The healthy lifestyle tweaks you can make to your diet and daily routine to help fight off colds and flu in the lead up to your wedding.
Photo by Cameron Stow
We hear many brides talking about their fears about getting sick in the run up to their wedding. With heightened stress and emotion, don’t forget to take the time to relax, stay healthy and look after yourself.
If you are looking to prevent a cold or just want to kick-start a new healthy lifestyle, take a look at some of the ways you can prevent getting sick in the run up to your wedding.
Increase Your Fruit and Vegetable Intake
Wedding planning can sometimes feel like a full time job! So keep your body happy and healthy by giving it the right fuel, not only will you feel like you have more energy but you will also be more prepared to fight off infection. Some simple ways to up your fruit and veg intake is to add a small glass of fresh fruit juice to your day, sprinkle some berries on your morning cereal and keep things like carrot sticks, cucumber and celery to snack on at your desk.
Drink More Water Daily
We all know this but making sure you drink enough water is important for pretty much every aspect of your body. If you struggle to drink enough water, then consider filling up a jug or trendy bottle and keeping it on your desk – with the aim to finish it before you leave work. If you are always on the move then keep a bottle of water handy so you can stay hydrated throughout the day.
Include Probiotics in Your Daily Diet
Introduce probiotics into your diet – probiotics are live bacteria that are good for your health and can be great for keeping a happy, healthy lifestyle. If you are looking for a natural source of probiotics then include yoghurt into your diet, try and opt for more natural low sugar options rather than the highly sweetened variety. Muller Corners don't count!
Have Breakfast
Not only will having a healthy breakfast get you energised for the day, it will also stop any reckless snacking mid-morning. As your sugar levels crash you risk reaching for the sweet stuff, keep those hunger pangs at bay by making sure you have a good breakfast. Most important meal of the day!
Get into a Good Hand Washing Routine
Regular hand washing can help keep germs at bay – particularly if you have friends or colleagues around you who are sick! When washing your hands. The team at Dial explain: “Hand washing with soap works by removing bacteria and viruses from hands before they get a chance to cause infections or spread to other people. When you wash your hands make sure you use soap and warm water for a minimum of 20 seconds.” For obvious reasons, this advice is more important than ever!
Start a Wedding Workout
If you don’t already have a regular exercise routine then now is the time to introduce one. Walking, swimming or cycling daily can not only give your immune system a helping hand, you will see an overall improvement in your health both mentally and physically. If you are not used to high impact exercise then start off slowly and go for walks in your lunch break. Don't over do it and don't stress about exercise, its important that you remember this is not a pre-wedding workout, it's a daily routine to keep up long after your nuptials.
Cut Down on the Booze
Hen parties, stag dos and general pre-wedding celebrations can see your alcohol intake soar. As well as being packed full of empty calories and sugar, alcohol is also a drain on your immune system... Make sure you see alcohol as a naughty treat to be enjoyed in moderation rather than a regular part of your routine.
Swap Your Coffee for Tea
Swap your morning latte for a green or mint tea, we know it doesn’t go quite so well with a pain au chocolat but you will cut your calorie intake massively. Green tea is also loaded with polyphenols which are powerful antioxidants and can protect your skin against harmful free radicals (yucky stuff that ages your skin!)
Avocados
It seems like you can’t go on Instagram without seeing an avocado smiling back at you! Whether it’s smashed on toast, whipped up into a smoothie or chopped up into a salad. This very popular fruit (yes, fruit!) is packed full of healthy fats and vitamins and can be a great addition to perk up a sad lunchtime salad.
Blueberries
These little low calories berries are packed with antioxidants, and they are so easy to incorporate into your diet. Add to your morning cereal, porridge or keep a little pot handy on your desk to snack on during the day.
Eggs
Eggs are a great source of protein and can be a fantastic addition to your diet. Eggs cooked in coconut oil can be a great start to your day, add some chopped tomatoes and steamed spinach if you want to also use your breakfast to up your vegetable intake.
Sweet Potatoes
Swap white potatoes for sweet potatoes for an added boost of beta-carotene. They also contain lots of magnesium which is essential for nerve function. Swap your usual mashed potato for sweet potato mash or make some delicious sweet potato wedges.
Nuts
Add a sprinkling of hazelnuts, walnuts or almonds to your breakfast cereal for a boost in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E. Just don’t forget that nuts are also calorific so enjoy in moderation if you are trying to lose weight.
Oily Fish
Oily fish such as salmon, sardines and mackerel will give you a great source of protein and vitamin D and long chain Omega-3s.
Soup
Adding soup into your daily diet can be a great way to increase your vegetable intake and the high water content in soup will mean you are left feeling fuller for longer. If you want to swap your lunchtime sandwich for a bowl of nutritious soup then consider making your own batches of soup as many shop bought soups have high levels of salt and sugar. Home-made soup is considerably cheaper and more satisfying too!
Spinach
Spinach has high levels of chlorophyll which is great for your health. Spinach is also low calorie and really easy to introduce to your diet – add a handful to your favourite smoothie, swap your usual lettuce leaves for the dark green stuff or add a steamed portion to your dinner a few times a week. Top tip, buy frozen and you get a lot more for your money plus they're so easy to pop into your soups, stews and everyday meals.
Coconut Oil
Swap processed cooking oils for raw, organic coconut oil. They are a great, healthy fat to add to your diet while coconut oil also works well as a lip balm or a body oil. If you are adding coconut oil to your diet just remember to consumer in moderation as it’s high in calories.
If you are looking for other ways to kick-start a healthy lifestyle then take a look at our ideas for fun workouts.