Give Yourself a Boost

When you have little ones, it seems like every season is cold and flu season. Kids touch all kinds of stuff and stick their fingers in their noses, rub their eyes, or worse, put their hands in their mouths. We cannot always be there to insist they wash their hands or remind them to "STOP IT" with the nose picking and such. That is why I have an arsenal of immune boosters and defense in my cupboard. Here are a few items I keep on hand year round.

Vitamin C Powder-Many vitamins contain vitamin C in the form of ascorbic acid. This is a synthetic Vitamin C that can actually deplete the body and possibly cause DNA/RNA damage. Research shows that people with chronic degenerative diseases have low levels of Vitamin C in their blood throughout the day. It also shows strong levels of C in individuals with little signs of degeneration. Health Force Nutritionals Truly Natural Vitamin C is a whole-food C made from Acerola Cherries. It is pure, high potency, giving your body the full benefits of Vitamin C to ward off illness. I used to get cold sores from time to time during times of stress or when I travelled. Since starting a daily dose of this powerful Vitamin C powder, the cold sores have disappeared and my immune system is strong.

Immunity Take Care by NewChapter-these highly concentrated elderberry lozenges are like no other elderberry source I've found. Elderberry is naturally anti-viral. This special formulation of the full-spectrum of the elderberry herb have been proven in the lab, to keep viruses from proliferating and mutating in the body. I always keep these in stock. We take them regularly during flu season and any time one of us has symptoms of coming down with a bug. If I get even a hint of a sore throat, I immediately begin taking these twice daily. I cannot tell you how many times I have felt something coming on, and had symptoms disappear after a couple days of taking these lozenges. They really work! And they are yummy too!!

Mushroom extracts-We use a liquid supplement called Myco-Immune by Thorne Research. We started using this years ago when our chiropractor recommended it. Who would have thought to use fungi to kill viruses! Actually, there has been extensive research lately that shows just how powerful these mushroom extracts are. Now, I am not going to lie and say that this tastes great. My husband has deemed it "shot of nastiness". It has a bit of a strong flavor. But we are more than willing to endure the yucky taste for a few seconds, given the amazing results. When symptoms of an illness arise, this is another one we immediately reach for. Just a few drops a couple times a day is all it takes!

So there you have it-my top three picks for cold and flu season. I never travel without them! Obviously, it is important to eat well, exercise, and get good rest to help keep your immune system going strong. With our busy lives and the millions of germs out there waiting, we can all use a little boost. Keep these three ready to go and you'll be prepared. Always consult your doctor before giving new supplements to little ones. Our daughter takes all of these in smaller doses. Stay tuned for more immunity tips. Here's to your health!

*Find all of these supplements and more in my Amazon store!