‘I’m a GP and this is the 1 food you should be eating every week from October’

After multiple heatwaves and long days filled with sunshine, we’re now entering the time of year when temperatures begin to drop and the sun makes a much rarer appearance. Alongside the changing conditions, cold and flu season is also upon us, meaning Brits should do all they can to keep their health in top shape by making small changes to their daily habits, including their diets.

GP Dr Kafi Omar told the Express that as it gets “cooler and there’s less sun”, the thing you want to be doing is optimising your vitamin D intake. The majority of vitamin D is obtained from sunlight, meaning that during the winter months, when daylight hours are shorter and people spend more time indoors, it can be harder to get enough.

Maintaining healthy vitamin D levels is particularly important during the autumn and winter months, as the lack of sunlight makes it more difficult for the body to produce the vitamin naturally. Vitamin D also plays an important role in supporting the immune system, helping the body defend itself against illnesses such as colds and flu.

That being said, while supplements are readily available from pharmacies and supermarkets, there is one food in particular that could provide a particularly good boost.

“One thing I recommend to all patients is having vitamin supplementation, over the counter ideally, as the majority of vitamin D is obtained from the sun, and we don’t get that in abundance,” Dr Kafi told the Express.

“You get that from your oily fish as well, so oily fish once or twice a week. You get your omega-3 and vitamin D from that.”

Oily fish is one of the best natural dietary sources of vitamin D, with salmon, herring and mackerel among some of the top choices for this nutrient.

As well as boosting your vitamin D intake, Dr Kafi advises having “lots of protein to support the immune system and support muscle growth, as you’re generally a lot more inactive” during the colder seasons. He also recommends getting your five-a-day to maintain your vitamin C intake and staying hydrated.

To summarise, he said: “A varied, balanced diet, protein, vitamin D supplementation, oily fish for your omega-3 and vitamin D as well, and hydration is what I recommend.

“It’s just about optimising and tinkering slightly with what you are already doing, and making sure you’re getting a good diet, a good amount of exercise, smoking cessation, reducing your alcohol and making sure you’re having a non-sedentary lifestyle.”