Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
The purpose of today’s episode is not to alarm you. But you should know how to support the function of your immune system with the help of specific nutrients, especially with the spread of the coronavirus.
We’re in the middle of winter and people are concerned about the flu going around (and rightfully so). In this episode, Jerry Hickey, Ph. discusses evidence on how Nucleotides can support healthy immunity.
We’re right in the middle of cold and flu season. Be sure you have the tool you need to protect your body and avoid getting sick this winter. Here’s what you need, according to Chief Scientific Officer and Pharmacist, Jerry Hickey, Ph.
Usually, the flu virus is spread through droplet infection – sneezing and coughing. Breathing in droplets expelled into the air by an infected person’s cough is the most common route. These droplets can land in your eyes or become inhaled into your nose. In addition, if they land on your face and you then touch your mouth, eyes, or nose, you may become infected with the flu virus.
Here are some tips to avoid contracting the flu virus:
The flu virus can last long enough on objects outside of the human body to contribute to spreading infection. Studies have shown that flu viruses generally can survive on surfaces (such as phone receivers and doorknobs) between 2 to 8 hours, depending on the environment. Washing your hands frequently with soap and water will help protect you from contracting the flu this way. Alcohol wipes and hand sanitizers can help disinfect hands as well as surfaces if they’ve been touched by someone infected with the flu virus.
Once the flu virus is introduced into your system, the virus multiplies quietly in your body until symptoms of the disease begin to show. This takes about two to five days and is referred to as the incubation period. The flu is most contagious at the peak of the infection, when symptoms like sneezing and coughing are the most active.
Usually the flu virus is contagious for five to seven days in adults. Young children can be contagious for as long as ten days to two weeks. According to the CDC, people with compromised (lowered) immune systems – such as people with AIDS or people taking drugs to prevent transplant rejection – can spread the flu virus for weeks or months after infection.
Numerous clinical studies show that NAC and Green Tea may decrease the risk of developing upper respiratory tract infections, including the flu (NAC and Green Tea) and cold viruses (Green Tea).†
NAC is a stable form of the amino acid Cysteine. It is used by the body to make glutathione, a very important antioxidant. Studies show that people with illnesses associated with a breakdown of the immune system are often deficient in glutathione. Taking NAC throughout flu and cold season has been shown to decrease the risk of contracting the flu in both college-aged and elderly subjects. NAC is mucolytic; meaning it has the added benefit of helping to break up mucous.†
Click here for Independent Research Studies on NAC
Green Tea contains organic compounds with antiviral properties that can help to battle influenza strains. Green tea supplements in capsule form may prevent some cold and flu symptoms, and green tea in liquid form can help to relieve nasal congestion.†
Medicinal Mushrooms such as Maitake mushroom, Shiitake mushroom, and Reishi mushroom can help strengthen the immune system by activating or modulating T-cell function, NK cells, macrophages, T-lymphocytes, and cytokines supporting your ability to resist infection.†
Astragalus Herb is a legume that enhances immune function by increasing the activity of certain white blood cells which, in turn, leads to greater production of antibodies. It also increases the production of interferon, an anti-viral agent naturally produced by the body. In addition to enhancing immunity, Astragalus has antibacterial, adaptogenic, anti-inflammatory and antiviral effects. It owes most of its immune-enhancing effects to polysaccharides, a group of complex sugars responsible for initiating the immune response. For best results, take astragalus prior to infection if you’ve come in contact with an infected person.†
Nucleotides are found in abundance in each of the body’s trillion-plus cells. Nucleotides are tiny building blocks of RNA and DNA. RNA and DNA serve as the blueprints for every cell in the body. Nucleotides provide the raw material to dramatically increase white blood cell production. The immune system can then deploy its army of white blood cells to readily take down any invaders. Research shows that nucleotides can significantly diminish the symptoms and duration of the common cold. In research trials, nearly all patients on a therapeutic course of nucleotides reported significantly less discomfort associated with cold symptoms, and a substantially accelerated recovery. Research also shows that nucleotides balance immune function, by increasing the ability to fight infection. In terms of the flu, nucleotides work best to improve recovery from the virus.†
Olive Leaf contains a biologically active compound called Oleuropein, which has strong antibacterial and antiviral properties. Specifically, it disrupts the growth of bacteria and viruses and also benefits the activity of important cells. Olive leaf extract has been shown to be effective against virtually all of the viruses and bacteria on which it has been tested. Laboratory studies suggest that olive leaf extract interferes with the establishment and spread of viral infection, either by rendering viruses incapable of infecting cells or by preventing them from reproducing.†
______________________
Assisting Scientific Director and Pharmacist Jerry Hickey is a team of nutritional professionals – a group of hand chosen, dedicated experts, available at each and every InVite® Health retail location – there to provide you with a FREE, personalized, and professional nutritional consultation. Visit an InVite® Health retail location near you for assistance in selecting the correct nutrients to address your health concerns.
