Love winter for all the cosy nights in, falling leaves and celebrations but hate it for the cold, the illnesses and the germs? Same! Here are four ways that you can stave off the gross aspects of winter and stay super healthy. We can’t do much about the temperature though, sorry.

1. Eat your greens

In order to beat bugs and keep away the common cold you need to up your intake of vitamins, minerals and all the good stuff! Your body needs nourishment and warming foods that are packed with nutrients. You need immune-boosting foods like kale, butternut squash and potatoes. Can anyone feel a delicious soup coming on? Don’t forget about oranges, lemons and limes too! Citrus fruits are packed with Vitamin C which is essential for a healthy immune system.

2. Don't hibernate

If you just become a hermit during the winter months and spend 90% of your time in doors you’re not going to be getting all of the Vitamin D that you need to function properly. Not having enough Vitamin D from sunlight can affect your mood and also impacts your body’s ability to absorb the good stuff from your food. Make sure that you’re getting actual sunlight every day and not just leaving the house in the hours of darkness every day.

3. Be clean

Germs are one of the main sickness-spreaders during winter, this we know. You might be a hand-washer but the person next to you on the bus or whoever last opened the cupboard might not be and they might have a cold coming on. Carry hand sanitizer with you everywhere and be one of those people! Maybe invest in some antibacterial wipes for things like phones and keyboards too.

4. Work out

It sucks to get out of bed when it’s dark and work out but you’ll probably be getting up in the dark anyway when it’s the depths of winter so you might as well get a workout in whilst you’re at it! A 2010 study published in the British Medical Journal found that out of 1,000 participants, those who exercised were a massive 50% less likely to get a cold due to its immune-system-boosting properties. Fact!