Dr Hilary's Winter Warriors

Winter Warrior Toolkit

We all know that winter is a time when we are more likely to become ill, but we've got a toolkit that will help Winter Warriors battle the elements:

• Garlic - Peel and chop your garlic 20 minutes before cooking to release immune boosting enzymes

• Layers - Think about an onion in the winter. Wear layers so you can wrap up or cool down.

• Milk - You're 80% more likely to get a cold in winter, so making sure your immune system is in tip-top condition is important. Milk and dairy products such as cheese, yoghurt and fromage frais are great sources of protein and vitamins A and B12. They're also an important source of calcium, which helps keep our bones strong. Try to go for semi-skimmed or skimmed milk rather than full-fat, and low-fat yoghurts.

• Porridge - The perfect start to a winter morning is porridge. A bowl contains lots of vitamins and minerals, and will boost your intake of starchy food, a fibre to keep you fuller for longer.

• Vitamin D - British sunlight in winter is short of UVB rays, which can lead to a vitamin D deficiency - the number of children with a vitamin D deficiency has tripled in four years. If you're worried, take a supplement - eight micrograms for children and no more than 25 micrograms for adult (after 25 micrograms, it can be harmful, around ten is advised by NHS)

This morning Dr Hilary met Barry and Oscar, who were whisking up some very healthy GMB smoothies with the help of some special bikes!

Recipe

Ingredients: 200ml Apple juice45g Frozen Strawberry45g Frozen Raspberry45g Frozen Blackberry 1 x 140g Love Taste Sachet (optional)

Makes a 12oz smoothie with two of your five-a-day

It is best - but not essential - to use frozen fruit if possible. If you have them fresh you can use straight from fresh, or you can freeze them yourself at home meaning you can have a delicious smoothie at any time as they will hold in the freezer for over a year! It also means you don't throw out fruit you weren't going to use at the time. So a great way to make delicious smoothies easily and potentially save money.

Strawberry

• Strawberries boost immunity as they are packed with lots of vitamin C and your immune system is the best way to a healthy body. The vitamin C will also help keep your eyes healthy and wrinkles at bay.

• Strawberries have potassium, vitamin K, and magnesium- important for bone health

• The fruit is rich in B-complex group of vitamins. It contains very good amounts of vitamin B-6, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and folic acid.

Raspberry

• High in polyphenolic compounds known for their anti-cancer properties

• Contain strong antioxidants such as Vitamin C, quercetin and gallic acid.

• Eating whole berries has been shown in scientific studies to be more beneficial than taking the individual phytochemicals in the form of dietary supplements.

Blackberry

• Much like spinach, raisins, apples, plums and grapes, blackberries are rich in bioflavonoids and vitamin C, but other nutritional benefits include a very low sodium count and having only 62 calories to a cup.

• The dark blue colour ensures blackberries have one of the highest antioxidant levels of all fruits. Antioxidants, well-known for lowering the risk of a number of cancers, are a huge bonus, but be aware the berries are best consumed in their natural state to get the full benefits.

• Consumption of blackberries can help to promote the healthy tightening of tissue, which is a great non-surgical procedure to make skin look younger. Prolonged consumption also helps keeps your brain alert, thereby maintaining clarity of thought and good memory.