What Supplements Can Help With Immunity and Stress?
When COVID-19 hit our part of the United States, the first thing I did was make sure I added vitamin C, echinacea, goldenseal and zinc to my daily vitamins. My husband followed suit and then asked me to come up with a list for our friends and neighbors of what supplements can help with immunity and stress. Going beyond that, I would also like to extend this information to you, my dear readers, in case you might be interested in this subject as well. I researched what over-the-counter supplements may help with immunity and stress.
The supplements I take help me and may be able to help you, too. When you are in good health and want to stay that way, it’s easy to feel that age doesn’t matter. Here’s to your enjoyment of life and a long future!
So, Let’s See What Supplements Can Help With Immunity and Stress
To Help Boost Immunity:
Here is my own personal list of supplements that I am using at home to boost the immune system and why:
- Vitamin C – Vitamin C infusions have been used to good advantage in treating patients with severe pneumonia, which is part of the progression of COVID-19.
- Echinacea – Echinacea may be taken in capsule form and as a tea. I have a lemon & echinacea herbal tea by the Bigelow Benefits line that contains echinacea, lemongrass, rose hips (an herb that is a natural source of vitamin C) and elderflowers. As mentioned below, elderberry (which comes from the flowering Sambucus tree) is recommended by some experts to help prevent and ease cold and flu symptoms.
- Goldenseal – I like to purchase echinacea in combination with goldenseal, which is an herb with antibacterial properties. But when I can’t find them combined, I get a separate bottle of goldenseal capsules.
- Zinc – My husband received an e-mail message that contained advice from James Robb, MD, UC San Diego who was a professor of pathology at the University of California San Diego, one of the first molecular virologists in the world to work on coronaviruses (the 1970s), and was the first to demonstrate the number of genes the virus contained. Since then, he has kept up with the coronavirus field and its multiple clinical transfers into the human population (e.g., SARS, MERS), from different animal sources. In his message on COVID-19, he said: “Stock up now with zinc lozenges. These lozenges have been proven to be effective in blocking coronavirus (and most other viruses) from multiplying in your throat and nasopharynx. Use as directed several times each day when you begin to feel ANY ‘cold-like’ symptoms beginning.”.
- Vitamin D – We take this all the time because it is good for all-around health and prevents most diseases.
- Another option – Airborne, a blend of vitamins, minerals and herbs designed to prevent catching airborne diseases. This is on my list because one Christmas our son, Chris, flew in from New York City despite the fact that my husband and I were not over the flu. Chris bought a package of Airborne on his way to our house and despite staying with us in our house for the holidays, he never caught the flu! That convinced me that it works.
To help with stress relief:
Since it is important not to be filled with fear and anxiety, I have a few supplements to recommend that help with stress by balancing out cortisol levels:
- Ashwaganda,
- Rhodiola rosea,
- B-Complex Vitamins
- Olly Stress Relief vitamins – our son told us that his friends recommended this for stressful times.
When I feel fear well up, I stop to take some deep breaths and ground myself. Then I remind myself of all that is well in this moment and that I can and will do what is necessary to get through this. The first thing to keep in mind is that we not panic. I encourage you to stay positive!
More information on supplements for the immune system for those who would like to know more:
The following is on the website “Mercola: Take Control of Your Health,”
Mark McCarty of the Catalytic Longevity Foundation, San Diego, CA, USA, and James DiNicolantonio, PharmD, a cardiovascular research scientist at Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute, Kansas City, MO, propose that certain nutraceuticals may help provide relief to people infected with encapsulated RNA viruses such as influenza and coronavirus list several nutrients available in supplement form that may be of particular benefit against COVID-19, including the following (below).
| N-acetylcysteine (NAC) — Encourages glutathione production, thins mucus, lowers your chances of influenza infection and reduces your risk of developing severe bronchitis |
Elderberry extract — Known to shorten influenza duration by two to four days and reduce the severity of the flu.
