17 Immunity ‘Hacks’ To Help You Avoid The Winter Lurgy
Find out how to boost your immune system and avoid nasty coughs and colds this winter.
The news is consistently reporting on COVID-19 levels, winter flu levels and many people getting ‘the worst cold they have ever had’.
The harsher colds we seem to be experiencing could well be happening because as a community, we spent so long away from each other, our natural immunity dropped, and so infections that may have only been minor before, are giving us a run for our money this year!
With this in mind, Abbey Road Dental wants to help you give yourself the best possible chance of avoiding these lurgies. If you do catch them, we also want you to be able to fight them off.
We have collected 17 easy immunity hacks to help you get your immunity in better shape to face this winter:
1. Vitamin C
Vitamin C is essential to prevent cold and flu, with citrus fruits like oranges and lemons providing high levels of the vitamin. Kale, spinach and strawberries are also great foods to eat to boost your vitamin C.
2. Oral Care
Here at Abbey Road Dental we are more than aware of how important the immune system is when it comes to oral care, and vice versa. Your immune system plays an important part in preventing, and combating infections and disease and if your oral health is not taken care of, you might struggle to fight off flu and cold. A good example of this is with gum disease. If your body is busy fighting off gum disease, so you may get signs elsewhere you are ‘run down’ and you might be experiencing more colds and flu than usual.
You can ensure your oral health is maintained by flossing everyday, and brushing twice a day for two minutes each time. Regular visits to Abbey Road Dental will ensure any issues are quickly diagnosed and treated.
If you do have any signs of gum disease like blood after you brush, or inflamed gums, please get in touch. We can often reverse early stage gingivitis with hygienist support. More advanced gum disease can also be stopped in its tracks and managed with NW8 hygienist and dental support. As with most things, though, the sooner you get the gum disease diagnosed and treated, the better.
3. Vitamin E
Vitamin E is really important when it comes to fighting off the cold and flu when you get them. You can find it in almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts and high-quality sunflower oil.
4. Exercise
Exercise plays a huge part in your immunity as it encourages your natural systems to work more efficiently. If you are generally in good shape, it also helps the white cells and antibodies to remain in great shape too. This is important because your white blood cells and antibodies are there to help you fight disease.
5. Vitamin A
Vitamin A helps you to fight off the cold and flu when you get them. There are high levels in meat, dairy and fish, but if you are vegan you don’t have to miss out. You can get vitamin A in pumpkin, sweet potatoes, squash and winter greens.
6. Quitting Smoking
Smoking has a huge impact on the health of the gums and teeth, but it also affects your entire body’s health, including your immune system. If you feel ready to quit, please reach out to your GP or pharmacy for smoking cessation advice – you can do it!
7. Folic Acid
Folic acid has a hand in producing red blood cells and it also helps to ensure that the immune system works well. You can find it in avocado, asparagus and broccoli.
8. Iron
Having too little iron actually reduces the type of immunity that is the front line defence against infections and pathogens. You can boost your iron by eating lots and lots of leafy greens and red meat.
9. Try Stress-Reduction
When we get stressed the body is less able to fight off infection. This is in part because corticosteroid (the stress hormone) lowers your immunity. You may already know this because you seem to catch colds when you’re stressed. It’s not just in your head, being run down is very real and stress-reduction can help avoid that.
10. Selenium
Selenium reduces oxidative stress in the body, which takes down inflammation levels and boosts immunity. You can get selenium from turkey, beef or egg. If you are vegan, you can get this important vitamin from sunflower seeds.
11. Quit Alcohol
Alcohol is thought to surprise the immune system both with its function, and because alcoholism can lead us to struggle with self care. Cutting down safely is a great idea to boost your immunity. Please do speak to your GP for advice on cutting down or quitting alcohol to ensure that you do it safely.
12. Zinc
Like iron, too little zinc reduces your immune response, the first line of defense when a cough or cold tries to get into your body. You can get zinc from red meat, chicken, avocados, blackberries and raspberries.
13. Wild Swimming
A study showed that open water swimming boosts your immune system because the temperature shock boosts white blood cell production. Please ensure if you do try it, you do it safely though!
14. Cut Down On Meat & Dairy
A study showed that red meat and dairy can take a toll on your natural immunity. For the good of your health, the animals and your environment you don’t have to go vegan or vegetarian, but eating more fruits and veggies is always a good idea.
15. Vitamin D
Vitamin D is really important as it supports the immune system, and enables you to absorb calcium from your diet (so it’s really important for your teeth too!). You can get it from tuna, sardines, mushrooms and fortified foods.
16. Hygienic Practices
Washing your hands regularly, using alcohol hand gel and if you can, wearing a mask in crowded places and keeping indoor shared spaces ventilated will all help reduce your chance of catching common colds, flu and COVID-19.
17. Visiting Places You Trust
You may not have much choice on medical facilities that you need to visit. However, when it comes to places like the opticians, dentists or even friends houses, it is all about visiting places you trust. Are your friends honest about feeling a little rundown? Can you all be more open and honest about showing symptoms and rearrange for another day? How about the opticians? Are there signs about COVID-19 practices? Are there hand gel facilities around? Did they ask you not to visit if you have COVID-19 symptoms?
At Abbey Road Dental we have taken every possible precaution to ensure that our patients are as safe as possible when they visit us. We know that trust is essential so that we keep our patients and staff safe.
By only visiting places you trust to be as safe as possible when it comes to the spreading of coughs, colds and COVID-19, you limit your chance of catching anything this winter.
Take Care Of Yourself This Winter With Help From Abbey Road Dental
There is so much you can do this winter to boost your immunity and avoid COVID-19, flus, coughs and colds. Abbey Road Dental can help by ensuring your oral health remains in great condition, and you don’t have any infections or oral problems causing your immunity to drop elsewhere. Please give us a call on 02076241603 if you would like to book a checkup, or to speak to us about hygienist services, or gum disease treatment. Our NW8 clinic is here to help support your health this winter!