Discover the best practices for winter-proofing your immunity.
Once the temperatures drop, your outdoor workouts and activities come to a halt, and you begin to spend more of your time indoors, succumbing to a nasty cold or other illness seems inevitable.
And you’re not wrong: Colds, flus, and other respiratory illnesses are more common in colder months, as the cold, dry air can weaken your body’s resistance and viruses can pass more easily between people when indoors, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
While preventative measures won’t completely negate your chances of falling ill, there are several steps you can take to bolster your defense during the winter months. Here’s what you need to know.
The Illnesses to Have on Your Radar This Winter
Each year, adults in the United States experience an average of two to four colds, while children are more susceptible and may endure anywhere from six to eight. The majority of these cases arise between September and May, with the winter season posing a significant threat to the immune system. Although the common cold accounts for more doctor visits than any other condition, it isn't the only illness to worry about during winter.
Specifically, you should also be wary of the flu and respiratory illnesses, such as bronchitis and pneumonia, says Laura Kunces, Ph.D., R.D., the vice president of medical strategy at Thorne, an Equinox Circle partner. “[They] are the most common illnesses, usually because people are indoors more than in summer months, which means they are closer in proximity to each other, don’t get sunlight as much, and the dry winter air allows illnesses to travel easier in the air through breath, coughs, and sneezes,” she explains.
How to Fend Off Winter Illness
Leading into winter, there are certain steps you can take to strengthen your immune system and potentially cut down on the chances of succumbing to illness.
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Prioritize Key Nutrients
First, stay on top of your vitamin D level, ensuring it's adequate by testing it regularly. “[Vitamin D] regulates two of the body’s immune responses: the innate immune response, which your body uses to identify pathogens and recruit immune cells to attack them, and the adaptive immune response, where your immune cells have a ‘memory’ that elicits an enhanced response to a previously identified pathogen,” Kunces explains. “Vitamin D is needed to support your body’s immune responses any time, but especially during the winter bug season.”
If tests show your vitamin D intake is low, consider taking a supplement, suggests Kunces. “Sun is typically the best source, and there is less and lower quality sun in winter months,” she adds.
You’ll also want to prioritize foods rich in vitamins C and E. “Vitamins C (ascorbic acid) and E are antioxidants [that] help when your body is depleted of its natural ability to defend on its own,” says Kunces. “Supporting your diet with foods and supplements that contain vitamins C and E will help your internal antioxidant system.” Similarly, seek out foods boasting zinc, protein, and B vitamins, she suggests.
Get Your Vaccinations
Of course, vaccinations are pivotal for winter immunity, as they “are designed to help the immune system fight infections faster and more effectively,” says Kunces. “They help the body’s B cells produce antibodies and T cells, which recognize and kill cells infected with the virus or foreign cells, which can help stop the spread of the infection throughout the body.”
Stay on Top of Healthy Habits
Kunces also encourages regular exercise that will increase your heart rate for 30 minutes. This will “help improve white blood cell count, promote blood flow — which includes circulating immune cells — flush bacteria from places like the nasal or oral cavity out of the lungs and airways, and help move them to be excreted from the body,” Kunces explains.
Other healthy habits, including hydrating, getting regular, good-quality sleep, and avoiding too much alcohol, can also help you keep illness at bay.
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Minimize Long-Term Stress
Stress can be a major factor in weakening your immune system, especially during the hectic holiday season. “Stress is unavoidable and can also be beneficial. Periods of short-term stress can help keep the body alert, focused, and respond quickly,” Kunces explains. “During long-term, chronic stress, such as what occurs when dealing with daily stress at work or throughout the holiday season, the stress response is triggered but it does not end. The body can’t return to normal.”
“Over time, this pattern of activation and deactivation of body systems that accompanies the stress response throws off the body’s natural balance,” she continues. “Body systems that are perpetually hyper-activated, like the cardiovascular system, can begin to collapse, while body systems that are perpetually suppressed, like the immune system, leave you vulnerable to disease because they can’t function fully.”
The takeaway: Do your best to minimize long-term stress, whether that’s through a daily meditation practice, journaling, or yoga.
What to Do When You’re Struck with a Winter Illness
If you’ve taken precautionary measures and still find yourself coming down with a winter cold, follow this game plan: “Test [your] vitamin D level and supplement if necessary to reach and maintain adequate vitamin D blood levels,” Kunces says. “Wash hands, find a sleep routine, and stick to it to ensure high-quality and adequate hours of sleep. Stay hydrated 24-7. Test for stress, specifically cortisol levels over a 24-hour period. And eat healthy — plenty of fruits and veggies, high-quality protein — and cut back on sugar and alcohol.”
As you deal with your illness, you may be able to continue with your usual workout routine. “Generally, mild to moderate exercise is okay if you don’t have a fever, and it can actually help boost the immune system and may even make you feel temporarily better while doing it,” Kunces says. “The key is to make sure you are still washing your hands and keeping some distance from others — so think about a light jog outside or a yoga session at home to help jumpstart your immune system.”
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