The Ultimate Guide to Staying Healthy this Winter: Nutrition, Immunity & Stress Support

Your immune system is like a personal army of defenders working daily to keep you healthy. A strong immune system not only helps prevent colds and flus but also reduces your risk of infections, allergies, asthma, skin conditions, and even chronic illnesses like cancer and autoimmune disease. The best part? You can support your immune system naturally with simple lifestyle shifts. This guide outlines the daily habits, nutrients, and stress-reducing practices that help keep your immunity strong all Winter long.

The Gut-Immune Connection

Did you know that nearly 80% of your immune system lives in your gut? The gut lining is your internal defence barrier, helping block pathogens from entering the bloodstream. This barrier can be weakened by stress, inflammation or a poor diet. Making sure your gut is in good shape means your immune system will be too! To keep your gut healthy:

• Eat probiotic-rich foods like kefir, yoghurt, kimchi, miso, and sauerkraut.
• Include plenty of fibre from fruit, vegetables, legumes, and psyllium.
• Move daily - especially in nature.
• Practice restorative sleep.
• Use gut-repairing nutrients like glutamine. Found in broth like Changing Habits Organic Beef or Chicken Broth.
• Take a high-quality probiotic. The Changing Habits Organic Probiotics is a quality choice.

Key Nutrients for Immune Health

A whole food diet is one of the simplest and most effective ways to fuel your immune system. These three nutrients are particularly important:

1. Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps fight off infection and reduce oxidative stress. Beyond oranges, you’ll find vitamin C in spinach, kale, capsicum, pineapple, strawberries, and papaya. One of the richest sources? Camu Camu—a potent botanical with up to 60x more vitamin C than an orange. Get yours here!

2. Zinc

Zinc helps regulate immune responses and supports antiviral activity. Even mild deficiencies can increase your risk of infection. You’ll find zinc in whole grains, chickpeas, nuts, seeds, poultry, and oysters.

3. Vitamin D

This hormone-like vitamin plays a huge role in immune modulation and is protective against viruses and autoimmunity. Food sources include oily fish, mushrooms, liver, and egg but, the best source is sunlight. Aim for 10–15 minutes of sun exposure on bare skin daily, especially between 10 am and 2 pm.

Immune-Strengthening Practices

1. Eat a Whole Food Diet

Your immune system depends on a variety of nutrients found in unprocessed foods. Eating the rainbow helps reduce inflammation and supports your gut, hormones, and energy levels. Jump into our 10 Day Kickstart Challenge full of real whole food recipes and inspiration!

2. Try Medicinal Mushrooms

Mushrooms like reishi, shiitake, cordyceps, chaga, and lion’s mane act as natural immune modulators. They contain compounds that help your body fight off infection and adapt to stress.

3. Stay Hydrated

Dehydration undermines your immune health. Aim for 2–3 litres of fluid daily. Hydrating options include:

• Warm lemon water on waking.
• Herbal teas and coconut water.
• Water with a pinch of sea salt. Try our delicious Changing Habits Seaweed Salt.
• Fresh fruit (especially watermelon, oranges, grapes).
• Broths and veggie-based juices.

What Undermines Immune Health

1. Stress

Chronic stress is one of the most significant immune suppressors. Whether it’s emotional stress (workload, grief), physical (injury, lack of sleep), or environmental (screens, noise, pollution), it can tax your immune system. Elevated cortisol disrupts your body’s repair systems, increases inflammation, and lowers your ability to fight off bugs.

2. Inflammatory and Processed Foods

A constant intake of ultra-processed foods, refined sugars, and unhealthy fats promotes chronic inflammation. This not only affects immunity but can increase your risk of long-term conditions like heart disease and depression.

3 Proven Ways to Manage Stress

1. Movement

Exercise stimulates endorphins, boosts circulation, and reduces emotional tension. Outdoor movement is especially powerful—combining physical activity with nature exposure improves mood and strengthens the immune system.

2. Meditation & Mindfulness

Meditation isn’t just for yogis. It’s a proven tool to help the body shift into a parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) state, lowering stress hormones and enhancing immune repair. Just 10 minutes a day of breathing, reflection, or stillness can make a difference.

3. Restorative Sleep

Sleep is when your body resets, repairs, and rebalances hormones. Chronic sleep deprivation disrupts immune function and increases anxiety and inflammation. Prioritising 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night is one of the most powerful health tools you have. This winter don’t wait until you’re already unwell to focus on your health. Support your immunity proactively with nutrient-rich food, daily movement, hydration, rest, and stress reduction. These simple habits make all the difference in keeping your body resilient and your mind calm during the colder months. Remember: small, consistent actions create long-term results. If you’d like to nourish your body this Winter, reset habits and have support to make shifts in your body shape, energy levels, mind and mood then join our 10 Day Kickstart Challenge—it’s starting soon!