As the autumn season unfolds, it's the perfect time to focus on boosting your immune system to stay healthy and energised over winter. The transition into colder months often brings a higher susceptibility to illnesses, making it essential to adopt proactive habits that enhance your body's natural defenses. From optimising your sleep and nutrition to leveraging herbal remedies, these strategies will help you maintain robust immune health throughout the season.
1. Prioritise Sleep
While you don’t need to hibernate, ensuring sufficient sleep is crucial for a robust immune system. Inadequate rest can severely compromise your immune defenses. Embrace the longer nights of autumn to get cozy in bed a bit earlier and replenish your energy. Your immune system will benefit, and you'll feel more energized.
2. Kai Time
Channel your inner squirrel by incorporating a diet rich in nuts, seeds, and berries. Quality protein is essential for antibody production and tissue repair, while fresh fruits and vegetables, particularly berries, provide powerful antioxidants. Reducing the intake of sugar, fried foods, additives, and highly refined foods, also supports optimal immunity.
3. Learn to Relax
The grind can wait. Take advantage of the serene beauty of autumn for relaxing walks and introspection. Autumn’s stillness is perfect for reflecting on how to create more space, reduce stress, and bring calm into your life. Stress can be detrimental to your immune health. Enjoying crafts, cozy moments, and simple pleasures like hot drinks and walks, can significantly lower stress.
4. Prevention is Better Than Cure
Daily use of medicinal herbal tonics can fortify your immune system against potential threats. Premium, organic Echinacea root is particularly effective, enhancing immune cell production and activity, and balancing inflammatory responses. Why wait until you fall sick, when you can help prevent getting sick in the first place?
5. Keep your Herbal Allies Close
If you do fall sick, keep potent herbal tonics on hand to address any arising infections swiftly. Early intervention with targeted antibacterial and antiviral activity can help prevent a minor infection from becoming a major illness. In the right amounts, immune-supporting herbs including Elderflower and Echinacea can help activate the killer cells in your immune system. The right herbal tonic could potentially be the difference between nailing an infection and being stuck in bed for weeks.
7. Balance Nutrients
Let’s face it, most of us succumb to cravings every now and then. We’re only human after all. Even with a nutritious diet, specific immune-supporting nutrients can sometimes be deficient due to various factors like growth periods, lack of sunlight, excessive coffee consumption, or stress. Key nutrients for immune health include Vitamins C, A, and D, zinc, iron, and selenium. Consult a naturopath or health professional to assess your nutrient levels and identify the best ways to restore balance.
8. Laughter is the Best Medicine
Laughter is not only enjoyable but also boosts immunity in two significant ways. It stimulates the lymphatic system, promoting movement of lymph and supporting immune function. Additionally, it activates immune cells, increasing B and T cells, and natural killer cells. Watch some good comedy, tell some silly jokes, play in piles of leaves, hang out with kids, whatever tickles your fancy. After all, the funny bone is integral to a healthy immune system.
It never hurts to get extra support. Here are some Kiwiherb products that could help you this autumn:
- Struggling to sleep? A dose of Sound Asleep 30 minutes before bed.
- Low immunity? A daily shot of Echinature®.
- Feeling stressed? Two capsules of Calm Down.
- Love to work out and need energy? ImmuneBerry full of antioxidants.
- Feel that tickle in the throat? Four sprays of Herbal Throat Spray will help put it in its place.
Have a little one? Check out Children’s Organic Echinature® and Children’s Immune Drops.
