Boost Your Immunity During Cold Season!

It happens every winter: You're working frantically to get those last few projects done before the holidays, there's still shopping and cleaning to do, and the relatives are flying into town in the morning. You become aware of a tiny tickle in your nose, then a sneeze, then another. By evening, you're flat on your back shivering under the covers. This wasn't suppose to happen, you're taking your vitamins. While it's true that a cure for colds and flu does not exist, research over the past decade offers the potential to help the immune system fight off these bugs as well as, speed healing, if one of them has laid you low.

Our immune system is very complex. It is composed of numerous organs and cells (like white blood cells) that protect us against harmful organisms. A major concern is that immune suppression or weakness can predispose us to infections as well as cancer; these diseases may generally deplete our energy level and vitality. Overwork, multiple stresses, and lack of rest, exercise and sleep tend to deplete our energy, our strength, and our ability to defend ourselves. These imbalances are the basis of immune weakness, and this leaves us more vulnerable to outside influences.

Supporting the immune system is critical to good health. There is not any single magic bullet that can immediately restore immune function. Instead, a comprehensive approach involving lifestyle, stress management, exercise, diet, and supplements is used.

Lifestyle: Remove factors that may be interfering with your body's ability to fend off illness. Excess sugar and alcohol, smoking, environmental toxins, obesity and food allergies all must be corrected for optimal immune function.

Stress: When you are stressed out, your adrenal glands pump out hormones that depress your body's ability to fight off organisms. Staying calm and relaxed helps to balance our immune function. At least seven hours of sleep per day is essential for peak immune function.

Diet: To improve immune function you may benefit by following these simple guidelines:
• Eat a diet that is rich in a variety of vegetables, fresh fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts, and seeds.
• Cut out sugar as it makes your white blood cells sluggish.
• Decrease your intake of saturated fats and cholesterol as they suppress immunity.
• Eat sufficient but not excessive amounts of protein. Protein is needed to make white blood cells.
• Take a high potency vitamin and mineral supplement.

Exercise: Regular exercise has been shown to improve immune status. Light to moderate exercise is beneficial to the immune system. From yoga, oriental martial arts, running, swimming, dancing, skiing, to walking, exercise is good for mind and body. At the mental level, exercise provides a focus for our concentration, and an outlet for expressing pent-up emotions. At the body level, movement benefits the immune system, strengthens the cardiac system and can increase flexibility, agility and coordination. Remember to make it easy and practical. Start with five minutes each morning in some form of exercise. A five minute commitment is not too great for any person, yet can produce great benefits.

Supplements: Luckily, much has been discovered about enhancing immunity, and a variety of supplements are now available to bolster immunity. Some of these substances have a long history of supporting good health; others are the result of modern research.

Again, as in all things, common sense and discrimination should be the operative words in choosing what supplements to take. There are a myriad of brands available at most health food stores, and stocking up on everything can be extremely expensive. The most important vitamins and minerals, which have known therapeutic properties, as immune-enhancers include the antioxidants. All antioxidants (Vitamins A, B's, E and C) stimulate white blood cells that destroy bacteria, yeast and certain tumor cells.

Vitamin C is probably the most important antioxidant. Vitamin C levels have been found to be inadequate in the presence of situations such as surgery, stress, progressive disease, as well as, colds and other infections. A higher level of intake, about 4 to 10 grams is recommended. A buffered Vitamin C such as Ester C is often better tolerated than regular vitamin C especially at these higher doses. Vitamin C should be taken in divided doses as tolerated. If excessive gas or diarrhea occurs, reduce the dosage.

Zinc is involved with immune function on many levels. It can act against certain viruses, such as those that cause the common cold. It also protects our skin structures and is required for absorption of nutrients by the intestinal tract. When zinc levels are low, the number of cells that fight infection plummets and certain white cell functions shut down. Usual dosage is 15 to 30 mg daily. During infection, doses can be increased to 75 to 150 mg per day for no more than one week. If you feel a cold coming on, zinc lozenges have been shown to reduce the duration of the common cold. One lozenge is dissolved in the mouth every two hours for up to seven days.

