8 best immune-boosting products to bolster your defences

If the experts agree on one thing about immunity, it’s that the gut plays a huge role. In Kalinik’s view, it is vital to create diversity of diet to feed the different kinds of bacteria in the gut, and then to offer a helping hand if needed in the form of Symprove.

This water-based probiotic doesn’t trigger digestion, meaning that each shot of live, active bacteria has a good chance of colonising the gut. We followed the instructions, taking a shot ten or more minutes before eating breakfast, and noticed myriad benefits after a four week trial including less bloating, better skin, and fewer cravings for sugar. Note: it tastes a little sour, but once accustomed to the flavour the daily shot easily slotted into our routine.

Designed to be taken during times of stress or when you feel those first niggling signs of an illness about to descend, this herbal tincture is packed with ingredients that act as immunomodulators (aka the things that stimulate the immune system to fight infection). They’re also antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-fungal, so will speed up recovery.

We liked that these can be tailored to when you need them – they’re the sort of thing it would be wise to stash in your fridge during the winter for coughs and colds that try to emerge. Plus, they taste quite delicious once dissolved in water.

Vitamin D plays an essential role in immunity, and a deficiency has been linked to autoimmune diseases including multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes mellitus, and inflammatory bowel disease. It’s produced in the body when it’s exposed to sunlight; but in the autumn and winter months in the UK, we can’t get enough sun to meet the body’s Vitamin D requirements. So, most nutritionists and doctors recommend supplementing it from September to April. This sublingual spray makes it very easy to take – we just sprayed a little on the inside of our cheek every morning for a daily dose of Vitamin D.

This purifier reduces the assault on your immune system from pollutants, toxic gases, and allergens, as well as circulating air effectively to ensure its quality is the same throughout the room. If you’re someone who finds that you often fall ill with respiratory illnesses, this would be a really worthy investment.

We deemed this one a winner over other models because it’s easy and intuitive to use, incorporating details like; a display that can be dimmed so you can sleep with it in your bedroom; a clever sensor that automatically controls the machine’s functions to filter air – while still maintaining the flow of clean air into the room.

Sleep is a massive factor in maintaining both innate and adaptive immunity – meaning that if you get enough quality sleep, your body is both better protected from harmful materials, and will respond better when those barriers are breached. Simba Sleep mattresses hold a global patent for the conical spring design, which means your body is supported properly, while the breathable sleep surface makes for a comfortable, cooling exterior. We loved the sense of the mattress being firm yet cosy, and found we drifted off – and remained asleep throughout the night – much more easily on this.

Harnessing the power of lactoferrin, this chewable supplement combines it with zinc and vitamin C to give your immune system a hand when it needs it. Lactorferrin is a protein that exists at the entry points to our body and is part of the first line of defence against bacteria and viruses. It’s also a key component of a mother’s milk which is what gives optimal immunity to babies.

It works by recruiting white blood cells in the body to quash the infection, then brings everything back into balance once the threat has passed. We tried these tablets when a miserable cold was threatening to set in, chewing on one twice a day, and found that not only did the cold lift quickly (after two days all symptoms were gone) but would happily take one daily during the more challenging winter months, too.

In Chinese medicine, stagnation is equated with poor health and free flow of chi (life force) with good health. Wei chi, in particular, is believed to have a relationship with defending the body, and as such, circulation is considered vital for good health.

This body tapper is made from environmentally-friendly bamboo, and, once used to the sensation, we loved tapping the invigorating tool cross our body every day. It felt like a mini massage and was a dab hand at releasing muscle tension. Bonus: it also aids lymphatic drainage, which both helps the immune system out can help to reduce puffiness and bloating.

While echinacea has long been considered a clever supplement to take when coming down with a cold, studies are increasingly emerging to suggest that elderberry can also inhibit a virus’s entry and replication in cells, as well as strengthen the immune response. This tea blends both along with acerola cherry for a tart tea that we found delicious in the afternoon as a pick-me-up.