitamin C

Both help to strengthen your immune system and aid in wound healing. Vitamin C also helps in the absorption of iron.

Vitamin C can be found in foods such as kiwi fruits, oranges, strawberries & capsicums (yellow & red) and Zinc can be found in nuts & seeds, red meat, poultry and oysters.

During the cold/flu season I always recommend taking an extra supplement as the amount of Vitamin C and Zinc may not be enough from food.

Increase your intake of Veggies and Leafy Greens

Veggies and leafy greens contain a wide variety of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that help to strengthen your immune system. Try adding extra veggies and greens such as spinach, bok choy, kale, parsley, collard greens to yoursoups, stews, curriesandsauces.

Daily Movement

Moving your body each day is also important and helps to increase energy levels, aids in sleep, improves circulation, reduces stress and improves muscle health.

Simple ways to increase movement is going for a walk during your lunch break, getting up regularly from your desk, taking the stairs, parking further away etc...Aim for 30 minutes if you can - any movement is better than no movement.  

Increase Fluid Intake

Sometimes it can be a struggle to drink water when its cold so try having lemon in hot water in the mornings(great way to hydrate the body & neutralise acids first thing in the morning), having herbals teas i.e. peppermint, camomile, green tea or a miso soup as a snack which is good source of protein!

Water is involved in almost every function such as: circulation, digestion, absorption and elimination of waste and as a result it helps with boosting your energy levels.

Give these immune system boosting tips a try this week, you'll be surprised at how much of a difference it can make to strengthening your overall immune system.

And, if you'd like some help and support with boosting your immune system, losing weight sustainably (without dieting), increasing energy levels and/or improving your relationship with food why not book in for a nutrition consultation? I offer consults via Telehealth or In-Person.

For more information or to book an appointment visit: https://www.louiseellennutrition.com.au/nutrition-services