- By Altrient
Top 6 immune tips to help you keep calm and prioritise good health
Now is not the time to leave anything to chance with the increasing likelihood that you or one of your loved ones may be vulnerable to the COVID-19 virus. To help you keep calm in this whirling world of uncertainty and anxiety Nutritional Therapist Jackie Newson shares her top six immune tips…
A robust immune system is the key to getting through this worrying threat to health, and while scientists and governments are thrashing out the best way forward in this international crisis, you can start to use some of what we already know to maintain your own health. Fortunately, there is plenty you can do to ensure your body is in the best possible state of wellness and rally round the body’s inbuilt defence mechanisms.
Do everything you can to make yourself less vulnerable to infection by avoiding unnecessary contact with others and following the advice of medical experts.
1. Prevention with hand washing
It’s easy to pass germs around especially amongst families, work colleagues and friends where everybody’s touching and using the same objects and surfaces. Hands are the biggest spreaders of germs so washing your hands frequently is vital. You can also double up on germ prevention by using colloidal silver.1 ACS200 Extra Strength Silver comes in a handy spray that can be used all around the house, on work surfaces and places like door handles that are frequently touched.
2. Good nutrition
One of the things that you still have control over is what you eat, so now is the time to shop wisely and make healthy choices. Most importantly you should be increasing the amount of plant foods you eat. Fruits, vegetables and other plant sources contain an incredibly wide range of naturally protective compounds. Bioflavonoids, which are found in citrus fruits, berries, onions and green tea as well as several herbs, provide excellent support for the immune system. Many other plants also contain powerful compounds, which support the body’s natural defence mechanisms and help to maintain a healthy respiratory system.
- Aloe Vera – the leaves exude a gel containing anthraquinones, which have been shown to have wide anti-microbial activity. Many of the therapeutic effects of aloe leaf extracts have also been attributed to the polysaccharides found in the inner leaf. Research, mainly centered around animal studies, suggests that these polysaccharides could show potential in supporting the anti-viral activity of the immune system.2
- Black Elderberry – also known as sambucus nigra, is often used to make jam or wine but is particularly useful for supporting the immune system. According to research elderberry may help support the immune system by helping inhibit the way a virus attaches to human cells.3
- Echinacea – has been traditionally used for many centuries and is now one of the most well-known immune-supporting plants. Modern research has shown echinacea support to be involved with several aspects of immune function in over 300 scientific studies.4
- Olive leaf extract – contains many active constituents including the phenolic compound oleuropein, which is claimed to support immune cell activity. Research has shown that oleuropein may exhibit significant activity against certain viruses.5 It is thought to inhibit viral respiratory infections by helping prevent the virus from attaching to and penetrating human cells.6
3. Super supplements
It doesn’t hurt to support your diet with a few good quality well-absorbed supplements, especially if you have a diet that may be compromised due to health reasons or allergies. Listed below are some immune supportive favourites we highly recommend:
- Vitamin C – If you’re not already taking this, now’s the time to stock up. The scientific community have confirmed that vitamin C contributes to the normal function of the immune system. But as well as this, it also helps protect cells from oxidative stress, which is highly likely to occur when the body is up against a potential viral infection. Making sure you can really benefit from your vitamin C is important. There is only so much standard oral vitamin C the body can absorb at one time. So taking a liposomal vitamin C supplement, such as Altrient C, is the best option as this form of delivery is the most efficient way to get a high dose rapidly into the blood stream and to the cells that need it most.
- B vitamins – The B vitamins have numerous functions in the body most notably related to energy metabolism. However, vitamins B6, B12 and folate are also known to contribute to the normal function of the immune system. This means teaming up your Altrient C with liposomal Altrient B complex is a great idea for optimal immune support.
- Vitamin D – It is well-known that vitamin D is produced when skin cells are exposed to the sun, and this is important because it’s another vitamin that contributes to the normal function of the immune system. With holidays being curtailed and restrictions on how much time is spent outside currently underway, it’s going to be increasingly difficult to get a good dose of sunshine, so topping up with vitamin D is a good idea.
