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Tired Of Getting Sick? | Top 10 Supplements To Stay Healthy This Winter

Tired Of Getting Sick? | Top 10 Supplements To Stay Healthy This Winter

Winter Season is coming soon and this is the season where we try our best to maintain our immune system defenses. The elements around Winter is the time where people are sick or get sick. Plus our skin and lips get drier during the winter season because of how cold it is.

Because of the shorter days and longer nights, it cuts off our time with the sun which is important for our growth and overall wellbeing. Many people experience seasonal depression during the winter because of the shorter days. Seasonal depression is a type of depression that is related to changes in seasons; typically it begins and ends about the same time every year. During the winter months, people's energy start to decrease and can make them more moody.

During the Winter Season, we often spend our time indoors which increases the risk of being exposed to contagious illness like a cold or the flu. The easiest way to boost your immune system during the Winter time is consuming the right kind of nutrients. Down below you will find a list of supplements and vitamins that we believe are essential to staying healthy during the Winter season.

1. Vitamin D

Vitamin D is known as the "sunshine vitamin" and this supplement is a crucial during the winter time since we are less exposed to the sun. Vitamin D is important for many functions of the body like assisting in calcium absorption, boosting your immune system function, bone development, reducing inflammation, and proper neuromuscular function. A vitamin D supplement is important because there aren't too many foods that contain Vitamin D and the foods that do contain Vitamin D don't meet your daily requirements.

The recommended amount of Vitamin D is between 600 and 2,000 IU is safe and can be beneficial during the winter season. Though your doctor can help you decide what is the correct dosage for you.

2. Vitamin C

Vitamin C is probably the most famous supplement to help boost your immune system. Vitamin C helps protect the systems in your body; it helps the immune system fight off pathogens and can be considered an antioxidant helping the body fight off oxidative stress.

When supplementing with Vitamin C, it is recommended for adults to take 2,000mg per day. 

Vitamin C is in foods like oranges, red sweet peppers, collard greens, kale, and citrus fruits. Vitamin C strengthens your body's immune system and can help prevent you from getting a cold. 

3. Iron

Many people suffer from an iron deficiency which can be problematic because iron is the mineral that produces hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the protein responsible for carrying oxygen to your tissues; it can also help regulate your body temperature which is beneficial especially during the winter season. 

Iron is a mineral that the body needs for growth and development. Your body needs iron to make some hormones. You can consume iron by eating lean meat, seafood, and poultry, or iron fortified breakfast cereals and breads. Iron is also in white beans, lentils, spinach, kidney beans, and peas as well as nuts and some dried fruits. If you experience cold hands and feet, have fragile nails, or deal with headaches, it could be because you don't have enough iron in your body. 

4. Zinc

Zinc is another supplement that is known for its immune boosting benefits. Zinc plays an important role in almost every cellular function. Zinc has a role in protein and carbohydrate metabolism as well as cell growth, your skin health, and it is vital for your immune health and the function of your immune system. 

It is recommended for adult men to take about 11mg and for females to take about 8mg a day. Depending on the form of Zinc, some are more bioavailable than others, so if one supplement doesn't work for you, try a different one.

High Zinc content may also have a beneficial effect on your natural testosterone levels. There have been studies that show zinc deficiency can have a dramatic effect on testosterone levels. If you are taking zinc for testosterone, studies have shown that 30 milligrams of zinc per day can increase levels of free testosterone.

Zinc is a nutrient that is found throughout your body and helps your overall immune system and metabolism function. Zinc can be consumed by eating chicken and red meat. 

5. B Vitamins

B Vitamins help maintain cell health and keep you feeling energized. There are a various B Vitamins like Vitamin B12 which helps regulate your nervous system, Vitamin B6 which helps your body turn food into energy, Vitamin B1 and Vitamin B2 also convert what you eat into energy, but it also has neurological benefits and supports proper eyesight. 

During the winter season, Vitamin B12 is the most beneficially because it can help improve your overall mood and boost your energy levels. B Vitamins in general can help improve your mood, decrease depression, and decrease stress. 

6. Vitamin A

Though Vitamin A has often been associated with vision, studies have shown that Vitamin A also helps the immune system by protecting the mucus membranes of the skin and eyes. Vitamin A is a critical vitamin because it enhances the immune system by increasing the activity of the immune system. This vitamin plays a vital role in maintaining your body's natural defenses.

It is recommended that men get 900mcg per day and women get 700mcg per day.

Vitamin A can be consumed by eating kale, winter squash, and nectarines, however supplementing with Vitamin A can help increase those benefits of the immune system.

7. Vitamin E

During the winter season, you skin can get flaky, dry, and itchy; Vitamin E is a vital component to your skin health. Lotions that are made with Vitamin E can help your skin hold water which will help keep it soft and resilient. 

Vitamin E has also been shown to decrease any inflammation, redness, and wrinkles. Vitamin E is a great skin moisturizer that will help provide for healthier skin. Plus it can help with chapped lips.

8. Fish Oil

Fish oil supplements come from fatty fish like salmon, tuna, anchovies, and mackerel. Fish oil provides you with many benefits like reducing the risk of heart and eye diseases as well as mental disorders. Fish oil can help with seasonal depression because fish oil has been shown to improve mental health and depressive symptoms.

Depending on which fish oil supplement you take, fish oil can help your serotonin work better. A key component of omega-3 fatty acids is reducing brain inflammation which facilitates the release of serotonin from serotonin neurons. EPA and DHA both influence the actions of certain serotonin receptors by making them more accessible to serotonin. It is more accessible to serotonin by increasing cell membrane fluidity in postsynaptic neurons.

It is recommended to take about 1,000mg EPA per day, but you want to make sure you are taking fish oil with one of your biggest meals and one that contains some fat. 

9. Rhodiola

Rhodiola is a supplement that has been used for preventing colds and flu, but has also been shown to help with mild forms of depression, fatigue, and anxiety. Rhodiola may also help with reducing stress which is much needed during the hectic holiday season. 

It is recommended to start out with 150mg to 200mg a day, but you can increases the dose to 400mg to 500mg a day if needed. Most people stick around 300mg to 500mg per day.

10. Probiotics

Probiotics are made of good live bacteria that naturally live in your body. Probiotics are made up of good bacteria that helps keep your body healthy. The good bacteria will help you fight off the bad bacteria and will help you feel better.

The good bacteria helps support your immune function and controlling inflammation. Probiotics help your body digest food, keep bad bacteria from getting out of control and making you sick; it also helps support the lining of your gut to prevent bad bacteria that you may have consumed from entering your blood. 

You can consume probiotics by eating yogurt, buttermilk, sourdough bread, cottage cheese, kimchi, miso soup, and so many more food options. To help emphasize the good bacteria, you can also supplement probiotics to help keep your body healthy.

Check out the full probiotics collection here!

Conclusion

Overall, with these vitamins and supplements, your immune health and your overall health will be supported throughout the entire winter season. Though you can consume most of these vitamins and supplements in foods, taking supplements will only help support your health even more. 

Madison Tong

You can find me in the gym working out and sharing my knowledge on nutrition and supplements. My knowledge is in fat burning supplements as well as overall health supplements. I also have expertise in digital marketing and content marketing. 

May 20th 2023

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