Nutrient Superheroes For Strong Immunity

When it comes to immunity and the nutrients that support it, we often only think as far as vitamin C. Although our trusty vitamin C is an absolute staple in the line up of nutrient superheroes, there are a few more nutrients and powerful herbs we’d recommend you're getting in to boost a strong  immune system and keep well.

 On top of this, did you know that it’s not just about the right nutrients and herbs when we’re wanting to boost up our immunity, but also the form they are in and the strength? Different forms are more powerful than others and specific strengths are needed for them to be effective. 

Read on to find out which key nutrients and herbs have your back when it comes to immunity and what forms and strengths of each you need to help you and your family get back to better, fast. 

Vitamin C

For all its wonder, vitamin C has two key downsides that we have to work to address: we can't make it on our own, and it doesn't stay in our body for very long. That means we need to keep topping it up with extra sources: from supplements and foods rich in it. 

There are so many reasons vitamin C is so super. In addition to fighting infection, vitamin C also works as an antioxidant, protecting our bodies from damage and is involved in the growth of our bones, tendons, ligaments and skin and helps us absorb other essential nutrients, such as iron, better. 

When seeking out vitamin C from  foods make sure you're eating FRESH! It's said that 80% of the water soluble vitamins in fresh produce (like vitamin C) are lost within four days of harvest, so picking it straight from the tree or ground is best!

Or, when choosing a supplement, look for high-quality, high-strength source of vitamin C with improved bioavailability with the addition of bioflavonoids and zinc. 

Vitamin D

Known as the sunshine vitamin, vitamin D is famous for coming to us from the sun and it's important when it comes to our wellness for many reasons, but in this instance it plays a key role in regulating our immune system.

The sun is a fickle friend when it comes to vitamin D. We're (rightly) so careful exposing ourselves to the sun and our bodies can only make vitamin D from it between the hours of 10am and 3pm, and only in the summertime. This is also known as peak burn time so we need to ensure we're topping up our stores in other ways.

84% of New Zealanders are vitamin D deficient, suggesting we need to know more about where we get this crucial vitamin from. We can address this deficiency via our diet as it is abundant in animal fats, oily fish, eggs, liver, mushrooms, and raw (unpasturised) dairy. 

Vitamin D is so important to our health because it has a key role in regulating our immune system, controls belly fat via insulin control, plays a key role in pancreatic enzyme creation, and controls the levels of calcium in our blood and bones. 

Even with a diet abundant in vitamin D, a nutritional support product can ensure a higher concentration and a guaranteed daily dose. This is especially important for vegetarians for whom a vitamin D-rich diet may be more difficult, given the number of animal sources. 

Zinc

Zinc is a vital mineral and is involved in over 300 enzymatic reactions in our bodies and is essential for healthy immune function, energy and metabolic regulation as it is needed to make insulin. It is also key to male reproductive health and for healing wounds (like ulcers) and having effective senses like taste and smell - especially important when we have a cold!

Evidence shows that when zinc is taken at the beginning of a cold, it can shorten the length of the illness. Hooray! However, an interesting fact about zinc is that you need zinc to absorb zinc. That means, if your body is using all the zinc it has to recover from an illness, or maybe an operation, it can be hard to keep stores high from food alone. 

That's when a zinc supplement can come in and do some of the heavy lifting. Evidence shows that when zinc is taken at the beginning of a cold, it can shorten the length of the illness. Ideally, men will have about 9.5mg of zinc a day and women 7mg. It is rich in a lot of common foods like seafood (especially oysters), chicken, and pork, red meat, cashews, chickpeas, and hard cheese so keeping these in your diet is a good idea if zinc deficiency is a concern.

If you're not sure on how your zinc levels stack up, the most effective way to check this is with a taste test. If the liquid tastes like water, or like not much at all, that means you don't have enough in your diet and a supplement is highly recommended. Look out for zinc picolinate as it is one of the most bioavailable forms that our body can absorb easily and fast.

Disclaimer: This blog post is for educational purposes only. It is not designed to diagnose, treat or cure. We are all unique, for your individual health concerns it is important to discuss these with a BePure Holistic Health Consultant or relevant health professional.