Fresh Food, More Rest: Simple Habits to Support Winter Health

A local nutritional therapist says winter wellness does not need to be complicated, and people do not need to strive for “perfect” health to feel better.

Paula Sharp said small, practical changes to how people eat, rest and care for themselves can make a noticeable difference to energy levels, immunity and overall wellbeing during the colder months.

Speaking about winter wellness, Sharp said many people only realise how exhausted or unwell they have been after improving their diet.

“Many people don't know how sick and tired they are until they change how they nourish themselves,” she said.

“And then they reflect back and go, ‘Wow, my energy was so low. I would wake up tired, or I was constantly unwell.’”

Sharp said gut health should be a major focus during winter because of its role in supporting immunity.

“Your microbiome literally produces and trains this immune system to do the right job,” she said.

Rather than aiming for perfection, Sharp encouraged people to focus on adding more nourishment to everyday meals.

“It’s ideas like, I’m having scrambled eggs today — let’s throw in a spring onion,” she said.

She said seasonal produce such as citrus fruit, kūmara, pumpkin and squash were especially valuable during winter.

“Nature knows that right now it’s autumn. It’s pumpkin and squashes, and our citrus is all coming in,” she said.

“This is all about building immunity.”

Sharp also encouraged people to buy local where possible, saying markets and roadside stalls often provided affordable fresh produce.

“We’ve got some amazing growers,” she said.

She said reducing exposure to pesticides and highly processed foods could support overall health, but warned against approaching food with fear or anxiety.

“Health doesn’t have to be perfect,” she said.

“We just need to lift ourselves up and look at food from a perspective of getting more fruit and vegetables back into our diet.”

Paula Sharp says looking after your gut health will go a long way in keeping you healthy this winter. 

Sharp said modern diets had shifted away from fresh ingredients and home cooking, with processed foods increasingly associated with comfort and reward.

“If you can read a label and you don’t actually understand what some of those words are, then I would say that is not something you should think of as food,” she said.

She said rebuilding confidence in cooking with fresh ingredients could help people reconnect with their health and independence.

“Cooking, baking, chopping fruit and vegetables — these are skills we can reclaim,” she said.

Rest and hydration were also critical during winter illness, Sharp said, with many people pushing through sickness instead of allowing themselves time to recover.

“People are so busy being busy that we will take a tablet in order to get on with the day,” she said.

“You have to recognise, actually, I’m really unwell. I need to put myself to bed with a large bottle of water and take the time to get better.”

Sharp said improving well-being does not require elaborate routines.

“Small changes can make big ripples,” she said.

“If you can introduce one piece of fresh fruit or vegetable into your weekly shop and then actually use it — let’s give it a shot.”