How to Really Support Your Natural Defenses During Cold Season by Jolien Durwael

The days grow shorter, the air colder, and suddenly everyone around you seems to be sneezing.
It’s as if autumn comes with its own soundtrack: a choir of tissues.
We spend more time indoors, share the same air, and viruses throw a party. Meanwhile, our vitamin D levels drop, our cravings for comfort food rise, and the immune system sighs: “Seriously? Again?”

But here’s the good news: you don’t have to passively wait for the next cold virus to strike. You can give your body a helping hand every single day — not with magic supplements or miracle potions, but with something wonderfully simple: the food you eat.

Your Immune System Eats With You

Every time your body fights off a virus, it burns through a stash of micronutrients — vitamin C, D, A, zinc, selenium, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants.
These nutrients keep your white blood cells alert, prevent inflammation from going haywire, and help you recover faster. Think of them as your body’s maintenance crew: cleaning, repairing, and putting out fires where needed.
But even the best team can’t work without fuel.

Eat the Rainbow

A colorful plate isn’t just Instagram-worthy — it’s biochemistry in action.
Each pigment reveals the plant compounds inside: the orange of pumpkin and carrot comes from beta-carotene, which your body converts into vitamin A to keep your mucous membranes strong.
The deep green of kale and spinach signals chlorophyll and magnesium, key for energy and cellular repair.
And red, yellow, or purple? Those hues come from flavonoids and anthocyanins — antioxidants that literally shield your immune cells from oxidative stress, the body’s version of rust.

Red bell peppers, citrus fruits, kiwi, broccoli, and kale are true champions: packed with vitamin C and those bioactive compounds that help block viruses at the door. Think of them as your personal bouncer — one with muscle and an eye for unwanted guests.

Variety is key. The more colors on your plate, the broader your range of protective compounds.
So rotate between pumpkin soup, red cabbage salad, roasted cauliflower, and green smoothies.
And time matters: eat raw vegetables during the day, when your digestion is at full speed, and opt for steamed or roasted veggies in the evening. Your enzymes — and your belly — will thank you.

In short: color isn’t decoration; it’s a signal of vitality. Every hue on your plate tells you your body is getting something it can truly use.

Gut Flora: The Hidden Immune System

Around 70% of your immune defenses live in your gut — home to billions of bacteria constantly discussing your health.
It’s a busy ecosystem: some bacteria clean up, others produce vitamins or short-chain fatty acids that calm your immune system when it overreacts. Think of it as a well-coordinated team that only performs well when properly fed.

These tiny residents don’t like chips, soda, or ultra-processed snacks. They can’t do much with them and may even fall out of balance. What they do love: fiber, plant-based foods, and anything alive.

Fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, yogurt, or miso bring living microorganisms that strengthen your gut community — like adding new teammates to the squad. Combine them with prebiotic fibers from onions, garlic, leeks, bananas, or asparagus — the favorite food of your “good” bacteria — and you’ll have a gut flora worthy of applause.

A healthy gut doesn’t just support digestion, but also inflammation control, nutrient absorption, and even mood regulation.
Researchers now talk about the gut-brain axis: the communication between your intestines and your brain.
A disrupted microbiome can increase stress sensitivity, while a balanced one fosters calm and resilience.
So yes — that bowl of fiber and ferment isn’t just good for your belly; it’s a mood booster, too. Gut happiness often translates to brain peace.

The Heavy-Hitting Minerals

Zinc is your immune system’s bodyguard. It shortens colds, supports white blood cell production, and speeds wound healing.
Find it in pumpkin seeds, eggs, oysters, lentils, chickpeas, and oats. Meat and shellfish are great sources too, but plant-based eaters needn’t worry: soaking or sprouting legumes improves zinc absorption.
A handful of roasted pumpkin seeds on your salad or soup adds a small but powerful layer of protection.

Selenium is the quiet strength — an antioxidant working behind the scenes, supporting the production of glutathione, one of your body’s key defense molecules. While zinc guards the front lines, selenium keeps the inner city clean.
It’s found in Brazil nuts, fish (especially tuna and sardines), eggs, sunflower seeds, and whole grains.

But with selenium, dose matters: one to two Brazil nuts a day covers your needs. More may be tempting — they taste almost like dessert — but excess can cause headaches, brittle nails, or fatigue. Even the best bodyguard has limits.

