Give Your Immune System a Boost

Good Monday Morning! Hope you all had a great weekend! Our Festivus 2024 Weekend is in the books, and I’m proud to report there were no injuries. Ibuprofen may or may not have been required for some of us following our sledding shenanigans, but a good time was had by all!

Boosting our Immune System

‘Tis the season for crowded flights and packed parties with lots of people loud-talking all up in your face.  The last thing any of us wants is to get sick!  I’ve been using this immunity support combination for several years, and I swear by it. 

Although these would be perfectly safe to take daily,   I do not take them every day. I use them as my “secret weapon” when I need to give my immune system a boost.  I’ve had great results taking this combination of Oregano Oil and Elderberry at the first sign of a cold, and they have helped me fight it off.

I hesitate to write this because I don’t want to jinx myself, but other than getting a mild case of COVID, I have only been sick once in the last 3+ years.  (And that one time happened when we had just moved into our house here in the mountains. Big Surprise – it wasn’t finished.  So, we were practically living with eight construction guys who were ALL sick with terrible colds).   

I’m fully aware that my little immunity warriors may be working via a placebo effect, but they have consistently been reliant for me, and you know – if it ain’t broke . . . don’t fix it!

These are the Oregano Oil capsules I use: link

Oregano Oil has been used for centuries for a variety of treatments. From an immune support standpoint, it has antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties. It can also be purchased in an oil extract form that can be mixed with a “carrier oil” (for example, almond oil) and applied topically to treat a range ailments from fungal infections to insect bites. Some people take oregano oil drops orally, but it has a very strong bitter flavor, so I prefer the capsules. Here’s a link to a NIH study that breaks down all of the benefits of Essential Oils of Oregano.

I use these Elderberry Drops when I’m at home: link

I keep the Elderberry Gummies on hand for travel. These have Zinc and Vitamin D3 added, which are also great immune support: link

Elderberry is loaded with Vitamin C and has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.  Although there are no studies that prove that it prevents illness, it has been demonstrated to reduce the duration of flu.  In this study of people with influenza, half were given elderberry syrup 4 times a day.  The patients taking elderberry syrup showed improvement in their symptoms in 2 to 4 days, verses the 8 to 10 day duration of symptoms in the control group.

When do I take this immune boosting combo?

• At the first sign of a scratchy or sore throat, I take it immediately, then once a day for the next couple of days.
• Anytime I’m flying, I take it the night before the flight, and then again after the flight.
• Whenever I attend an event in a crowded venue, I take it as soon as I get home.  It wouldn’t hurt to take it the day before and day after, too!
• If someone in our household is sick, I take it daily until they are better.
• If I’m feeling especially tired and worn out, I take it for a day or two just to ensure I’m not getting sick.

The other tip, that we’ve all heard hundreds of times . . . when you are fighting a cold, get plenty of rest and stay hydrated.

• Why rest? Sleep is when our body does its most efficient recovery.
• Why does increasing hydration help our immune system?
  • Fluids help keep our mucus membranes hydrated, which is our first line of defense against viruses.
  • Fluids help promote flushing out toxins, allowing our lymphatic system to operate more efficiently.
  • Good hydration promotes good blood flow, which allows for efficient circulation of our immune cells.

So there you go – a little tool for your immune-boosting toolbox! While I can’t guarantee them, using these two supplements has benefitted me, so I absolutely wanted to share them with you!

I hope your week is off to a great start. I’ll see you back here on Wednesday!

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