Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Bacteria is commonly thought of as negative. There are plenty of harmful bacteria that can lead to a number of risks when it comes to the bacteria inside of your body. But with harmful bacteria comes beneficial bacteria called Probiotics. Research suggests that choosing a …
? by Savs on Unsplash It’s a common thought that we only need to pay attention to our immune system during the colder, drier months. The weather may be warmer during the Spring and Summer but just because cold and flu season is over, doesn’t …
Written by Nicole Crane BS, NTP
After water, green tea (along with its white and black variants) from the Camellia sinesis shrub, is the most consumed beverage in the world. There may be no beverage more salubrious. The tea plant is rich in valuable antioxidants known as polyphenols. The polyphenols in green tea are called catechins, of which EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) is the most active and well known. Other beneficial compounds like the relaxation amino acid L-theanine and the energizing, mind sharpening alkaloids theobromine and theophylline may also be present. Green tea has numerous health benefits, from quelling the fires of inflammation to protecting healthy heart and brain function, from supporting immunity to improving metabolism while impacting blood sugar balance. This time of year, green tea piques the interest of anyone looking to keep the flu at bay, and the evidence is impressive.
Nobody wants their winter holiday season to be plagued with a cold or the flu. When you need a simple and effective immune boost, look towards green tea. This mighty leaf strengthens and supports the immune system in several significant ways. It has long been recognized as having powerful antiviral properties. Tea actually alters the structure of the virus itself, which suppresses the ability of the virus to cause an infection. EGCG has the ability to attach to the cell membrane of the flu virus. EGCG binds to a glycoprotein on the flu virus called hemagglutinin, which blocks the ability of the virus to infect other cells.i This makes green tea a potent weapon against contracting the flu, and can aid in a quick recovery as well. Recent research shows that it can also inhibit the neuraminidase enzyme, slowing the spread from cell to cell of many viruses. Another component, L-theanine, has been shown to increase immune responses. L-Theanine activates and aids in the production of a type of white blood cell called gamma-delta-T lymphocyte ii , a quick acting immune cell that launches a mighty attack on invading pathogens like the flu virusiii . L-Theanine also helps to make interferon-gammaiv , an important cytokine (signaling protein of the immune system) that has powerful antimicrobial propertiesv . These immune cells are an essential part of the body’s defenses against viruses and other invaders. By directly stimulating the action of the immune system and inactivating viruses, green tea offers unrivaled protection against illness.
The research on green tea and flu prevention and recuperation is exciting and notable. One study examined 197 healthcare workers over a period of 5 months during the winter. One group of 98 participants received green tea capsules containing 378 mg of catechins (supplying 270 mg of EGCG) plus 210 mg of L-Theanine. The control group with 99 participants received a placebo. The study participants were asked to report on the occurrence of flu like symptoms including fever plus at least one other symptom such as cough, sore throat, headache or body ache. In the green tea group, far fewer got truly sick compared to placebovi . It showed that green tea offers more than 3-fold protection against contracting an illness, especially when exposure is significant.
Gargling with this powerful leaf also seems to offer significant protection. A study of elderly residents in a nursing home had subjects gargle with or without green tea catechins (60% EGCG) three times a day for three months. All participants had received a flu shot, but in the catechin group, only one participant out of 76 contracted the flu, while 5 subjects out of 48 in the control group got the flu.vii This means high catechin green tea improves the level of protection after immunization against the flu.
Green tea offers a plethora of benefits to the body and there are so many convenient ways to take it. Whether you choose to drink green tea (make sure it is organic!) or a liquid extract or in capsule form, it can go a long way to keep you healthy and well. Let green tea be your ally and avoid the flu this winter and for all winters to come.
