By Kimberly Parker, Nurse Practitioner (MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, RNC-OB) & Angie Barber, Registered Nurse (RN, BSN, Wellness Coordinator)
Ensuring your Vitamin D levels are at optimal levels helps to keep your immune system functioning properly. Vit D is a vital nutrient that our bodies need for cell production and prevention of abnormal cell growth. Vit D also plays a crucial role in bone health, cardiovascular health and overall sense of well-being. Your body can produce Vit D when you get direct sunlight on your skin. Your skin makes vitamin D depending on different factors, which include skin pigmentation, your latitude and the time of day of exposure. Vitamin D production can drop down to almost none during winter months. This is why it is important to supplement your Vitamin D regularly.
Glutathione is known as the master of all antioxidants. Our bodies make glutathione in our livers and use it to detoxify our system. It is our bodies own “Clean up” crew. Low levels of Glutathione have been seen in cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative disease such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s among other things. Ways to boost your glutathione levels are taking a Liposomal Glutathione in liquid form, getting a glutathione injection or through IV therapy. Your body will use Ascorbic Acid and N-Acetyl Cysteine to assist your body in making glutathione. Taking these supplements can also boost your body’s glutathione productions.
Ascorbic Acid (known as Vitamin C) is one of the most abundant nutrients utilized by your body. You need ascorbic acid to make all new cells, repair tissues and build different hormones throughout your body. In some studies, doing high dose ascorbic acid can fight cancer. Ascorbic Acid is a water-soluble vitamin that your body does not store, this is why you need to eat Vitamin C enriched foods like citrus fruits, broccoli, and berries every day. Taking a good source of Ascorbic Acid in a supplement form can increase your levels as well.
Vitamin B12 and other B Vitamins. – Your body uses Vitamin B12 every day to release energy from the food you eat, produce red blood cells and keep your nervous system healthy. Other B Vitamins are used in our bodies to make and use fatty acids in hormone productions, regrow different cells like skin, and hair, use and store energy from proteins and carbohydrate. Vitamin B12 is found in meat, fish, milk, cheese and fortified cereals. Taking a good source of Vitamin B complex with B12 every day can boost your immune system and keep your energy levels up. Doing IV therapy or IM injections of Vitamin B, and B12 can also be a good way to boost your levels.
Other natural ways to boost your immune system and stay healthy through the cold and flu season:
- Make sure you get quality sleep at least 8 hours a night.
- Washing your hands after handing money, using the bathroom, blowing your nose, before and after eating, after touching your face.
- Exercising at least 20mins 3-4 times a week, Stretching, walking, yoga, light weightlifting.
Supplements that Strata has that can boost your immune system during cold and flu season are:
Supplements – K-Force (Vit D3 +K), Mitocore multivitamin, Congaplex, Viracon, Zinc, Ascorbic Acid by Thorne or Stella C, NAC, Methyl B Complex,
IV therapy – Meyer’s cocktail, Immune Boost IV, Super Immune IV, Vitamin Replenishment Cocktail, NAD+, Hydration IV. Can add glutathione to any IV
Therapeutic injection – Vitamin B12, Vitamin B complex, Glutathione, Vitamin D.
