As I’m writing this we’re still in the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic. It has subsided a lot but since it hit home last year more and more people are taking extra steps to get healthier and strengthen their immune systems. This article isn’t about COVID-19 but simply overall recommendations to strengthen your immune system so you can reduce your chance of getting the flu and cold viruses. Don’t forget — your body was wonderfully created to work as a whole; so as you strive to toughen up your immune system your whole body will benefit as well!
Here are my top 5 recommended supplements to take to boost your immune system during the fall and winter months:
Colloidal Silver
There is a ton of information on the internet about colloidal silver and it’s ability to fight diseases and ward off seasonal illness. But you’ll also find a lot of conflicting information and warnings about colloidal silver as well.
When my daughter came down with a cough I took her in to see her nurse practitioner. The NP and I started talking more about colloidal silver, which made want to do more research. Dating back to ancient times, colloidal silver has been used to help alleviate and stop the spread of all kinds of diseases and illnesses.
What you need to know:
There are 3 different types of Colloidal silver products out there: ionic silver, silver protein and true colloidal silver. You may have read that colloidal silver has a risk of your skin turning blue. Sadly, it’s not just for a little while – it’s called argyria and it’s permanent! Yikes!
But(!) studies show that the reaction that causes the blue pigmentation is from either too much intake of colloidal silver or the over-intake of the inexpensive low-quality pseudo-silver products that are not true colloidal silver. The latter reasons is more of the reason for the development of argyria.
Unless on oral antibiotics or thyroxine used for thyroid dysfunction 2 tsp / day for adults & 1 tsp per day for children 12 and under is recommended and should not be taken longer than 14 days at a time. Bottomline: choose true colloidal silver from a trusted brand or friend who makes and if you have any concerns about it at all ask you health care practitioner.
Elderberry Syrup – I’ll tell you, I was a skeptic about elderberry syrup at first. But studies have shown that these amazing little berries from the Sambucas nigra plant are actually mighty powerful in boosting the immune system to help ward off and combat cold and flu viruses.
A 2017 review found elderberries to have antibacterial effects as well. More commonly known, elderberry is a force fighter against respiratory illnesses. One study conducted in 2009 found that elderberry is effective against 10 different influenza strains (the typical flu vaccine only targets 1 strain). Additionally those who took elderberry recovered 4 days sooner than those who didn’t use elderberry.
Some people may be concerned that elderberries cause an inflammatory cytokine storm that can be harmful to your health. However according to this study elderberries do trigger an increase in inflammatory cytokines but this is a good thing to help combat the virus. Elderberries also work as modulators to turn off the inflammatory response when it is no longer needed. Meaning, yes it boosts your immune system to fight viral invaders but don’t cause the body to go into harmful inflammatory overdrive.
1 TBS for adults and 1 tsp for kids per day during the cold and flu seasons is recommended for best outcomes. If a cold or influenza does strike we take the recommended dose 3x/day with a easy to digest Vitamin C until the virus is cleared up.
Probiotics – This should be something you do year round being that the flora in our digestive tract is so important but if it’s not something you tend to all the time – creating this habit in the fall and winter months is a great start! There are a ton of good supplements on the market but this is the one we use at the moment.
Two things to remember regarding probiotics:
1. Change up your supplements: each product has a limited number of strains. Different strains have different roles and immune boosting properties. After one bottle is done, choose another high quality probiotic to provide a variety of bacteria to help ward off cold and flu best!
2. Real-food probiotics are still important: choose foods with live probiotic cultures such as organic goat or dairy yogurt, fermented pickles, kefir, kombucha, kimchi, tempeh and sauerkraut.
Prebiotics – In order to get the most bang for your probiotic buck you must consume PREbiotics. PRObiotics are the seeds for growing strong immune boosting bacteria. PREbiotics are the fertilizer (or compost) to make the probiotics grow. Both must be in the diet for best defense against illnesses in the fall and winter seasons.
Vitamin D – I can’t say enough about this vitamin and it’s super powers. For years Vitamin D didn’t get the respect it deserves but we’ve learned so much more about it and it’s definitely one you want to take during fall and winter to boost your immune system. Contrary to popular belief the majority of people are not low in vitamin D. This is because it’s found naturally in foods but also fortified in many foods especially in western countries.
People at risk for low vitamin D are those with absorption issues – like Crohn’s or Celiac disease, lactose intolerance, milk allergies or those who avoid dairy, as well as people with darker skin tones or with certain medical conditions that limit their sun exposure. You can take too much Vitamin D so it’s recommended to take a lower dose around 2000IUs and paired with Vitamin K for adequate absorption and balance in the blood. This is the supplement I recommend.
And that’s all folks! These are my top 5 immune boosting supplements to take during the fall and winter months to stay healthy and enjoy the fall festivities and holidays.
References:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19566416/
https://draxe.com/nutrition/colloidal-silver-benefits/
Seltenrich, Nate. “Nanosilver: weighing the risks and benefits.” Environmental health perspectives vol. 121,7 (2013): A220-5. doi:10.1289/ehp.121-a220
Ho, Giang Thanh Thi et al. “Elderberry and Elderflower Extracts, Phenolic Compounds, and Metabolites and Their Effect on Complement, RAW 264.7 Macrophages and Dendritic Cells.” International journal of molecular sciences vol. 18,3 584. 8 Mar. 2017, doi:10.3390/ijms18030584
https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/vitamin-d-myths-debunked
https://academic.oup.com/ndt/article/28/suppl_1/i352/1838602?login=true
