With the cooler weather approaching, you are probably looking for more ways to stay well and support your immune system. Your first thought of wellness should be on your diet. What you put into your body has a huge impact on how you function and your overall wellness.

Eating seasonal fruit and vegetables can be beneficial, as nature often provides the nutrients you need at that time of the year. They provide a good baseline to keep your body healthy, and you can top up with the appropriate supplements to take your nutrient levels even further. Here are some of the key nutrients you need for winter wellness and foods where you can find them.

Vitamin C and flavonoids

Vitamin C is essential for your immune system, as it is needed to make white blood cells - the soldiers that defend your body when it is under attack. In nature, flavonoids are found in the same foods as vitamin C and have antioxidant qualities that are important immune system defence. Autumn foods rich in these nutrients include kiwifruit, plums, feijoas, apples, pears, tomatoes, green leafy vegetables and capsicum. Flavonoids are often found in the pith of fruits, so make sure you don’t throw it all away.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is another essential vitamin for producing your immune cells. It is also very important for maintaining the health of your mucous membranes that act as your first line of defence when you inhale bugs. Boost up your vitamin A with lovely autumnal orange fruits and vegetables like pumpkin, carrots, kumara, tomatoes, persimmons, tamarillo and rock melon.

Zinc

This is a very important mineral as it is found on the mucosal surfaces of your entire respiratory system. Its antimicrobial effects help to guard your airways. Great sources include seafood, fish and seaweed. However, in the winter months adding beans and lentils to soups and stews also adds a boost of zinc.

Vitamin D

Latest research shows vitamin D deficiency can increase susceptibility to illness. Vitamin D is freely available from sun exposure, but with sensible sunscreen culture and less sun in the winter months, this can be an issue. Increase vitamin D rich foods such as eggs, oily fish like salmon or mackerel, fortified milks and cheese.

Sulphur containing foods

Sulphur is needed in the body as it helps create one of your most important antioxidants, glutathione, which protects your cells from damage and inflammation. There are many autumn and winter foods that contain sulphur such as onions, garlic, leeks, chives, and the brassica family. Also onions and garlic have been shown to have antimicrobial properties to help keep winter bugs at bay. Written by Jane Cronin, Clinicians Naturopath