4. Sound sleep
Our capacity to remain healthy is badly affected by a lack of sleep. This deeply restorative process is essential for the body to initiate effective adaptive immune responses. Research shows that chronic sleep loss is associated with lowered immunity and could impact on the body’s immune response to viruses.7 And what’s more, having less than seven hours sleep a night could mean you’re much more likely to develop an infection, compared to if you slept for eight hours or more.
5. Regular exercise
The immune system is very responsive to both acute and regular exercise in a positive way.8 Moderate and vigorous exercise lasting less than 60 minutes has been found to enhance the circulation of all immune cells, particularly natural killer cells which are the first line of defense against viral infections.9 Research also indicates a link between regular moderate exercise for at least five days a week, with a reduced risk of viral infection. Studies show decreased rates for influenza and pneumonia for those who take part in regular physical activity.10
6. Manage stress
These are stressful times and unfortunately chronic mental stress and anxiety could have a detrimental effect on the body, suppressing the immune system and lowering your resistance to infection.11 Managing your stress levels is therefore a really good way to ensure your immunity doesn’t suffer. Physical activity may help dissolve anger, relieve tension and frustration. Other relaxing activities such as yoga, tai chi, breathing exercises and meditation have all been shown to melt stress and support the immune system.12,13
Jacqueline Newson BSc (Hons) Nutritional Therapy
REFERENCES
- Fazeli A et al. Synthesis and antimicrobial effects of silver nanoparticles produced by chemical reduction method. Daru2010; 18, 3: 169-172. (M)
- Sun S et al. Aloe Polysaccharides Inhibit Influenza A Virus Infection—A Promising Natural Anti-flu Drug. Frontiers in microbiology 2018; 9, 2338: 1-11. (F2)
- Golnoosh Torabian, Peter Valtchev, Qayyum Adil, Fariba Dehghani.Anti-influenza activity of elderberry (Sambucus nigra). Journal of Functional Foods, 2019; 54: 353 (H)
- Murray M & Pizzorno J (2006).The Encyclopaedia of healing foods. Bath Press: UK(G)
- Omar SH. Oleuropein in olive and its pharmacological effects. Sci Pharm. 2010;78(2):133–154. (J)
- Moatari A, Motamedifard M and Nekooeian AA. The Antiinfluenza Virus Activity of Hydroalcoholic Extract of Olive Leaves. Iranian Journal of Pharmacetical Sciences 2006; 2,3: 163-168. (K)
- Besedovsky L, Lange T, Born J. Sleep and immune function. Pflugers Arch. 2012;463(1):121–137. (D)
- Committee on Military Nutrition Research, Institute of Medicine (1999). Military Strategies for sustainment of nutrition and immune function in the field. National Acadamies Press: UK. (A)
- Van Erp EA, van Kampen MR, van Kasteren PB, de Wit J. Viral Infection of Human Natural Killer Cells. Viruses. 2019;11(3):243. (B)
- Nieman DC & Wentz LM. The compelling llink between physical activity and the body’s defense system. Journal of Sport and Health Science 2019; 8,3: 201-217. (C )
- Committee on Military Nutrition Research, Institute of Medicine (1999). Military Strategies for sustainment of nutrition and immune function in the field. National Acadamies Press: UK. (A)
- Sharma H. Meditation: Process and effects. Ayu. 2015;36(3):233–237. (E)
- Sisti G and Varrey A. Medical Students’ Stress Levels and Sense of Well Being after Six Weeks of Yoga and Meditation. Evidence based complementary and alternative medicine 2016; 9251849: 1-7. (F)
- ZhiYong Peng (2020). Vitamin C infusion for the treatment of severe 2019-nCoV Infected pneumonia. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04264533 [Accessed 17.3.20] (L)
Original Source