How To Boost Your Immune System With Supplements And Botanicals

Staying healthy and fighting off viruses quickly all comes down to how strong your immune system is. Your immune system is your body’s line of defense against infection and illness. It recognizes the cells that make up your body, and destroys unfamiliar ones (like bacteria and viruses).

If your immune system isn’t as healthy as it could be, you will be more susceptible to illnesses, and you will have a harder time beating them when you get them. Fortunately, there are things you can do to improve the strength of your defenses.

There are numerous natural supplements and botanicals that have been studied for their healing properties on viruses such as influenza, H1N1 and avian flu. It is thought that these supplements may help in the fight against other, less-studied viruses.

Practising physician Dr Warren Willey, board-certified with The American Board of Antiaging/Regenerative Medicine, The American Board of Obesity Medicine and The American Board of Family Medicine, has shared some of his favourite natural botanical supplemental interventions that you can use to beat viral infections:

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is an incredibly potent antioxidant. When taken intravenously or orally, it has been shown to drastically reduce the length of many illnesses. In fact, a 2017 study of 148 other studies found that vitamin C may alleviate or prevent infections caused by bacteria, viruses and protozoa. High doses of vitamin C were used in Wuhan to treat the novel coronavirus.

Vitamin C does not just protect your body from free radicals, it also regenerates other antioxidants (such as vitamin E), giving you an even better defense.

Remember that vitamin C shouldn’t come from sugary orange drinks – the processed ingredients can negate the positive effects from the vitamin.

Vitamin D

Multiple epidemiological studies have demonstrated that vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased risk and greater severity of infection, particularly of the respiratory tract. This may be the reason we tend to be more susceptible to illnesses during the winter months, as the majority of our vitamin D intake comes from the sun.

Vitamin D works by building up mucosal defenses in the lungs, which in essence coat the lungs so that the virus can’t stick.

N-Acetyl Cysteine

N-Acetyl Cysteine is an amino acid which can be used for many restorative effects, including anti-aging, exercise recovery and the treatment of respiratory illnesses caused by viruses. It is used by the body in the production of glutathione, which is one of the most powerful antioxidants in our bodies.

If you take more N-Acetyl Cysteine, your body can make more glutathione, which leads to less oxidative stress and damage to the lungs. This means that you get better quicker, heal faster and even prevent illnesses entirely if you take it regularly.

Oregano Oil

Oregano oil has long been used as a treatment for fevers and respiratory illnesses, and contains several potentially healing compounds, including carvacrol. In a research study, it was found that carvacrol may inhibit viral binding in the body, helping you to fight off illnesses.

Alongside this, oregano oil as a throat spray with other botanicals (such as eucalyptus, peppermint and rosemary essential oils) reduces the symptoms of sore throat, hoarseness and coughs.

Astragalus

Astragalus is a powerful antiviral botanical that has been used in traditional medicine for centuries. Astragalus contains astragaloside, flavonoids and saponins, which may be antiviral, helping to fight illnesses such as the avian flu.

Astragalus is theorized to have many health benefits, including immune-boosting, anti-aging and anti-inflammatory effects. Boosting your internal strength and helping you to fight illness, the root has been used in Chinese medicine to prolong life.

Elderberry

Elderberry’s flu-fighting properties have long been observed, but a recent Australian study found that it actually inhibits the early stages of an infection by blocking key viral proteins responsible for both the viral attachment and entry into the host cells. Not only this, elderberry was also discovered to stimulate release of cytokines. These are chemical messengers which the immune system uses to communicate – and the release of more means that a more efficient response to fighting the virus is available.

Based on this study, taking elderberry can prevent illness from developing and, if you start to take it after an illness has started, it can coordinate your immune system’s response, helping you to fight it faster.

Olive Leaf

The beneficial effects of olive leaf and olive oil are well studied. Olive leaf contains an active ingredient called oleuropein, and this nutrient is thought to contribute to the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of olive leaf extract.

It is well known that the so-called Mediterranean diet increases longevity and general health, and it is thought that this is because of the prevalence that is given to olive oil.

Olive leaf extract can help to both prevent infection initially and improve curing, with its antioxidant properties neutralizing oxidative stress.

Dosage

When you are considering natural supplements and botanicals, it is important to find a dosage that suits you. This will be different for everyone, and will depend on your individual health conditions, age and other factors. It is important to have a discussion with a specialist to personalize your dosing schedule.

At BluVida, we offer an individualized supplements and botanicals package to boost your immune system. You can email info@bluvida.com to order, or head over to our supplements page to learn more…

The Takeaway…

These are strange times for everyone, and making sure you stay healthy in isolation should be the priority. Taking exercise, keeping connected, eating well and switching off the news are all going to help.

You can also look after your body with an immune-boosting package of individualized supplements. At BluVida, we have worked with a specialty pharmacy to design this remedial supplement which is designed to strengthen your immune system and help you to fight off viruses and infections. You can order your supplements by emailing info@bluvida.com or heading to our supplements page, then get your personalized supplement package delivered directly to your door. We are here to help you stay healthy in isolation.