Winter Scoreboard: You: 5 | Cold & Flu: 0

5 Expert Tips for Winter Health (So You Truly Can Beat the Cold)

by Nancy Massotto
  
Staying well through the long winter season means going back to basics: rest, healthy nutrition, and reducing stress.  Although the principles are simple, the impact on your immune system is exponential.  Here are five simple tips for enjoying a healthy season: 

1. Rest

Keeping healthy in any season, but particularly to fight off the colds and flu of winter, depends upon adequate rest.  Millions of Americans suffer from sleep disorders and many more of us simply do not get enough sleep.  Sleep deprivation decreases your body’s ability to fight off infection and suppresses your immune system by reducing T-cells and increasing inflammation .  In winter, our circadian rhythms respond to the season and the light-dark cycles of our environment.  Your desire for sleep may increase and, despite the busy-ness of our lives, we should honor our innate need for rest to stay healthy. 

2. Get Outdoors: Sunlight & Vitamin D

Being out in the sun has many benefits – it improves our mood, enhances regular sleep, and helps create Vitamin D.  Sun exposure is the primary factor in building essential Vitamin D in the body.  Deficient levels of Vitamin D can lead to many common chronic diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and multiple sclerosis.  Vitamin D also triggers T-cells and helps them fight off viruses and bacteria.  Being outside in sunlight for at least 15 minutes each day will help balance your winter circadian rhythms and help you to maintain balance in sleep and energy.  Supplementing with Vitamin D may be advised for those with low levels, but sunshine remains the best source.  Even in winter months, sun exposure is essential. 

3. Eat Well: Nutritional Immune Boosters

What are some of the top nutritional immune boosters?  Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Garlic, Zinc, and Selenium.  Vitamin C helps protect cells against the damage of free radicals.  Some of the richest sources of Vitamin C include bell peppers, parsley, broccoli, kiwis, kale, and, of course, oranges.  Vitamin E also reduces free radical damage, helps with the healing of skin, and is helpful with digestive disorders.  Spinach, sunflower seeds, almonds, and papaya are among the richest sources of Vitamin E.  Garlic stimulates the growth of white blood cells which fight off infection.  Selenium builds cancer-fighting cells and is found in fish such as tuna and lobster, and in whole grains, egg yolks, and Brazil nuts.  Zinc is another essential mineral that strengthens your T-cells and can be found in beans, beef, and oysters.  Including these healthy foods into your diet will give your body the fuel it needs to fight off winter bugs. 

4. Stay Active: Moderate Exercise for Wellness

Exercise has shown a strong ability to protect and enhance your body’s immune response.  Even low levels of activity can achieve a positive immune response and will also help with mental fitness and balance.  A regular brisk walk or any consistent moderate level of exercise will result in a temporary boost in the production of macrophages, cells that fight off and attack bacteria.  The more regular your routine, the longer lasting the benefits.  But overdoing intense exercise can have the opposite effect and actually make you more susceptible to illness.  Keep it moderate and consistent for the best overall result. 

5. Rejuvenate: Finding Balance 

We all know that stress impacts our wellness – physically, emotionally, and mentally.  When we are under stress, our immune response is suppressed and our ability to produce and activate T-cells is dramatically reduced.  Post holiday stress may leave us in a compromised state of immunity, so it is especially important to give yourself time to rejuvenate and rebuild.  Even short-term daily stress can have a long-lasting impact so finding balance is essential to staying well this winter season.  Taking time to unwind, distress, and relax will help you achieve winter wellness. 

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About the Author
A leading voice in the natural parenting movement, Nancy Massotto, Ph.D, is the Founder and Executive Director of the Holistic Moms Network, and mother to two boys.  An articulate and knowledgeable writer and speaker on holistic living, natural parenting, and eco-conscious lifestyles, she shares her passion with a wide variety of audiences as a presenter and author.  She is passionate about empowering women, supporting mothers, and raising her children as naturally and sustainably as she can.