It seems there is a lot of gunk going around right now - colds, flu, and of course, the vid. One of the most common questions I get this time of year is, "What supplements should I be taking to help my immune system?" The problem is, this question often comes AFTER the person is already feeling under the weather. And while you do want to take your supplements while sick, more importantly, you want to have them on hand BEFORE you get sick so that you are not scrambling to send loved ones to the store to get what you need after you are already ill. In addition, taking them preventatively will help you to boost your immune system, possibly helping you to avoid all that is going around.
I have been "stocking up" for the past several months so that when illness hit our family, we would be prepared. There are no guarantees you will totally avoid getting sick because there are so many factors that can impact your immune system like the foods you are eating, getting enough sleep, and stress. Even one night of poor sleep can depress your immune system leaving you susceptible. However, getting the right combination of vitamins and minerals will help you fight off what you have come in contact with, and reduce your symptoms.
I love Metagenic's Immune Defense Packs because it gives you what you need in convenient "grab and go" packets. In addition it's the right dosing for what is being recommended by many of the frontline doctors currently treating COVID patients. However, these vitamins can also be used to treat cold and flu as well as other viruses. For more information on COVID treatment protocols please go to https://covid19criticalcare.com/. It's a wonderful website packed with information to help you both prophylactically, as well as for treatment for active infection.
Many people understand the basics of taking Vitamin C this time of year, but there are several other key components that are also critical in helping the body fight off illness.
Zinc - This is a critical element for many things in the body. It is found in found in foods such as red meat, fish and poultry. Zinc is helpful with boosting our immune function as well as for blood clotting and thyroid function. When taken with quercetin (see below) zinc helps to stop viruses from replicating in the cells. This is what we want to happen when we are infected with a virus. We want to stop the replication. Zinc also works as an anti-oxidant to prevent cell damage, and as an anti-inflammatory.
Quercetin - Quercetin is an anti-oxidant found in red wine, onions, apples, berries, and green tea. It also has significant anti-viral properties; however, its biggest benefit is it acts and as an ionophore for zinc. This means, quercetin helps to push zinc right into the middle of our cells where it can stop virus replication. The two work hand in hand.
Vitamin D - There have been many studies conducted in the past two years to show that low levels of Vitamin D were heavily associated with an increase risk of complications and severe illness. We know that having a Vitamin D level of at least 50 ng/ml is helpful in obtaining optimal health. The best source of Vitamin D comes from the sun; however, in the winter month this can be increasingly hard to come by, especially in northern climates. Supplementing with Vitamin D becomes very important when you can't get outside on a regular basis to take in the sunshine.
Vitamin C - One of the more well known vitamins of the bunch is Vitamin C. However, what is not as commonly known is it works in tandem with zinc and quercetin to help the body fight off viruses. Vitamin C has important anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune-enhancing properties, and it works synergistically with zinc and quercetin.
NAC - NAC is a form of the amino acid cysteine. It helps the body produce an anti-oxidant called glutathione which can be critical in helping to reduce respiratory distress making it a great add to the regime. Glutathione helps keep our cells healthy.
The body is so complex. It needs a variety of healthy foods to get all the necessary nutrients to run properly. However, in our fast paced, quick moving society, it's virtually impossible to get all that we need just from our food alone. And in times of added stress, when viruses are running rampant, it becomes necessary for us to supplement in order to give our bodies what is needed
to function properly. This is why I'm such a huge fan of the Immune Defense Pack by Metagencis. Now you can certainly take all of the above separately, but it's a pain to dose that out each day from separate bottles. If you are interested in adding this to your medicine cabinet, you can grab it HERE.
Remember the goal is to be prepared, and not scramble at the last minute. Hopefully, you learned a bit about what it takes to help boost your immune system. Stay safe and be well friends!
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