New Year Tips To Naturally Boost Your Immune System

The weather is cold, the days are short, and we’ve not long finished our Christmas binge! Despite winter being the most wonderful time of the year, it unfortunately brings with it the yearly bout of colds, sniffles and viruses.

As far as New Years Resolutions go, being stuck at home buried under a pile of tissues remembering a time when you could actually breathe through your nose is not usually at the top of people's list.

But with Covid still lingering and an indulgent Christmas just about finishing, the chances of becoming unwell are potentially still higher than normal. While our January plans to get back exercising are in full swing, the new year also offers the perfect time to start thinking about ways to improve your immune system.

In this blog, we’ll give you some top tips on how to strengthen your immunity naturally, and with very little effort too.

Prioritise getting enough sleep

There are lots of factors that can get in the way of a good night’s sleep, but getting the right amount each night can not only do wonders for our mood, it can also reduce our chances of getting sick.

Sleep is closely tied to immunity, and research shows that those who sleep for less than six hours a night are more likely to catch a common cold than those who sleep for longer[i]. Not only is sleep important to avoid getting ill, it’s just as important when you are under the weather - the more you sleep, the more effectively your immune system can fight off infection[ii].

Despite being tired, some people struggle to switch off and drift off. In an age where both our work and social lives depend on technology, it can be difficult to unplug – but this can affect the quality of our sleep. Limiting screen time before bed can help you get a good night’s sleep, as the blue light from your devices can disrupt your body’s natural sleep cycle[iii].

Eat more fruits and veggies

We all know we should be eating at least 5 different fruits and vegetables a day – in terms of immunity, there’s a number of ways in which eating more of them can naturally boost your immune system.

Fruits and vegetables are high in antioxidants – these compounds can help to reduce inflammation in the body by counteracting the action of free radicals. Without enough antioxidants, free radicals can build up in high amounts and increase inflammation[iv] - which is linked to a number of unwanted health conditions.

The fibre provided by fruits and vegetables can also benefit immunity, by feeding your healthy gut bacteria – known as your gut microbiome. A healthy gut microbiome can help to prevent pathogens from passing through your digestive tract, entering your body and causing illness[v].

If that isn’t enough, many fruits and vegetables can provide a source of Vitamin C, which has been shown to speed up recovery time from a common cold[vi].

Move your body

Getting your body moving and exercising in a way that feels good has many benefits for both your mental and physical health. In terms of immunity, participating in some gentle, moderate exercise is a great way to give your immune system a natural boost.

Participating in regular, moderate exercise (such as biking, walking or swimming) can help to reduce inflammation in the body and help your immune system to regenerate more regularly, leading to improved immune and health outcomes[vii].

Take your supplements

Supplementing with certain vitamins and minerals is a great way to strengthen your immune response. However, it’s important to choose your supplements wisely, as many contain artificial sources of nutrition. This blog is all about natural ways to boost your immune system, and it’s worthwhile to select a supplement that provides a natural source of vitamins and minerals.

It's important to choose a natural supplement, as it is unclear how well synthetic vitamins are able to be absorbed and used by the body. This is because they are not consumed with the natural compounds that are usually digested alongside them, meaning the body is unlikely to utilise them in the same way[viii].

Doctor Seaweed’s Weed & Wonderful Immunity+ Capsules provide a natural, plant-based source of iodine, vitamin B12 and vitamin D3, and are specifically designed to support a healthy immune system.

 Thanks to vitamins B12 and D3 for immune support, alongside natural iodine from organic seaweed, taking just one capsule a day can help to support:

• Function of the immune system
• Thyroid health and function
• Reduction of tiredness and fatigue
• Energy yielding metabolism
• Psychological and cognitive function
• Normal bone and muscle function

Discover Doctor Seaweed’s Weed & Wonderful® Immunity+ supplements for yourself by clicking here.

 

References:  

[i] Prather, A.A., Janicki-Deverts, D., Hall, M.H. and Cohen, S. (2015) Behaviorally assessed sleep and susceptibility to the common cold. Sleep, 38(9).

[ii] Besedovsky, L., Lange, T. and Haack, M. (2019) The sleep-immune crosstalk in health and disease. Physiological Reviews, 99(3).

[iii] Nagai, N., Ayaki, M., Yanagawa, T., Hattori, A., Negishi, K., Mori, T., Nakamura, T.J., Tsubota, K. (2019) Suppression of blue light at night ameliorates metabolic abnormalities by controlling circadian rhythms. Investigative Opthalmology & Visual Science, 60(12).

[iv] Serafini, M. and Peluso, I. (2016) Functional foods for health: The interrelated antioxidant and anti-inflammatory role of fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices and cocoa in humans. Current Pharmaceutical Design, 22(44).

[v] Holscher, H.D. (2017) Dietary fibre and prebiotics and the gastrointestinal microbiota. Gut Microbes, 8(2).

[vi] Hemila, H. and Chalker, E. (2013) Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2013(1).

[vii] Simpson, R.J., Kunz, H., Agha, N. and Graff, R. (2015) Exercise and the regulation of immune functions. Progress in Molecular Biology and Translational Science.

[viii] Liu, R.H. (2003) Health benefits of fruit and vegetables are from additive and synergistic combinations of phytochemicals. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.