Tips from the Naturheilzentrum Bottrop – experts help you stay healthy through the autumn

Farid Zitoun and Christian Rüger know what can help in case of autumn blues, colds & co.

The days are becoming distinctly shorter and considerably colder. The mild summer evenings on a terrace or in a beer garden are now often followed by autumn blues. Farid Zitoun and Christian Rüger from the Naturheilzentrum Bottrop know what is really important right now, during the transition from summer to autumn. According to the two alternative practitioners, a balanced diet is the key to staying healthy and fit through the colder season. “In autumn, our metabolism changes”, the Bottrop healers say. “This means that our body has to go through special adjustments.” In order to master these adjustments and defeat colds & co, it is possible to act preventatively at the table.

By loading the video, you accept YouTube’s privacy policy.
Learn more

Load video

Always unlock YouTube

“This works pretty easily”, the alternative practitioners say. If you know how it works, it will not be hard to nourish your body with everything it strongly needs in this season. Vegetables, fish and meat, milk and whole-grain products, vegetable oils and nuts not only are tasty, they also do “building work” for our immune system. And they also make us feel better and more vital. Health-food and mood-food, everything is possible.

Vitamins – useful fighters against runny noses: a balanced diet is essential

The key word is vitamins. “They are the central components of life, they protect us from viruses and colds”, the experts from Naturheilzentrum Bottrop explain. It is nothing new, yet it is not so easy to apply this knowledge. Which food is good for what? Where can I find the useful fighters against colds & co? Vitamin A, B1, C and D play an important role in a balanced diet for autumn and winter. “Vitamin D”, explains Farid Zitoun, “is produced in our skin as a reaction to sunlight exposure. In the upcoming autumn and winter months, it will be harder to produce vitamin D because of reduced sunlight hours.” Our diet can balance this deficiency. “And so it should. As vitamin D is important for calcium and phosphate metabolism. It strengthens and hardens our bones and protects us from viruses and bacteria”, Christian Rüger knows the most important vitamin D suppliers: salmon, mackerel and/or herring. “This is why fish should always be part of any diet” just like exercise outside. “Sunlight is essential for the production of vitamin D. So you should exercise outdoors at least 20 minutes a day”, Farid Zitoun adds.

Vitamin C: a true fighter against viruses and bacteria – three servings of fruit each day make our immune system healthy

The importance of vitamin C for the body’s own defenses is undisputed. Vitamin C supports the production of antibodies. “It is a real fighter against viruses, bacteria and germs, fundamental for tissue formation and protection”, states Farid Zitoun. Bell peppers, broccoli, brussels sprouts and sauerkraut are important vitamin C suppliers. And citrus fruits, of course. “We recommend three servings of fruit per day.”

Besides a runny nose, it is mostly the autumn blues that really affects many People. In order to fight it, an adequate supply of folic acid can truly help. “Folic acid is part of the vitamin B group”, explains the alternative practitioner, Christian Rüger. It strengthens the immune system and improves our vitality. The experts from the Naturheilzentrum Bottrop recommend raw vegetables and leafy greens. “Vegetables should only be steamed. Otherwise they will lose their folic acid.” For those who are into sweeter flavors, oranges are the best choice. Folic acid is also contained in fruit. For pregnant women, in particular, a balanced supply of folic acid is very important in order to prevent malformations.

Liver, nuts and sesame are great iron suppliers – not only tired men can benefit from them

“Those who suffer from symptoms like tiredness and a lack of motivation in the autumn should have their iron levels checked.” recommends the Bottrop-based Farid Zitoun. Women are statistically more affected by iron deficiency than men. A strictly vegetarian diet or blood loss due to heavy menstruation, surgeries or injuries can be the cause of such deficiencies. Dark game or lamb meat provides the body with iron. “Liver, too, is an iron supplier”, says the alternative practitioner, Farid Zitoun. The same holds true for kale, nuts or sesame. Whole-grain products, green peas and pork ensure a balanced energy and carbohydrates metabolism. “Important for the heart and the nerves”, Christian Rüger points out the importance of vitamin B1 in the colder season. “Our digestive system also needs more energy. In fact, in autumn and winter, we tend to have fatter and sweeter meals. In this way, vitamin B1 is wasted.”

Our mucous membranes help us defeat viruses, bacteria and germs. “If our immune system is not working, mucous membranes act as entry points for intruders.” Animal products such as eggs and meat, also, in this case, liver in particular, strengthen the mucous membranes thanks to their high vitamin A supply. The same holds true for sweet potatoes, carrots, tomatoes and broccoli.

Health experts completely go for nature – synthetic vitamins only if absolutely required

What nature can achieve, cannot be achieved so easily by synthetic supplements. Zitoun und Rüger from the Naturheilzentrum advise against synthetic vitamins that are not soluble in water. “One should use them only if really required”, the alternative practitioners recommend. “In fact, these vitamins cannot be excreted in case of overdosing.” Their tip: have your vitamin levels checked every once in a while. This makes you more aware. Iron-based food supplements are also questioned by the health experts. “Such a decision must be discussed with your general practitioner or your alternative practitioner”, they recommend, “This could otherwise lead to intolerances or constipation.”

Salts with great effects– ferrum phosphoricum, silicea & co. should strengthen our immune system

In order to stay healthy through the autumn, a Schuessler mineral-salt-based cure is often recommended, according to the experts from Naturheilzentrum Bottrop. “To be used between three and six weeks”, explains Farid Zitoun. Adults can take two pills in the morning, at lunchtime and in the evening, children up to 12 years of age just one pill. In the morning “ferrum phosphoricum D12”, Schuessler salt number three, is on the plan. At lunchtime number 17 (manganum sulfuricum D6) and in the evening number 11 (silicea d12). “It is very easy to take the salts “, explains Christian Rüger. “All you need to do is let the pill melt on your tongue or dissolve it in a glass of water.”

The treatment with Schuessler salts can prepare the body for the upcoming colder season. In alternative medicine, ferrum is also known as a good supplementary remedy against infections and inflammatory diseases, manganum sulfuricum is involved in almost every metabolic process in the body and the individual organs. Silicea, or silica, is one of the oldest remedies used by mankind. It is important for the formation and strengthening of many tissues, such as the lymphatic tissue. Silica can also help in the improvement of certain immune cells. A good preparation is fundamental, but it is not enough. The Naturheilzentrum Bottrop experts both agree on this. In summary: “In order to stay healthy through the autumn, there is much we can do. In case viruses and bacteria should still hit you, it is recommendable to consult an expert, e.g. A physician or an alternative practitioner.”