The festive season is precisely that; festive. But with all the fun and frivolity of the season, come disruptions to our diet and lifestyle. Ultimately, this comes at the expense of our health. Thus, it's common for people to feel fatigued or run down and suffer from compromised immune health at this time of year.
This is commonly caused by:
- Increased alcohol consumption
- Increased sugar consumption
- Increased carbohydrate consumption
- Increased seafood consumption (exposure to mercury)
- Disruptions to normal sleep cycle
- Increased travel and exposure to a new “deadly virus”
- Increased stress
While these things are not good for your health, they're often unavoidable and are simply a byproduct of enjoying this time of year with friends and family. Fear not, though, as there are ways to bolster your health and immune system this festive season.
Understanding the Immune System
The feeling of reduced immunity is one we're all familiar with. But most aren't familiar with what actually constitutes poor immune health. Low immunity isn't just a feeling; it is measurable through blood chemistry. The charts below illustrate some common deficiencies and imbalances that result in reduced immune health.
Some of the most telling biomarkers for immune health are:
- Immunoglobulins (IgA, IgE, IgG, IgM)
- WBC - White Blood Cell Count
- Lymphocytes / Total Lymphocyte Count
Immunoglobulins
The immunoglobulins include IgA, IgE, IgG and IgM. They function as antibodies and a critical part of the immune response - binding to pathogenic microorganisms and aiding in their destruction. In the charts above, IgA is high, which indicates the following:
- The body has attempted to neutralize antigens
- Potential extensive mercury or other toxic exposure (especially as there is elevated IgM too)
- Increased risk for autoimmune disease and respiratory infection
White Blood Cell Count (WBC)
White blood cells are the body's primary defence mechanism. Their function is to roam throughout the body and look for foreign microbes like viruses, bacteria and parasites. Should they detect any such foreign microbes, they will launch an attack to rid the body of them. In the chart above, WBC is low, which indicates the following:
- Compromised immunity
- Inadequate inflammatory response
- A tendency towards repeat or concurrent infections (either chronic viral or bacterial)
- Possible bone marrow suppression from drugs or toxins
- May be associated with higher cancer risk
- Associated with a high level of oxidative stress (free radicals), acid stress (pH imbalance) and anaerobic metabolism (low oxygen)
- Nutritionally associated with poor protein intake or utilization
Lymphocytes / Total Lymphocyte Count
Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell consisting of B cells and T cells, and are critical in the immune response. They protect against viruses and cancer, and assist in rebuilding connective tissue. They originate in either the bone marrow or thymus gland. In the chart above, lymphocytes and total lymphocyte counts are low, which indicates the following:
- Associated with bacterial infection and/or chronic viral infection
- Inadequate viral and cancer defence
- Usually accompanied by acid stress (pH imbalance), chronic Inflammation and connective tissue breakdown
- May be due to poor protein intake or utilization
- May be due to immunosuppressant drugs, chemicals or heavy metals
- May be due to insufficient vitamin B6 and zinc
How to Maintain Balanced Chemistry and Keep the Immune System Strong
Staying healthy is a matter of keeping these biomarkers (especially the key immunity markers) within optimal ranges. This begs the question; what can you do to help biomarkers stay within optimal ranges? Essentially, the body requires sufficient amounts of the following to keep immunity markers within optimum ranges:
- Vitamin C
- Zinc
- Vitamin D (Caution: do not take over 2000 IU as can create Vit D toxicity and Free Calcium imbalance)
- Vitamin K2
- Glutathione
- Lysine
- Bioflavonoids
- Vitamin A
- Omega 3
- Quercetin
All of the above can be found in the following supplements:
- Bio Vitamin C
- L Glutathione (client only product)
- Bio Omega 3-6-9
- Synergy K2
- Formula 1
- Formula 2
Bio Vitamin C
Bio Vitamin C contains vitamin C, lysine, proline, glycine, bioflavonoids, and a standardized green tea extract. The primary function of vitamin C is to promote the production of white blood cells. Regular over-the-counter vitamin C products contain 500mg of vitamin C per dose. However, our own Bio Vitamin C powder delivers 2000mg per dose. It also contains powerful antioxidants like lysine, proline and glycine that provide additional antiviral support. The green tea extract and citrus bioflavonoids give the added benefits to increase the uptake of vitamin C and offer extra antioxidant protection.
L Glutathione
Glutathione is an antioxidant designed to preserve the integrity of cells, and plays a key role in defending against viral infections. Viruses enter the body encased within a protein shell known as a 'capsid'. Before a virus can infect the body, it must first bind to a cell and activate its 'neuraminidase' enzyme, which injects the virus into the cell. The virus then multiplies within the cell - ultimately causing the cell to burst, at which point the virus escapes the cell and then infects the body. However, if the capsid does not bind to a cell, it can be naturally escorted out of the body by white blood cells - meaning no viral infection. One of the functions of glutathione is to ensure viruses do not escape this capsid and infect the body. Note, Glutathione can be synthesized by the body naturally by obtaining 3 amino acids:
- Glutamic acid -BIO-Whey and meat
- Cysteine - BIO-Whey and meat
- Glycine - BIO-Whey and BIO-Vitamin C
- Selenium status - Formula 2 and iron status - Formula 3
Bio Omega 3-6-9
Bio Omega 3-6-9 aids immunity as it is rich in essential fatty acids, vitamin A, and vitamin D, which help maintain cell health, aid white cell production, and combat inflammation.
Synergy K2
Synergy K2 contains vitamin K2, vitamin D3 and vitamin A. Vitamin D3 and A, in particular, are beneficial to immune health as they maintain cell health, aid white blood cell production and combat inflammation. Vitamin K2 also aids with the absorption and utilization of fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin A and D3 - making them more effective.
Formula 1
Formula 1 supports the immune system primarily as it is high in zinc. Zinc is essential to healthy cell function and signaling. Without sufficient zinc, the immune response will be compromised. Zinc also works to reduce oxidative stress (low oxygen), which can hinder immune function and energy levels.
Formula 2
Like Formula 1, Formula 2 also contains zinc. It also contains vitamins B6 and copper which support the immune system by aiding cell function.
What To Do If You Feel Sick or Run Down
If you do start to feel run down or your immune system feels compromised at any point this festive season, there are a few other things you can do to support the immune system. Our comprehensive cold and flu guide gives some tips and tricks on what to do. You can read the guide here.
How to Stay Healthy This Silly Season
While these supplements certainly won't offset all your festive behaviours and are most definitely not a replacement for maintaining proper diet and lifestyle habits, they will help preserve your immune system and energy during this time of the year. And so, without further ado, we wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas!
