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4 tips to boost your immune system before winter

The immune system is like a bodyguard that fights every day (and every night) to protect us from viruses, bacteria and germs; in other words, thanks to it, you (almost) never get sick! Yes, but during the hot season our immune system rests and it is not always ready for battle when winter comes. To help it, we (re)stimulate it with these 4 effective and above all natural tips.

1/ Playing sports

Playing sports is a plus for physical and mental well-being, it is also essential to stimulate your immune system before the arrival of low temperatures. You (re)activate your body and boost your blood circulation, the cardiovascular system being the only passageway between the organs called lymphoid organs (cells that fight colds). In addition, practicing regular physical activity would even reduce the healing time, not bad, right? On the other hand, practicing it too intensely can, conversely, weaken our immune system... so we have to find a happy medium!

2/ Choosing the right foods

The nutritional qualities of food are sometimes very surprising:antibacterial, antibiotic or antioxidant properties for example! Before winter, we therefore prefer a diet rich in vitamins A, C, D and in trace elements such as iron or copper, which are immunostimulants. Clear ? Veal liver, carrots, fruit, oily fish (anchovies, marinated herring, cooked tuna…) but also spinach, black pudding… And to wash it all down, green tea! We also favor certain aromatics such as turmeric (natural antibacterial), garlic (anti-infective), thyme (antiseptic) or even lemon (rich in vitamin C). For dessert, we think of blueberries and raspberries, excellent antibiotics (and since we can't find fresh ones, we buy them at Picard !).

3/ Use essential oils

Essential oils are a great way to naturally prepare your body for the different viruses and other microbes that it will once again have to face! Thus, Ravintsara essential oil is immunostimulant, anti-infectious and energizing:its main effect is to increase the number of antibodies. Very flexible and without particular contraindications, we choose the mode of absorption that suits us:diffusion, inhalation or orally. Tea tree essential oil is antibacterial and stimulates white blood cells (which fight infections). To be taken 2 or 3 times a day in a spoon of honey or on a piece of sugar, it is very effective.

These oils can be purchased organic, in pharmacies or on the internet via sites such as Léa Nature or Puressentiel . On the price side, there are between €4 and €9 per bottle, for the most commonly used.

Often not recommended for pregnant women under 6 months, consult a specialist before using essential oils.

4/ Sleep well

A good night's sleep is the solution to many ailments! By adopting a good rest routine, we limit the stress that tires the immune system and makes it overactive, we accelerate the repair of damaged cells and we stabilize the number of white blood cells present in our body, a number which, conversely , decreases with lack of sleep. To sleep better, it is advisable to go to bed (a little) earlier and at regular times. The good trick ? We no longer drink coffee after 5 p.m. because it has a double negative effect on our body:it increases anxiety and decreases sleep.

Clearly, to avoid getting sick, you (naturally) boost your immune system as soon as colder temperatures arrive!