Warm Up Your Winter: Foods, Rituals & Immunity Boosters You’ll Love
Angela Waldie, CNP 🥗✨
As temperatures drop, many of us feel the effects—cold hands and feet, lowered energy, increased stress, and more frequent seasonal illnesses. In traditional and holistic nutrition, winter is a time to focus on warming the body, strengthening the immune system, and slowing down to nourish yourself deeply.
If you’re craving comfort, stability and looking to prevent burnout or winter sickness, this guide will walk you through root-cause strategies to stay well through the colder months.
Warming Foods to Support Circulation & Digestion 🌿
When the weather cools, your body naturally craves foods that are warming, grounding, and easier to digest. These support circulation, energy levels, and metabolism.
Top Warming Foods for Winter:
Root vegetables – sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, beets
Warming spices – ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, cloves
Bone broth & hearty soups – excellent for gut health and mineral support
Oats, quinoa & wild rice – slow-burning carbs for sustained energy
Lean proteins – chicken, turkey, lentils, wild-caught fish
Healthy fats – ghee, coconut oil, avocado, extra virgin olive oil
Tip: Add fresh ginger and lemon to hot water each morning to kickstart digestion and circulation.
Top Immunity Boosters for Flu Season in BC 🧬
With fluctuating temperatures and high humidity, viruses tend to circulate more in coastal climates. Rather than just reacting to illness, nourish your immune system proactively from the inside out.
Key Nutrient-Rich Immunity Boosting Foods:
Vitamin C: Citrus fruits, red peppers, kiwi, camu camu
Vitamin D: Sunshine (when possible), cod liver oil, fortified foods
Zinc: Pumpkin seeds, oysters, beef, chickpeas
Omega-3s: Wild salmon, sardines, flax & chia seeds
Probiotics: Sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, coconut yogurt
Antioxidants: Blueberries, dark leafy greens, green tea
Bonus Tip: Consider Canadian-sourced herbal support such as echinacea, elderberry syrup, astragalus, and reishi mushroom to strengthen immune resilience.
Self-Care Rituals for Energy, Balance & Stress Relief ✨
Women often juggle work, family, and limited daylight during winter. Stress directly impacts the immune system and gut health, so rituals that calm the nervous system are essential.
Daily Self-Care Rituals:
Warm morning elixir (ginger, lemon, turmeric, collagen)
Evening Epsom salt bath to relax and support detoxification
Infrared sauna or thermal therapy – ideal in damp BC winters
Dry brushing before showers to support lymphatic flow
Movement with intention – yin yoga, Pilates, walking, breathwork
Digital sunset – reduce blue light 1 hour before bed
Ready to customize your winter wellness plan?
Book a 1:1 nutrition consultation to discover the root causes affecting your health and get a personalized seasonal protocol. Let’s build resilience from the inside out.