Winter is coming… and you know what that means. Cold season is coming too. I’ve already had one this fall, and now that I know how hard it is to take care of a baby when you’re sick, I’m doing everything I can to prevent more!

In addition to taking supplements, I’m trying to eat and drink for wellness. To me, that means cutting back on sugar and ramping up on immune-boosting ingredients. I’ll talk a little bit about both:

Cutting Back on Sugar:
I’ve never had a huge sweet tooth, but since I got pregnant, that has completely changed. I finally understand, for the first time in my life, why people have a hard time cutting sugar out of their diets. It’s truly addicting! Now that I’m breastfeeding, my cravings are even worse and it feels impossible to stop eating sweets.

But sugar is inflammatory and can weaken the immune system, so I know that it’s important… Not to mention causing a plethora of other problems in your body.

To cut back, I try to eat more natural sugars found in fruits but I also don’t want to overdo it there because it’s easy for me to go overboard. It’s a fine balance between treating myself and staying healthy. Smoothies are helpful for me because they’re sweet and indulgent, without any added sugars (the way I make them at least).

I don’t necessarily crave smoothies for breakfast when it’s cold out, but I like having them as an afternoon sweet treat or even in place of a sugary dessert.

Immune-Boosting Ingredients:
It’s not enough to just cut ingredients, I also try hard to eat and drink more immune-boosting ingredients like citrus and ginger and vitamins like zinc and vitamin C. Another fun one is apple cider vinegar. I try to do a shot of it mixed with lemon in the mornings but sometimes it’s rough to get down. If you have any tips, I’m all ears!

Back to plugging smoothies, they’re a great way to pack in a ton of these ingredients with a punch. I add vitamin D drops to all of mine in the winter. To absorb vitamin D, you need fat, so I always make sure to include almond or coconut butter too.

I also include ginger, orange, and even turmeric (an anti-inflammatory spice).

So without further ado, here is my new favorite immune-boosting ginger citrus smoothie. It tastes like a healthier creamsicle, curbs my sugar cravings, and helps prevent colds and flu. Triple win!

Immune-Boosting Smoothie (Serves 2)

Ingredients:
– ½ cup OJ
– ½ cup nut milk of your choice for creaminess (I like unsweetened cashew milk)
– ½ tspn grated ginger (I buy pre-ground and keep it in the fridge all winter long)
– ½ frozen banana
– ½ grapefruit
– 1 drop, vitamin D (1000IUs)
– 1 scoop collagen peptides protein powder (unflavored/unsweetened)
– ½ tspn, turmeric powder
– 1 tspn, coconut oil
– Optional: Dash of vanilla extract

Directions:
Blend all ingredients and enjoy!