The recent arrival of crisp mornings and cold evenings have made the change of seasons hard to ignore. Whilst it’s a time filled with cozy activities - from Bonfire Night to Sunday Roasts - if you’re worried about what the arrival of autumn could mean for your wellbeing, read on for simple tips to keep you in tip-top shape as the weather grows colder.
In support of Immunity Week, John Bell & Croyden, in partnership with Hello Day, are hosting a week of in-store activities to help educate about the benefits of supporting their immunity. Throughout the week (starting 11th October 2021) you can visit the renowned pharmacy emporium in London’s Harley Street Medical Area where you can meet some experts and nutritionists which will be on hand to offer advice and support to customers.
Alexander Johnston, General Manager at John Bell & Croyden, said: “The recent report from Imperial College London forecasting a risk for a surge in respiratory illnesses this winter highlights to us just how important events like Immunity Week are. John Bell & Croyden hopes that by providing information, innovative products and expert advice, we can do our part in reducing the strain on the NHS this winter.”
1. Look After Your Gut Health
Around 70% of our entire immune system is based in our gut, meaning that if we want to improve our immunity, supporting our gut health should be a priority.
Lily Soutter Nutritional Therapist said: “As a nutritionist, I truly believe there are some key changes we can make, from a dietary aspect, to enhance our overall health and wellbeing as move through each season of the year.”
Probiotics, or friendly bacteria, can help to enhance our immunity and modulate inflammation caused by invading pathogens. All of the microbes living in our gut communicate with the rest of our body via the enteric nervous system, which has a huge influence on how we think and feel day-to-day. This two-way communication pathway is known as the "gut-brain axis".
Tip: Include a variety of probiotic-rich foods in your diet daily, such as live-cultured yoghurt, kefir, and sauerkraut.
You can also include a high-quality probiotic supplement, such as Gut Biome Zooki - which contains an impressive 35 billion colony forming units of live bacteria. Flavoured with delicious blueberry and lemon extracts, Gut Biome Zooki’s three hand-picked strains of live bacteria are designed to maintain a healthy balance in your gut's microbiome - a colony of organisms that impacts our digestive system, mood, energy, skin, metabolism, sleep, immune system and brain.
2. Supplement with Vitamin D
The NHS recommends that everyone living in the UK should supplement with Vitamin D between October and early March to support bone and muscle health.
Tip: In the middle of the day, try to get outside for a walk to get some sun exposure, and also aim to eat foods that are rich in Vitamin D, such as salmon, sardines, mackerel, eggs, mushrooms, and fortified breakfast cereals.
3. Don't forget about Vitamin C
Vitamin C is essential for the production of healthy immune cells and to support the immune system in fighting off any viruses, bacteria, or other pathogens that we might come in contact with.
Foods including fish, legumes, meat, eggs, fresh and dried fruit, nuts, whole-grains, and green leafy vegetables contain nutrients such as fibre, healthy fats, and protein, as well as Vitamin C, which is essential for supporting our immune system and keeping our energy levels up.
Plus: Don’t forget to stay hydrated.
When it gets cold out, it’s easy to forget about drinking plenty of water. Winter increases our risk of dehydration, thanks to heat indoors and cold conditions outdoors, which tend to dry out organs and skin - limiting our body’s normal metabolic function. It is therefore important, even when we feel less thirsty, to provide our body with the right amount of fluids and minerals in order to stay healthy.
Tip: Stay hydrated by keeping a water bottle with you to sip on throughout the day. Add lemon or orange slices to increase the nutrient content and flavour of your water. Another great option is to squeeze in a sachet of Zooki Vitamin C into your water bottle, to sip on throughout the day - this will keep you hydrated as well as top up on the vital nutrient.
