It’s that time of the year again when we desperately try to steer clear of crowded buses and waiting rooms filled with people who are fighting off yet another sneeze attack. The transitioning, fickle weather of fall is the perfect nesting environment for many germs, and as such, it provides plenty of opportunities for our immune systems to be shanghaied into submission.

Enter: Mother Nature!

Even when it seems close to impossible to avoid yet another feverish week, you can start incorporating a few tried and tested natural remedies that will not only serve as potent detoxing agents to rid your body of germs, but also as incredible immune-boosters. Try these easy detox strategies to help weather the cold season without suffering from debilitating colds and flu.

'Use tried and tested natural remedies as potent detox agents to rid your body of germs and boost immunity.'Click To Tweet

Vitamins to the rescue

At the risk of sounding like your grandma with the everyday cliché of tweaking your menu, you truly need to mind your vitamin intake during the cold season. You already know the incredible power of antioxidants, such as vitamin C, which is our immune system’s best friend in fending off viruses, while you should also not neglect your vitamin D, E and B complex as well.

And more often than not, we fail to reach our minimal daily dosage of these mighty micro-nutrients through food alone, so it’s wise to add an all-natural boost, such as a vitamin-rich Floradix supplement to your daily menu. They are meant to feed your immune system with purely natural ingredients, balance your digestive tract and help ward off threats to your well-being.

Sweat it off

Fight the urge to stay snuggled up in your bed until the autumn blues dwindle, because that is just one more way to weaken your immune system. Take up a yoga class, start jogging in the park, or head to the gym for a HIIT session, but you need to keep your body moving at least three times a week to reap the rewards. If it will help you to get motivated, you can use an app such as Walkmeter to keep track of your strolls and make sure you’re progressing at a desired rate.

According to a study conducted by the College of Health Sciences at Appalachian State University showed that a 30-minute brisk walk every day helps your body produce larger numbers of immune cells, alerting your body if there are any unwanted germs on the premises.

More than beauty sleep

Ladies who take excellent care of their skin know all too well just how important those eight hours of shut-eye can be. But come autumn, rains and wind, and it becomes even more essential in safeguarding your well-being from pesky colds and the flu. Apparently, adults who fail to sleep more than five or six hours per night are at a four-time greater risk of developing a cold.

Our bodies use those precious hours to heal and repair from daily stress and damage, so it makes perfect sense that you feel extra drowsy when you have a fever, or a respiratory cold. Your immune system needs plenty of rest to flush out the germs, so don’t skimp on your sleeping schedule.

Your herbal heroes

Known to have a plethora of medicinal properties, herbs have been used preventatively and to reduce symptoms of illnesses for centuries. Nettle is known to help your kidneys and liver flush out toxins and the build-up of chemicals we consume every day through water and soil pollution, while peppermint is mild on your stomach and helps ease your respiratory issues.

Many herbs can be grown in your own garden, making it much easier for you to source the right ingredients for your tea, spices or topical application. Milk thistle, for instance, is famous for its liver-detoxing powers, but it’s also a very invasive plant and often considered a weed, so you’ll need to be careful which herbs you choose, and how you manage their growth.

Trust your gut

As scary as the notion may sound, but we, humans, have more bacterial cells than our own in our bodies, and they are meant to coexist happily ever after. But when there’s an imbalance in your gut flora, where a staggering 60-70% of your immune system resides, your health is bound to suffer.

Designing a plant-rich diet that will provide your gut with plenty of healthy prebiotics is the first step towards a happy microbiome. You can rest assured that adding a probiotic-rich food group can also boost your digestive health and cleanse your body of too many unhealthy bacteria.

'Stick to a healthy diet, hydrate properly and exercise regularly to tackle the main disease culprit – stress.'Click To Tweet

Mindful detox

Finally, when you stick to a healthy diet, you hydrate properly, and you don’t shy away from regular exercise, you’re likely to tackle a great deal of the main modern disease culprit – stress. However, these chilly and gloomy days may need an extra kick of positivity to rid your body and your mind of pent-up stress and anxiety.

Try meditating for a few minutes before bedtime, and you’ll be surprised just how effective this simple strategy can be. You will soothe your breathing, improve your sleep, have a better outlook on life, and you will be better equipped to tackle stressful situations. As a result, your body will be in balance, and much stronger to keep the health dangers of fall and winter at bay.