The first sniffle arrives, someone at home starts coughing, and suddenly you’re wondering whether you can squeeze being ill into an already very full week.
If you’re juggling work, family, and the ups and downs of midlife, the answer is probably “Absolutely not!”.
While we can’t avoid every winter bug, we can look after ourselves in ways that support our immune system and reduce the chances of picking up or passing on infections. And you don’t need an expensive cupboard full of supplements to get started.
Can you really “boost” your immune system?
It’s a phrase we hear everywhere at this time of year. But your immune system is a complex network that needs to work in balance. A varied, balanced diet helps it function normally; no single food, juice or supplement makes you infection-proof.
Catching a cold doesn’t mean you’ve failed to look after yourself. Even people with healthy habits get ill.
Here’s where I’d focus your attention this winter.
1. Eat enough, and make variety your friend
When life gets busy, it’s easy to survive on toast, coffee, and whatever you can find between appointments. Or perhaps you’re cutting back on food because your weight has crept up during menopause.
Your body needs enough energy, protein, and a range of vitamins and minerals to work well, including supporting your immune defences.
Build meals around a source of protein, some vegetables or fruit, a fibre-rich carbohydrate, and a little healthy fat. That could look like:
Eggs on wholegrain toast with tomatoes
Lentil and vegetable soup with bread
Salmon with potatoes and broccoli
A bean chilli with brown rice and avocado
Vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, and selenium all contribute to normal immune function. Eating a varied diet helps you obtain these nutrients without turning every meal into a nutrition calculation.
2. Add colour to your winter comfort food
Healthy eating doesn’t have to mean cold salads when it’s freezing outside.
Soups, stews, curries, and traybakes offer plenty of opportunities to include vegetables, beans, and lentils. Try adding red peppers to a tomato sauce, frozen spinach to a curry, or chickpeas to a vegetable casserole.
Peppers, broccoli, citrus fruit, and kiwi provide vitamin C. Meat, shellfish, beans, nuts, and seeds can contribute zinc.
Frozen vegetables and fruit count too. Keep a few favourites in the freezer so there’s always something useful to add to dinner.
An easy winter lunch: lentil and vegetable soup, wholegrain toast and a satsuma. Simple, comforting and no superfood price tag required.
3. Remember vitamin D
Vitamin D supports normal immune function and helps maintain healthy bones and muscles, particularly relevant as we move through menopause and beyond.
In the UK, the NHS advises everyone to consider a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms (400 IU) of vitamin D during autumn and winter. Some people need a supplement throughout the year, including those who get little sun exposure or have darker skin.
Food sources include oily fish, egg yolks, and some fortified foods, but getting enough from food alone is difficult.
Vitamin D isn’t a guarantee against winter infections, and more isn’t automatically better. Make sure to check whether other supplements already contain it.
4. Give sleep some space
Sleep supports immune health, but I know “get more sleep” can feel frustrating when night sweats, anxiety, or a busy mind are keeping you awake.
Start with something manageable: a regular bedtime, a little daylight in the morning, or a quieter wind-down before bed. Notice whether late caffeine or evening alcohol makes your sleep more disrupted.
If menopause symptoms regularly disturb your sleep, seek support rather than feeling you simply have to put up with them.
And if you’re usually the person looking after everyone else, remember that your rest matters too. It deserves a place in your diary before you reach the point of running on empty.
5. Keep moving, without making it another pressure
Regular movement supports overall health, and can improve sleep and mood.
A brisk walk, dancing in the kitchen, a swim, or a strength session all count. Choose something you enjoy and can fit into your life.
You don’t need to exhaust yourself to make it worthwhile. If you’re unwell, give yourself permission to rest and return to activity gradually as you recover.
Do you need an “immune support” supplement?
Before buying one, look at the basics: are you eating enough, getting variety, taking appropriate vitamin D, and giving yourself opportunities to rest?
Food first would always be my recommendation. But if you are looking to add supplements into your routine, seek advice from a health professional such as myself.
Start with one small change
You don’t need a complete lifestyle overhaul this winter. Perhaps your starting point is a proper lunch, an earlier bedtime twice a week, or a batch of soup for the freezer.
Choose something that makes looking after yourself feel easier.
And if you’re tired of piecing together conflicting nutrition advice, I can help you build eating and lifestyle habits that suit your body, your stage of life, and your family.
To find out about personalised nutrition support, book a free Midlife Wellbeing Call with me HERE. We can talk about what you’re finding difficult and whether working together would be a good fit.