Holistic Eating during Winter Months

Photo Credit: by Jhamesha Janella Milord Ashford

Fighting the winter blues is one thing, but fighting the winter flu is another, and there are many ways to combat viruses that lower energy levels during the colder months.

Canadians are exposed to high levels of cold temperatures which repress the immune system, leaving the body in a survival or shock state. 

Dr, Hanaa Mustapha, Clinical & Nutritional Expertise and Wellness Innovator, believes the root cause of all sickness in winter is due to reduced sunlight leading to less vitamin D, crucial for proper immune function. 

Dr. Hanaa Mustapha, Natural Nutrition–Clinical Practitioner

Photo captured on website

“Eating protein is important but it’s also about how you cook the protein right? Eggs, lentil soups, because all the immune cells actually are protein based,” says Mustapha. “Citrus foods as well like kiwi, bell peppers, oranges.”

Mustapha notes that steaming your vegetables is another way to retain nutrients, minerals and better absorb them. Putting lemon or lime in warm water in the morning is another great way to detox your body. 

Staying away from processed and modified foods, sugar, alcohol, seed oils like canola, safflower, sunflower, vegetable, palm oil and saturated fats during colder months is another important factor to consider. Cold-pressed and virgin coconut, avocado, olive oil or even beef tallow are all great sources of healthy fats that you can cook with, even past winter months.

With a background in health sciences and a passion for natural medicine, holistic nutritionist and life coach, Jessica Khalil emphasizes the importance of gut health and how it’s a leading factor for immune strength. 

 A survey of more than 2,000 participants that Healthline conducted shows that over five per cent of people poop only once or twice a week. The microbes living in the gut and the brain release chemical signals that coexist and influence each other’s overall wellbeing. So if one does not poop at least twice a day, imagine how the germs from the stool sitting inside of the gut affects every part of your body inside and out.

“Many people are constipated and don’t know it,” says Khalil.

According to Khalil, Chinese medicine focuses on warm foods along with bringing heat to the body and internal organs. This practice helps you digest better and in turn, better support immune function. Warm foods beyond lentil soup like hot broths, bone broth, warm purees, herbal teas , and nettle tea are all essential to keep in your diet during winter. 

Drinking and eating cold foods stresses the nervous system which ultimately affects digestion, your mood, your energy, your alertness, your focus and your immune system. 

“During winter, a burden is put on the body, which takes more energy to warm the body up, and we want to try to relieve it from all that stress so it’s really important to keep the body and gut warm,” says Khalil. 

Jessica Khalil,

Holistic Nutritionist and Life Coach

Instagram: @wholistika

Photo provided by Jessica Khalil

Fermented foods are rich in probiotics and are great snacks to maintain the microbial gut health, essential for healthy digestion. Real parmesan, kimchi, kefir, yogurt, sauerkraut, miso, and raw honey are great sources of fermented foods. Fiber is also essential as it feeds the gut bacteria to help digestion. Chia seeds, oatmeal or even the pulp from juicing your fruits can be turned into powder or spices and be a great source of fiber. 

 “You don’t have to buy expensive supplements. You don’t have to buy expensive food. You can just start where you already are, at the grocery store you already shop at and just ask yourself, what can I add or replace?,” says Khalil.

Mindset & wellness guide and entrepreneur, Karissa Lapointe shared her eating habits and mentioned sticking to whole foods, root vegetables and making her own at-home remedies. 

“If I do get sick, onions, garlic, honey, lemon, turmeric and teas with zinc help a lot,” says Lapointe.

Social work student at Laurentian University, Marianna Mba follows a strict vegan lifestyle and recommends adding garlic and ginger to foods when cooking.

“I also add ginger to juices I make which have antioxidants in them as well,” says Mbassegue. “It’s mostly about being consistent with foods that reinforce your immune system so you don’t get as sick.”