Zinc and selenium often work as a duo. During stress, intense training, or periods of one-sided nutrition, your need for both increases.
Think of them as your personal defense team: zinc the bold protector, selenium the quiet strategist — ensuring your immune system not only reacts, but recovers with finesse.

Fats That Fight

Omega-3 fatty acids are your body’s peace negotiators. They keep inflammation in check without shutting down your defenses.
Fatty fish (mackerel, salmon, sardines), flaxseeds, and walnuts are excellent sources.
Try salmon with braised kale, roasted pumpkin, and a drizzle of lemon oil — comfort food that doubles as a cellular strategy session.

Your Kitchen Cabinet Pharmacy

Ginger, turmeric, garlic, thyme, cinnamon — they sound like a spell, but they’re just pantry staples.
They’re antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and warming.
At the first tickle in your throat, brew ginger-thyme tea with honey and lemon.
Or, for the adventurous, sip a mug of “golden milk” — turmeric, cinnamon, and a pinch of black pepper. Healthy, cozy, and a bit like a yoga retreat — in your own kitchen.

Vitamin D: Sunshine in a Capsule

As autumn sets in, vitamin D levels drop faster than your mood on a rainy Monday.
Low levels are linked to more respiratory infections, so it’s worth checking your blood.
A daily supplement of 1000–2000 IU is often recommended from October to March, depending on your levels and body weight — always taken with a fat-containing meal.
Sunlight, bottled.

Broth and Balance

Grandma knew it all along: chicken soup helps. And not just because it’s warm and comforting.
Broth contains amino acids like glycine and cysteine, which help repair your mucous membranes.
Vegetable broth with greens, seaweed, or mushrooms works just as well.
Add turmeric or ginger, and you’ve got yourself an immune-boosting potion.

The Forgotten Factors: Sleep, Stress, and Sugar

You can eat all the kiwis you want — without rest and rhythm, your immune system stays half awake.
Sleep is when your body cleans up the mess from the day.

Then there’s stress — the silent leak in your defenses.
Short-term stress can sharpen you, but chronic stress keeps your body in constant alert mode.
Cortisol, your stress hormone, hits pause on the immune system — smart in the short term, disastrous over time.
Months of being “on” means small infections linger, wounds heal slowly, and fatigue sticks around.

Sugar plays a sneakier role than we’d like to think.
After a sugary meal, white blood cell activity can drop for hours. So, yes, you can eat all the kiwi you want — but if it’s followed by cake and soda, your defenses stumble.
Think of sugar spikes as mini energy bursts that make your immune system trip up.

The combo of little sleep, chronic stress, and high sugar is to your immune system what traffic jams, fog, and flat tires are to a fire truck — it’ll get there, just much slower.

That’s why when you rest and eat is just as important as what you eat.
Sleep enough, make time to unwind — walk, breathe, do nothing — and keep your blood sugar as steady as possible.

Sleep is the cheapest form of immunotherapy.
Stress regulation is the forgotten supplement.
Stable energy is the oil in your system.
No Netflix show or midnight scroll is worth more than that.

Recipe: Immuno Soup

Ingredients

• 1 onion

• 2 cloves garlic

• 2 cm fresh ginger

• 1 sweet potato

• 2 carrots

• ½ cauliflower

• 1 tsp turmeric

• ½ tsp black pepper

• 1 L vegetable broth

• A splash of coconut milk

Preparation
Sauté onion, garlic, and ginger briefly in olive oil, then add turmeric.
Add the remaining vegetables, pour in the broth, and simmer for 20 minutes.
Blend until smooth, finish with coconut milk, and top with roasted pumpkin seeds if desired.

A nourishing, warming soup that supports both body and mind through the cold season.

Sources
Besedovsky, L., Lange, T., & Born, J. (2019). Sleep and immune function. Pflügers Archiv – European Journal of Physiology, 471(3), 387–396.

Gombart, A. F., Pierre, A., & Maggini, S. (2020). A Review of Micronutrients and the Immune System – Working in Harmony to Reduce the Risk of Infection. Nutrients, 12(1), 236.

Maggini, S., Pierre, A., & Calder, P. C. (2018). Immune Function and Micronutrient Requirements Change over the Life Course. Nutrients, 10(10), 1531.

Valdes, A. M., Walter, J., Segal, E., & Spector, T. D. (2018). Role of the gut microbiota in nutrition and health. BMJ, 361, k2179.