Your Immunity:
Stay Healthy When the Crud Comes Creeping In
Here’s a question for you: How are your doctor bills these days? How about your insurance premiums? Do you find you’re taking one round of antibiotics after another? Are you tired of it? We thought so.
With the stressors we put our bodies through, it’s no wonder we’re sick on a routine basis! That said, it’s nice to know there are options to stay strong, healthy, and out of the doctor’s office.
And so, we thought it would be a good idea to give you some helpful alternatives to help keep your immunity boosted and strong.
This blog post is broken up into three different categories:
What to take when your family starts feeling sick
What to take when you’re sick
What to take throughout the season to maintain a healthy immunity
Before we begin with the good stuff, it’s a good time to remind you – we aren't doctors! Even though we’d like to play one on TV.
Always check with your doctor before trying any of the following options.
To start things off…
It’s always good to consider the foods you eat when supporting your immunity. Consuming whole foods without preservatives for their medicinal properties is a great way to eat healthy while keeping your body strong. Due to the current state of the mineral content in our soils, whole foods may not provide you with all the vitamins and minerals you need. That said, sticking with higher quality, organic foods is key when staving off nasty bugs and infections. The trick is to not ingest foods and beverages that contain a lot of preservatives and sugars that may hinder your immune system.
With that said, let’s learn about the additional support you can give yourself during this season.
How do you stay healthy when your family gets sick?
Your immune system is a robust structure that fights off infections and nasty bugs all the time. To help aid in its defense mechanism, there are three things you’ll want to consider taking when your family, friends and neighbors start to get sick. These are:
Vitamin C
Elderberry
Water
Let’s dig into what each of these ingredients do for your body.
What does Vitamin C do for your immune system?
In a nutshell, vitamin C supports the cellular function of your immune system.₁ Meaning, it makes your immune system work more efficiently.
Even though taking Vitamin C won’t prevent you from catching a cold, for example, it can reduce the severity and amount of time you have it. In fact, according to healthline.com, “A review of 31 studies found that consuming 1-2 grams of vitamin C daily reduced cold duration by 18% in children and 8% in adults.”₁
In other words, taking vitamin C before and during the sickness will keep you from suffering worse than not taking it at all.
In fact, having a vitamin C deficiency tends to prolong wound healing, while taking it speeds up the healing process.
The medical community states that the standard dosage of Vitamin C is between 1000-2000 mg. If you're in close proximity to other sick humans, 2000 mg is probably best.₁
When taking vitamin C as a supplement, it’s important to make sure that it’s in the form of an ascorbic acid. Ascorbic acid vitamin C ensures that it’s more bioavailable – meaning your body will absorb it more easily.₁
You can take vitamin C as a supplement, such as Mary Ruth’s Vitamin C Liposomal Liquid (a fantastic option to speed up absorption), and include it in your food by eating citrus fruits and chili peppers such as habaneros.
Elderberry helps your immune system stay boosted.
Elderberries are packed with vitamins such as vitamin B, B6, vitamin C, and vitamin E.₂ Because they’re high in antioxidants, they’re a great option for taming inflammation and reducing stress, which can help protect your heart, too!₂
Experts claim that elderberries ease cold and flu symptoms, and can be used as a treatment for the following:₂
Breathing infections
Fever and headaches
Stress
Kidney problems
Joint and muscle aches and pains
These are just a few of many ailments.
Remember: Elderberry works best when taken as soon as you notice others getting sick, or as soon as you start noticing your own symptoms.
Plus, you have options! You can take elderberry as a tea, an immunity syrup, or in supplement form. A good supplement for adults would be Terry Naturally ViraPro Elderberry Immune Blend. For the kiddos, try Terry Naturally ViraPro Kids Elderberry Immune Blend.
Now, let’s talk about hydration.
When it comes to staying healthy, drink water. Lots of it.
Every cell in your body needs water to function properly. This includes your immune system.
What are some ways water helps?𖾔
It helps your body absorb vital nutrients needed to stay healthy and fight off infections.
It maintains healthy mucus membranes needed to capture the nasty bugs trying to enter your body.
It is a key component of the lymphatic system – which contains specialized white blood cells used to fight off infections.
It’s simple: Water helps to flush the bad stuff out of your body.
Drink water before, during, and after an infection to keep your body working as it should. As a good rule of thumb, aim for six to eight 16 oz glasses of water daily.
Supplementing your day with vitamin C and elderberry and drinking plenty of water keeps people healthy when the cold and flu season hits hard. And in the event that you may get sick after taking these precautions, chances are you will prevent yourself from getting more ill than not doing anything at all.
