Catching a cold doesn’t really sound like a serious Health problem, but it can drag on and quickly drain your energy and motivation. Depending on the health of your immune system, a cold can last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. The rate at which your Body recovers, and how much you struggle to function as normal while you are ill, will be largely dependent on how you treat your body in general.

Watch What You Eat

What you put into your body will have an impact on your health, both short-term and long-term. Regularly consuming alcohol and refined sugar will soon become detrimental to your immune system. Both alcohol and sugar can limit how effective the white cells are at combatting germs in the body.

As well as limiting your intake of alcohol and sugar, you should also ensure that you are consuming adequate amounts of high nutrient foods, such as fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts, as these will support the function of your immune system.

The health of your gut is an extremely important thing to consider and can mean the difference between keeping a cold at bay and being wiped out for a week! During the winter months, when we can all use the extra help to stay healthy, it is a good idea to include a probiotic supplement in your diet. Supplements with a diverse range of good bacteria are the best choice, and are widely available at any health food store.

Sleep Well

Depriving your body of an adequate amount of sleep will soon lead to a whole range of health problems, including a comprised immune system. When you are sleeping your body is recharging and gearing up for the day ahead. When you do not give your body the time to do this, then many functions in the body aren’t going to be as effective as usual. These may be small symptoms at first, but over time they can quickly become larger problems.

Limit Sources of Stress

Similarly to sleep deprivation, high levels of stress can also impact your ability to fight germs and stay healthy. Many of us have multiple sources of stress that we are often unable to avoid, such as high pressure jobs or demanding relationships. Therefore, if you can’t avoid these situations entirely, then offsetting the negative effects with relaxation techniques is key. Make a daily effort to self-care, meditate or practice yoga, and you will be equipping your body to stay happy and healthy!

If you have seen my new wellness for women membership site – Truly Julie – then you will know that I am on a mission to inspire and motivate women to become healthier and happier – and I would love it if you would join me on this journey as we keep moving through 2017!