The NHS GP urged people to support their immune system ahead of getting sick rather than starting their treatment after symptoms first arise
As winter approaches, NHS GP Dr Dave Nichols has drawn attention to the importance of maintaining good health to ward off seasonal sickness. With a focus on preventive care over treatments, Dr Nichols emphasised the role of certain vitamins and minerals in immune system support.
Notably, he pointed to vitamin D’s crucial function: “Vitamin D has an important role in the way our immune system works to fight off illnesses. This can increase the likelihood of you catching colds, prolong your recovery, or mean you bounce from one respiratory illness to another.”
Bargain hunters can find vitamin D at high street favourite Boots, where a bottle of 30 tablets is priced at just £1.65 – that’s only about 5.5p per pill.
The resident doctor at MyHealthChecked also advocates for sufficient B12 levels: “Low levels of iron, folate and B12 can lead to people feeling more tired or having less energy than usual, and in some cases anaemia which is where these symptoms may be more severe.”
For those needing a top-up, a 60-tablet pack of B12 alone costs £3.25 at Boots, with an array of multi-vitamin combination options available as well. He doesn’t stop there; topping up on vitamin C is also on the doctor’s recommendation list. A mega pack of 180 vitamin C tablets comes in at a budget-friendly £4, working out to just over 2p per tablet.
The doctor emphasized that a medicine cabinet full of pills isn’t necessary to fend off winter woes, advising that a balanced diet and smart lifestyle can meet our nutritional needs. He explained, “Eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables so that you are getting enough of key vitamins, including vitamin A, C, and D, whilst ensuring you increase your intake of omega-3 is important.”
He added: “Foods rich in protein are also important in cell and muscle recovery so are good to eat to aid your recovery if you are feeling unwell. More recent work suggests that probiotics may be helpful in preventing respiratory infections, whilst zinc supplementation has also been shown to be effective.”
The physician concluded with an appeal for people to recognise the signs of vitamin deficiencies which include hair loss and skin changes like eczema outbreaks, “Recent work also suggests a possible link to mood disorders such as depression or anxiety.”