That said, there is still a chance of coming down with a bug.
You’re Sick. Now What Do You Do?
To maintain a semblance of health, continue drinking water and taking vitamin C and elderberry. And then consider supplementing with the following:
Zinc
Monolaurin
Melatonin
Fire Brew
These will help to supplement your immune system to get you back in the swing of things.
What makes them so special? Let’s take a look.
What does Zinc do for your immunity?
Zinc carries out almost 100 enzymatic reactions in the body, including creating DNA and aiding in cell growth.₄ And during times of sickness it supports your immune system and aids in healing damaged tissue.₄
Zinc is in a variety of foods. Consider eating the following:₄
Beef
Poultry
Pork
Nuts and seeds
Legumes
Whole grains
Shellfish such as crab, lobster, and oyster
If these foods are not in your diet, pay attention to possible zinc deficiency symptoms.
A deficiency in zinc can cause the following:₄
Loss of taste and smell
Poor appetite
Hair loss
Diarrhea
Depressed mood
Delayed wound healing
Decreased immunity
But remember: Just because you may be at risk of a zinc deficiency, that doesn’t mean you should take as much zinc as you can. Indeed, there is such a thing as too much zinc.
Symptoms of zinc toxicity include:₄
Nausea and vomiting
Headaches
Diarrhea (yes – too much or too little zinc causes the same reaction…)
Poor appetite (again…)
Abdominal pain or cramping
Before supplementing with zinc, talk to your doctor about a safe dose that works for you. And if you feel supplementing with zinc is your best option, Mary Ruth’s Organic Liquid Ionic Zinc is a great choice. It comes in droplets to allow for more effective absorption.
Moving on, let’s talk about Monolaurin.
Monolaurin is great at preventing diseases from spreading.
Monolaurin is a supplement made from lauric acid, which is found in coconut oil and breast milk. Its main function is to prevent bacteria and viral growth.₅
Monolaurin’s powerful benefits include:₆
Antibacterial – effective against antibiotic resistance infections such as staff.
Antimicrobial – kills off bad microorganisms and bacteria. But it doesn’t cause antibiotic resistance, nor does it harm the “good bacteria.”
Antiviral – works by binding to the virus’s lipid protein, preventing the virus from attaching and entering into host cells. This keeps the virus from replicating, allowing your body’s immune system to continue fighting the infection.
It turns out, Monolaurin is amazing at preventing the spread of the following viruses:₆
The common cold
Swine flu
Herpes
Influenza (Flu)
Shingles
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
In fact, Monolaurin is so good, pharmaceutical companies are currently trying to get legislation passed, preventing it from being sold over the counter. In other words, get it while you can.
Interested in keeping this vital supplement in your medicine cabinet? We got you covered. Try Nature’s Life Monolaurin + Zinc. It combines both zinc and monolaurin in one capsule!
Melatonin for immunity? Yes, please!
Melatonin is known as the hormone that signals the body to prepare for sleep. But there’s so much more to melatonin than most know. (So much, in fact, there should be a whole other blog post about it.)
For instance, melatonin protects against stress.
According to Dr. John Lieurance, a Chiropractic Neurologist, Naturopath, and author of the book, Melatonin Miracle: Supra-Physiologic Dosing, melatonin is the “ultimate stress protector.” It protects you from all kinds of stressors. When we say stress, we mean toxicity, mental stress, infections, emotional stress, and electromagnetic stress. And stress of any kind causes inflammation in the body, which is present in all diseases!₇
Inflammation shows up in things called inflammatory cytokines. When an infection occurs, it causes a cytokine “storm.” When these cytokines come in contact with cells, the cells try to buffer the stress of the cytokines. This creates a hormetic zone.
A hormetic zone is where the body starts to become stronger due to the stress it's being exposed to – much like running, weight lifting, or cold plunging.₇ Which is great! But, it’s when the body gets exposed to too many toxins and stressors that it gets exposed to what Dr. Lieurance calls “the danger zone.”₇
And that's when melatonin is produced – to protect the body from the danger zone. Melatonin is what is produced in your cells’ mitochondria to quench the stress your cells are exposed to.₇
Want an example? Check this out.