You can also e-mail an InVite® Nutritionist or call us directly with any of your nutritional questions. The InVite® Health team is always available to assist you.
In Episode 8, Jerry Hickey, Ph., discusses how to improve the odds of not getting the flu this winter and what you can do nutritionally for your immune system.
During the winter months, it becomes harder to obtain the essential vitamins and minerals you need to stay healthy. Our newest nutritionist, Matthew Gines, MS, CNS, recommends safe and effective nutrients that have been studied to support immunity and respiratory health.
Subscribe Today!
Our digestive tract is best known for digesting our food. But our digestive tract has another major activity – immunity. Welcome to the Invite Health Podcast! Today we will be discussing which specific strains of bacteria have been proven to help protect you from winter time infections.
The Importance of A Healthy Immune System
About 70% of our immune system is housed in our digestive tract. And it is strongly influenced by the trillions of bacteria living in our intestines. Some bacterial strains can throw off our immune system, which can damage our health and can contribute to autoimmune diseases and inflammation throughout the body, including our lungs. Other strains support and, in a number of manners, influence our immune system for the better.
The good news is science has unraveled some of the highly beneficial strains of bacteria that you can take in a Probiotic supplement that can help boost proper immune system function.
What is a Probiotic Supplement?
Probiotics are strains of bacteria that help support good health. Probiotics can be found in fermented foods, such as kefier or yogurt. They are also available through supplementation. But not all probiotic supplements are created equal.
When choosing a Probiotic supplement, you must make sure there are two strains of bacteria included. A great deal of research indicates that you need more than one stain of bacteria to reap the benefits that Probiotics have to offer. And you need at least one billion of each strain. They should also be CFU – colony forming units. This means they are still alive and, when consumed, they help promote good digestive health.
Now, at Invite Health, we’ve used a couple of tricks to help deliver good bacteria to you. We use a vegetable coating technology that protects the bacteria from heat and from stomach acids and enzymes in your digestive tract. This allows the bacteria to thrive in your digestive tract.
Essential Probiotic Strains
Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis is a great example of a strain of bacteria that can improve your immune system function over the winter. It’s been proven to help protect you from colds and flu, maybe even prevent them. Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bacillus coagulans, Bifidobacterium breve and Lactobacillus plantarum are also extremely important to help balance and improve the immune system.
One study from the University of Virginia School of Medicine studied 152 healthy volunteers and found that Bifidobacterium lactis protected the volunteers from getting a cold. Some study partipants took this strain of bacteria for 28 days and some others took a placebo. Then, the participants inhaled a cold virus and took either the probiotic or the placebo for five days after. Results showed that the probiotic bacteria strongly cut down on a number of people who caught a cold. For those who got sick while on the probiotic, their symptoms were much weaker and lasted for a much shorter duration.
This is just one of the reasons why a Probiotic is so vital for overall wellness, especially during the winter.
Thank you for tuning in to the Invite Health Podcast. You can find all of our episodes for free wherever you listen to podcasts or by visiting www.invitehealth.com/podcast. Make sure you subscribe and leave us a review! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at Invite Health today. We’ll see you next time on another episode of the Invite Health Podcast.
