Optimizing Immunity and Health In The Winter Months
Alrighty, y’all. We’ve made it through the Solstice and the days are getting longer, but we are still very much in the depths of winter and if you’re reading this before late January, your body is likely still very much recovering from the holidays.
People tend to think of winter as Flu Season, or even COVID Season nowadays, but what is true is that it’s more like We Wreck Our Immunity Season—and most of us have a great time doing it!
Not enough real sunlight, too much sugar, being overscheduled, and family dynamics can all be major contributors for why our immunity tanks in the winter, and when our immunity tanks, often our hormone balance and our sleep go out the window as well.
Here are a couple of easy ways to hold your body and your mind with love during the winter months:
Keep your blood sugar balanced.
One of the easiest ways to optimize the way our bodies manage stress is to keep our blood sugar stable—this improves our hormone balance, our sleep, and our immunity. Most of us tend to think this is impossible becuase of all of those holiday goodies, but there is an effective way to do this while still allowing yourself to indulge. The first step is having a warm protein and healthy fat heavy breakfast within 60-90 minutes of waking up. My favorite is scrambled eggs, veggies sautéed in olive oil, sliced avocado, and hemp seeds. Sometimes I like to get a little crazy and add smoked salmon.
From there, make sure you eat every 3-4 hours, and don’t wait any longer than that. If you can try to not snack in between, even better. While it’s extra beneficial to try to include protein in whatever you’re eating, just making sure you eat every 3-4 hours in addition to a protein heavy breakfast will keep you in a steady place.
Take Magnesium and B12.
These are two vital nutrients that get depleted when we’re too busy, when we’re stressed, and when we’re indulging in alcohol. These two nutrients play a key part in our energy levels as well as our capacity to manage stress and regulate our nervous systems. There are lots of different kinds of magnesium, but I prefer Magnesium Bisglycinate because it’s incredibly friendly for digestion (if you’ve ever taken too much magnesium or a type that doesn’t agree with you, you know what I’m talking about). When looking for a B12 supplement, make sure that the vitamin is in a methylated form, which will be listed as methylcolbamin. This allows for optimal absorption. If you are unable to get supplements from a trusted practitioner, I think Thorne brand supplements are wonderful.
Go outside, especially in the morning.
Going outside for 5-10 minutes after the sun has come up, first thing in the morning, before you look at your phone or any other screens, is insanely beneficial for your hormone balance, your adrenal health, your sleep, and the health of your nervous system. Why? Because when we look at screens or bright lights first thing in the morning, our bodies suddenly believe it’s noon in the middle of summer and they need to pump out A LOT of adrenaline to match the energy level it thinks we need to be at. When we expose ourselves to natural sunlight first thing in the morning, it allows our nervous system and therefore our hormone function, to wake up slowly and naturally.
If you wake up before the sunrise, wear a pair of amber-coloured blue blocking glasses until the sun comes up and you can sneak outside. Some great brands of blue blocking glasses are Bon Charge, Higher Dose, and Vivarays.
Spending time outdoors everyday, regardless of the time of year, is incredibly effective at lowering stress levels, calming our busy brains, and connecting us to Nature—which is essential for optimal health.
There are so many fantastic ways to take care of our bodies and strengthen our capacity for health, especially in the winter time. It can be tricky to get into a routine, and if you find this true for you, try to add in one thing at a time so that these forms of self-care can become sustainable for you.
Happy wintering!