|
| Spirulina — Reduces severity of influenza infection and lowers influenza mortality in animal studies. In a human trial, spirulina significantly lowered the viral load in patients with HIV infection |
| Beta-glucan — Reduces severity of influenza infection and lowers influenza mortality in animal studies |
| Glucosamine — Up-regulates mitochondrial antiviral-signaling protein (MAVS), reduces severity of influenza infection and lowers influenza mortality in animal studies |
Selenium — “Since selenium is an essential cofactor for certain peroxidases, and selenium deficiency has been endemic in certain regions of China and other parts of the world, insuring adequacy of selenium nutrition might also be appropriate in this context,” McCarty and DiNicolantonio note, adding:
|
| Zinc — Supports “effective function and proliferation of various immune cells,” lowering mortality in the elderly by 27% |
Lipoic acid — Helps boost type 1 interferon response. As explained in a 2014 paper:
|
| Sulforaphane — Helps boost type 1 interferon response |
A 2005 study in The Journal of Infectious Diseases also found resveratrol has the power to inhibit the replication of influenza A virus, significantly improving survival in influenza-infected mice. According to the authors, resveratrol “acts by inhibiting a cellular, rather than a viral, function,” which suggests it “could be a particularly valuable anti-influenza drug.”
Suggested Daily Dosages
The provisional daily dosage suggestions offered by McCarty and DiNicolantonio to help control RNA viruses, including influenza and coronavirus infection, are as follows:
| Nutraceutical | Daily dosage |
|---|---|
| Ferulic acid | 500 to 1,000 milligrams (mg) |
| Lipoic acid | 1,200 to 1,800 mg (in place of ferulic acid) |
| Spirulina | 15 grams |
| NAC | 1,200 to 1,800 mg |
| Selenium | 50 to 100 micrograms (mcg) |
| Glucosamine | 3,000 mg or more |
| Zinc | 30 to 50 mg |
| Yeast beta-glucan | 250 to 500 mg |
| Elderberry extract | 600 to 1,500 mg |
The Importance of Vitamin D Optimization
The following is from Harvard Health Publishing:
According to Harvard Medical School’s “Harvard Health Publishing,” there’s no evidence that vitamins and probiotics help in fighting off diseases. Instead, they recommend good health practices such as:
- Keeping your hands clean
- Taking care of your body with a balanced diet, regular exercise and getting enough sleep
- Managing stress
- Getting vaccinated
Mercola or Harvard: Your Choice
Mercola is a natural health point of view and Harvard is the conventional medicine point of view. Getting vaccinated is controversial though: some people want it and some don’t believe it is good for them. It’s all a matter of what you think, what you believe and in the end it will be your choice.
Coming Next in This Series:
As I thought about how I can give messages to help you through the pandemic we are facing, I felt that there is more to taking care of ourselves than just supplements. So I am planning to write three more blog posts after this, once a week for the next three weeks.
- Quelling fear is first and foremost;
- Good health practices come next;
- And finally, creativity, art and style can actually be healing so I’d like to take a look at how they figure in.
My opinions presented in this blog post are being shared in the hopes that this is helpful to you. In the end, though, my opinions are not to be taken as medical fact. The final decision is yours and if you have any questions, you should seek medical advice from a qualified physician.
Let’s Connect!
I hope this information is helpful to you during this time of stress, or any time you want to fight colds and the flu. I welcome you to leave a reply below in the hopes that it will be for the highest good of all in this community.
Do you have a friend who would like this? Please use the Share buttons.
Never miss a post! Click “Subscribe” in the drop-down at top or fill in the blanks for the “Newsletter” at right. That would be a great help in supporting my blog. I would appreciate it very much!
Please support Your True Self Blog by visiting my Shop for Style Guides HERE. Or go to the top of this page and select the Shop tab.
Please follow Your True Self Blog on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and Bloglovin.
This post is linked up with Link Up On The Edge #187 at Shelbee On The Edge as well as Fancy Friday at Nancy’s Fashion Style.
Thank you for visiting Your True Self Blog!
Angie
I am all about natural and healthy supplements to maintain immunities and good health. I don’t really leave my house very often either so I am not exposed to as many pathogens as others who are always out and around lots of people. But I still take my vitamins and add natural things to my diet to boost immunity. Thanks for sharing this helpful and informative information.
Shelbee
http://www.shelbeeontheedge.com
That’s two for team vitamins – me and you…thanks for seconding the motion! 🙂
thanks for the great info Angie
You’re welcome, Michelle; I hope you stay well and yet are still able to get your important civil service work done!
Interesting stuff, Angie! Thanks so much for sharing.
Thanks, I wish you lifelong health!