The end of summer is always a wise time to start thinking about protecting your immune system again. You may be stocked up on plenty of vitamin D thanks to UK heatwaves and travels abroad but as we enter the next season, autumn, it’s a good time to up the ante and make sure you’re body is fighting fit with cold and flu season (and a second wave of coronavirus perhaps? Oh joy…) on the horizon. Below we’re sharing what to buy, DIY & try to boost immunity!

BUY

All-In-One Supplement
Supplements are a big topic of conversation, especially when it comes to the colder months of the year. To avoid constant pill-popping and an overflowing supplement cupboard, we suggest keeping it simple and finding a quality multi-supplement. Equi Original Formula combines a spectrum of 46 supremely pure and powerful nutrients, proven to comprehensively balance, boost and support women’s bodies. Provides equilibrium throughout the system, supporting the gut, hormones, energy, immunity, detoxification and rejuvenation. No fillers, no synthetics… they’re the creme de la creme. 

Vitamin D
The other essential you’ll want to add to your morning routine is Vitamin D. If you’ve not been taking it all summer thanks to coronavirus Government guidelines, then make sure you’re stocking up as we come into autumn. Our levels drastically reduce in winter due to lack of sunlight so supplementation is essential for keeping our immune system working at its optimum. Our go-to is BetterYou D3 Dlux Oral Spray. Delivering 3000iu per spray, it’s an easy, great-tasting alternative with a high dosage.

DIY

Hot/Cold Showers
Great for boosting the lymphatic and immune systems, hot/cold therapy has many health benefits that will help support your overall wellbeing. Scientists have found that exposure to cold speeds up metabolism, reduces inflammation and is also linked to improved sleep as well as a better immune response. You don’t need a snazzy cryo-chamber to reap the benefits, you can simulate the same experience by playing with your hot and cold taps next time you shower. Do a couple of bursts for each to really activate the lymphatic system. You’ll come to realise what an energising experience a shower can be!

Ditch refined sugar
Want an easy way to almost instantly boost your immunity? Ditch the refined sugar. A study conducted by Loma Linda University showed that sugar consumption led to a suppression of white blood cells (these are the good guys responsible for fighting infection) 1-2 hours after ingestion. Essentially excess sugar places the body under stress (we’ll get to stress in a moment!) so by limiting your consumption to antioxidant-rich fruits like berries and natural sugars like honey, you’ll be able to get your sweet fix without hampering your health. 

Stress is not your friend
Stress… let’s talk about that! It’s really not your friend when it comes to boosting your immunity and has a nasty way of suppressing it to deal with other responses in the body that come from too much stress. Cortisol (our main stress hormone) is the main culprit and prolonged cortisol production can reduce the ability to fight and ward off infection. Much easier said than done, finding ways to manage stress is unique to your own triggers. Things that massively help us is journaling, breathwork or some form of meditation and moderate exercise. HIIT should be off the cards as that can temporarily cause undue stress on the body but bodyweight training, pilates, yoga or even a brisk walk are all ideal options.

TRY

Infrared saunas
A wellness trend that’s set to boom is infrared saunas thanks to its wide-ranging health benefits. Unlike a traditional sauna, infrared saunas use light to create heat within the body rather than heating the air around you and are far less hot. Perfect for those that can only last a few seconds in a sauna before call it a day! Sending waves into the muscular system, infrared saunas are fantastic healers which is why many athletes use them for muscle recovery. They also help to boost circulation, lower blood pressure, reduce stress and even build immunity as they are thought to stimulate white blood cell count. Our fave beauty and wellness hotspot, Glo Bar is a great place to go for experiencing infrared saunas in London.

Probiotics
This is sort of a no-brainer but getting your gut health top-notch is vital for your immunity and ability to fight infections. Our gut is known as the second brain because it can communicate to our immune system how to respond to toxins and pathogens. Pretty amazing when you think about it! One thing you can try is probiotics to help re-establish a healthy balance of good bacteria in the gut. What’s crucial, though, is a diversity of bacteria as different microbes play different roles in our gut. We love probiotics such as Symprove but you can also focus on getting a varied diet. Consuming a wide range of healthy foods, (making sure to top up on vitamin C-rich foods like citrus fruits, kiwis, bell peppers, kale etc) is going to really help diversify your gut bacteria, creating a population that’s going to kick-ass when viruses come knocking. 

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