COLD PROOF YOUR WINTER  

Most of us will suffer the indignity of two colds every year, and it'sthis time of the year when colds and flu can do their worst. The good news is that if you start cold-proofing your body now, you’ll be more able to defend yourself against an attack of the snuffles.

You are what you eat – even though we're probably over the worst excesses of Christmas and New Year now. If you're SO over your January booze-free detox - you'll be glad to hear that here’s nothing wrong with a glass of wine, though, in fact according to Spanish scientists, drinking red wine can stop people from developing colds. The evidence comes from a year-long study of 4,000 volunteers. That’s the kind of medical trial you want to volunteer for! Experts found that people who drank more than two glasses of red wine a day had 44% fewer colds than teetotallers. So break out the Shiraz…

Foods that actively boost your immunity to the demon cold virus are rich in antioxidant vitamins A, C and E as well as zinc, selenium and magnesium.

Avocado: Contains vitamins E and B6, which both speed up production of antibodies and the response time of white blood cells. It’s also good for your skin, which will help counteract the late nights and smoky pubs of the Christmas season.

Blackcurrants and blueberries: Full of vitamin C, and help strengthen your immune system. Easy to throw into a smoothie for breakfast. Don’t do what I do and wait until you’re stuffed up with a cold to start craving warm Ribena…

Chillies: Capsaicins in chillis give them their heat  -and make your nose run - but this relieves stuffed up noses by thinning down the mucus in the sinuses that makes you feel so miserable.

Cinnamon: If you need an excuse for adding loads of this spice to your baking - it has antibacterial and antifungal properties as well as being absolutely the most delicious spice. Cinnamon warms up the whole system and acts as a tonic. Try  making this warming hot toddy:

Fill a mug with hot water, a teaspoon of honey, juice of one lemon and a quarter of a cinnamon stick. Allow to steep for ten minutes, remove the stick, and enjoy.

Alternatively, you could try Shirodhara at any good Ayurvedic clinic and have warm, spicy oils dripped on your head for thirty minutes. I had this treatment a few years ago…smelled like a Christmas pudding and couldn’t get the oil out of my hair for about three washes. But I’m sure it did me good…

Citrus Fruits: Hands up who always got a Satsuma in their Christmas stocking as a child? Well, this tradition is certainly beneficial, as all citrus fruits are fantastic sources of vitamin C. Low vitamin C levels are linked to reduced immunity so it makes sense to stock up on the nutritional first line of defence to infections and start loading up on citrus.

Fish and shellfish: These little beauties provide zinc in abundance and vitamin B6 which is vital for shoring up white blood cells to fight off infections. They are also a good source of selenium, an antioxidant, which helps the immune system to function efficiently. Pass the prawn vol-au-vents…

Garlic: Keeps vampires and annoying work mates away, but as well as being a snog-repellent it also packs a punch as a natural antibiotic, antifungal and antiviral. It’s the smelly sulphur compounds that actually do the good. Put it in everything!

Nuts and seeds: There are worse things you can eat tha a handful of nuts if you want to do yourself some good. They contain protein, zinc, B vitamins, vitamin E, selenium, magnesium and essential fats – the ‘good’ fats. On balance, it’s probably better to reach for a handful of almonds than a Toblerone, but a girl has to have SOME fun.

Almonds are actually on a par with fruit when it comes to antioxidant levels. Almonds have long been recognised as a good source of magnesium, but researchers in California also discovered that they contain the same amount of three antioxidants (catechin, epicatachin and kaempferol) as an equivalent serving of broccoli. So imagine how much good you’ll do yourself by stir frying broccoli with almonds!