We constantly come into contact with viruses and bacteria. If our immune system weakens in winter, the pathogens can make us ill. It doesn’t have to be. Boost your immune system naturally and be perfectly ready for winter!
Healthy Through The Winter – 5 Tips On How To Arm Yourself For The Dark Season
Move, Move, Move
Do sports all year round and don’t take a break when the cold season begins. Exercising in the fresh air or in the gym strengthens the body’s defences. Remember to wear warm clothes when you are outside. However, don’t put yourself under pressure with the sport. Being competitive or overly ambitious is not good for your health. If you have already caught a cold, you should avoid exercising and go for a walk instead.
Balanced Nutrition
With a healthy diet you strengthen your immune system significantly. Eat five servings of fruit and vegetables throughout the day. Cut down on simple carbohydrates like sugar and white flour, and increase your dietary fiber intake. Vegetable foods such as vegetables, fruit and whole grain products not only contain many vital substances, they also promote good digestion and the immune system.
Protect The Skin
Healthy skin protects your body from infection. Too frequent bathing or showering destroys the important protective acid mantle of our skin. Washing with soap removes 90 to 95 percent of surface microorganisms. The germs that make up our skin flora are not only harmless, but also protect against infections by blocking possible points of attack for germs. If the soiling is average, it is sufficient to shower off with water. A thorough cleansing of the warm, humid regions of the body, where there are a particularly large number of sweat glands, is sufficient. The best pick-me-up for the cold season is a short warm shower followed by a cold shower from bottom to top. This strengthens blood circulation and the immune system.
Sleep In
Get a good night’s sleep. An occasional lack of sleep is harmless, but in the long run lack of sleep can have health consequences. Important processes take place in the body while we sleep. In addition to tiredness and concentration problems, a long-term lack of sleep also weakens the immune system. For a healthy sleep, the room should be very dark, and you should generally ban cell phones and laptops from the room.
Reduce Stress
Occasional stress strengthens the immune system – but only for a very short time. Prolonged stress, on the other hand, has a negative effect. This is due to the hormone cortisol, which is released during stressful conditions, which can even lower the immune system. As a result, infectious diseases can occur more frequently or last for weeks. Stress cannot always be avoided, but you can learn to deal better with stressful situations. Build relaxation phases into your daily routine. Why not try meditation, yoga, qigong or autogenic training for relaxation.