Natural Ways to Stay Healthy This Fall & Winter

Our diets tend to change as the days get shorter and the air gets cooler. We often forego the out-of-season cold cucumber salads and replace them with slow-cooked warming vegetable stews. This shift likely comes naturally, often with little thought given to the importance of eating seasonally, but it can actually make all the difference in your winter immunity. At this point, many of us know that pre-packaged and processed foods and beverages are highly inflammatory. But did you know that it’s also this inflammation that can weaken and suppress your immune system? This unfortunately means that snacking on unhealthy items throughout the winter could very easily be a contributing factor to winter illnesses and blues. It’s also very unfortunate that winter tends to be the time we spend most at home and with the most cravings for snackable sustenance. It’s for this reason, and many others, that it’s so important to stock your pantry carefully for the winter with items that will not only see you through the bitter cold (or honestly, here in Richmond, mostly mild but still kind of cold) winter days as well as will help boost your immune systems to fight off any invading pathogens. Here are just a few tips on how to use food items to stay healthy and rejuvenated this winter!