Want to keep your colds and flu at bay? How to support your immune system
Cold and flu season is here again. We can not control things such as the spread of virus or damp British winter but one thing we can influence is you and your family’s health. Making a few small tweaks to your daily life can make a big difference in building a defence mechanism against viruses. Hear are some practical tips that help to support your immune system.
PRIORITISE YOUR SLEEP
Having trouble sleeping? Lack of sleep has an impact to your immune system. Studies reveal that people who don’t get enough, or good-quality sleep, are more likely to get ill after being exposed to a virus. Not getting enough or quality sleep also can affect your recovery time after being ill, so it is more important than ever to prioritise your sleep so here are several tips for promoting good-quality sleep.
Firstly, your brain needs to associate your bedroom with sleep, so you should avoid eating, watching TV, looking at your computer, tablet, and your phone in your bedroom in the evening. The lighting from digital devices sends a message to your brain that it is time to be awake and alert, so these gadgets do not belong in the room where you are supposed to sleep. If you usually set an alarm on your phone to wake you up in the morning, it is time to invest in an old-fashioned alarm clock. They don’t cost much, and they last longer than some electronic gadgets out there. If you are lying awake unable to sleep, leave your bedroom, as tossing and turning also sends the wrong message to your brain that the room you are in is not for sleeping. You can try having a small warm drink like chamomile tea in the kitchen or write down your thoughts on a notepad in another room. You can go back to your bedroom when you start to feel a bit sleepy.
Secondly, your body and brain need time to unwind before your bedtime. We recommend you stop using all electronic devices including your mobile phone two hours before you go to sleep. As well as cutting out the ‘blue light’ from digital devices, you should switch off bright ceiling lights a couple hours before bedtime and use a light dimmer and small side lamps instead if you have them. Again, darker environment sends a signal to your body to change the gear to get ready for sleep.
Thirdly, temperatures have roles to play and having a hot bath before the bedtime and keeping your room temperate relatively low (around 16 – 18 °C) help you to get to sleep easily.
The last point is specific for grown-ups. Studies show caffeine and alcohol have negative impact to your sleep – especially the quality of sleep. The half of the caffeine you consumed will stay in your body after six hours and it could take up to 10 hours for your body to get rid of all caffeine from your bloodstream. Having the caffeine in your system when you are you supposed to be asleep means you are unable to have a deep restful sleep. We suggest you enjoy your cup of coffee or tea BEFORE noon and switch to herbal tea in the afternoon. Remember green tea has caffeine and decaf coffee still has some caffeine as well. Naturally, the same rule applies to caffeinated drinks like coca cola and energy drinks.
If you make these changes, you will notice that you fall asleep more easily, you are less likely to wake up in the middle of the night and you feel more refreshed in the morning.
EAT THE RAINBOW – A WHOLE FOOD, NUTRIENT-DENSE DIET IS OUR MEDICINE
A poor diet can lead to nutrient deficiency and the body is unable to fight infections. A large percentage of our nation is deficient in one or more nutrients, as with many developing countries. You may have heard of the term gut microbiome as it has been given a spotlight in the last few years. It is a community of a trillion bacteria and fungi living in your gastrointestinal tract. The healthy gut microbiome holds a key to keep viruses at bay. The microbiome is different for each one of us, just like our DNA, so there isn’t a single silver bullet that can make the healthy gut microbiome. But there is one thing we can do to promote the healthy gut microbiome and that is to eat diverse range of fruits and vegetables. We are all creatures of habits and like to stick to eating same things for breakfast and sometimes for lunch. But try introducing one or two new vegetables or fruits you have not had for a while into your meal plans once a week. Nutritian professionals suggest eating 30 different types of plants per week for your gut health. You can turn it into a fun game with children and set a daily “eat the rainbow challenge”!
AVOID FOOD THAT COMPROMISE YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM
Okay, eating a diverse range of vegetables and fruits help to fight off illness, but what kind of food has the opposite effect? Some of these things mentioned below if consumed in excess can compromise your immune response, according to the article from Pigment Healthcare.
- Fizzy drinks
- Processed foods
- Food and drinks that are high in sugar
- Refined carbohydrates such as white rice, white flours, white breads, pastas and cereals
- Alcoholic beverages
The data shows that UK families buy more ultra-processed food than any other country in Europe, amounting to 50.7% of the diet. Perhaps it is about time to consume less processed food and switch to eating more “real food”, including fresh fruits and vegetables.
TAKE VITAMIN D SUPPLEMENT
Vitamin D, also known as ‘Sunshine vitamin ‘, is essential for maintaining healthy bones and muscles. It is produced in the response to the exposure to the sun and it is hard to reach your recommended daily allowance of 10 micrograms (ug) during the winter in England. Even if you manage to go outdoor in the daytime, your skin will not get enough sunshine to produce vitamin D if you wear face covering, sun creams or your arms are covered. It is near impossible to get sufficient level of vitamin D with food as well – you would need to eat 10 rump stakes or 10+ cans of tuna to achieve it! In addition, recent studies reveal that a large percentage of Covid-19 patients have been found to have vitamin D deficiency, and those who are vitamin D deficient have higher inflammatory markers and a higher risk of death.
These are a few reasons why using the supplement to keep vitamin D levels topped up is more important than ever for everyone in the family.
EXERCISE (OR SWIM) REGULARLY
Just like eating balanced, healthy diet, exercising helps to maintain healthy immune system. That is why it is extremly important to keep swimming in the winter. Swimming in water that is lower than your body temperature is known to help resist an infection, increasing the number of white blood cells – your body’s immune system cells – which work like soldiers protecting your body against infection. Exercise such as swimming enhances blood circulation and with good circulation, the white blood cells in your immune system will be transported through the body and will ensure your organs are working efficiently. This enhanced blood circulation also helps remove waste produced by different organs which can also reduce inflammation. With these facts, we hope you will agree it makes no sense to avoid swimming if you want your child to have a strong immune system.
We place the sleep on top of our list as it is the foundation for our well-being but if you eat well and exercise frequently, your sleep quality would improve naturally.
We offer swimming lessons to children from age 2 years and above with up to three children per class to maximise learning potential. Lessons, taught by our highly experienced coaches, are engaging, confidence building and results based.
If you want your child to swim with us all seasons, email contact@sportsgeneration.co.uk or call us on 0208 940 9431 to find out more.
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