Supporting your immune system through Autumn
Embrace autumnal wellness and increase your immunity this season. As we transition into colder temperatures and the evenings get darker, it is important to make sure we keep on top of our health and wellness in order to fight off any bugs and germs that your immune system has to contend with in the winter months.
It can be quite misleading to think that any food or nutrients are ‘immuno-boosting’, as some supplements or headlines may suggest. Our immune system is only stimulated when the body senses an infection which then sends signals to the rest of the body which makes us feel run-down. So it will be inaccurate to say we can take a certain supplement to ‘boost’ our immunity.
However, this is not to discount the importance of a healthy, varied diet. Eating a balanced diet provide essential nutrients which work in different ways to maintain the normal function the immune system. This is a key message we want to get across. The nutrients are:
The minerals:
- Iron, found in red meat, beans, pulses, nuts and seeds, fish, quinoa
- Selenium, found in Brazil and cashew nuts and meat
- Zinc, found in meat, poultry, cheese, shellfish, nuts and seeds
The vitamins:
- Vitamin A, found in orange-coloured fruit and vegetables, such as carrots, sweet potato butternut squash and dark green leafy vegetables
- Certain B vitamins
o Vitamin B6, found in poultry, fish, fortified breakfast cereals, soya beans and sesame seeds
o Vitamin B12, found in meat, fish, shellfish, dairy products and fortified breakfast cereals
o Folate, found in green leafy vegetables, pulses, oranges, nuts and seeds, cheese and fortified breakfast cereal
- Vitamin C, found in citrus fruits, berries, kiwifruit, green vegetables, sweet peppers and tomatoes
- Vitamin D, found in oily fish, eggs, fortified breakfast cereals and fortified spreads and dairy products. Note that the most important source of vitamin D is from sufficient exposure to sunlight during UK summer months, but dietary sources of vitamin D can help contribute as well. It has also been suggested that during the winter months, everyone should take a vitamin D supplement because levels are so low in the UK.
At Kurami, our breakfast and yogurt pots feature the Kurami signature granola made of nuts and seeds, tagine and seasonal dips made from different vegetables. Visit www.kurami.co.uk to see more of these!
It goes without saying that a healthy routine with sufficient sleep and physical activity for at least 150 of moderate intensity each week supports our immune system and help keep infections at bay.