Boost Your Body

Supplying your immune system with the right nutrients makes a huge difference to how your body deals with seasonal bugs. FeelingOK recommends a healthy balance of vitamins and minerals with plenty of anti-oxidant rich fruit and vegetables. You can also add a few super nutrients to help kick start your immune system into action.

Vitamin C - Vitamin C enables your body's white cells to destroy certain viruses. It also stimulates the mucociliary escalator - tiny hairs in the bronchial tubes that help clear infections from the chest - and has been proven to shorten the life of a cold. The body can't store Vitamin C so needs a daily supply. Rich natural sources include citrus fruits, blackcurrants and dark green leafy vegetables.

Zinc - Zinc also plays a fundamental role in maintaining a healthy immune system by activating your infection-fighting T-cells. Studies have shown that if you're zinc deficient you're much more likely to catch a cold and to suffer for longer. The best dietary sources are shellfish, lean meat, nuts and seeds.

Keep Fit

Two or three weekly workouts can make all the difference to your immunity, yet fewer than half of all adults are regularly active.

Tone - Strong abdominal muscles are important when winter kicks in. Strong abs support your inner organs, including your lungs, so your immune system can work more effectively to pump oxygen around the body and remove disease-causing toxins.

Breathe - Breathing correctly is another crucial part of boosting the immune system. The diaphragm is the pump that controls the flow of lymph at the core of the immune system. Lymph is a milky body fluid that contains lymphocytes (infection-fighting white blood cells), proteins and fats. It's through the lymph that the body detoxes, getting rid of the substances that can harm our health.

Sweat - Heart pumping aerobic exercise increases the amount of oxygen flowing around the body, which further improves the efficacy of your immune system. Just 30 minutes of activity that makes you feel slightly out of breath, at least five days a week, will help.

Remember that harmful bacteria don't thrive in fresh air. When you go outside, aim to feel slightly chilled - but not cold - and during your workout you should feel warm, not hot and sweaty.