Taking melatonin as a supplement even protects your skin from UV light. A patient of Dr. Lieurance was given 200 mg of melatonin daily. Picture a red-headed, white male who burns easily. He didn’t burn. He tanned! The melatonin was able to allow the body to protect itself from the harmful UV rays by creating melanin at a faster, stress-less rate.₇
In fact, whatever is taking place in the body determines where melatonin is being produced.₈ Typically, melatonin is produced in the pineal gland. But “if there is an acute immune response taking place, melatonin production shifts from the brain to the site of the injury where it functions as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory molecule.”₈
Indeed, melatonin is a little-known wonder that provides powerful results in protecting the body from inflammation and infection. To arm yourself with a supplemental melatonin, consider getting Source Naturals Sleep Science Peppermint Melatonin Lozenges.
But this list doesn’t stop with melatonin. When you need something effective to fend off infection, try Fire Brew.
Fire Brew is the tonic you need to fight infections.
Fire Brew is an all-natural healing tonic that contains just nine ingredients. These ingredients pack a powerful punch that kick-starts your immune system in no time. Fire Brew contains all the effective immune boosting ingredients without anything added.
What are these power-filled ingredients?
Apple cider vinegar – contains “the mother,” a colony of good bacteria that counteracts the bad bacteria that may be found in the gut.
Citrus fruits – packed with vitamin C, known to increase the production of white blood cells that fight viruses.
Onions – contains the robust antioxidant quercetin. Quercetin reduces inflammation and increases the body’s ability to absorb zinc and fight off infections.
Horseradish – contains immunity boosting nutrients like vitamin C and zinc. It also reduces inflammation, fights cell damage, and improves respiratory health.
Ginger – boosts immunity through its antimicrobial and antifungal properties provided through a bioactive compound called gingerol. It also contains antioxidants and anti inflammatories. Plus, it lowers fevers and relieves symptoms of the flu and common cold.
Turmeric – a root that contains curcuminoids, a compound that provides ultra-powerful anti inflammatories and antioxidants. This stuff works like magic in fighting inflammation and neutralizing your body from free radicals.
Garlic – The uses for garlic are many. It’s an antifungal, antiseptic, and antibacterial agent. It’s known to treat a slew of ailments, including yeast infections, chronic bronchitis, influenza (flu), chronic mucus buildup, intestinal worms, chronic earaches, recurrent colds and respiratory infections, sore throat, and sinus problems.
Habanero – this spicy pepper has six times the amount of vitamin C than that of an orange, according to the book, 75 Exciting Vegetables for Your Garden. It also helps to relieve cold and respiratory problems and clear out sinuses and mucus membranes. Habanero causes your body to sweat, which eliminates toxins. It contains antibacterial properties and prevents yeast and Candida infections from starting or spreading. And due to its antioxidant properties, it helps repair damage from free radicals that cause cancer.
Rosemary – contains antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. Consuming it also boosts the immune system, fights infections, and lowers the risk of future infections.
Yeah. It has all that. Be consistent with the recommended dosage and just see what happens.
Now. What should you do once you’re out of the funk? Two words: Vitamin D and water.
Water and vitamin D help to maintain a healthy immune function, everyday.
Water is essential for every function of your body. And it’s particularly important for your immune system. To review…
It aids with vital nutrient absorption.
It maintains healthy mucus membranes needed to capture the nasty bugs and viruses trying to enter your body.
It’s the key component of the lymphatic system, which contains white blood cells used to fight infections.
It helps to flush your body of toxins.
And what about Vitamin D? Well, it turns out a lack of Vitamin D decreases your risk of infection. This is especially true for upper respiratory infections such as tuberculosis, influenza, and viral upper respiratory tract infections.₁₀
While your body naturally produces Vitamin D, you also need things like sunlight for it to be produced. Winter, a time when we typically receive less sunshine, is usually the cold and flu season. This is why a supplemental form of vitamin D during the dark winter months should be considered.
Sometimes, your immune system needs all the help it can get.
Look. We’re not here to tell you how to live your life. But what we are here to do is to help you live your best life. And a healthy life is a happy life. Health allows you to accomplish everything else you need to do.
With that, we’d love to hear from you! What works for you when the flu season comes around? What do you do for your family to keep them healthy and strong? And what do you wish you had the answers to? Your responses could very well end up on a future blog post. Contact us at the Natural Nutrition House and let us know!
References
[1] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-much-vitamin-c-should-i-take-daily
[2] https://www.webmd.com/diet/elderberry-health-benefits
[5] https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1149/monolaurin
[6] https://martinswellness.com/blog/post/monolaurin-benefits
[8] https://sanescohealth.com/blog/melatonin-and-the-immune-system/
[10] https://www.cnet.com/health/nutrition/why-vitamin-d-is-crucial-for-immune-health/