Winter is the time for bugs and bad weather. Make your body invincible with these immune-system boosters.

Drink Water

The delicate mucous membranes that line the upper respiratory tract – one of your body’s first defenses – work best when they’re thoroughly moist. When you sleep at night, your water reserves are raided for body recuperation and repair, and you need to ensure your immune system has all the liquid it needs, especially when you’re battling nasty germs. When you’re sick, your fluids not only transport nutrients to the illness site, but also take toxins away for disposal. Eight 250ml glasses of water daily is the absolute minimum.

Food Fighters

To fight sickness, your body needs a good variety of nutritionally-dense foods – not the kind you get from a drive-through. Eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day to get the right vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Vitamins A, C and E, carotenoids, bioflavonoids and zinc in particular are important to maintain the immune system. The easiest way to ensure you’re getting enough variety? Make sure there are always at least five different colors of produce in your supermarket trolley.

Sleep

A study in Psychosomatic Medicine found that a night of sleep deprivation between the hours of 3am and 7am reduced the activity of natural immune system cells by 28 percent. A night of regular sleep returned immune activity to normal levels. The solution? Cut down on caffeine. Studies show that caffeine suppresses the functions of key immune agents, such as lymphocytes and T-cells.

Sweat it Out

Exercise releases endorphins and strengthens your immune system. But these health benefits are only available if you exercise at the right intensity level. Studies show that doing no exercise results in a moderate-to-high risk of infection, moderate exercise results in a low risk of infection, while heavy exercise actually results in a high risk of infection. Aim for 30 to 40 minutes of exercise most days of the week at a level where you are working up a moderate sweat and are still able to talk.

Keep your Hands Clean

Don’t shake a hand and make a friend if that person has a cold. If you shake a germ-riddled hand by mistake, immediately wash your hands with natural soap. Perfumed soaps can provoke an immune response, while antibacterial soaps can lead to resistant bacteria over time.

Get a Flu Shot

Flu shots aren’t necessary for everybody, but if you have respiratory or heart problems or asthma, you’ll need protection from the flu. If you don’t, it’s still not a bad idea to go for a shot to boost your immunity. Chat to your GP about options.