Cooler temps, holiday travels, and the sniffles/coughs/body aches going around the kids and the office, (and yes, of course 2020s health crisis!) make us all a little more aware of our immune systems.
But, we don’t have to just accept that we’ll get the flu (or whatever is going around) this season or that we’ll miss multiple days of work/school! Our immune system is meant to be strong and protect us and our nutritional status and specific nutrients can help boost how well it functions!
I want to share the protocol I’ve used with great success so you and your family can benefit and bypass the flu.
Most recently, my husband started with the “miseries” after an unusually stressful week: headache, body aches, fatigue, sore throat, congestion. Several coworkers had been out sick. Thankfully, he mentioned it early on, so we started the protocol below immediately. He opted to work from home 1 day to get a little extra rest. With rest and the nutrient boost, the symptoms were very light and much shorter than the bug his co-workers, who missed several days of work, experienced.
I too used the same nutrients for 7-10 days and was able to completely fight off the bug. No symptoms!
***A big key is to catch it early. Start as soon as you have symptoms!***
If you’ve been exposed to someone who’s ill, take at least the first 3 supplements listed in the protocol below (i.e. Vitamin C – minimum 3000-5000mg, D and Zinc) for 7-10days.
Immune Boosting Protocol
Vitamin C – take 1000 mg every hour to bowel tolerance (this is when you start getting gassy, then have “the runs”). At this point, hold off for a few hours until your belly recovers a bit. Then continue at about 80% of that max dose (from a 24-hour period) until your symptoms are gone. Once well, you can slowly back down. Your body will tell you when it’s time. If using high doses for an extended period of time, reduce by about 500mg/day every 3 days to allow your body to adjust slowly to lower levels.
Vitamin C has potent antibacterial and anti-viral (even anti-cancer) properties, and has been shown to reduce severity and duration of infections. It’s water-soluble and quickly used by the body. The higher the stress (physical, emotional or even “infectious” stress), the more your body will need. (High cortisol = high Vitamin C need.) Your body can tolerate so much more vitamin C when you’re fighting something. (I have seen some people handle more than 20,000mg in a day!) The extensive research is phenomenal!
***Remember, start taking it AS SOON as you start coming down with something… and even if you’re under high amounts of stress.
I prefer a Vitamin C capsule or powder without sugar and with Bioflavonoids (see brand recommendations below).
Vitamin D – take 5000-10,000iu/day with a meal for 3 days (most of my clients take 2000-7000iu for daily maintenance doses. For short term immune boosts, up to 10,000iu can be really helpful, especially if you normally don’t take any.)
Vitamin D supports activity of immune cells and reduces inflammation often associated with infections. Each cell of the body has Vitamin D receptors, so it gives tremendous overall health benefits. Unfortunately, Vitamin D deficiency is very common and is even associated with higher rates of autoimmune disease, and more recently, higher and more serious infection rates during **vid. Be sure to get your blood levels checked for optimum immune function!
I prefer a liquid form of Vitamin D3 to allow for very easy dose adjustments based on lab values or in this case of short term immune boosting (see brand recommendations below).
Zinc – take 25-50mg daily with meals and only for about 1-2 weeks, unless you are getting some additional copper in a multi-vitamin (Zinc and copper balance each other out, and high zinc levels can cause copper deficiency.).
Zinc is a mineral essential for optimal immune function and has antiviral properties. It also plays a role in over 300 enzymes, has antioxidant properties and helps fight inflammation. Low levels have been linked with impaired immunity and increased risk of infection (see brand recommendations below).
A-biotic – take 1 AM and PM. This is a botanical formula with garlic, oregano, elderberry, and olive leaf, providing antibacterial, anti-viral, and immune boosting benefits.
*Start taking this at the first sign of symptoms and continue until recovered – usually 3-14 days (see brand recommendations below).
Multivitamin – this can help recovery time and reduce severity. See Why Supplements Matter article for details.
2 additional boosters: NAC (900 mg 2x/day) and Quercetin (300-500mg 2x/day). NAC boosts glutathione production (the body’s most powerful antioxidant), supports lung tissue, and thins mucus, while quercetin has anti-inflammatory properties and reduces severity and duration of respiratory symptoms.
Remember the other essentials for quick healing and recovery:
- Sleep
- Hydrate – lots of water, herbal tea with local honey
- Skip the sugar (even 1 teaspoon suppresses the immune system for 6 hours!)
- Clean, nutrient dense nutrition! Avoid dairy for a few days to reduce congestion
If you’re new to supplements and this feels overwhelming, just start with Vitamin C, D, and Zinc.
What brands do I recommend? Excellent question! Check out my favorites on FullScript – ResparkleU Wellness Shop. …and catch the Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sale for additional discounts.
