As we head into September, it’s gradually starting to feel more like autumn’s on the horizon. While we’ve got plenty of lovely autumnal cosiness to look forward to – snug evenings by the fire, getting your knitwear out and of course, Halloween fun – it also means the start of cooler weather and the winter viruses it brings with it.
To help you stay fit and healthy this autumn, we’ve put together 4 top tips to boost your immune system so you can go into autumn ready to tackle any lurgies that might be lurking.
Eat a balanced healthy diet
There are so many benefits of eating a healthy, varied diet so it’s not surprising that it’s also great for supporting your immune system. A diet packed with plenty of veggies, protein and fruit will benefit your immune system, as well as your overall health.
An easy way to make sure you’re getting your 5-a-day is to ‘eat the rainbow’ – aiming for a plate full of different coloured food is a great way to make sure you’re eating a good variety of vitamin-packed vegetables.
You could also try adding more immunity supporting foods to your diet like oranges, watermelon and even the humble broccoli, to supercharge your immune system.
Never underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep
We should all be aiming for 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night. Getting enough sleep is crucial for our mental and physical wellbeing – while we’re snoozing our body is hard at work repairing and recovering from the day we’ve just had.
Studies have shown that people who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to get ill when they come into contact with viruses like colds. So to keep your immune system in tip-top condition make sure you’re prioritising getting at least 7 hours of shut-eye a night, and hopefully you can swerve those winter colds!
Stock up on vitamin D
One of the downsides of autumn is less sunny days. Our bodies naturally create Vitamin D when we’re exposed to sunlight, so less sun equals less vitamin D. This natural drop in vitamin D isn’t really ideal as it’s important for supporting the normal functioning of our immune system.
But you can help counteract it by adding a vitamin D supplement to your diet during the autumn and winter months. And vitamin D’s also important for the maintenance of healthy bones, teeth and muscles so you’ll be giving your overall health a boost too!
Stay active
As the nights draw in and the temperature falls it can be tempting to stay under a blanket at home, making that work out you had planned even less appealing. But, staying active, like getting a good night’s sleep, has such a huge impact on your overall health – from reducing your risk of illnesses like coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and cancer, to boosting your mood and mental health.
By doing just 30 minutes of activity a day you can boost your overall health, which in turn will help support your immune system. But don’t worry you don’t need to be doing marathon workouts, moderate exercise like walking for 30 minutes a day will help.
And doing all of this can help reduce the cost of your health insurance!
Many health insurance providers reward people who have healthier lifestyles by offering lower premiums, meaning cheaper health insurance. And some providers include benefits like discounts on gym memberships, or smart watches to help you stay active. This is because the healthier you are, the less likely you are to need to make a claim.
Here at Key Health we’re passionate about matching people to the perfect health insurance for them and their specific circumstances. So whether you’re looking for health insurance which rewards you for having a healthy lifestyle, or just simply a good value policy from a trusted health insurance broker, we’re here to help.
Simply fill in the form here and one of our team of specialists will get in touch. Or call us on 020 3971 6977 and let’s have a chat about how we could help find you your perfect medical insurance. And did we mention it’s free? The insurance providers pay us a commission, meaning you get our expert help and advice at no cost to you.
