How to naturally boost your immunity — diet, habits and natural products

When it gets chilly and damp outside, we naturally start to look after ourselves a bit more. The autumn and winter season is a good time to take a closer look at your habits and diet. In this article, we offer tips on how to boost your immunity naturally on a daily basis — without any miracle cures, but with specific, tried-and-tested habits and products that are worth having in your kitchen.

How to support your immune system every day

The foundation of well-being is a healthy lifestyle: getting enough sleep, regular exercise, staying hydrated and managing stress. It’s these daily habits, rather than individual ‘miracle’ ingredients, that make the biggest difference. Your diet, meanwhile, should be based on a varied selection of seasonal produce.

Among nutrients, certain vitamins play a particularly important role. Vitamins C and D help the immune system to function properly — which is why it’s worth ensuring they’re included in a balanced diet, especially during months with less sunshine.

Natural ingredients worth including in your diet

For generations, autumn and winter cuisine has made use of aromatic, warming ingredients. Here are the ones worth reaching for:

• Garlic and onions — prized for centuries in traditional cuisine for their distinctive flavour and aroma.
• Ginger — a warming, spicy addition to teas, infusions and dishes.
• Turmeric — with its intense colour and earthy flavour, a staple of many cuisines around the world.
• Pickled vegetables — a natural, traditional part of the winter diet.

These are ingredients that are easy to incorporate into your daily meals, adding variety and character to your diet.

Nutritious cold-pressed oils

Good plant-based fats are an important part of a balanced diet. Two that are particularly worth noting are black cumin oil and linseed oil.

Black cumin oil, cold-pressed from black cumin seeds, has a distinctive, slightly spicy flavour and is rich in unsaturated fatty acids — it has been a staple of traditional cuisine and skincare for centuries. Linseed oil, on the other hand, is a natural source of omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids (ALA). Both are best used cold — as an addition to salads, spreads or dishes not intended for heating.

[products:cold-pressed-black-cumin-oil, cold-pressed-linseed-oil]

All our oils are cold-pressed, with no additives, and you’ll find the full range in the edible oils category.

What to eat in autumn and winter

During the colder months, it’s worth focusing on variety: seasonal fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, pulses, fermented foods and healthy plant-based fats. The more colourful and varied your plate, the better — this is a simple rule that works all year round, but takes on particular importance in winter.

Natural support during the autumn and winter months

As well as your diet, it’s worth ensuring your home environment is conducive to rest and recovery. A moment of relaxation, a warm cup of tea and a pleasant scent in the home — for example, from an essential oil diffuser — help you slow down and rest more effectively, which is also part of looking after yourself during this demanding season.

[note: This content is for information purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. For matters relating to health, diet and supplementation, consult a doctor or dietitian. The foundation of well-being is a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.]

Summary: Supporting your immune system naturally is primarily about healthy habits — sleep, exercise, hydration and a balanced, varied diet. Vitamins C and D help the immune system to function properly, whilst aromatic additions and nutritious cold-pressed oils, such as black cumin or linseed oil, easily enrich everyday meals. These are simple steps worth incorporating into your autumn and winter routine.