How to boost the immune system during autumn

The change of season, especially the transition from summer to autumn, involves unstable weather conditions, with changes in temperature and mood that can negatively affect our bodies. It is essential to boost our immune defences in the autumn to ensure a winter free of the ailments typical of the cold season. It is therefore crucial to get ahead of the curve by adopting some strategies to strengthen our immune defences and prevent colds, sore throats and the inevitable flu.

The immune system can be strengthened by adopting healthy daily habits: in addition to maintaining a healthy, balanced diet, it is advisable to avoid smoking, reduce the consumption of drugs and alcohol, engage in physical activity, and counteract a sedentary lifestyle.

Support for boosting the immune system during the autumn season also comes from natural ingredients and food supplements. Several allies of the immune system can be found in nature, such as beta-glucans, beneficial polysaccharides found in the cell walls of yeasts and fungi, and beta-carotene, an excellent antioxidant found in carrots, which is a source of vitamin A. Among the most effective natural ingredients for boosting the immune system are ginger, known for its anti-inflammatory and digestive properties, propolis, which has antiviral and antimicrobial properties, echinacea, appreciated for its antiviral properties and also consumed in herbal tea form, and astragalus, which has an immunostimulant and antiviral action. Athletes can benefit from amino acids such as ornithine, glutamine and arginine, which provide support during intense physical activity.

If plants and herbs are not sufficient, it is advisable to consider the introduction of food supplements. According to the Ministry of Health definition, food supplements are ‘food products intended to supplement the common diet and which constitute a concentrated source of nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, or other substances with a nutritional or physiological effect’. Supplements don't have curative properties, but exert physiological effects, contributing to the normal functioning and well-being of the body.

In order to ensure a long and healthy life, it is essential to follow proper nutrition. However, health can be threatened by an excess of certain foods (such as salt, saturated and trans fats, sugars) and a deficiency of other essential nutrients (such as whole grains, fruit and vegetables), which are consumed in lower than recommended quantities. This is the context for supplements, which contains ‘nutraceuticals’: substances normally found in a balanced and varied diet that have been shown to be effective in promoting and maintaining a state of well-being.

Supplements come in the form of tablets, syrups or drops and are available in calibrated quantities to maximise efficacy and respond to specific nutritional needs or physiological conditions. These products represent a concentrated source of nutrients or substances and are designed to supplement the diet, not replace food. As the Ministry of Health points out, they serve to ‘optimise nutritional intake, provide substances of nutritional interest with a protective or trophic effect, and improve metabolism and physiological functions of the body’.

It is therefore always essential to take them following precise instructions regarding composition and maximum recommended doses.