Winter Is Coming: 10 Tips to Build Your Immunity

The winter season sees a rise in cases of several illnesses due to the sudden dip in temperatures. Warm homes and freezing outdoors make for an unsuitable combination. This leads to many flu-type illnesses such as allergic rhinitis and fever. Skin and hair too gets impacted due to the dryness in the air. Winters see a rise in cases of patients seeking skin and hair loss treatment options.

Staying healthy in winter not only helps you carry out your daily activities, but also ensures that you are fit for the festive and holiday season. Implementing a few habits into your daily routine is all it takes. Here are 10 tips to build your immunity this winter.

1. Increase your antioxidants

   The first step in building immunity is to increase one’s intake of foods that are antioxidants. Antioxidants are foods that help reduce the damage caused by cell decay in the body. These include cranberries, blueberries, dark chocolate, kidney beans (rajma), tomatoes, sweet potato, ginger, cilantro (coriander), turmeric, and grapes.

2. Set a sleep schedule

   Your body needs an adequate amount of sleep to heal and repair. Cutting back on sleep will not show its effects immediately but it will hamper your health on the long run and cause diseases such as thyroid problems and hypertension. The average adult needs at least 8 hours of sleep per day. 

3. Stay fit and active

   Winters may tempt you to stay indoors and skip your daily jog in the park. However, exercising in winters is all the more crucial. The cold weather slows down your metabolism and causes much undesirable weight gain. Even if you can manage just 10 or 15 minutes of exercise a day, it will still do wonders for your immunity and metabolism.

4. Drink sufficient water

   We sweat less in winters and often end up drinking less water than we should. Even if you sweat less, you still need around 2 litres of water a day to keep your immune system in top shape. You can drink green tea or even fresh juices to up the hydration. Do avoid fizzy beverages for their high sugar content.

5. Stay warm

   We wear sweaters to keep warm but often forget socks, gloves, and head caps. Letting your fingers and toes get cold makes the blood vessels constrict and prevents the smooth flow of white blood cells required to fight infection. Stay properly warm at all times, even when indoors. If you are taking any medication for hair loss treatment, it is especially important to cover your scalp in the cold.

6. Get some sunlight

   Try to step outdoors in the fresh air before noon. In winters you get limited exposure to sunlight and this makes it all the more important to help stay fit. Lack of natural vitamin D leaves you vulnerable to falling ill with the flu. If you work night shifts and are unable to see the morning sunlight often, ask your doctor for Vitamin D supplements.

7. Pop some probiotics

   Probiotics are foods that are really healthy for your digestive system and your immunity. They contain healthy bacteria. These foods include yoghurt, gherkins (pickled cucumbers), green olives, kimchi, and buttermilk. Look for cheese brands that have ‘active culture’ written on their labels. These are good sources of probiotics.

8. Use spices and herbs

   The old ways of cooking have always been the best. In modern times, we are so habituated to ready-made foods that we miss out on the goodness of herbs and spices. Thyme, clove, ginger, garlic, coriander, saffron, rosemary, and turmeric are extremely good for your health as they help boost immunity levels.

9. Detoxify your body

   Each day, your body fights germs on the outside as well as on the inside. You can help build your immunity by detoxifying your system. Cut down on alcohol and cigarette consumption, avoid eating out every day, avoid consuming meat daily, and eat lots of fresh fruits and salads to stay fit and healthy.

10. Smile some more

    It is no secret that stress is often the biggest health issue. Take some time off for yourself each day to help you focus on staying calm and destressing. Try meditation or yoga. High stress levels will negatively hamper your immunity and also reflect on your skin and hair health.

Homeopathy: Healing from Within

Homeopathy helps heal diseases by boosting the immune system. Homeopathy offers treatment for a wide range of immunity related conditions including allergic rhinitis, thyroid problems, and psoriasis treatment. The treatments also extend to cosmetic care for skin and hair loss treatment options. Homeopathic medicines are free form harmful side-effects and help reduce your dependence on chemical-based medications. Moreover, the treatments are non-invasive and painless. Do not let a weak immunity leave you sick this holiday season. Speak to a homeopathic doctor about the best treatments for you and your loved ones.