Immune health should be an important topic all year long but it seems to take top priority during cold and flu season. As temperatures cool down, viral illness appears to ramp up. Taking simple measures to better support your immune system may help fend off illness or assist in recovering faster should an illness take hold. IV therapy can be used as a supportive measure when focusing on immune health and wellness.
We all have heard from medical professionals that proper hydration is one of the most fundamental aspects of wellness and a good preventative measure to ward off illness. Our immune system relies on nutrients traveling through our bloodstream and our bloodstream is mostly made up of water. If our bodies are lacking in water, we can’t properly deliver nutrients to our organs or eliminate waste efficiently as well. Proper hydration is vital for detoxification and removing waste and its by-products from our system.
Vitamin C is typically the first supplement many advocate for to keep the immune system in prime condition or help recover faster when ill. Vitamin C is known as a powerful antioxidant that strengthens our immune cells. Notably, vitamin C typically gets used up rapidly when you are sick as a primary defense mechanism. Vitamin C has been shown to help lessen the severity of a cold and speed wound healing.
Some researchers believe that as we spend more time inside and less time with skin exposed to the sun during the colder weather months, many are deficient in vitamin D which may coincide with lower immunity. Vitamin D has been shown to effectively destroy bacteria and viruses as well as reduce the frequency of upper respiratory infections.
Magnesium is often an overlooked mineral when it comes to immune health. What we now understand is that magnesium helps activate vitamin D production which is another crucial element to immune health. Low levels of magnesium in the bloodstream have been shown to increase rates of infection and disease.
When taken within 24 hours of symptoms, Zinc has been clinically proven to reduce the intensity and duration of the common cold. Zinc supports optimal immune function by supporting the thymus to produce more T cells which actively fight infection. Zinc is a trace mineral, meaning the body only needs small amounts for adequate levels. Studies have shown that even moderate amounts of zinc deficiency results in lower immune function.