The temperatures are dropping, the leaves are falling from the trees and the heating is already on for many. Clearly, autumn has already arrived. However, with the onset of the cold season, many people wonder how to bolster their defenses and brave the approaching waves of the common cold. We have listed some tips for you here!
A healthy and balanced diet is recommended to aid health in many ways. What and how much we eat can have both positive and negative effects on the body. The risk of cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders, such as:Diabetes, can be significantly reduced with a balanced diet laced with filling whole grains, high-quality vegetable fats and oils, five servings of fruits and vegetables a day and low in sugar and salt. At the same time, important vitamins and minerals are included that strengthen the immune system. If you eat a balanced and healthy diet, you get enough nutrients through your diet. An additional supplement with multivitamin preparations is then not necessary or only for those people who absorb fewer nutrients from the diet due to underlying disorders of the gut. Anyone who follows a vegan diet for a long time and who completely abstains from animal products should monitor their iron status and vitamin B12 balance and have them determined by their doctor if necessary.
And the line is: a lot doesn't always help a lot. Vitamin overdose from high-dose multivitamin preparations is possible and can even have negative effects. Vitamin B12 plays a role as a growth factor. There is some evidence that an overdose, while not causing cancer, can accelerate the growth of cancer cells.
Also important: drink a lot. Prefers water or unsweetened drinks such as herbal and fruit teas. By the way: coffee is also part of the daily fluid intake, even though the assumption remains that coffee draws moisture from the body.
Stress and disturbed sleep often go hand in hand. Those who are stressed often sleep badly. Who sleeps badly, e.g. due to sleep apnea, is generally more prone to infections. Stress reduction and healthy sleep are therefore important measures to get through the winter safely. With exercise in the open air, for example in the form of walking or sports, you kill several birds with one stone. Exercise and sports have been shown to reduce stress. Sunlight promotes the formation of vitamin D, which has a positive effect on the immune system. Even though it sounds paradoxical: people need light to sleep because it leads to the release of the messenger substance serotonin. Too little daylight in winter can lead to insufficient serotonin being released and the internal clock – more precisely:the sleep-wake rhythm – to become out of balance. This can be attributed to a lack of daylight. Even on particularly dark days in the cold season, a daylight lamp with a light intensity of at least 10,000 lux can help to get enough sunlight. Ideal in the morning, which also helps those who generally have a harder time getting out of bed in the winter. However, the daylight lamp should no longer be used two to three hours before bedtime.
Cold alone does not make you cold – even if the name suggests otherwise. It definitely still takes cold viruses to cause a runny nose. Still, it is good to dress warmly in winter:when we cool down, the blood vessels constrict and fewer immune cells enter the mucous membranes of the nose and mouth. Pathogens then have a much easier chance.
You actually know that smoking is not healthy and that alcohol should only be consumed in moderation. These stimulants also adversely affect our immune system and generally make us more susceptible to infections. Because of Corona, we also know how important regular hand washing and hand disinfection if necessary is. Especially after staying in public facilities such as public transport or shopping in the supermarket. This prevents viruses and bacteria from entering the face via our hands and thus in the vicinity of the mucous membranes of the eyes, mouth and nose.
