How to take care of your immunity all year round?

Taking care of your immunity is a very important issue not only in the autumn and winter season. Our immunity is a protective shield against external factors and a guarantee of well-being even when the weather is not favourable, we have a lot of responsibilities, and sunlight reaches us only for a few hours a day. How to take care of your immunity? Learn how to support your immunity all year round and how to support your body to feel less tired and fatigued, which negatively affect our immune system.

Immunity diet

Diet is of great importance! An adequate supply of vitamins and minerals has a key impact on your well-being and the general condition of your body, including the proper functioning of the immune system. Incorrect eating habits lead not only to overweight and obesity, but also to a decrease in immunity. All elimination diets also have a negative impact on immunity – let’s take care of our figure, but wisely!

What do we mean by an appropriate diet, good for our immunity? First of all, it means regularly eating fruit and vegetables, rich in minerals and vitamins that support the condition of the body. Let’s remember that a healthy body also means better immunity. Vitamins D, C and A and mineral salts, especially zinc, are particularly important for immunity. Vitamins C and A can be found in vegetables and fruits, and vitamin A in sea fish and vegetable oils. Nuts are rich in zinc, among others. Let’s remember that a diet good for immunity should be, above all, balanced and varied.

Discover the power of herbs and spices

When using a diet for immunity, let’s not forget about herbs and spices. Some have a warming power, useful on long winter evenings, they also improve well-being and contain a lot of minerals and vitamins. Turmeric, parsley, maca, ginger and garlic are particularly beneficial for immunity. Let’s remember that some spices, such as ginger, are great as an addition to both salty dishes, such as soups, and sweet dishes, such as oatmeal, groats with fruit and rice in milk.

How to protect yourself from a decrease in immunity?

A healthy diet is important all year round, but from September to March both the weather and our diet are often not conducive to well-being and maintaining the shape we developed in the summer. There are many factors that contribute to this:

• Less daylight – shorter days mean fewer opportunities to spend time actively outdoors. Remember that vitamin D, which is essential for good immunity, is synthesized precisely under the influence of sunlight on the skin.
• A change in diet, reducing the amount of vegetables and fruit consumed – in late autumn and winter, as well as in the early spring, there is no longer such a rich selection of vegetables and fruits in stores as in summer or early autumn.
• Less exercise, which is one of the factors that strengthen immunity. In summer, we spend more time outdoors. In winter and autumn, we walk and spend less time outdoors. As a result, we move less often.
• Exposure to unfavourable weather conditions – biting wind, rain, lower temperatures and winter slush not only worsen mood, but can also contribute to a decrease in immunity.

Does this mean that we are doomed to feel bad in winter and late autumn? Absolutely not, implementing certain behaviors reduces the risk of worsening well-being and allows you to maintain great condition all year round.

How to protect yourself from a drop in immunity – physical activity and a hygienic lifestyle

With simple behaviors related to a healthy lifestyle, you will prevent your well-being from getting worse. Below we have collected some simple tips for you.

• Don’t neglect exercise. Maintaining physical activity throughout all months of the year, at least 150 minutes a week, helps to maintain good shape. You can divide the effort into parts. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends moving 5 days a week, for no less than 30 minutes.
  • Don’t like sports? That’s impossible! Each person can adjust the effort to their preferences. If you don’t like the gym or choreographed sports (zumba, fitness, aerobics, etc.), choose a more steady form of exercise, e.g. yoga or individual sports. Remember that everyday duties, such as vacuuming, cleaning, arranging clothes in the wardrobe, are also a form of effort, but it is worth taking a break from them in favor of more optimized forms of movement.
• Get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation is a factor that deteriorates well-being very quickly. In the long term, it can contribute to fatigue. The recommendations of international sleep and health agencies change, but try to sleep at least 7 hours a day.
  • In addition to the quantity, the quality of sleep is also very important. It is important that it is continuous, uninterrupted and that you go through all its phases, including the deep sleep phase, at least several times a night. If you have trouble falling asleep, about limit the use of technology before going to bed, ventilate the room where you sleep, and try to keep to fixed bedtimes.
• Make sure you dress appropriately. Do not overheat and do not expose yourself to freezing and getting wet. Choose clothes that are appropriate for the temperature and weather conditions (rain, snow). In winter, do not give up on a hat and gloves, the cold felt around the head and hands is particularly severe.
• Take care of hand hygiene. Wash them often with warm water and soap. Effective hand washing should take from 15 to about 30 seconds. Do not neglect this activity, wetting your hands only with water. If you cannot wash your hands – e.g. when you are away from home – consider using antibacterial liquids and gels. They will help you maintain hand hygiene easily and reduce the risk of transferring viruses and bacteria on your hands.
• Ventilate the rooms where you stay, this applies not only to the bedroom, but all the rooms in which you spend time. When choosing a time to air out, try to do it when the concentration of pollen and particles in the air, known as smog, is as low as possible. According to data from air quality monitoring stations, this is usually in the afternoon.
• Limit your time in crowded places, opt for a walk in the forest or a trip out of town instead of spending the weekend in a shopping mall or a packed cinema. Try to keep your distance from people who have visible symptoms of infection.

