Stay healthy all winter by boosting your immune system (Image: Getty Images)

Health experts' five tips to keep your immune system strong this autumn

Here's how you can fend off the flu and the common cold this winter with just a few small lifestyle changes.

by · Daily Record

With colder weather comes the relentless annual nuisance - battling the onslaught of winter illnesses.

With vaccine intake decreasing, health professionals are concerned about the spread of flu, Covid-19 and RSV this winter.

The shorter days seem to bring endless colds and fevers, but there are easy ways to boost your immune system and increase your chances of staying healthy this season.

Experts recommend a variety of methods that involve just small changes to your lifestyle.

How to boost your immune system and prevent illness

1. Sleep hygiene

Try to avoid high-fat and high-protein foods before bed (Image: Getty Images)

As tempting as it is to hunker down this winter and watch cozy movies until the wee hours, sleep is one of our best defenses against illness.

Prolonged lack of sleep can weaken the immune system and make it easier to catch seasonal bugs, according to the NHS. Experts recommend 7-9 hours of sleep per night to maintain a healthy immune system.

Try shutting down screens 30 minutes before bed. Reading or listening to a podcast are other great ways to drift off to sleep without screens.

Your diet can affect sleep as well. Certain foods - including high-fat and high-protein foods like biscuits, cheese, crisps, and meat - can make it more difficult to fall asleep, says the NHS .

Try swapping those crisps for foods high in magnesium - such as wholemeal bread, brown rice, spinach, black beans, or tofu - which aid sleep.

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2. Eating healthy

If you want to stave off the common cold this winter, a balanced diet is an absolute must. Eating a variety of foods is most effective, says Victoria Taylor from the British Heart Foundation.

The dietician recommends a wide selection of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains to deliver the nutrients our immune system needs most - such as vitamins A, B6, B12, C and D as well as copper, folate, iron, selenium and zinc.

Good sources of Vitamin C are oranges, broccoli, and potatoes. A full list of foods for each vitamin and mineral can be found here .

Even some herbs and spices can pack an immune punch. Cayenne pepper, allspice, ginger, and turmeric contain components that can help boost your immune system, says the NHS .

Experts also recommend avoiding foods high in sugar, fat, and salt, which can weaken immunity.

Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables ensures you will receive immune-boosting nutrients. (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

3. Drink plenty of water

If you think you’re drinking enough water, think again.

People should be drinking between 6 to 8 cups or glasses of fluid each day, according to the NHS’s Eatwell Guide . More fluids are recommended if you are ill or recovering from illness.

Lots of water helps the production of lymph, which carries white blood cells and other immune system cells. Avoid sugary drinks like fruit juices. Lower-fat drinks like reduced-fat milk are also better for immune health.

If you don’t like drinking water, you can zest things up with sparkling water or a slice of lemon or cucumber.

You can also invest in a stylish and colourful reusable water bottle to make your daily hydration a bit more fun.

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4. Exercise

Exercise isn’t just good for your physical and mental health. It can also help fend off illness this winter by boosting your immune health.

Increasing blood flow will mobilise white blood cells, which battle biological invaders like viruses.

The NHS recommends a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week. If you’re expecting a busy winter, that’s okay - one study found that even just 30 minutes of brisk walking had immune benefits.

Grab a warm jumper and get excited for some crisp winter exercise.

5. Wash your hands

We’ve been told to wash our hands since primary school, but it is one of the simplest and easiest ways to protect yourself and others from illness this winter.

Common winter viruses like the flu can survive on hands and surfaces for as long as 24 hours , warns the NHS.

Wash your hands often with warm water and soap to prevent the spread of infection.

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