At this stage, you’re probably wondering whether you need to eat more fibre or sauerkraut to avoid catching a cold. But van Haeften explains that it’s not so simple: “When it comes to nutrients that support gut health, we also need to be able to absorb them well – so if the gut wall is compromised, absorption of nutrients from food is likely impacted as well. Bit of a vicious cycle.”

Eat foods that will nourish the mucosal membranes

That means loading up on 30 plants a day or chugging your weight in vitamin C might not have the desired effect. It’s more important, van Haeften says, to choose foods that can nourish and support the epithelial cells in the gut and encourage the health of the mucosal membranes in the body. Such as bone broth, lion’s mane mushrooms and marshmallow root tea.

But the more commonly championed immunity nutrients like vitamin D, zinc and vitamin A are still also really important to support the mucosal lining of the gut, too. Chickpeas and lentils are rich in zinc, while oily fish like salmon and tuna contain plenty of vitamin D. For vitamin A, load up on orange and yellow veg such as carrots, squash and peppers.

“Foods which are prebiotic and probiotic are also important to support the diversity and health of the gut microbiome, contributing to a healthy gut environment and healthy immune response.” So that’s your yoghurt, kimchi and miso.

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