As we approach the coldest time of the year many people believe that getting sick is basically an inevitability. That suffering from a run-of-the-mill cold or even worse, the flu, is unavoidable in winter. But this doesn’t have to be. By adapting the right wellness strategies with just a few simple tricks you can minimize the probability of getting cold dramatically. Within this article we will tell you how you can support your immune system and when to call our home GP support in Costa del Sol over winter.
What is the immune system?
The term immune system describes a vast network of cells, organs, antibodies, tissues and other things throughout our whole body. It is our overall defense mechanism which protects us from viruses, bacteria and other harm causing microorganisms. This extremely complex system is able to tell the difference between harmless germs and threats. It is constantly searching for invaders, ready to initiate a complex attack if one is detected. To deal with the intruder more easily when it appears the next time, the immune system keeps a copy of the antibody stored. Protecting and supporting our immune system is vital for staying healthy and our home GP support in Costa del Sol over winter will help you with that.
How to protect your immune system
Prioritize your wellness routine
Especially at this time of the year when our organism is more vulnerable to infections we have to ensure that our natural defense mechanisms run along smoothly. Prioritizing your current wellness routine is a way to achieve that. This means be consistent with your everyday healthy eating habits, exercises and self-care practices. Because our body loves routines, our home GP support in Costa del Sol over winter recommends to do the same things every day at the same time. It is also a good idea, if suitable for you, to sync your daily routine with nature’s natural rhythms.
Make sure you sleep enough
While we are sleeping our body is using its available energy to regenerate. It is a crucial time for our entire system to function smoothly and it is more likely that you will feel better after a good night’s sleep. So make sure you get enough good sleep according to your individual needs to prevent yourself from feeling run-down the following day. You should also practice good sleep habits, like a device-free bedroom or not looking on a screen right before going to bed, to give your body the necessary regeneration time.
Add immune boosting foods to every meal
A nutritious and balanced diet is an important aspect for a healthy body and ensures your defense system to work properly. A good way when planning your meals is choosing the right foods. Stick with what is local and provided seasonally. At this time of the year you should concentrate on root vegetables like squash, carrots, sweet potatoes or potatoes in general, ginger and all kinds of beets. A perfect way to prepare these underground growing foods is within stews and soups because they are hearty, warming and supporting your body with lots of extra liquid. Keeping your system moist is another important part of preventing infections. So to combat dryness you should add oily foods such as ghee, eggs, nuts, seeds, whole grains, fish and olives to your menu. Overall reduce the amount of raw vegetables and cold or frozen foods during the winter month.
Take supplements
A balanced and nutritious diet is important for an overall healthy body. To support your immune function in particular make sure you give your body enough of the Vitamins C and D. Also the mineral zinc and the omega-3 fatty acids are essential for a proper working immune system. Not eating sufficient amounts of these key micronutrients may impact your resistance to microorganisms, increase the disease severity as well as the disease-related symptoms. By taking supplements, you can make sure that you are not deficient. If you are unsure about the dosage of the supplements or need more information contact our home GP support in Costa del Sol over winter.
Avoid sugar
As revealed in studies high consumptions of sugar can impact your immunity in a negative way. By reducing the amount of sugar in your diet you will strengthen your immune system. Also foods and drinks high in refined carbohydrates should only be consumed rarely because your body digests them as sugars.
Get a flu shot
Even though you strengthen your immune system by adapting every aspect of this list in your life there may be still a chance that this is not enough for you. To make sure you’re safe it is always a good option to get a flu shot. It is especially recommended to older people because it is just naturally that your immune system becomes weaker as you grow older. It should be also a go to procedure for all those people with low immunity. Call our home GP support in Costa del Sol over winter at +34 952 816 767 to book an appointment for getting your flu shot or for further information.
Home GP support in Costa del Sol over winter
If despite all precautions you experience symptoms of a flu you should stay at home. Make sure you give your body the rest that's needed, drink enough liquid and support your immune system with nutritious food. You should feel better after one week. However if you experience any of these situations call our home GP support in Costa del Sol over winter right away:
- After getting better your fever suddenly gets worse.
- You are not feeling any better after two weeks.
- You keep on coughing or you feel thick mucus in your mouth after coughing.
- You feel pain focused in a single location like your ear, chest or sinuses.
Any of these symptoms can be a sign for a flu complication which can lead to a sinus or lung infection. If you appear to recover and then deteriorate quickly contact our home GP support in Costa del Sol over winter immediately.