As the temperature drops and we cozy up indoors, it’s more important than ever to winterize your family and keep everyone’s immune system strong. Colder weather, shorter days (less vitamin D from sunshine), and increased time spent indoors can create the perfect storm for colds, the flu, and other winter bugs.
Here are my top tips to winterize your family to keep everyone healthy and happy all season long.
Winterize Your Family By Staying Active
It’s tempting to hibernate during the winter months, but staying active is essential for keeping your immune system robust.
Even though it’s cooler outside, continue to get outside in nature. Enjoy outdoor activities like brisk walks or winter sports.
Exercise increases circulation in the body, which helps immune cells travel throughout your body more efficiently.
Just be sure to dust off those winter coats and layer up when getting outdoor movement to help maintain your body temperature and prevent colds.
Support Your Family with Nutritious Foods
A balanced diet is one of the most powerful ways to keep your immune system performing optimally.
Incorporate a variety of herbs and spices into your meals. Many spices, like thyme and turmeric, have wonderful health benefits.
Thyme is great for cough and congestion, and turmeric is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent.
When we include these spices along with onions, garlic, and vegetables in broth-based soups and stews, we’re giving our bodies a big dose of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and prebiotics. These feed the bacteria in our gut and promote the growth of the good, healthy bacteria.
We can also add in more foods like green leafy vegetables, cucumbers, avocado, almonds, and lemon–see if you can eat 30 different plant-based foods each week! These foods create an environment in the body that enhances the immune system by increasing the diversity of our gut microbiome.
Strategic Supplementation to Winterize Your Family
HKHM Plantadophilus
Sometimes, even the best diet needs a little support.
Most of our immune system happens in our gut. This is why it is so important to keep it healthy and chock-full of good bacteria.
In addition to eating fermented foods like pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi, and kombucha regularly, I also recommend our HKHM Plantadophilus.
It’s gentle, robust, and enhances the ecological balance of friendly bacteria in the gut.
HKHM Omega-3
Omega-3 fatty acids (aka fish oil) are anti-inflammatory and are beneficial to the heart, brain, nervous system, and immune system.
You can add HKHM Omega-3 to your supplement routine (also available in liquid form).
Eating cold-water fish like salmon or tuna or nuts and seeds (almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds, or hemp seeds) are other great ways to boost your Omega-3 intake.
HKHM MultiVite+
Most kids (and adults) don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables. Even if you and your family are the exception to this, the soil we grow our fruits and vegetables in today is different than it was 30 or 40 years ago.
For that reason, I find it necessary to incorporate a multivitamin.
HKHM Vit D3 + K2
There is a vitamin D receptor on every cell of the body. Adequate amounts of vitamin D have a profoundly positive impact on the immune system.
It will help stave off illness and may decrease your susceptibility to certain autoimmune conditions like multiple sclerosis and some types of cancers, like colon cancer.
As the sun moves further away from us in the winter, it is impossible for our bodies to synthesize the amount of vitamin D we need through sunlight.
For the children and families in my practice, I recommend a vitamin D supplement throughout the winter (also available in capsule form).
Winterize Your Family Through Extra Rest & Relaxation
The final tip to winterize your family is to emphasize getting plenty of rest and quality sleep. A well-rested body is better equipped to fight off illness!
Aim to sleep 7-9 hours per night for adults and more for children. A consistent bedtime routine is important (going to bed and waking up at the same time, even on the weekends).
Keep an eye on stress levels, too. High-stress levels can weaken our immune system.
Consider family activities that promote relaxation. These include things such as meditation, reading, or even a cozy movie night (just not too close to bedtime).
By taking these simple steps to boost your family’s immune system, you can enjoy all the best parts of the winter season while staying healthy and strong.
