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Given our current situation, we thought it would be a good idea to talk about some natural ways to boost our immunity alongside following the advice given by the NHS regarding handwashing, hygiene, and self-isolating. Whilst we are not medically trained, one thing we know for sure is that there’s no harm in looking after yourself with natural food and movement. Though Hippocrates was incorrect in suggesting that all disease begins in your gut, evidence shows that many diseases do, which is why gut-healing bone broth is a staple for boosting immunity. We’ve put together a list of natural immune boosters and tips on keeping yourself healthy, which is important not only whilst there's a virus going around but all year long!

1. Get a good night’s sleep! Studies show that people who don't get quality sleep or enough sleep are more likely to get sick after being exposed to a virus, and a lack of sleep can also affect how fast you recover if you do get sick. During sleep, your immune system releases proteins called cytokines, some of which help promote sleep; these need to increase when you have an infection or inflammation, so ensuring you’re getting good quality sleep is essential to preventing and fighting infection.

2. We think turmeric is a magical spice, it has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects from its main active ingredient, curcumin, and has been used for years for its medicinal properties. Consuming black pepper with turmeric increases the curcumin absorption by up to 2,000%, which is found in our Beef Bone Broth with Turmeric.

3. Vitamin C is thought to increase the production of white blood cells which are key to fighting infections. Foods like oranges, lemons, strawberries, and grapefruit all contain Vitamin C, which also assists with our body's natural synthesisation of collagen and boosts the benefits of collagen in our bone broths. Of course, eating your five a day of fruits and vegetables to ensure you’re getting a range of vitamins as well as Vitamin C is the best way to keep your immunity in tip-top shape.

4. Exercise regularly. This may seem like an obvious one, but even mild movement can help to keep your immunity in check! If you don’t have time to get to the gym or do a vigorous workout, just walking for 20-30 minutes a day can help to mobilise your white blood cells by increasing blood flow, and not only improves your fitness but also helps you to de-stress which can have a positive effect on our immunity!

5. Following on from sleep and exercise, it’s so important to de-stress when it comes to boosting your immunity. When stressed, your body produces more cortisol which can cause your body to struggle to regulate its inflammatory response, eventually leading to your body attacking itself. Stress also affects your digestive system which then has an adverse effect on your gut health and weakens your immune system. We recommend meditating for 10-15 minutes a day, as well as drinking bone broth daily for the calming effects of glycine.

6. Reduce your alcohol intake, especially while there’s a virus going around. Some studies suggest that high alcohol consumption can lead to a reduction of the lymphocytes (a type of small white blood cell), so if you become ill with the virus, you’re not going to be as good at getting rid of it. Drinking alcohol also damages your gut health and the epithelial cells in your intestines, making it harder to absorb many nutrients and therefore leading to a weakened immune system.