The cold winter months can bring illness. Follow these winter wellness tips to keep your immune system happy and healthy for the holidays.
Winter wellness tips
The holiday season brings joy, celebration, and…germs. As temperatures drop and stress increases, our immune systems work overtime to keep us well. At Regen Wellness, we believe functional medicine takes a proactive approach—supporting the body’s natural defenses so you can feel your best through the busiest time of year.
Here are seven evidence-based winter wellness strategies to help strengthen immunity before the holidays arrive.
Prioritize Sleep to Recharge Your Immune Cells
Quality sleep fuels the immune system. During deep sleep, the body produces cytokines, proteins that help fight infection and inflammation. Even one night of insufficient sleep can reduce immune function and antibody response.¹
Try this:
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Set a consistent bedtime and wake time
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Avoid screens at least one hour before bed
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Supplement with magnesium or calming botanicals if needed*
Functional medicine often pairs sleep optimization with lifestyle habits and micronutrient support to improve hormone balance and help the body recover faster.
Nourish the Gut — Where ~70% of Immunity Lives
A healthy gut microbiome acts as a defense system, communicating with immune cells and helping prevent harmful invaders.² The winter months can disrupt digestion due to holiday foods, stress, and travel.
Boost gut immunity with:
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Probiotic-rich foods (yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut)
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Prebiotic fibers (bananas, onions, oats)
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Staying hydrated with electrolytes or mineral-rich IV therapy
When digestion is supported, nutrient absorption improves—better fuel for immune cells.
Maintain Adequate Vitamin D Levels
Vitamin D plays a crucial role in activating immune defenses, but levels typically drop in the winter due to limited sunlight. Low vitamin D has been associated with increased susceptibility to respiratory infections.³
Ways to boost vitamin D:
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Moderate sunlight exposure when possible
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Vitamin D-rich foods (salmon, egg yolks)
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High-quality supplementation or vitamin injections*
Your functional medicine provider can test your levels and tailor dosing to your needs—something over-the-counter vitamins can’t personalize.
Reduce Chronic Stress to Lower Inflammation
The holidays are joyful—but they’re also one of the most stressful times of the year. Chronic stress increases your body’s production of cortisol, which can suppress immune cell function.⁴
Support stress resilience with:
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Breathwork, meditation, or yoga
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Adequate downtime and boundaries
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Adaptogenic herbs such as ashwagandha*
Some clinics also offer IV nutrient therapy to replenish depleted vitamins and support energy production, helping the body better adapt to stressors.
Fuel Your Body with Immune-Supporting Nutrition
Functional medicine emphasizes food as a primary tool for healing. Antioxidants, amino acids, and minerals play a direct role in how your body prevents illness and recovers from oxidative stress.
Holiday-friendly immunity foods:
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Citrus fruits, bell peppers → Vitamin C
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Garlic → antimicrobial compounds
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Mushrooms → beta-glucans
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Leafy greens → folate & phytonutrients
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Bone broth → gut-supportive amino acids
Balanced nutrition helps immune cells respond quickly when needed—no extreme diets required.
Move Your Body (But Don’t Overdo It)
Moderate exercise increases circulation, which helps immune cells move efficiently through the body. People who stay physically active often experience fewer upper respiratory infections.⁵
Functional fitness tips:
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Aim for at least 150 minutes of movement weekly
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Mix strength training and low-impact cardio
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Prioritize recovery—especially with colder weather
Over-exercising can have the opposite effect and temporarily suppress immunity, so listen to your energy and don’t push to exhaustion. It may be more difficult to get outdoors to get your physical activity in during the colder months, but don't let that be your excuse for being sedentary.
Optimize Micronutrients & Advanced Immune Support
Even healthy eaters can develop nutrient gaps—especially in winter. It's important your body maintain the key immune supportive vitamins and nutrients it needs to work at it's optimal performance. The higher the quality the supplement, the more effective it is at protecting you. These are some of the vitamins and nutrients your body needs supplemented during the winter months:
Vitamin C
Antioxidant protection, supports white blood cells
Zinc
Helps immune cells grow and communicate
Glutathione
Powerful cellular detox antioxidant
B vitamins
Energy production + stress resilience
As a functional medicine practice, additional therapies we recommend to combat winter illness are:
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Targeted supplements
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Peptides that support immune modulation*
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Personalized testing to address deficiencies
These therapies can offer faster results than oral supplementation alone and help keep your system strong through holiday exposure to viruses.
The Functional Medicine Advantage This Winter
Instead of waiting for illness to slow you down, functional medicine empowers you to strengthen your baseline health now. When sleep, nutrition, stress, gut health, and micronutrient status are optimized, your immune system becomes more adaptable—ready to protect you throughout the season.
A winter wellness reset isn’t about restriction or drastic change. It’s about small, intentional adjustments that help you enjoy what matters most: time with family, making memories, and peace of mind.
If you’re ready to feel more resilient and supported this holiday season, a personalized immune wellness plan can help you stay strong from now into the New Year. Schedule a free consultation to get started at the link below.
References
Besedovsky, L. et al. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity – Sleep and immune function.
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Belkaid, Y. & Hand, T. Science – Role of gut microbiome in immunity.
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Prietl, B. et al. Nutrients – Vitamin D and immune response.
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Cohen, S. et al. PNAS – Stress and respiratory infection risk.
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Nieman, D. Journal of Sport & Health Science – Exercise and immune function.