How to be well and stay happy & healthy this winter

Winter means colder temperatures, dryer air and due to those factors, possible sickness, dry skin and a stuffy or runny nose. While there isn’t a big enough bubble suit to keep all the pathogens away from us all, we can look at ways to boost and support our bodies enough to aid in the prevention of those colds, flus, sniffles and hopefully, those winter blues.

1 Increase your Essential Fatty acids, like Omega-3 & 6. Did you know that B-WELL Canola products, like the B-WELL Canola oil and B-WELL Mayonnaise range are packed with the perfect ratio of Omega-3 and Omega 6. Supplementing with these essential nutrients may be an excellent way to help soothe inflammation, lower the risk of infection, regulating immune response as well as moisturise your body from the inside out, keeping skin soft and preventing dryness.

2 Get as much sun or supplement with Vitamin D. Known as the, ‘sunshine vitamin’, since our bodies produce it after sun exposure, and with the clouds and rain that come with winter, sunshine can be scarce. Vitamin D is crucial for activating many essential processors within the body, especially the immune system, including assisting in the conversion of serotonin, “the happy hormone”- meaning supplementing with this vitamin can keep those winter blues at bay too. Find Vit. D is foods fortified with it, like yoghurt, cereals and fruit juices; or by eating Fatty fish (like Salmon, Tuna, Sardines), Eggs, cheese or milk.

3 Stay hydrated and moisturized. In winter, we seek more warm, comfy and stodgy foods and tend to not eat the fresher produce like in the hotter seasons. Most of these fresher foods contain water and nutrients that keep our bodies healthy and skin well moisturized. To make sure your body gets enough water, drink up mate! Include more fresh fruits, otherwise, enjoy hot teas, broths and soups- another great way to stay hydrated and keep the body detoxed, able to flush out pathogens effectively. Make sure to also moisturize the skin with products high in Vit. E and collagen. Or try B-WELL Mayonnaise as a body moisturizing mask.

4 Exercise and make muscles move. Keeping the body moving especially when cold weather makes indoors even more appealing has more benefits than just keeping the winter weight off. Including exercises, like dynamic movement, that gets the blood pumping and heart rate increasing is the most effective. This promotes heart health, encourages proper detoxification and also activates the release of natural endorphins, another winter-blues buster.

5 Don’t sink, take some zinc. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, a 2015 analysis of clinical trials found that oral zinc helps to reduce the length of colds when taken within 24 hours after symptoms start. Zinc, an essential nutrient, needed for effective immune function can be found in these foods: Soybean, chia seeds, hemp seeds, lean beef, oysters, poultry, cashews, leafy greens (like spinach, bok choy, broccoli, asparagus), etc.

6 Boost your Immune system. The immune system is the body’s defence system against pathogens that cause injury and illness inside the body. By focussing our nutrition and diets on foods that maintain and boost our immune systems, we allow for the needed support for an intelligent body system. Certain dietary factors have been found to have immune-regulatory properties, including micronutrients, macronutrients, spices and food synergies. B-WELL has created a fun and informative cookbook with 20 Immune Boosting and absolutely delicious recipes for you to use and enjoy! Download your free IMMUNE BOOSTING COOKBOOK copy on www.bwellfoods.co.za.