Top Three Supplements to Boost Your Immune System
By Jackie Cartier
November 23, 2015
Before we recommend our top three supplements for boosting your immune system, we have to start with food since we always look to nutrition first. With that in mind we wouldn’t suggest any supplements without first getting your body balanced by eating the Weight & Wellness Way—animal protein, good fat and carbs at every meal and snack.
Often, if clients clean up their diets, they stop getting sick as well. After all, sugar slows, and sometimes paralyzes, your immune function, which is the last thing you want this cold and flu season.
So if you’re eating right and still getting sick, we’d suggest the following supplements.
Zinc
Zinc supports the immune system, and our nutritionists recommend one zinc capsule a day, on a full stomach.
To test your zinc levels, we invite you to come in to one of our offices for a zinc challenge test to see if your levels are low. It’s a simple test where clients take a tablespoon of zinc water to hold in their mouth for 20 seconds. If it tastes bad they have enough zinc, if it doesn’t taste like anything, they are low in zinc.
C-Flav
C-Flav not only contains ample amounts of vitamin C, but also contains other bioflavonoids that support the immune system in many different ways. Our nutritionists recommend taking two capsules a day, anytime of the day.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D supports literally every cell in your body, making this vitamin necessary for your immune system to function as well.
We recommend that you get your vitamin D level tested to determine how much you should be taking daily. Generally, our nutritionists recommend a supplement of 5,000 IUs per day in the winter and 3,000 IUs per day in the summer to those living north of the equator, like us in Minnesota, and 3,000 IUs per day for those closer to the equator.
If you’re looking for more supplement recommendations, check out our top three supplements for cravings, heartburn, sleep, mood, and aches and pains.