John Arts Abundant Living www.johnarts.co.nz

It is winter and there will be the normal winter colds and flu around.

It is also at this time the winter flu marketers are in full cry – whether pharmaceuticals with vaccines or natural health promoters with herbs and potions. These can be any number of products, from humble vitamin C to some rather exotic herbs and potions. There seems very little evidence that popular options like high levels of vitamin C or echinacea extracts do much to prevent flu – though they have a benefit in helping recover more quickly.

Research confirms that the number one nutrient needed for proper immune system is vitamin D. I am convinced winter flu is as much about low vitamin D levels as especially virulent bugs. Research by Anthony Norman, professor of Biomedical Science at UC, identified the enormous contribution of Vitamin D to the immune system and a total 36 body systems and organs. (AJCN 2008).

Our immune cells have docking stations for vitamin D and without adequate reserves the answer is to get as much winter sunshine as you can and to make sure your daily multi includes vitamin D. If you are at higher risk of flu, a high dose vitamin D prescription supplement is advisable. In summer, I take 1000IU daily, in autumn and spring, 2000IU and in winter 3000IU.

The second thing I would do for a good immune system is the often ignored basics. Our immune system is reliant on a vast array of vitamins, minerals and, just as importantly antioxidants. So a well formulated multi is a very good idea. Finally, I would look for a group of compounds called polysaccharides as these are excellent immune modulators – a fancy term for helping white blood cells to work more efficiently. These would include the beta glucans from reishi mushrooms and lyceum polysaccharides from Goji berries. I have added these to my antioxidant formulas for more than a decade and have no doubt they help immune response.

Whether you get the flu vaccination is up to you. What I do is optimise my vitamin D levels, maintain full doses of my daily multi antioxidant/mineral/vitamin and just as a precaution, add an antioxidant product with high amounts of beneficial polysaccharides.

John Arts is the founder of Abundant Health.
For product information visit www.abundant.co.nz If you have questions or would like a free health plan phone 07 578 9051 or 0800 423 or email john@johnarts.co.nz
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