✨ How to boost your immune system as the winter approaches
My son started university last August.
As a health coach, I have been taking care of his diet and his supplementation regime, specially as a soccer athlete. Something must have worked since he and his team became state champions for the state of Texas last year!
He is visiting for his fall break and he shared that a lot of kids are getting sick as temperatures start to cool down. I will skip the interesting dynamics happening at the dorms when sick and healthy people need to interact on a reduced space.
I immediately sent to him my USANA immune boosting protocol. You see the challenge for my son is that the food at his university is not very good and tends to be high in processed, empty carbs and not very abundant on the fruits and vegetables that provide with the nutrients the immune system needs to work at his best.
Anyway, here are the things you can do to boost your immune system.
First, your body needs sound sleep. People that does not reach their sleep goal in both number of hours (7 at least) and quality (deep, restorative sleep), have a significant reduction in their immune system activity, up to 70% less. I wrote an article on sleep already so refer to it if you need to improve your sleep.
Second, your immune system requires key nutrients to be at its best:
a. Vitamin C (found in orange, grapefruit, red and green peppers, broccoli, brussels sprouts, spinach)
b. B Vitamins (found in liver, chicken breast, salmon, eggs, yogurt)
c. Zinc (found in oysters, lobster, crab, beef, chickpeas, cashews)
d. Beta-Glucans (found in mushrooms, oats, sea weed)
Third, you can take advantage of sunlight as much as you can so your body generates vitamin D, which while being a vitamin acts like a hormone and is fundamental for your immune system to work. A 30 minute exercise routine under the sun with minimum clothing and without sunblock can be great for your immune system.
Last but not least, you can take advantage of our awarded supplements to ensure your immune system works at its best. This is what I've sent to my son:
a. USANA Cellsentials.
The best multivitamin in North America contains a number of antioxidants and minerals your immune system can use including vitamin B, C, D and Zinc.
b. USANA Biomega
The Omega 3 fatty acids are great to improve your cell membrane function. As a consequence, your immune system cells will better sound the alarm when intruders come and signal other immune system cells to act and destroy the enemy. .
c. USANA Probiotic
80% of your immune system resides on your gut. This is because the nutrients we eat get through the intestinal lining into the blood stream and our immune system is there to quickly eliminate any threats. The British Journal of Nutrition did a systematic review on the benefits of probiotics and concluded that certain probiotics strains, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, were found to lessen the duration of respiratory infections in adults and children. These are the strains included in the USANA Probiotic! Its powder form makes it easy for toddlers starting at 2 years old.
d. USANA Proglucamune.
This is a great combination of beta-glucans that come from the reishi and shiitake mushrooms and yeast that has been known to get your immune system on a high alert. As a simplified example, imagine that some types of immune cells function like a lock that needs two keys to open. Proglucamune acts like one of the keys. The nutrients in Proglucamune have a distinct structure that binds to one of the receptors on an immune cell. This signals to the cell that it should get ready for action. It’s in a heightened state, primed for a fast response. The cell is waiting for that second key to unlock a reaction. Bacteria, foreign substances, and damaged cells may become the second key.
e. USANA Booster C
This great product combines the power of vitamin C, Zinc Elderberry and Echinacea extract. This is great for all ages since it comes in powder form. Just dissolve it in water and drink.
I get consistent positive feedback whenever I share this product with people around me. So powerful!
Ok, now I will share with you the protocol my son is taking in college for the entire month of November.
On a daily basis:
AM - After Breakfast
USANA Cellsentials, 2 core minerals and 2 antioxidants
USANA Biomega, 2
USANA Proglucamune, 1
PM - With Dinner
USANA Cellsentials, 2 core minerals and 2 antioxidants
USANA Biomega, 2
USANA Proglucamune, 1
At night before going to sleep
USANA Probiotic, one stick dissolved in little water
If he starts feeling under the weather
USANA Booster, one stick in the morning and one at night.
When he is not immune boosting, he sticks with the Cellsentials and the Biomega since that is his foundational nutrition to compensate for the lack of nutrients coming from the university's campus.
I hope this helps!