Are you feeling tired and a bit under the weather? Are you often sick during the cold months of the year?
We all know this problem. But if you keep a few simple things in mind, you can greatly reduce your chance of illness. We have put together the seven best tips to help you boost your immune system to help keep you healthy and fit during the winter.
Strong Immune System and the Coronavirus:
People in good health can boost their immune system markedly by living a healthy lifestyle. However, no matter how healthy you live, it is not a substitute for the measures that protect you from contracting COVID-19, such as washing your hands, social distancing, and wearing a mask. A high intake of dietary supplements is also not an effective way to improve your health and can lead to unpleasant side effects if overdo it.
A strong immune system can certainly help your body fight off the virus better, which may lead to milder symptoms.
How Can I Boost My Immune System? 7 Tips
1. Wash your hands & do it right
How many times a day do you shake hands, touch door knobs or handle money? Every day we come into contact with thousands of germs and bacteria. In times like this it is especially important to wash your hands several times a day with plenty of soap and warm water for about 30 seconds.
2. Clean your tech devices regularly
Your devices are also teeming with germs. You touch your smartphone, tablet or laptop hundreds of times a day. Clean them on a regular basis and don’t be afraid to use disinfectants.
3. Eat a healthy and balanced diet
You can boost your immune system by eating a balanced diet. Eating a wide variety of foods that are high in fiber, plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain products, high quality protein and fat is the way to stay healthy. Make sure you include foods high in antioxidants, as they protect your body from disease and boost the immune system.
Are you looking for immune booster recipes? We’ve got three tasty dishes for you:
1. Creamy apple porridge with flax seeds and cranberries
Ingredients for 1 serving:
- 1 apple
- 175 ml oat milk
- 60 g oats
- 1 tsp ground flax seeds
- 20 g cranberries
- 1 pinch of cinnamon
- 1 tsp maple syrup (optional)
Directions:
- Wash the apple and dice it.
- Bring the oat milk, oats, apple chunks, flax seeds, and cinnamon to low boil and let it simmer for a few minutes.
- Remove the pot from the stove and let the porridge sit for a few minutes. If it’s too thick, add some oatmilk.
- Stir in the cranberries and maple syrup.
Tip:
There are almost no limits when it comes to porridge. For an extra immune booster, add grated zucchini or pumpkin puree or top your oatmeal with fresh berries.
2. Warming Red Lentil Curry
Ingredients for 4 servings:
- 200 g red lentils
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 Tbsp ginger (grated)
- 1 tsp chili flakes
- ½ tsp caraway seeds
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp Garam Masala spice
- 400 g tomatoes (diced)
- 400 ml vegetable broth
- 400 ml coconut milk
- Juice of ½ a lime
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Directions:
- Finely chop the onion and garlic.
- Warm the vegetable oil in a pot and cook the garlic and onion until translucent.
- Add the grated ginger and the spices.
- Add the red lentils and diced tomatoes to the pot. Pour in the vegetable broth and coconut milk. Season the mix with salt and pepper.
- Simmer the red lentil curry for 25 to 30 minutes until the lentils are soft.
- Drizzle lime juice over the curry.
- Serve with rice.
Did you know…?
Ginger and turmeric not only heat you up, they can also boost your immune system.
3. Crunchy salad with orange, pomegranate, and goat cheese
Ingredients for 1 serving:
- 1 orange
- 80 g goat cheese
- 100 g lamb’s ear lettuce
- Seeds from ¼ of a pomegranate
- 1 small handful of pumpkin seeds
For the dressing:
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tsp honey
- 1 tsp mustard
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Directions:
- Slice the orange thinly and cut the goat cheese in discs.
- Mix together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, mustard, salt and pepper for the dressing.
- Spread the lamb’s ear lettuce, orange slices, goat cheese, pomegranate and pumpkin seeds on a plate and drizzle the honey-mustard dressing over it.
- Enjoy the salad with a slice of whole grain bread.
Not to be underestimated:
Pomegranate seeds are packed with power, flavor, and crunch. They are high in vitamin C and K, folic acid, fiber, and a delicious immune booster.
4. Hydration is also important in winter
Our body is made of 75% water — no wonder hydration year round is so critical. Adequate hydration helps our body to eliminate toxins and improves our ability to concentrate. Our liquid requirement calculator will tell you how much water you should drink each day.
Health Tip:
Stick to low calorie drinks like water or unsweetened (herbal) teas.
5. Exercise outdoors
A run, walk or workout outdoors strengthens our immune system.If the sun happens to be shining, you’ll get two birds with one stone. A nice dose of vitamin D supports your health and boosts your immune system.
6. Look after yourself
Avoid stress, relax as often as possible, seek those sun rays and try our tips to improve stress management. All this promotes a strong immune system.
7. Get plenty of sleep
People who sleep less than seven hours per night are three times more likely to catch a cold. Therefore, make sure to turn in early and enjoy a couple of extra hours of shut-eye. Do you know the best time to go to bed?
Our tip
One more thing: Don’t start to obsess about cleaning! The best “training” for a strong immune system is fighting off a cold.
Summary
Let’s review all the important points that will help you boost your immune system.
- Wash your hands several times a day
- Clean your phone, tablet, and laptop regularly
- Eat a healthy, balanced diet
- Drink plenty of water or unsweetened herbal tea
- Exercise outdoors
- Reduce your stress
- Sleep at least seven hours a night
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