Immune and Mood Boosters for Winter

Winter 2011. Staying Healthy and Happy

When we feel unwell it can affect us both physically and emotionally, so here are a few ‘boosters’ I can recommend over the winter months.

1. Boost your Immune System with Olive Leaf Extract

There are many ways to help keep your immune system running effectively and counter those winter coughs and colds – probiotics, vitamin C, the mineral zinc and the herb echinacea being a few of the better known ways.

However, I’d like to introduce you here to the less well known but very powerful Olive Leaf Extract that I personally have found to be extremely effective this last week (which is why I am sharing with you!)
The benefits of olive leaf extract have been well known in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries for centuries. This natural medicinal herb is extracted from the actual fresh, whole leaf of the olive tree, and contains oleuropein which has extra-ordinary antiviral, antibacterial and anti fungal properties. It is not only a powerful antioxidant, it has also proven benefits for some chronic ‘dis-ease’ too. There is plenty more info on Google if you wish to investigate more.

It is suitable for adults and children, in reduced dose, and has no known adverse side effects. Perfect! Take it over the winter alongside your existing immune enhancing supplements for an even more powerful effect.

I prefer the liquid for quick action and get mine from www.saferemedies.net

2. Feeling SAD? Introducing Vitamin D for the Winter Blues.

Vitamin D has many health benefits, and there is a lot of press at the moment indicating we may be deficient in this vital vitamin contributing to a number of health issues, including childhood rickets (another story). It is also thought to help alleviate the ‘Winter Blues’, or ‘Seasonal Affected Disorder’ (SAD).

Following the Autumn Equinox, September 20th (a time of equal day and night with the darker nights stretching ahead), the power of the sun to hit our skin and create vitamin D is diminished. Of course it is also a time when we wrap up warm with little skin exposure! Our body is capable of storing vitamin D for only 3 months …. so January can leave us with a lower stores than needs be to keep our spirits lifted. Food sources are few, oily fish, eg salmon, tuna, mackerel, also fish liver oils and to a lesser degree, eggs, and a trip to sunnier climes may not be possible.

This is therefore a great time to consider adding Vitamin D into your daily supplement routine. Again, I dislike taking pills, so can recommend a mouth spray available from most health food shops. It’s not expensive and lasts a long time. A quick squirt at the back of the mouth every morning for both adults and children will have numerous benefits.

3. Get adequate exercise!

Exercise releases ‘happy hormones’ and makes you feel good! Whether you take a daily walk, (getting a little more vitamin D), or prefer to be motivated in a gym, try and do something every day, and increase your heart rate for 20 minutes 3/week. If you prefer the latter, the lovely people at PrimeMover Sheffield have fantastic results with both weight loss and fitness programmes. They are always happy to allow newlifenutrition clients and newsletter readers a TWO WEEK FREE TRIAL!
Personal Training in small groups at times and venues to suit. Check it out, these guys really know what they are doing!