While most people associate cold and flu season illness with schools, workplaces and crowded restaurants, many illnesses are caused by chronic stress which can suppress the immune system, depleting the body’s ability to fight off foreign invaders known as antigens.
Your immune system is as complex as it is resilient. It’s your system’s resiliency – specifically, the disease-fighting lymphocyte white blood cells -- that is put to the test each year by a number of winter- and holiday-centric challenges. Overeating, increased alcohol consumption (i.e., the return of holiday office parties, etc.) and the hustle and bustle of the holidays can result in spiking levels of the stress hormone corticosteroid, wreaking havoc on those precious lymphocytes and leaving you prone to many forms of winter illnesses at a time when you can least afford to be down for the count. Fortunately, there are ways to strike back against the stressors of the season. Here are a few of our favorite immune boosters to combat cold and flu season:
Quercetin - A heavily researched bioflavonoid (i.e., pigment) which is found naturally in many fruits and vegetables. Quercetin is believed to bolster immunity and works especially well when combined with Zinc Picolinate. This is because Quercetin can chelate (remember from Chemistry? Ions and molecules bonding to metal ions). Then the Zinc ions act as an ionophore (aka transporter). This causes Quercetin to increase the amount of Zinc inside your cells which mean more immune-boosting goodness for you!
Zinc Picolinate - An important trace element and a major player in DNA-creation and building proteins. Zinc can support a healthy immune function. Since your body can't make zinc on its own, you can only get it through diet or in supplement form (we can help with the latter).
Vitamin D3 + K2 – Vitamin D helps the immune system stay balanced and has two different variants, D2 and D3. The active form, Vitamin D3 is a fat-soluble and synthesized by your skin when it’s exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D is one of the essential vitamins most associated with proper immune function so if you’re deficient it puts you at risk for infection. We added Vitamin K2 to our formula to help the absorption of D3.
Artemisinin – This compound is extracted from sweet wormwood and has a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine. It’s a new player as an immune support supplement. Also, some research suggests Artemisinin may promote cell repair which could makes it a great anti-aging supplement as well. Get a youthful glow while boosting your immunity, that’s what we call a win-win!
Winter is coming so give your immune system a fighting chance by stocking up on these and other immune support supplements today. Want an easier option? Check out our Immune Support Bundle which includes all the products mentioned above.