Vitamin E encourages development of white blood cells and improves antibody formation. Vitamin E supplements have been shown to boost the immune response. The maintenance dose is 400 IU daily. During infection doses higher than 800 IU may actually inhibit some immune function.

Selenium is an important antioxidant that protects the thyroid and thymus glands. The typical American diet is deficient in selenium, so supplementation is necessary to boost immune function. The maintenance dose is 200 mcg per day, up to 400 mcg per day during infection.

B vitamins help stimulate immune function and antibody formation. A B-complex 50 is a good way to get a balance of all the necessary B vitamins.

Germanium is a trace element that is present in extremely small amounts in almost all food. In order to obtain enough germanium for a therapeutic effect, you would have to consume enormous quantities of foods. Supplementing with germanium improves the immune system through several pathways, resulting in significant antifungal and antimicrobial activity. Germanium also inhibits the growth of a variety of yeasts, including Candida albicans. Yeast infections often follow a course of antibiotics, due to the disruption of the body's normal bacterial balance. Taking germanium while on antibiotics, may help reduce vaginal yeast infections that are so common in women.

Germanium supplementation is also helpful for those who frequently travel on airplanes. Improving the bodies immune system may help fight off the colds to which frequent fliers are often exposed. Germanium also restores an impaired immune response. Germanium is virtually nontoxic and well tolerated. Supplementing with one lozenge twice daily may help to prevent cold and flu or enhance your immune system if you are already sick.

Elderberry is an old remedy for coughs, sinus congestion, and for reducing swelling of a sore throat. Elderberry also promotes the removal of waste products from the body, and is considered a powerful immune stimulant. Elderberry prevents viruses from entering cells and inhibits their duplication. Elderberry also contains natural vitamins A, B's,and C as well as bioflavonoids. Germanium/Elderberry lozenges are available exclusively at Rx Options.

Olive Leaf Extract is a natural supplement with many potential medicinal benefits. Studies claim that its benefits include boosting patient's energy and aiding in the treatment of viral conditions, flu and colds, fungal infections, chronic fatigue and allergies. The olive leaf compound possesses a number of unique properties for broad viral killing power. It also stimulates the white blood cells to ingest harmful organisms and foreign matter.

Unlike synthetic antibiotics, it destroys only the bad bacteria and protects the good. Medical research suggests that when this supplement is taken orally, it searches out and “inactivates” the bacteria. People who lead stressful lives or who may be particularly susceptible to colds and viruses may benefit from long-term use of olive leaf extract as a preventative agent. Usual dosage is 1 to 2 capsules daily.

Beta 1,3 Glucan is a safe and very potent nutritional supplement that protects the whole body by enhancing the immune system and fighting free radicals that cause cell damage. It helps the body destroy organisms helping to prevent disease. One of the most exciting abilities of beta 1,3 glucan is its capability to aid other medications, such as antibiotics, to work much more efficiently. Beta 1,3 glucan can also be used to enhance the effects of other products that fight infections, inflammation and other immune stressors like allergies, poor diet, bad work habits, etc. Usual dosage is one capsule daily.

Echinacea is a widely used herb for enhancing the immune system. Echinacea can be used as a treatment for many types of infections such as flu, upper respiratory, urinary tract, or genitals. One of the most popular uses of echinacea is in treating the common cold. Follow the dosage recommended on the label, as the amount of standardized extract will vary with the manufacturer. Usually it will be taken three times daily as a liquid, softgel capsule, lozenges, throat spray, or cough syrup.

Disclaimer

The viewpoints expressed in this newsletter are based upon scientific research, and the personal and professional experience of the authors. They are not intended as a substitute for consulting with your physician or other health care provider. You should consult with your healthcare practitioner prior to starting any vitamin, herbal or other therapies.

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