Fatigue, weariness, decreased concentration – how do they affect immunity and how to overcome them?

The lack of a proper diet rich in vitamins and minerals can affect well-being and intensify problems with concentration, fatigue and weariness. This also has a huge impact on our immunity – it has been scientifically proven that everyday, prolonged fatigue and stress can affect immunity.

If you are looking for a way to work more efficiently and take care of your immunity, make sure that your diet includes all the necessary vitamins and minerals. These are primarily magnesium, B vitamins and folates, which have a beneficial effect on the nervous system and brain function. The table presents the detailed effects of these ingredients:

Table 1. Minerals and vitamins that have a positive effect on reducing the feeling of tiredness and fatigue

You can find all these ingredients in vegetables, fruit, groats, dairy products, nuts and seeds. Remember that fruits and vegetables can be frozen, and canned, thus preserving their valuable nutritional properties – a properly conducted freezing process does not negatively affect the quality of fruits and vegetables and the content of vitamins and antioxidants in them. You can use frozen products and preserves in autumn and winter.

Fruit (fresh or frozen) is a great ingredient for fruit cocktails and breakfasts. It is a great addition to porridge or millet porridge served warm. Warm oatmeal, cooked in milk or water, with fruit and nuts is a great idea for a winter breakfast, which not only warms you up, but also provides all the necessary minerals.

It is worth taking care of your immunity at any age and all year round.

You can also freeze leafy vegetables, vegetable mixes for soups or spinach. They will work well as an addition to pasta, casseroles or as a separate portion of warm vegetables.

Vitamins and minerals not only for autumn and winter – how to take care of your immunity

In the daily rush, taking care of providing all the vitamin and mineral components can be difficult. If you have doubts about the quality of the meals you eat or whether you are composing your menu correctly, a good solution will be to reach for a ready-made vitamin preparation that additionally contains minerals and, for example, electrolytes.

How to choose a vitamin preparation that supports immunity? First of all, you should be guided by factors such as the quality of the preparation, its form and convenience of use. Taking many different vitamin preparations reduces the chance of remembering them and, as a result, does not bring the expected effect. For your own convenience, choose a multivitamin preparation that will provide all the necessary ingredients in one serving. Often, just one serving of, for example, a sparkling drink with vitamins provides 100% of their daily requirement. This is great convenience and certainty that even during periods of increased demand for nutrients and vitamins, you will provide them in a convenient form.

A good choice if you want to take comprehensive care of your immunity will be Plusssz Odporność 100% Complex, a multivitamin preparation containing a complex of ingredients supporting the immune system (immuno complex).

Importantly, Plusssz preparations supporting immunity are available in various variants, taking into account the needs of different age groups. For seniors, the PLUSSSZ Odporność Senior 100% Complex dietary supplement will be useful, which contains a set of vitamins and other ingredients supporting the immune system (vitamin C, D, zinc). The tablets to be dissolved in water have a raspberry-elderberry flavour and contain an immune complex – a set of vitamins and minerals (vitamin D3, zinc, B vitamins, vitamin C, rutin and coenzyme Q10) in doses appropriate for supporting the immunity of the elderly.

For children, the Plusssz Junior Odporność Complex dietary supplement will be suitable, effervescent tablets with a raspberry-strawberry flavour, with fruit juice powder.

Plusssz Junior Odporność Complex is intended for children over 3 years of age. It contains 100% immune complex, a special set of ingredients supporting immunity, including zinc, vitamin D, vitamin C. The Plusssz Junior lozenges with a raspberry flavour with vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin A and zinc, important for immunity, and a set of other ingredients important for children will also be good for the immunity of children.

A good choice for adults will be the Plusssz Odporność 100% Complex dietary supplement, which also contains a set of ingredients that support immunity, such as vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin B12, zinc, selenium and rutin. The product is sugar-free. For all Plusssz Odporność preparations, it is recommended to take one tablet a day dissolved in 200 ml of cold water. Of course, you should still follow the principles of a healthy diet and a proper lifestyle.

