Immune Advice for the Fall Months
Amanda Williams MD, MPH talks about switching your supplement routine for winter to include food, vitamins & superfoods to support immunity
Tag: immune
Why Beta Glucan Should Be Part of Your Immune System Arsenal – InVite Health Podcast, Episode 268
Algae, those plant-like green velvet blankets on the surface of ponds and lakes, holds a vault’s worth of nutrition. One of these algae, called Euglena gracilis, supplies and insoluble fiber that stimulates our immune system whenever we need it. This ingredient is called Beta-1.3-Glucan and it’s very well researched in the support of the immune system.
Traveling Soon? You Need These Supplements To Stay Healthy – InVite Health Podcast, Episode 231
traveling
Invite Health Podcast, Episode hosted by Amanda Williams, MPH
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Traveling for business or pleasure right now is certainly a riskier thing to be doing, but sometimes, it is required and you don’t have a choice. You have to go out for business. You have to travel perhaps to see a family member who is not well. We certainly recognize that in doing so, you want to make sure that you are well-prepared. We are into cold and flu season, plus still dealing with the pandemic, so I want to go into some different little tips for you as to how best to travel safely with your supplements and what supplements you should make sure you are including.
Whether you’re traveling or not, but especially if you are traveling, you want to make sure that your immune system is prepared and that if you do have any type of exposure to the common cold, flu or COVID-19, your immune system is at the ready.†
Basics for immune support while traveling
We always want to think, first and foremost, about really simple things we know we can do each and every single day. This includes staying hydrated and making sure that we are taking in adequate fruits and vegetables every single day to bolster up our antioxidants. But we also have to think about other nutrients.
One in particular that comes to mind is the Immunity Hx. The reason why I hone in on the Immunity Hx is that it is so easy for you to incorporate in. So, if you know that you have to travel in the next month or so, the Immunity Hx is a blend, packed into one single tablet per day, of Vitamin C, Vitamin D and zinc. Why are those so important? Because those are kind of like the glue that holds our immune system together. When we think about the important role that vitamins and minerals play, the micronutrients and the macronutrients that are an integral part of immune defenses, then taking a supplement such as the Immunity Hx can really be incredibly supportive.†
We also want to make sure our microbiome is healthy while traveling. Remember, 70% of our immune system is gut-based, meaning that a majority of our immune defenses are coming from the intestines. If we can make sure that we have good, healthy bacteria that are circulating and helping us with the proper absorption of the nutrients that we’re taking in from our food and supplements, then those probiotic, those healthy little bacteria, play a really incredibly important role into our immune defenses. Probiotic Hx is a good option for you during these times.†
How Multivitamins Can Support Immunity – InVite Health Podcast, Episode 217. Listen Now >>
Nucleotides are also very important. Within the double helix of our DNA, we have these nucleic acids or base pairs. What the Nucleotide Complex supplementation is is those direct nucleic acids, which is really important because when we think about areas where we have to have good, healthy cell turnover, there’s no place more important than our intestines. Providing the body with those nucleic acids helps to enhance the immune system’s ability to strengthen up and fend things off.†
For more specifics on the supplements mentioned here, tune into the full podcast episode or visit invitehealth.com.
What are some of your go-to health tips you keep in mind while traveling? Leave us a comment below to join the conversation!
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.
How Multivitamins Can Support Immunity – InVite Health Podcast, Episode 217
There’s mounting evidence that taking a high quality multivitamin in the winter can help boost immunity. But not all are created equal.
The Wonders of Vitamin C – InVite Health Podcast, Episode 200
When we think about antioxidants in the body, many people will think immediately of Vitamin C and for good reason.
New Research: Low Blood Levels of Zinc Makes COVID-19 Worse For Patients
Written by Nutritional Copy Writer Antonia Brogna
Zinc is an essential mineral that the body uses for many important functions and systems, including your immune, cardiovascular, reproductive, and nervous systems. Zinc can be obtained by consuming foods like meat, shellfish, and legumes, or by taking a supplement. Zinc deficiency can cause acne, bad breath, and frequent infection, amongst other things.†
A team of Spanish researchers found that people hospitalized with the virus who had low levels of zinc were not as likely to survive.
“Lower zinc levels at admission correlate with higher inflammation in the course of infection and poorer outcome,” the team of researchers said.
In March and April, these researchers studied a group of 249 patients who had been hospitalized with COVID-19. The average age of the patients was 63 years old and their average zinc level was 61 micrograms per deciliter (mcg/dL). Eight people from this group died from the virus. The researchers found that these patients exhibited lower levels of zinc in their blood, with an average of 43 mcg/dL. Patients that survived showed higher zinc levels, with an average of 63 mcg/dL.
The study found that overall, the odds of a patient dying from COVID-19 while hospitalized decreased by 7% for each unit zinc increased in the bloodstream.
Another review done by researchers at Sechenov University in Moscow, Russia echoed these findings. These researchers found that zinc supports the immune system, specifically with antiviral functions, and also decreases inflammation in the body. They noted that more than 1.5 billion people worldwide are at risk for zinc deficiency, which can impact immunity.
“Given the crucial role of zinc in regulation of immunity, one can propose that its insufficiency may be considered as a risk factor for infectious diseases,” Professor Anatoly Skanly, lead author of this review and head of the Laboratory of Molecular Dietetics at Sechenov University, said.
Researchers want to continue studying the link between zinc and COVID-19 in the hopes of learning more, but that doesn’t mean we have to wait to work on boosting our zinc levels. This evidence shows that now more than ever, zinc is essential to maintaining our immune system and overall health.†