How immunity reacts to the cold and what to eat to protect yourself from respiratory infections

With the arrival of autumn and winter, the sudden drop in thermometers combined with increasingly dry air profoundly alters our main respiratory protection barrier. Breathing very cold air cools the inside of the nose, which paralyzes local defense cells and substantially reduces the ability to initially combat viruses that enter through the airways. For those wondering which foods help to increase immunity quickly so you don’t get sick in the cold, the answer lies in a menu rich in antioxidant vitamins and minerals. A balanced nutritional replacement, combined with adequate hydration, returns to the body the energy and cellular components essential to shield the body against diseases typical of these seasons.

Signs that your body’s defenses are weakened

When temperatures drop drastically, the body directs a large part of its metabolism to keeping internal organs warm. If nutrition does not keep up with this daily energy need, the body emits silent warnings of vulnerability before the main disease takes hold. Among the main physical manifestations of low immunity and metabolic exhaustion are:

• Frequent episodes of colds that take many days to pass;
• Constant fatigue and feeling of weakness, even after a full night’s sleep;
• Throat becomes scratchy or inflamed very easily after contact with wind or dust;
• Recurrent appearance of cold sores or small mouth ulcers;
• Diffuse muscle and joint pain unrelated to recent physical exertion;

Why do we get sicker when the temperature drops?

Many people blame cold wind directly for causing the flu. The climate does not carry the virus, but it modifies our natural physiology and creates a biologically favorable environment for infectious agents to overcome the physical barrier of the human body with little resistance.

During the harshest days, so-called vasoconstriction occurs. This involuntary process constricts the blood vessels in the extremities precisely to prevent the loss of body heat. Reducing this blood flow also decreases the delivery of defensive white blood cells to the tip of the nose and throat. Furthermore, the typical wind at this time promotes extremely dry air. Without moisture, the mucus present in the nostrils loses its hydration capacity, drying out the protective layer and preventing the tiny respiratory cilia from being able to sweep away inhaled impurities, which leaves viruses and bacteria free to attack the cells.

To make this chemical and thermal scenario worse for the body, we started closing all the windows and doors to contain the cold. Being in locked environments, crowded with people and without ventilation, radically increases the concentration of pathogens in the air, causing the well-known seasonal spike in communicable respiratory diseases and hospitalizations recorded during the Brazilian winter.

What the doctor assesses to measure your immunity

Often, just feeling soft in the body does not provide an accurate diagnosis of immunity failures. This investigative process requires individualized professional clinical monitoring, carefully analyzing the health conditions that have surrounded the patient in recent months.

During the visit to the office, the doctor deeply investigates the history of recent colds, daily stress rates, sleep consistency and the quality of intestinal function, the place responsible for concentrating a large part of the human being’s immune arsenal. The conventional blood test is the gateway to this laboratory evaluation. With the complete blood count in hand, the white blood cell series is analyzed to observe the exact count and behavior of leukocytes in the bloodstream.

The specialist actively looks for a deficiency of crucial micronutrients, requiring specific dosages of vitamin D, vitamin B12, iron stores (ferritin) and zinc in the medical order. If your health continues to suffer even after rest, allergy panels and immunoglobulin measurements come into play to rule out an autoimmune pathology.

What to do to strengthen your body in autumn and winter

Good home and nutritional practices do not form a magical shield that repels circulating viruses, but they help the body to create resistant cellular “soldiers” that immediately fight invaders. This preventative protection calls for simple organic interventions that include a hydration routine and intelligent choices on your plate.

To adequately prepare the body for this climate transition and improve the functioning of the immune system, the recommended actions include:

Reinforcement with fresh vegetables and citrus fruits: Invest heavily in lemon, acerola, orange and dark green leaves, such as spinach and arugula, which contain a high level of vitamin C, essential for protecting the respiratory tissue;

Increased supply of zinc and omega-3: Ingest pumpkin seeds, lean meats, almonds and fish to modulate inflammation barriers and directly protect the body’s cells from attack;

Strict frequency of daily hydration: Continue drinking the same volumes of water ingested in the summer to ensure that the airways keep their mucous membranes thick and protected against the installation of external microorganisms;

Preservation of nighttime sleep routines: Resting without interruption directly helps control the excessive release of cortisol in the blood, a hormone linked to stress that has the terrible power of suppressing the body’s defenses;

Practice of nasal hygiene with serum: Washing your nose every day mechanically removes dried dirt, infectious microparticles and allergens trapped in the inflamed mucosa;

Falling for promises of instant recipes or unguided supplements found on the internet during the cold months poses heavy and real risks to cleansing organs such as the liver and kidneys. The inappropriate use of self-medicated multivitamins and self-medicated antibiotics hides dangerous infectious conditions and distances the patient from their real health needs. Trying to resolve chronic pain with homemade solutions does not replace up-to-date seasonal vaccinations. If you notice symptoms that evolve quickly associated with fever and severe fatigue, schedule a medical appointment in person or via telehealth services to receive serious clinical support and treatment designed and measured solely for your body’s real needs.