Are You Ready for This Flu Season?
The flu season officially began last month, and is expected to peak January through March. Now is the time to get your immune system in the best possible position to provide a "hedge of protection" around your body.
An immune system that is not functioning as it should can allow viral and bacterial pathogens such as colds, flu, and infection to take hold. But there are vitamins and minerals, along with other proven fruit and plant extracts, that can keep your immune system strong:
Vitamins and Minerals
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Vitamins D plays an important role in immune function, protecting against flu, colds and respiratory infections. There also appears to be a correlation of the occurrence of the flu to the geography and the season of an area. The further a region is from the equator geographically, the weaker the sun's rays and the less vitamin D people will produce. The other factor is the season; in the colder months, people are less likely to be getting sun exposure outdoors.
Vitamins A, C and Vitamin E - These antioxidants vitamins help eliminate the free radicals which damage our cells, which leaves our immune system free to fight off disease and infection. Vitamins A, C and E also increase the number and responsiveness of the lymphocytes, which fight off foreign invaders in our body.
Copper and Selenium - Essential to immune system function, these minerals appear to be a strong stimulant of white blood cells (copper) and Natural Killer (NK) cells (selenium).
Zinc - Enhances immune function at 25-35mg (excessive amountmore than 50-100mg) may over-stimulate it.
Herbs and Food Extracts
Elderberry Fruit - May cut flu symptoms by inhibiting viruses and stimulating immune response.
Astragalus - One of the most important things you can take to balance the immune system, this herb increases T cell and T helper cell (the mobile command centers of the immune system) counts.
Blueberry Fruit and Pomegranate fruit - Potent antioxidants and bioflavonoids.
Eleuthero Root or Siberian Ginseng - Increases T-lymphocytes, and increases resistance to stress, fatigue and illness.
Special Notes:
The herbs Echinacea and goldenseal are useful for short periods of time to help you get over a cold or flu, but it is not recommended that they be used long-term or on a daily basis.
Other Compounds
Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria bifidum - There has been growing evidence that probiotics, the beneficial bacteria in your digestive tract, play an important role in immunity. A recent study found that subjects on a daily probiotic bacteria supplement combined with a vitamin and mineral supplement had a 'significantly higher' response than the placebo group. Researchers also found that respiratory tract infections were reduced by more than 13% in the supplement group, and among those who did develop an infection, the symptoms were reduced and didn't last as long.
Other ingredients that support immunity in the GI tract:
Arabinigalactan - This herbal prebiotic enhances immune cell function in the intestinal tract and increases killer cells.
L-Glutamine - This amino acid is an energy source for immune cells and enhances the ability of the intestinal lining to resist invasions by harmful microorganisms.
Inulin - A fiber-like prebiotic that increases the friendly flora of the GI tract and prevents virus and yeast from adhering to the GI tract.
Glucono-delta-lactone - Creates a barrier against the bad bacteria that might invade the body through the GI tract.
Our Immunity Support contains these (except vitamin D, found in Basic Nutrient Support) and other nutrients, herbs extracts and compounds recommended to achieve optimal immune function, in a convenient formula that is safe enough to take every day – before, during and after flu season.
It has been designed to be taken with Basic Nutrient Support, which supplies the full spectrum of nutritional support – including vitamins, minerals, extracts, enzymes, bioflavonoids, and marine oils – needed to maintain a basis of good health.
