Building a robust immune system
We are exposed to germs and pathogens every day. When our immune system is functioning well, we might not notice how it kicks into gear to generate a wide range of cells to neutralise the infective organisms. Or how our liver jumps into action to help swiftly prepare any harmful by products for elimination.
It’s only if a pathogen moves in and really replicates that we start to feel the effects. However, we do have some ability to influence whether we experience the effects of potential pathogens wanting to set up residence in a place they are not welcome. And this sits in the window of time before we’re exposed to them. This is the part we’re best to support.
So how do we cultivate immune resilience?
Prior to exposure, we want to build the body up with the nutrients necessary for the creation of the immune cells that would ward off the unwanted houseguests. In particular, it needs:
Zinc
Vitamin C
Vitamin D
The first two—zinc and vitamin C—can be found in food, particularly oysters and grass-fed red meat (zinc), and citrus fruits and kiwifruit (vitamin C). Our best source of vitamin D is the suns action on our skin. If we haven’t been obtaining enough of these nutrients prior to pathogen exposure, then there may not be enough of them to go around.
What happens when there isn’t enough of a nutrient in the body?
A helpful way to imagine what occurs in this case, is that the body will ‘borrow’ these nutrients from other functions—those it deems less important than fighting off the infection wanting to take hold. So, it may for example, ‘re-route’ zinc that would have been allocated to metabolising thyroid hormones, to help it mount a defence.
While this is helpful in the immediate ‘crisis’ of getting us well, it can have longer-term ramifications if we don’t proactively work to restore our body to optimal levels of nutrients. In the example above, ongoing reduced synthesis of thyroid hormones could go on to impact our metabolism, our hair growth and thickness, and our energy levels.
So, ensuring you have adequate levels of zinc, vitamin C and vitamin D is crucially important.
Bio Blends Organic Zinc Extract is a plant-based zinc that is water-extracted from organic guava leaves and is made using nothing synthetic (this is incredibly uncommon in the supplement world). It’s the cleanest zinc supplement we’ve ever come across.
Our Organic Zinc Extract is suitable for the whole family—just halve the dose for children under 12 years of age. It can take time to build and maintain your levels of zinc, so we recommend taking a zinc supplement for 3-6 months, or for as long as you are appreciating the benefits.