Building a strong immune system

Coronavirus. WTF. Is it really the next plague or will it simply fizzle out? Regardless, we all want a strong immune system to protect us against any nasties we may come up against. 

So what is the immune system and how can we strengthen it?

Better Health Victoria explains the immune system as "A complex network of cells and proteins that defends the body against infection. The immune system keeps a record of every germ (microbe) it has ever defeated so it can recognise and destroy the microbe quickly if it enters the body again"

So let's say it is our bodies internal defence system. Easy enough to understand.

But how can we make it super-strong so that we don't get sick when we touch that dirty trolley handle or cross paths with old mate at work who looks like the walking dead? Let's explore that.

Firstly, our best defence would be to not touch the trolley in the first place and to stay away from potentially sick people. But we can't live in a bubble, and no one wants to wear gloves everytime they leave the house (unless we see someone in Hollywood do it first) 😉

So instead we can adopt other methods to avoid the dredded lurgy.

Here are a few options.

Use a hand santitizer.

Alcohol based sanitizers are shown to kill 99.9% of bactaria on your hands 30 seconds after application. So yes it will keep your hands germ free but no it won't stop you catching a gob full of Karens sneeze.

The foil hat crews does suggest that excessive use can lead to antibacterial resistance, although there isn't any evidence as yet.

Hot Tip:
When looking for hand saniyizer, go for products that are 70%+ alcohol. Hopsitals use 70% - 95% alcohol based sanitizers.

Vitamins.

As mum always said, take vitamin c and you won't get sick. Well, there is truth in that. Vitamin C is one of the biggest immune system builders of all. In fact, a lack of vitamins C can also make you more prone to getting sick. So supplementing with Vitamin C and eating vitamin C rich foods are a great option.

Vitamin C rich foods include, brocolli, oranges, strawberries, kiwi fruit, red, yellow or green capsicum, papaya and pineapples, just to name a few.

Vitamin B6 is a good one too. It helps in the production of white blood cells (white blood cells regulate immune function, allowing it to respond appropriately). Which is why B6 is vital when it comes to supporting the immune system.

Foods rich in B6 include fish, beef, poultry, starchy vegetables and non-citrus fruits. 

Vitamin B6 is an important part of our Smart Blend. We provide a solid 50% RDI of Vitamin B6 in our protein formulas per serve, as well as in our Plant Based BCAAs.

Hot Tip:
Always use a high quality vitamin. Remember, big brand doesn't always equal high quality. Do your research.

Medicinal Mushrooms.

If you know us, you know we love medicinal mushrooms.

Mushrooms have been used in eastern medicine for thousands of years and have recently gained traction in the west, and for good reason too. Put simply, it's becuase they work.

Here a 4 powerful adaptogens and how they benefit the immune system.

Chaga - this baby has the ability to stimulate the immune response, among other things like reducing inflammation and combating abnormal and mutagenic cell growth. Pretty cool.

Lion's mane mushrooms - can boost immunity by increasing the activity of the intestinal immune system, which protects the body from pathogens that enter the gut through the mouth or nose. Lions mane is my personal favorite mushy. So many benefits from physical to mental (and some say spiritual too)

Cordyceps - these guys are really cool. Rather than boosting the immune system, cordyceps help to balance it. So if your immune system is only firing on 7 cylinders, cordyceps will bring it back to 8. If it's over stimulated, cordyceps will slow down the production of white blood cells, effectively balancing your immune system. The good thing is, all you need to do is ingest them and your body will handle the rest.

Reishi - another fantastic immune booster. Again they work to produce healthy white blood cells in the body

The team over at Healthline conclude that "Reishi mushroom can enhance immune function through its effects on white blood cells, which help fight infection and cancer".

Wow, just, wow.

Is there anything that medicinal mushrooms can't do? The answer here is no, no there is not.

Hot Tip:
When looking for medicinal mushrooms, again look for quality. Organic are hands down the best.

The above medicinal mushrooms are all in our Shroom Tonic, making it one mighty powerful immune system booster. We use organically culltivated, naturally grown Nammex certified mushroom extracts. Stress less & sneeze less with Shroom Tonic.

So there you have it. There isn't one thing in particular that will keep you virus free, it's more of a wholistic approach that is needed. Basically a lot of common sense like eat good foods and washing your hands regularly.

Thanks for reading guys. I hope you enjoyed the above and got some value from it. Drop your comments below on how you approach immune system health, I'd love to hear it.

Stay Limitless!

Sam