We are now well into the winter period and our old enemy - the flu - is back in full force, trying it’s very best to get us to take time off of life and show our immune systems who it thinks is boss. But is there anything we can do to give our bodies the best chance of beating that infection? Sure there is! Although, when you start reading the research about what is best and how to “not get sick”, the evidence can be quite uncertain.

In case you were wondering, this is what I do to keep my immune system strong so that I have the most days available possible to help people with their bodies. I put focus on these 4 areas of life - Diet, Stress, Alcohol and exercise. Especially as the festive season nears, end of year deadlines near and our lives seem to lose the concept of free time.

Diet

I’m sure that seeing diet mentioned first isn’t that shocking since the majority of nutrients and “fuel” we put into our bodies come through our mouths. Nutrients and vitamins help prevent sickness as well as give our bodies the fuel to combat the infection.

My main dietary focus goes into vitamins, probiotics and a few key ingredients I cook with. In terms of vitamins; C, A, E and B6 are always good to include in the diet as they are great antioxidants. B6 also plays a key role in the function of immune cells that fight off infection.

In our digestive tract there are hundreds of types of bacteria which are a key part of the human immune system. These bacteria exist in harmony with our bodies and protect us from harmful bacteria which enter our body through the mouth. By taking probiotics I increase the diversity of my gut flora (bacteria), which adds more protection to this barrier in my gut.

As far as cooking goes, I try to keep it relatively simple and only use what I have found to be most effective. I tend to try to cook weekly with turmeric and black pepper because together they are a great anti-inflammatory agent. When I feel a cold coming on I try to drink lots of ginger and lemon and eat a teaspoon of manuka honey in the morning. Lastly, I try to cook with a variety of vegetables so that I can get a good supply of vitamins

Stress

Minimising stress is always super important in our lives for the same way that it is when it is cold & flu season. By reducing stress our body is able to activate the parasympathetic part of your nervous system. This part of the nervous system is basically the control panel that activates healing, regeneration, digestion, reproduction and overall rest. I do this via mindfulness techniques or meditation. I literally spend 10 minutes a day working on reducing stress and activating that parasympathetic nervous system, and I find that it really does make a difference in my overall feeling of health.

Alcohol

With the festive season comes dinners, booze and fun times. While I don’t want to tell you not to drink because I certainly wouldn’t be listening to my own advice, I will say how big, bingy drinking events can compromise the immune system. First thing is that alcohol disrupts our gut bacteria, and we have already established that our gut bacteria is important to our immune system strength. Alcohol also creates more inflammation in our body, and essentially gives our bodies more healing to do. So where possible, try to keep any drinking to moderation.

Exercise

Like minimising stress, exercise is something that is just generally healthy for us and in that way makes our body better equipped to heal well from an episode of cold or flu. Outdoor exercise strengthens our immune system by exposing us to the environment and teaches our body how to combat it. It also is good for our cardiovascular system function, and good cardiovascular function is useful for us during times of illness as it allows the body to work more efficiently through that illness. Exercising is also a great way to reduce stress and make you feel good in general.

In conclusion, if you try to do some of the above, where you can, you'll hopefully be reducing the chances of being tucked up in bed with the flu this winter.