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NAC, N-Acetyl Cysteine, is an amino acid that has powerful antioxidant properties. Clinical studies have proved its benefit for a variety of health purposes including the support of the liver and kidneys, respiratory health, and immune system function. However, many are unfamiliar with this amino …
Expert Discussion: Energy and Immunity by Jerry Hickey, R.Ph. Why are you so tired? Because the power-plants inside your cells are old and wrinkly! Within each of your trillions of cells (with few exceptions) there are tiny power plants called mitochondria. Some cells have a …
Jerry Hickey is a pharmacist and radio personality and fills the esteemed role of Scientific Director and President of Invite Health. He has spent his professional life analyzing nutritional information and medical studies with the aim of creating the highest quality and most natural nutraceuticals for user’s maximum health benefits. Here, Jerry speaks about the benefits of NAC…
N-Acetyl-Cysteine, or NAC, is the stabilized version of the amino acid known as Cysteine. NAC is a conditionally-essential nutrient, required by the body in larger servings during times of stress, illness and recovery. It is known as a master antioxidant that helps support the regions of the brain that regulate mental health. It has many integral uses for the brain, liver and lungs. According to human clinical trials, NAC is effective in supporting lung health because it helps break down the immune system’s “chemical messengers”, known as leukotrienes. It also helps to break up mucus. NAC is the rate-limiting molecule involved in the synthesis of Glutathione, the Mother Antioxidant enzyme that protects your immune cells, neurotransmitters, and removes toxins in the liver. This makes NAC an extremely beneficial supplement for many people. It supports blood flow to the heart, protects the kidneys, and maintain a normal detoxification process in the liver.
In the winter, you want lung antioxidants. Why else would NAC be good in the winter? Because it gives energy to your immune system. The University of Genoa in Italy published their findings in the European Respiratory Journal about this – using almost 300 people over the age of 65 from 20 Italian medical centers. When they gave elderly people NAC over the winter it improved their immune function and strongly improved their resistance. Do you know why? N-Acetyl-Cysteine energized their immune cells, their white blood cells. Just like the lungs have to be soaked and rich in antioxidants like NAC, so does your white blood cell because when it encounters a virus or bacteria, it gobbles it up. That’s the process called phagocytosis. The white blood cell bumps into the bacteria that it doesn’t recognize it as being part of the person and it literally engulfs it and then it floods itself with hydrochloric acid and other chemicals that kill the bacteria. It literally dissolves the bacteria and the bacteria die. The white blood cell has to be protected from its own acids and its own chemical arsenal. It wages chemical warfare on viruses and bacteria and cancer cells. So, the envelope of the white blood cell, the membrane, the bilipid membrane, which is the outer layers of the white blood cell have to be rich in antioxidants. Once again, what are they? Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Selenium, B-Vitamins and NAC.
In the summer, you want it because of the pollution. I mean, the pollution rises dramatically in the summer. You know, I walk around in the city now and it feels clean. The air is clean, but it’s very dry so you want to NAC to protect your lungs from the dryness, because the dryness causes inflammation in your lungs. But in the summer, the pollution rates sky rocket. All that dampness holds the pollution down like it does in Athens, like it does in Los Angeles, all that moisture from the Hudson River, from the East River, from the Long Island Sound, from the Atlantic Ocean, holds the smog down. You need N-Acetyl-Cysteine to protect your lungs from that smog because that stuff causes violent inflammation in the lungs.
When you take NAC, you protect your immune system from its own chemical weapons, so it can go and fight bacteria and viruses and be energized. It has more energy to do its job. So, take N-Acetyl-Cysteine over the winter. You only have to take it twice a day with food. Always take N-Acetyl-Cysteine with meals. When you take NAC in the winter, take one with breakfast, one with dinner, drink your green tea. It will really help keep you healthy, because it’s really supporting your immune system. It’s a very important thing. In general, it’s great for the lungs. In general, it’s great for the eyeball. It’s great for the kidneys and liver. It is one of the best things for supporting good blood volume. You know, we’ve spoken about grape seed lowering blood pressure, well, NAC strongly supports blood flow too.
When is that important? Well, that’s important when you’re exercising. NAC opens up blood vessels, opens up blood flow and the channels that bring blood and oxygen and nutrition to your muscles. You get a better work out when you take NAC before workout. So, all you guys, 40, 50, 60 years old who are runners, take NAC about half an hour to an hour before the exercise with a meal will open up the blood vessels. Your muscles will get more oxygen. You’ll have greater endurance and you’ll be less sore and have less risk of an injury. You will do better and recover more quickly. N-Acetyl-Cysteine is also great for the brain but it also makes you feel good.
