by Fiona Chapman.

THERE seems to be an inordinate number of nasty bugs around this year. It is probably because we were all so isolated over Covid-19 that our immunity has taken a bit of a knock. My husband is coughing and spluttering and complaining that he has never had such a longlasting cold and my voice has gone, possibly a relief for everyone!
It does, however, remind me how important it is to try and keep as healthy as you can over the winter months.

Vitamin D is generated by sunlight and we don’t get nearly enough in the winter, even if out walking lots. I would urge everyone to supplement with this. Vitamin C is also very important, and again we often are lacking it, so that too is a good supplement to be taking.

It is also extremely important to keep well hydrated. We all live in centrally heated houses or have fires lit which takes some of the moisture out of our bodies. We get rather like plants and dry up and wilt if there is not enough water in our system. It makes us lethargic and lacking in energy.

Good, filtered water is essential and we should all be drinking about two litres of it a day. Every cell in your body needs it, it helps keep the blood moving and hydrates the brain and all our joints. Our liver needs it to make bile which helps digest all our food and keeps the bowels moving. Our kidneys obviously need water to help filter our blood and dilute toxins and make them easier to pass out of the body.

If possible, it should be filtered – reverse osmosis is the best as it gets rid of all the hormones that are still in our tap water, but any filter is better than none. You should also try to drink room tem-perature water – not freezing cold – as the cold water dampens the digestive ‘fire’ and try not to drink with meals as that dilutes your digestive juices.
I am someone who does not feel thirsty, so easily forgets to drink water, but will then crave salty food. That is my body saying, ‘give me water’. Likewise, when eating sugar, the body needs water to break the molecules down, which is often why you are thirsty after eating something sweet.

It does make you pee more – but think of that as a positive. You are getting rid of toxins and keeping your body well hydrated and happy.

Fiona Chapman is a Naturopathic Herbalist (Pellyfiona@gmail.com)