When it's slowly getting cooler and wetter outside again, that's no reason to give up exercise. After all, autumn also offers ideal conditions for outdoor sports, such as jogging and cycling. Despite the many opportunities, however, the season also brings challenges, such as increased risks of injury and the onset of cold season. Here are our tips from MITOcare for a healthy, active autumn season:

#1 Stretching and warming up is a must - prevent injuries this way With the cold, the muscles also freeze and become stiff. Therefore, take special care to stretch before exercising and, for example, warm up for a few minutes first before jogging or similar.
Also, when jogging, for example, it is important not to stand still for too long. Run a little on the spot at a traffic light to keep the muscles warm.
Also, don't skip stretching after exercise. Tendons and ligaments are sometimes a bit more susceptible than usual in the fall and winter. In other words, they are put under greater strain by wetness and frost. Therefore, pay special attention to the health of the musculoskeletal system. In a nutshell: stretching, running in and running out take on a whole new meaning in fall and winter.

#2 Watch out for cold signs and strengthen the immune system The cold season is back and with it the cold and flu waves. It is true that exercise strengthens the immune system in the long term. However, it is initially weakened after sporting activity. Here, the body must regenerate and expend a lot of its energy to do so. Pathogens therefore have an easy time of it here. Therefore, make sure that you support your immune system - especially after sports.

#3 Choose suitable clothing The rule is: Better a little too thin than too thick. You may feel a little chilly at the beginning of the workout. However, the body warms up quickly. What may have been just right in the beginning will quickly become too much clothing. Additionally, apply the layering principle so that you can adapt clothing-wise to the conditions. Breathable clothing is also a must. Change clothes as soon as possible after training, as sweating causes the body to cool down again and you may feel hypothermic. The sweat on the clothes further accelerates this process. So we advise that you go indoors as soon as possible after your workout and do stretching exercises there as well. It's also much easier to chat with a workout buddy indoors. After all, who doesn't like doing sports in pairs or in a group?

#4 So find a workout buddy But why? It's simple: in fall and winter, it gets darker, motivation wanes, and the couch always seems cozier. That's where a workout buddy helps you stay on the ball and maintain or develop your athletic routine. If you know someone who does or wants to do the same sport and could use an extra dose of motivation, why not try something together?

#5 Are you breathing correctly? The topic of breathing is actually always important, but especially in autumn and winter, correct breathing is crucial for the health of the respiratory system. In cold weather, breathing should be done through the nose, so that the air is warmed and moistened. In addition, dust and dirt particles are filtered out. So: To protect the mucous membrane of the throat and to avoid a sore throat, you should breathe in through the nose.

#6 Delicious and Healthy Eating Of course, healthy, nutrient-rich foods are important year-round. But in the fall and winter, you have the opportunity to eat differently seasonally. Fall and winter vegetables such as red cabbage, savoy cabbage, kale or kohlrabi are rich in vitamins, taste delicious and can be integrated into your diet in a varied way. Tuber and root vegetables such as salsify, parsnips or Jerusalem artichokes are also good. Nevertheless, it can't hurt to talk to your doctor or therapist about whether additional supplementation , that is, supplementing your diet with nutrients might make sense for you. Especially on the subject of vitamin D.

With these tips you support your health in autumn! Whether during sports, afterwards or just because: The immune system is the top priority - because sick is not trained. In addition, you should take care of the ligamentous apparatus and continue (as always) to support the muscles, energy balance and performance do not let it slide.

If you would like to learn more about why vitamins & co. are so important for athletes, then read or listen to our (audio) blog here.