For most of us, it’s standard procedure to take extra Vitamin C during winter time. This powerful vitamin has incredible immune boosting and healing properties due to its high concentration in the white blood cells that fight disease. Research has shown that vitamin C taken daily can prevent a cold or flu or shorten the duration. 

.
Zinc, usually, is the next recommended addition. It both stimulates, and regulates your immune system by promoting the ability of white blood cells to fight infection, as well as protecting cell membranes against free radicals, healing wounds and repairing damaged DNA… 
. 

But rather than talk about the “regular” winter supplements, I’d like to make things interesting and introduce you to the many other wonderful and exciting herbs and nutrients that will both help you achieve super-strong immunity as well as encourage a cold & flu-free winter! Fantastic!
. 

So what else is there? 
Well in the herb department I’d like to talk about my 2 favourites: Olive Leaf and Echinacea.
.

1. Olive Leaf Extract – Picked from the olive tree (sometimes called ‘The Tree of Peace’) this particular leaf contains an active compound called oleuropein. Oleuropein has powerful anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties, valuable in the fight against colds and influenza infection as well as a variety of organisms including the herpes virus, Coxsackie, salmonella, E coli and many more… It also has antioxidant and immune boosting properties and the ability to lower fevers, all of which contribute towards an illness-free, ‘peaceful’ winter!
. 

2. Echinacea – One of my preferred immune boosters and a natural anti-biotic; Echinacea both activates and increases the production of white blood cells (when they are low) and makes sure that they successfully migrate to any areas of infection. It even reduces a certain compound called hyaluronidase (which allows infection to spread). 
. 

Moving on to the nutrients:

1. Vitamin D – Forget the apple! More and more research has revealed that vitamin D every day is what will keep the doctor away when it comes to colds and flu. Vitamin D plays a vital role in activating your innate immune system from a cellular level. It is the master key that unlocks every cell’s DNA library that contains information needed to deal with virtually every kind of stimulus it may encounter! This means that adequate vitamin D levels give you the nutritional power to activate your immune system so that it can respond to invading pathogens. Adding to this Vitamin D also balances immune response and prevents inflammation so that your body doesn’t ‘over-react’ and result in chronic disease, cancer or autoimmune conditions. 
2. Probiotics – It's strange to think that you can treat and even prevent illness with bacteria, but it's true. Your body contains trillions of bacteria - some are good and some are bad. When the number of good or ‘‘friendly bacteria’ starts to decrease due to antibiotics or a poor diet your chances for illness are increased. Adequate amounts of probiotics therefore, greatly enhance your immunity and overall health, both preventing colds and flu and speeding recovery time.

In the food section I could go on forever about the benefits of lots of lovely anti-oxidant and nutrient-rich fresh fruit and vegetables however, I’ll only mention 2: 
.

1. Garlic – This wonderful aromatic bulb has incredible anti-fungal, antibacterial, and antiviral properties. Raw garlic can even speed up recovery from colds and flu and greatly increases resistance.
2. Goji Berries - Goji berries are packed full of immune boosting components! First of these is LBP (Lycium Barbarum Polysaccharide) which is similar in chemical structure and function to substances found in Echinacea. There is also 2-O-(beta-D-Glucopyranosyl) Ascorbic Acid (a Vitamin C analogue novel to Goji berries), essential amino acids and zinc all of which are potent immune system boosters that aid in the fight against sickness.

And what would winter be without a hot cuppa! My favourite immune booster tea is otherwise known as ‘The Flu-Fighter’!
.
Mix together:

• Cayenne Pepper (as much as you can handle!) – boosts metabolism and speeds up the healing process

• Ginger (fresh is best otherwise organic ginger power is great too) - kills germs, is antiviral, anti-nausea and is also very good for an upset stomach.

• Lemon – for some good old vitamin C

• Manuka Honey or a Dark Raw honey – anti-bacterial, anti-oxidant, healing and soothing for coughs and sort throats. 

• 1 Rooibos or green tea bag – full of antioxidants and immune boosting compounds
.
 Simply add hot water, sit back and relax and let your body enjoy the health benefits!

 

Winter is just around the corner so now is the perfect time to kick-start your immune system! With so many wonderful nutrients and herbs to choose from, why not include something different this season to take your health to the next level! Just remember to stay positive, eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, relax and hopefully enjoy a healthy illness-free winter!