With winters arrival it’s important to keep in good health during this colder season, and also important not to slip away from your current healthy lifestyles. Here are our top tips to stay healthy and well during these next couple of months.

  1. Eat Plenty of Fruit & Vegetables – Fruit & veges contain antioxidants that are important in maintaining a healthy immune system. To save money choose fruits and vegetables that are in season for example mandarins, apples, grapefruit, broccoli, brussel sprouts, carrots or potatoes.
  2. Make Casserole – Casseroles are perfect as they are accommodating to any type of meat eg: blade steak, chunk steak, chops and red meat is high in both zinc and iron, two important minerals that boost the immune system. Casseroles require a slow cooking method meaning they can be put on to cook on low the night before or morning of, ready for you when you get home after a busy day at mahi.
  3. Soup – Eats lots of soup and enjoy it! Soup doesn’t have to be complicated, there are hundreds of easy, fast recipes available online. Perfect for dinner and leftovers for lunch the next day.
  4. Portion Sizes – Be mindful of this, try to avoid over eating. To manage this you can try to eat meals at the dinner table with your whanau and turning the tv off during this time, use a smaller sized plate and reserve half your plate for veges.
  5. Drink Water – Try to drink 6-8 glasses of fluid a day, this can include tea, coffee and water.
  6. Include Garlic – Garlic has more to offer than its great flavour, it’s also a fantastic disease fighter. Garlic will benefit your immune system best when it’s chopped up finely, left to stand for 10-15 minutes then added to your pan. When garlic is chopped and cooked straight after, you are not getting its full health benefit.
  7. Vitamin D – Try to include as many foods as possible that are high in vitamin D. Oily fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines are good sources of vitamin D, also some milks and yogurts contain this sunshine vitamin.
  8. Keep Active – Get involved in an indoor sport or exercise class, go for a walk every day this may only be for 20-30minutes but at least you are staying active. Things such as choosing to take the stairs instead of the lift or walking across the office to speak to a colleague instead of sending an email from your desk is also awesome little ways to keep active.