It comes in a convenient form of effervescent tablets to dissolve in water. The tube with tablets takes up little space, you can have it within reach at home, in the office, in the car and wherever you often spend time. Effervescent vitamin tablets Plusssz Odporność 100% Complex have a refreshing, fruity taste. By drinking them while working, for example, you take care not only of the supply of vitamin components, but also of the proper hydration of the body. The fruity taste of the drink is usually also enough to satisfy the desire for something sweet.

When choosing a multivitamin preparation to support immunity, also pay attention to the group it is intended for – in pharmacies you will find products for adults, children and seniors.

Questions and answers

With the first days of autumn, I feel a drop in mood, it is difficult for me to focus on work and current tasks, is there any advice for this?

Many people experience a seasonal drop in work efficiency and reduced interest in additional social, academic or household activities. This is normal and, as long as it does not significantly affect commitments, you should not worry about this phenomenon. This does not mean that it can be ignored. Many factors are responsible for lower mood, immunity and efficiency during the winter season, e.g. limited sunlight, unfavourable weather or stress related to excessive responsibilities.

Take a look at your diet, introduce ingredients that will provide you with an adequate supply of magnesium, niacin, B vitamins and folates. A properly balanced diet will improve your well-being, help you cope with the feeling of tiredness and fatigue and help you stay in good shape until spring. If, despite your efforts, you have the impression that your menu does not contain the right amount of vitamins and minerals, we encourage you to consult a dietician and include a vitamin preparation in your diet, e.g. in the form of effervescent tablets with a fruity taste.

Taking just one portion will provide you with a supply of important ingredients at a level corresponding to even 100% of your daily requirement. Additionally, vitamins taken in this form promote the correct level of tissue hydration, which is also important from the perspective of assessing work efficiency and overcoming fatigue.

I Know My Diet Should Contain More Magnesium, Is Chocolate a Good Source of This Ingredient?

It is difficult to answer this question unequivocally. It is indeed a common belief that chocolate is a good source of this element supporting the nervous system. In reality, chocolates available on the market are of very different quality. If you want to supply magnesium in this form, choose chocolate without added sugars, preferably containing about 80-90% cocoa. Such chocolate tastes far from sweet, milky snacks. It will work great as an addition to savory dishes, e.g. as one of the spices for the popular Mexican dish – chilli con carne.

When looking for sources of magnesium to reduce fatigue and improve your ability to focus, you should rather reach for seeds and pits, nuts or a dietary supplement containing magnesium.

Is There an Immunity Diet? I Know That Some Products Promote Well-Being During the Fall-Winter Season.

Indeed, some food ingredients, such as ginger, garlic, chia seeds, green vegetables or goji berries, may have properties that make them so-called superfoods. In reality, immunity consists of many elements, to build it, take care of your diet, but comprehensively. Implementing any of the products mentioned in your meals will not cause your immunity level to improve dramatically. A balanced, regularly monitored diet combined with healthy habits and a healthy lifestyle can, however, have a positive effect on the body’s immunity level and how you feel during periods of seasonal depression.

Does Using Multivitamins Exempt Me from Following the Principles of a Healthy Lifestyle and Healthy Diet?

Absolutely not! Dietary supplements support our immune system temporarily, replenishing the nutrients we currently need. They are a complement to a proper diet and a healthy lifestyle, they cannot be used instead of them.

Effervescent tablets are a good choice for people who want to help their body provide the necessary vitamins and minerals.

Summary

To build immunity, both physical and mental, it is crucial to provide the body with the right levels of minerals and vitamins – magnesium, zinc, selenium, vitamin D, B vitamins, vitamins C, A and E. Exercise and regular hydration are also important.

Take a look at your diet and make sure that it does not lack any of the ingredients responsible for immunity and well-being. If you are not sure, consider including a vitamin preparation that will provide all the necessary ingredients in a convenient form. However, do not forget to follow the rules of hygiene and a daily dose of exercise, preferably in the fresh air. In a healthy body… better immunity.

Bibliography:

• Sobotka L. Fundamentals of Clinical Nutrition, Krakowskie Wydawnictwo Scientifica, 2013.
• Suliga E., Eating habits of women and men aged 30+, “Studia Medyczne” 2012, no. 28, vol. 4, pp. 43–50.
• Palich, P., Pukszta, T., Changes in vitamin C content of frozen vegetables and fruits during storage, “Chłodnictwo: organ of the Supreme Technical Organization” 2001, no. 7, vol. 36, pp. 43–45.

A balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are important for maintaining health.