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With concerns that this year’s flu vaccine may be less effective than previous years, Alex Lloyd asks the experts how we can stop ourselves getting sick

Winter bugs have hit us with a bang, with NHS advice line 111 reporting a surge in calls from patients suffering from “the worst cold ever”. Unless you were unlucky enough to catch Covid-19, last year’s lockdowns gave most of us some respite from the usual seasonal sniffles – but they are now back in full force and expected to spread faster than ever.

Doctors are also warning of a surge of flu cases that could place strain on the NHS. And while getting a vaccine reduces your risk of catching the virus, experts are concerned that the efficacy of this year’s jab could fail to reach the typical 40-60 per cent rate due to a lack of data. This is because each year’s vaccine is designed using experience of strains that have been seen previously, but lockdown meant flu was almost non-existent in 2020.

It means the best way to get through the dark days ahead without a dose of the lurgy – and to battle back quickly if you do catch something – is to continue to practise good hygiene and to give your immune system some love.

“We hear talk of immunity boosters but the reality is, there is no one magic fix,” says Dr Alex Maxwell, a GP and London director of the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine.

“If you are very deficient in a specific nutrient or are a smoker, then supplementation or quitting cigarettes will statistically help your immunity.

“But for everyone else, the best way to foster a good immune response is to follow healthy habits year-round – continue with handwashing, lose weight if you are obese and get vaccinated.

“Also, take time to rest, stay warm and hydrated, and eat well if you do get sick as this will aid recovery.”

Give your gut some love

The immune system is a complicated network of processes throughout your entire body – and most of the time you won’t notice when it is fighting off harmful invaders.

It’s also as unique to you as your fingerprint, which is why there is no easy answer to keeping it operating at optimum level.

But the best place to start is the gut.

“Most people don’t realise that 70 per cent of our immune system is housed within the gut,” explains Dr Sunni Patel, a gut health and culinary medicine coach (dishdashdeets.com).

“This means our immune response – how our body responds to different viruses, other cells and inflammation – all starts from the gut and its microbiome.

“There’s lots of scientific evidence that you can optimise your gut health through diet and nutrition to get the adequate balance of gut function and the microbiome.”

Dr Patel recommends limiting the intake of processed foods and eating fresh where possible, as well as drinking plenty of water. He says: “Aim to get a good balance of goodquality fats and lean proteins, and make sure you have 30g fibre and 30 unique plant-based foods a week. Try to eat the rainbow, so every single shade of fruit and veg, as each one will provide an

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Stock up on shut eye

A healthy diet will only get you so far, however, because your body needs to be well rested to keep your immune system functioning normally.

While you sleep, it is producing and releasing proteins called cytokines, which target infection and inflammation. It’s also the time when your body is strengthening your immune memory.

“Sleep is directly connected to activation of the immune system and your ability to activate it in future,” says Dr Maxwell. “There’s also evidence that if you sleep well then your response to things, like the Covid vaccine for example, is better, so you can create memory cells to fight the virus. The best thing you can do to create an immune response and react to stimuli is to sleep.”

Research shows people who get less than six to seven hours a night are more prone to infection, so aim for at least seven and listen to your body when it feels tired instead of pushing through.

“Have a dark, cool bedroom and get up at the same time every day,” says Dr Maxwell. “Get outside in natural light too as this positively affects your circadian rhythm and the quality of your sleep.”

Say goodbye to stress

Have you ever wondered why you fall ill the moment you hit a pressured deadline or take some much-needed time off work?

Prolonged psychological stress has a negative impact on your immune system’s ability to protect you because your body spends too long in fight-or-flight mode and not enough in rest and digest.

This phenomenon of post-stress sickness is known as the “let-down” effect. “It was previously thought the link was mostly through stress hormone cortisol,” says Dr Maxwell.

“It does make a small impact, but there is potentially more evidence that it is about the impact on certain receptors in the immune system and their ability to react.

“It means when your stress goes down, you are more vulnerable, plus stress also has an impact on your sleep, your diet and your sugar and alcohol intake.”

Build time for relaxing activities during your week, especially if you are working from home. It could be meditation, a bath to wind down or reading a book. Connecting with friends and laughing are also thought to help your immune system, possibly because they are stress-busting and moodlifting, and while it can be tempting to isolate yourself from others to avoid germs, research says the psychological impact of loneliness makes you more prone to getting sick.

There is evidence that if you sleep well you will respond well to Covid jab

If you only take one thing, take vitamin D – and take a high dose

Work it out

Sedentary indoor lifestyles are the enemy of a good immune response so aim to take daily walks in the fresh air and follow NHS exercise guidelines.

This is because the lymphatic system which moves white blood cells around the body doesn’t have a muscle like the heart to pump it to your extremities – it needs movement to get it circulating.

The stress put on your body during exercise also seems to mobilise a variety of immune cells to ‘patrol’ the body, which makes us better equipped to deal with any invading germs.

Studies have found that regularly engaging with physical activity is linked with 40 to 50 per cent fewer colds and a reduction in their severity.

The age-related shrinking of the thymus gland behind your breastbone, which produces infection-fighting T-cells, is slowed by regular exercise too.

University of Birmingham scientists found that long-distance cyclists aged 80 had the thymus gland of 20 year olds, which boosted their ability to fight off infection.

Working out is a great stress-buster too and can help with good digestion and sleep.

Get a dose of D

Supplementation is no substitute for the immune system-supporting benefits of a healthy diet, and experts agree that your best source of nutrients is food, unless you have a specific deficiency.

However, they are united in advising adults to take vitamin D during the winter months, from October to April, as food sources such as oily fish and liver do not supply us with enough.

“If you are only going to take one thing, take that – and take a high dose,” says Calum Scott, lead researcher for Better Nutritional Science, who develops RecoverUp supplements.

The NHS recommends 10 micrograms of vitamin D a day for an adult.

Calum adds: “People living in the UK are getting less than they need. UVB in sunlight is where we get it from naturally, but even being outside in winter won’t provide enough.”

Scientists think vitamin D plays a key role in stopping certain immune cells becoming overactive and attacking the wrong things.

It also helps regulate the innate immune system, which rallies to fight infection, and the adaptive one, which is slower but produces antibodies.

“Vitamin D was actually misnamed – it is not a vitamin, it’s a hormone,” says Calum. “It can enter into all the cells in the body and has positive effects from the top of the head down to your toenails. It’s a wonderful thing.

“If you take it regularly, you also notice your mood change for the better, like when you go on holiday to a sunny place. If you are angry, you will not have a decent immune response because you are in fight or flight. But when you are relaxed, your body goes into healing and it builds your immunity.”