EAT WELL

HOW CAN I PREVENT RECURRENT COLDS FROM INTERFERING WITH TRAINING?

There’s no hard and fast way to stop the onset of colds but there are plenty of ways that you can support your immune system. With Covid 19 variants doing the rounds, along with the general slew of bacterial illnesses and viruses that tend to be more rife at the start of every year, looking after your health has never been so important.

Exercise is a proven way to keep the immune system strong and if you complement your training with a balanced diet, you could be onto a winning formula. Zinc and vitamin C are two crucial nutrients that help to reduce the severity of colds so eat plenty of kiwi fruit, strawberries, citrus fruits, pumpkin seeds, shellfish and legumes. If iron levels are low, you might feel fatigued so eat green leafy vegetables and a portion or two of red meat per week.

Low vitamin D levels have been linked to a higher risk of respiratory illness, so try to spend some time (a minimum of 30 minutes) outside every day even on cloudy days, and load up on egg yolk, fatty fish such as salmon and mackerel, and fortified foods. It’s also worth taking a vitamin D supplement as a top up during winter as levels naturally tend to dip.