10 tips to increase your natural defences

The following 10 tips obviously don’t dispense having a balanced nutrition, sufficient sleep and regular physical activity. But combined, they can help boost the natural defences of your body even more.

1. Vitamins in Winter

Especially when it’s cold and there is less option of local fruits to choose from, citric fruits like oranges, lemons or tangerines are very important. They contain plenty of Vitamin C and help strengthen our body’s defences. One grapefruit or two little oranges are already enough to get the recommended daily dosis of 100 mg. A well know home remedy when having a cold is the “hot lemon”. However, you should only heat it a little bit since very hot water can destroy part of the Vitamin C.

2. Ginger – a real all-rounder

The little tuber has got it all! Not only does it help your blood circulation, but it is also antibacterial and digestive. If you feel a cold coming, ginger can help : cut a few slices, boil them with half a liter of water for 30-45min. Then take the slices out and drink the warm water. Additionally, ginger can be wonderfully used as a spice for meat, fish, soups, or even fruit salads.

3. Tea – just wash out bacteria and viruses

When it’s getting cold outside, we start heating up our places, and the air becomes dry and stuffy. Especially for our nasal and rash mucosa this is a difficult time, since they loose humidity and then can’t stop bacteria and viruses so efficiently. Therefore, it’s very important to drink sufficiently. In the cold season, apart from the usual water and fruit juices, herbal and fruit teas will do a great job. Some teas like for example rose hip or hibiscus even provide additional vitamins and secondary plant materials which help increase the body defences and prevent colds.

4. Winter time is kale time

Kale is a remarkable vegetable. In addition to considerable amounts of vitamin C, he also supplies vitamin A and betacarotin. Both are very important for the construction and the supply of our mucous membranes. It is also a good source for the antioxidant vitamin E and some vitamins of the B group as well as potassium and calcium. Since it develops its typical herb-sweetish aroma only after a late harvest, combined with cool temperatures, it is an ideal winter vegetable and due to the ingredients mentioned it is ideal for strengthening our defenses. But also all other types of cabbage, such as white cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli, are valuable nutrients for the immune system and should therefore often be on our diet.

5. Nuts

Nuts like cashew kernels, almonds or hazelnuts are good sources of protein that you need for the formation of your immune cells. They are excellent energy suppliers and should also support the muscle and bone structure. Zinc and magnesium, which are also contained in the nuts, ensure that free radicals can be combated.

6. Sea buckthorn – small berry, lots of vitamins

Hard to believe: the small sea buckthorn fruits supply between 200-900 mg vitamin C per 100 g berries, depending on the variety. They leave lemon, orange and co, which on average contain about 30 to 50 mg, far behind. Vitamin C is indispensable for our immune system. It is, for example, important for the white blood cells that are responsible for our defense. It also protects the cells of our body from aggressive oxygen compounds (radicals).

7. Chili and  Co. – it can be hotter in Winter

They heat us up and improve the blood circulation of our mucous membranes, which can help to ward off pathogens. Peppers, pepper and chilli also contain essential oils and secondary crops. The flavonoids and carotenoids contained therein have antibacterial and antioxidant properties, which means they protect our cells from harmful radicals. Especially sharp soups are good at the beginning of the cold. Their vapors also ensure that bacteria in the respiratory system do not multiply so quickly.

8. Movement keeps us fit

A lot of movement, especially in the fresh air, is a proven way to strengthen our immune system, keep our circulation in motion and keep the mucous membranes moist. Endurance sports such as running, swimming or cycling not only contribute to muscle building, but also strengthen our defense cells. If you are moving, you can fight illnesses faster and better. According to experts, 30 to 60 minutes of exercise are sufficient to increase overall physical activity. However, you should pay attention to the correct sportswear in the damp season.

9. Sleep and relaxation

Very important next to movement are sufficient sleep and regular relaxation phases. If we deliberately integrate breaks into our everyday lives, we refill our strength and find spiritual balance. Asleep and recovering, we can master both professional and private challenges much better. Massages, relaxation or even yoga exercises support the relaxation enormously.

10. Laughing is the best medicine

Laughing is healthy! The longer and more often, the better. We feel better when we laugh, giggle or cackle, and by laughter we turn off for short moments. But be careful: Whoever laughs out of embarrassment or harm, does not relax. However, if you laugh together with others, you can relieve stress and release happiness hormones that stimulate the limbic system. This in turn processes our experiences, even the stress. Try it with this free medicine!