Winter Wellness – 5 tips to steer clear of the lurgy

It probably hasn’t escaped your attention that this time of year is a great time to pick up sickness bugs.

Here are our top tips to keep you healthy and keep your training progressing and avoid time feeling about as much use as an iron-on-tattoo.

1. Keep your mouth wet when training

Your first line of defence against infection is the saliva in your mouth. When you train hard you will likely breath more through your mouth and it can get dry. Sip regularly through training to keep your saliva up and keep your mouth from getting dry.

2. Take vitamin D daily

In the UK at this time of year most people have lower than optimal levels of vitamin D. Your vitamin D is measured by something called “25 OHD” if you were to get it tested. The levels listed as deficient, like most vitamins would place you as a risk factor for the illness or ailment they are used to prevent, which, in the case of Vitamin D is rickets. Whilst it’s unlikely your levels would be that low it is likely if you live in the Uk that they are below optimal.

3. Get some Zinc on-board

Zinc is one of only 24 micronutrients that are essential for our survival so it’s difficult to overplay it’s importance. A safe and effective dose is 25 mg daily for adults.

4. Take vitamin C daily

Hardly exciting or revolutionary, but vitamin shows consistent performance in improving resistance to illness. Be conscious however that despite supplement companies advising super high doses there is a lack of convincing evidence that a dose greater than 600mg daily has any further benefit and this is the level at which leukocytes (cells involved in fighting illness) become saturated.

5. Keep your blood sugar up during training

Eat or drink a small portion of carbohydrate before (and during long endurance sessions) to help prevent immune system suppression. Your immune system is fuelled by glucose from carbohydrate so when the risk of illness increases getting some carbs in around your training can help keep your immune system functioning well.

Can you imagine a full year without any illness where your health is on point at every stage?.. Now there’s a challenge!

Get cracking!

Spence