Cold and flu season is in full force! We wanted to remind you that whether you're trying to prevent illness or you're feeling the symptoms coming on, you have a science-backed toolkit to stay well. Here are our top recommendations:
1. Get enough sleep
The number one defense you have against colds is getting enough sleep. Consider that if you add one hour of sleep per night, you may save yourself days of laying around in bed nursing a cold. A 2021 study confirms "Sleep exerts an immune-supportive function, promoting host defense against infection and inflammatory insults. Sleep deprivation has been associated with alterations of innate and adaptive immune parameters, leading to a chronic inflammatory state and an increased risk for infectious/inflammatory pathologies, including cardiometabolic, neoplastic, autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases"​
2. Avoid sugar
Sugar is toxic to the immune system. While sugar is never good for you, it's imperative that at the first sign of illness, you avoid sugar completely. A 2021 study concluded "elevated amount leads to excessive pro-inflammatory cytokines production" weakening your immune system when you really need it.
3. Move everyday
While you may not feel like exercise once you get sick, turns out regular exercise at moderate intensity protects the immune system. A recent study emphasized "The practice of physical exercises acts as a modulator of the immune system. During and after physical exercise, pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines are released, lymphocyte circulation increases, as well as cell recruitment."
4. Get in nature
A landmark 2010 study linked time in nature (deemed forest bathing) increase natural killer cells when compared to spending time in the city. Natural killer cells are crucial for healthy immune function as they are upregulated to destroy infection and cancer.Â
5. Get your body temp up
The human body temperature is decreasing year after year and this means disaster for fighting infection. Fever is a primary defense for viral and bacterial infection and if your baseline temp is starting 1-2 degrees lower than baseline (98.6), it's time to take matters into your own hands. Make a habit of heating your core, whether thats a hot bath or a 180 degree sauna. Get hot and break a sweat!
6. Get acupuncture and Chinese herbs
Acupuncture has about 1800 years on conventional medicine and when it comes to viral infections, it shows. In fact, a 2021 study confirmed that even in the treatment of COVID-19, acupuncture significantly improved outcomes. Use acupuncture for prevention or at the first signs of getting sick!
7. Eat vegetables & fruit
Micronutrients and antioxidants are critical for immune function and your best sources for high-quality nutrients are fruits and veggies. A 2022 study concluded that those eating a high amount of fruits and veggies had lower risk of getting getting sever viral infection.Â
8. Take a powerful immune support protocol​
We pulled our favorite and most powerful immune-supporting supplements. Our selection provides an evidence-based approach to prevention and robust intervention if you feel symptoms coming on. Check out the whole library HEREÂ and follow this plan:
Prevention
- BioImmunozyme - 2 caps/day with food
- Vitamin C - 2g/day
- Vitamin A - 25,000IU 3 days/week
- Vitamin D - 5,000IU/day
- Megasporebiotic probiotic- 1/day
- NAC - 500mg/day with food
​At the first sign of symptoms
- BioImmunozyme - Up to 2 caps with breakfast and 2 caps with lunch
- Vitamin C - 5g/day
- Vitamin A - 50,000IU/day for 4 days then back to prevention dose
- Vitamin D - 20,000 IU/day for 4 days then back to prevention dose
- Megasporebiotic - 1/day
- NAC - 2/day with food
- Andrographis - 400mg/day
​For kidsÂ
- V-Clear dissolvable tabs