Boost Your Immunity This Winter (Without Spending Half Your Income at Holland & Barrett)

Matt Print
5 days ago
3 min read

Cold and flu season is basically the UK’s annual Survival of the Fittest.

Someone sneezes on the bus and suddenly half the office is dropping like flies.

The good news?

You don’t need perfection.

A little care of the basics and you can stack the odds in your favour.

1. Eat Like a Grown-Up (Most of the Time)

Sorry babes, you can’t fuel your body on gingerbread lattes and mulled wine alone.

You don’t need a “superfood.” You do need the stuff you already know helps:

Fruit & veg – yes, the boring advice. But it works.

Aim for more colour on your plate than the pride flag.
Frozen counts.
Tinned counts.

Cheap immunity boosters

A basic multivitamin or Berocca (or supermarket own brand) - fizz the season
A banana (nature’s stabiliser when life goes feral)
Soup + toast (warm, hydrating, full of veggies… and comforting)

You don’t need to cut anything out.

Just add the good stuff before the beige buffet.

2. Prioritise Sleep 😴

If you’re burning the candle at both ends, your immune system is basically sitting there like:

“Girl… please.”

Aiming for 7–8 hours is ideal, but even improving your wind-down will help:

Keep your room cool
Put your phone down earlier than you think you should
Swap doom-scrolling for something calm (yes, Strictly and I’m a Celeb counts)

Something is better than nothing.

3. Manage Your Stress (AKA Stop Trying to Be Everyone’s Hero)

Chronic stress lowers immunity faster than you can say “Kleenex.”

Practical, no-nonsense ways to bring it down

Get outside daily – even 10 minutes helps and yes in the rain (in a coat)
Talk to people – connection boosts wellbeing (even small talk)
Breathe – slow, deep breaths for 60 seconds
Reduce your overwhelm – small lists > beast-mode lists

Laughing, dancing, and moving with others works absolute wonders for stress.

Which brings us neatly to…

4. Move Your Body ( Zumba Counts More Than You Think)

Your immune system LOVES movement.

Not punishing workouts.

Not “burn the calories from last night’s takeaway” workouts.

Just fun, regular movement.

And this is where your Zumba class becomes winter’s unsung hero.

Why Zumba/ Exercise Helps Your Immunity

Boosts circulation so immune cells move faster
Reduces stress which keeps your immune system calmer
Supports better sleep your biggest recovery superpower
Builds community and connection genuinely strengthens wellbeing
Releases feel-good hormones which support immune function

Plus, dancing around to bangers with people who don’t take themselves too seriously?

That’s medicine.

5. The “Please Don’t Ignore These” Basics

You’d be shocked how many people forget these and then wonder why they’re sick every month:

Wash your hands like a functioning adult
Keep your home ventilated
Wear layers so you don’t freeze like a Victorian child
Rest when you’re run down (no one’s holding out for a hero)
Don’t share bottles (you’re not 16 at a house party trying to impress boys)

You don’t need a perfect routine to stay healthy this winter.

It can be simple and small.

One extra portion of fruit
One extra hour of sleep
One class this week
One glass of water when you wake up
One walk on your lunch break

Stack these little choices, and suddenly your body has a fighting chance against the germs.

THE FINAL 'T'

Your immunity isn’t boosted by expensive trends; it’s boosted by consistency, kindness to your body and community.

And if you want a place to move, laugh, de-stress, and stay well this winter?

You know where to find us.

We’ll be in class, shaking off the stress, warming up the cold nights,

and keeping our bodies strong, together. 💃✨