Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Stress Management Noreen Kodula, Certified Natural Health Professional (CNHP) Stress is the body’s natural response to changes or challenges (stressors) it experiences. It can result in many different physical, emotional and behavioral responses. We all experience stress at some point but the way we respond …
Stress and Holidays Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Holiday time can be both fun and exciting. However, it is also a time that can induce stress. As a person who has both hosted holiday dinners and attended them, I can confidently say both situations are stressful …
Summer Colds
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
Most people have had a cold in the summertime at least once during their lifetime. But why do summer colds even happen? And while yes, I know you know the symptoms of a cold I will still do a quick refresher on those! Lastly, which nutrients are the best to help fight off the summer sniffles? It is a lot to cover so let us get into it, shall we?
Why do summer colds happen? Well as we know, colds are caused by a virus. Some of these viruses are more prevent in winter and thus spread in the colder winter season. Other viruses thrive in warmer weather and thus transmit from person to person more easily in the summer months. During the summer there tends to be many large gatherings with people close together. For example, amusement parks, cruise ships and even traveling to summer vacation spots on airplanes are all situations that are conducive to spreading a virus. In addition to spending time close to other people in the summer people often spend long hours in air conditioning. Viruses spread very easily in the cool and dry air that the AC creates. (1) In my clinical experience, in addition to the cool and dry air AC is a risk because going in and out of the cold AC frequently can be difficult for the body to adjust to. I have also found that AC can dry out mucus membranes. Both can affect our overall immunity, and this can leave us vulnerable to an upper respiratory infection such as a cold. Another risk factor for summer colds is an inability to access handwashing facilities. Remember the best way to reduce the transmission of a virus is to wash your hands! However, in places like the park this may not be possible. (1)
Since summer colds tend to be caused by a different virus than the typical winter cold virus, they may have different symptoms than you would expect. Common respiratory symptoms include runny nose, cough, sore throat, headaches, fever and even body aches. In addition to these respiratory symptoms, a summer cold can also cause digestive symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea/vomiting, and an upset stomach. (2) Other symptoms can include feeling pressure in the sinuses or your head. You may notice a decrease in energy. Some viruses can also cause mouth blisters, hand/feet blisters and even pink eye!
What are the most common risk factors for catching a summer cold? Spending time around children (studies find that they typically do not wash their hands). Spending time in an enclosed public space. Going in and out of AC frequently is a risk. Being incredibly young or old can increase your risk of a cold. Not practicing good hygiene (for example not washing your hands, touching your face etc.). Lastly, having a weak immune system for any reason such as stress or lack of sleep. (3)
So, what can you do to prevent a summer cold or to reduce the symptoms?
Sources:
Understanding Vitamin C Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND In my experience everyone has heard that Vitamin C is good for our health. In fact, it’s everywhere you look these days! But while you may have heard that using vitamin C is “good for the health of …
Amanda Williams MD, MPH talks about switching your supplement routine for winter to include food, vitamins & superfoods to support immunity
beta glucan
Invite Health Podcast, Episode hosted by Jerry Hickey. Ph
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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. I’m going to refer to it as Beta Glucan for the rest of the episode.
Some Beta Glucans are water-soluble. You find these in cereals, like oats. Those specific Beta Glucans lower our cholesterol, but the Beta Glucan from this algae called Euglena is insoluble. It stimulates the immune system when you need it and the amount you need to take is very tiny. It fits easily into one of those smaller, easy-to-swallow vegetable capsules. Additionally, Beta-1.3-Glucan has GRAS certification from our Food and Drug Administration (FDA), so the American FDA said this is safe for us to use.†
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Euglena is golden-green. It’s really not a plant, although it performs photosynthesis, and it’s really not an animal, although it can move about. It’s a little bit of each. The type of Beta Glucan found in Euglena is an insoluble fiber, in other words you can’t digest it, and it’s found in little pouches, so it’s easy to separate and concentrate. Euglena does not have a cell wall, so it’s also very easy for you to digest and absorb.†
Beta Glucans and the immune system
How does the Beta Glucan in Euglena help with the immune system? It actually interacts with our immune cells in our innate immune system. The innate immune system is the early part of the immune system. Very young people depend on their innate immune system, the immune system they’re kind of born with and develop very early on in life. It’s nonspecific and tackles all infections. It’s mainly composed of a cell called the neutrophil, but also a macrophage and dendritic cells. The dendritic cells kind of control the situation here. Macrophages are these huge cells that are phagocytes, which basically means they gobble up toxins, cellular waste debris, bacteria and viruses and literally dissolve them. The neutrophils travel about and they’re about 90% of our white blood cells.†
Let’s take COVID-19, for instance. When a young person gets it, that early part of the immune system is very effective and very active. It destroys the virus before it hurts the child. That’s why many children do quite well with the COVID-19 infection.†
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But what about older people? Once you hit your mid-20s, about age 25, that first part of the immune system starts to fade because you’ve already encountered the same viruses winter after winter, summer after summer, and you’ve built up specific antibodies to those viruses, so you don’t rely as much on your innate immune system. Now you’re looking at the adaptive immune system, which is the B-cells that have antibodies on them, the T-cells that direct the immune system and the natural killer cells that are kind of the bridge between the innate immune system and the adaptive immune system. The Beta Glucan interacts with the early part of the immune system and it primes them to fight viruses and other infections.†
Tune into the full podcast episode for research about the important functions of Beta Glucans.
Beta-1.3-Glucan from Euglena supports optimal immune system function. It boosts the function of key immune cells that fight viruses early on. It’s an antioxidant and it promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria in our intestines, which is good because that’s also important for our immune system function.†
My recommendation for Beta Glucan is to take one capsule every morning, about a half an hour before breakfast if I was surrounded by sick people. Some people might want to take it all winter long if they’re in constant touch with other people. You can find Beta Glucan in our new Beta Immunity Hx formula.†
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