Since we're heading into the fall, I wanted to refresh this post about my favorite supplements for cold and flu season. I added a few more that I've found helpful recently!
Also, for a limited time, I'm offering a free bottle of one of my favorite supplements — BioMS turmeric — when you buy 2. See more about this amazing supplement here! Please reach out to me with any questions at charis@itcouldhelp.com.
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Cold and flu season is about to be back in full force, and after the last several years, there’s nothing anyone doesn’t want more than to get sick from the cold, flu, or any Covid-19 variant, especially if you’ve dealt with any kind of illness recently.
I’ve always been a fan of building the immune system and fighting off sickness naturally whenever possible. I know my doctor is happy to help should I need it, but I’d rather protect myself and be proactive!
There’s a ton of great supplements on the market to help keep your immune system strong. Here are several of my favorites!
1. Airborne
This is my go-to when I start feeling run down. And if I catch it early enough, there's a chance I don't get sick at all!
Ingredients include:
Vitamin A
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Riboflavin (vitamin B2)
Magnesium (as oxide and sulfate)
Zinc (as sulfate)
Selenium (as amino acid chelate)
Manganese (as gluconate)
Sodium
Potassium
Yeast
Herbal extract blend containing: Lonicera (flower), Forsythia (fruit), Schizonepeta (aboveground parts), ginger (dried rhizome), Chinese Vitex (fruit), Isatis (root) and Echinacea (aboveground parts)
Amino acids: glutamine (as L-glutamine) and lysine (as L-lysine HCl)
Speaking of vitamin C, this powder is also a favorite of mine that contains some of the ingredients above.
This super-blend has all kinds of things to help support your immune system. It's always convenient and cost-effective to find a supplement that has a blend of many things, so long as you're not allergic to any of the ingredients.
In has:
Vitamin A (as palmitate 4,000 IU & beta-carotene 1,000 IU)
100% Vitamin C (from ascorbic acid and zinc ascorbate)
Vitamin D-3 (as cholecalciferol)
Calcium
Zinc (as zinc citrate and ascorbate)
Selenium
Copper (as copper citrate)
Garlic Bulb
Propolis Extract
Echinacea purpurea Root Extract
Elderberry Fruit Extract
Aromatic Solomon's Seal Rhizome
Horehound Aerial Parts Extract
Olive Leaf Extract (10% oleuropein)
Andrographis Aerial Parts Extract
Isatis Root Extract
Eleuthero Root Extract
Elecampane Root
Citrus Bioflavonoid Complex
Boneset Aerial Parts Extract
Boneset Aerial Parts
Goldenseal Root Extract
Angelica Root Extract
Astragalus Root Extract
Isatis Leaf Extract
Elecampane Root Extract
Mullein Leaf Extract
Mullein Leaf
Pau D'Arco Bark Extract
Cayenne Fruit
Ginger Root Extract
Grape Seed Extract
As you can see, a ton of great stuff! See more info here.
I hadn't heard about oil of oregano until a friend told me about it. The year I tried it, my husband got incredibly sick with some kind of virus, and it was the first year I didn't catch what he had.
I like to take the oil instead of the pills, because the oil can get to the back of the throat and hopefully scare away any nastiness propagating there. (I'm also a fan of gargling antiseptic mouthwash prophylactically, especially if you believe you've been exposed to a sick person or you've just been around a lot of people!)
A word of caution though: This stuff burns! The above formula contains vitamin E and olive oil, but if you ever come across any that is only oil of oregano, it's recommended to mix it with some kind of other oil such as olive oil so that it's not too hot. I use the recommended 4 drops in a glass of water and chug it! Or if I'm not feeling up to ingesting it that way, I put it in some olive oil and dip bread in it. (I know, I know, kind of cheating. The best way is dropped in water!)
4. Vitamin D
I believe vitamin D is a must for general health, especially if you're dealing with any kind of autoimmune condition. In fact, my doctor will test for vitamin D whenever I see him, he believes it's that important! When you test for vitamin D, be sure to test for both the active form (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin) and the storage form (25-hydroxyvitamin). (You can order your own blood tests here!)
Many of us are chronically deficient in vitamin D. Why do you think so many get sick in the fall and winter? I think much of it not only has to do with our diets eating more sugary and rich foods, but also more limited exposure to sunshine, which provides much of our natural vitamin D. Here's how much vitamin D you should take, based on weight. (Scroll down to the chart that says, "How to calculate Vitamin D dose when baseline not available.")
Side note: Too much vitamin D, especially without vitamin K, poses a risk of sending calcium and minerals to the soft tissues of the body. We'll do a more in-depth discussion about this soon, but another great way to increase vitamin D levels without this risk is to get it from the sun, or use a Sperti sun lamp. Reviewers not only show their before and after vitamin D bloodwork; one reviewer even posted about how their Thyroid TPO antibodies went down! (This is indicative of Hashimoto's disease or Graves' disease.)
Povidone iodine nasal spray has become a staple in our house, and I've used it preventatively, especially when traveling or being in crowded spaces. The one above has been recommended by Dr. Been!
Povidone iodine is an antiseptic that can be sprayed in the nose to reduce viral load when sick. According to this study, "Nasal and oral PVP-I antiseptic solutions are effective at inactivating the SARS-CoV-2 at a variety of concentrations after 60-second exposure times." In addition, this study found that "Povidone-iodine nasal antiseptics at concentrations (0.5%, 1.25%, and 2.5%) completely inactivated SARS-CoV-2 within 15 seconds. See more studies here.
In a similar vein and though not as well-studied, colloidal silver helped me greatly when I was last sick with a sore throat. After having the sore throat for days and then using colloidal silver, my sore throat went away within hours!
According to this study, the "data support ionic colloidal silver as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent against aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, while having a more limited and specific spectrum of activity against fungi." In addition, this study found that "For bacteria grown under aerobic or anaerobic conditions, significant growth inhibition was observed, although multiple treatments were typically required."
There has also been discussion of colloidal silver and gold nanoparticles as wound healing agents. Reviews of silver has been mixed, saying more study is needed. Additionally, there are reports of people taking high doses of colloidal silver, resulting in toxicity.
However, it has also become a staple in our home due to the results I experienced. I'm not promising it will have the same effect on you, but I was pretty amazed. There's so much to be said for being proactive in your health!
Zinc has been studied for its effect on the common cold, and it "may be effective in reducing duration and severity of cold symptoms," according to this review. The key is starting to take them immediately after the onset of symptoms. This other review found that "zinc supplementation was observed to potentially reduce cold duration by 2.25 days."
For this reason, Cold-Eeze, shown above, is a stable in our home's medicine cabinet!
When you're sick with a sore throat, the thing you want most is relief! If I've ever dealt with a scratchy or sore throat, this has become my go-to. It soothes the sorest of sore throats! This herbal tea includes slippery elm, licorice, marshmallow root and wild cherry bark. I add honey or stevia for some extra sweetness. This company offers different varieties of this tea, including original, lemon echinacea, and others.
I hope you stay well during this cold and flu season, and if you happen to catch something, I hope you recover quickly! If there is any way I can support you in your health, please let me know.
To your health,
Charis
P.S. Another immune support that I am partial to is a new turmeric supplement that is up to 277 times more absorbable than normal turmeric, even more than liposomal turmeric! It's been helping people with all kinds of things, and it's helped me with intense pain and inflammation. See more info here.
I'm running a buy 2, get 1 free sale for a limited time. If you're interested, check it out here! If you have any questions or if you're interested in health coaching, please send me a note at charis@itcouldhelp.com.
For more info, check out the FLCCC's protocols here. (This site is not affiliated with the FLCCC.)