“Good health is the ultimate form of wealth,” Urijah Faber once said. There’s undeniable truth to these words. To be in good health is to be rich, particularly during seasons of prevalent illnesses or flu. Protection can come in various forms, from adopting effective hygiene habits such as washing our hands, receiving vaccinations, ensuring adequate sleep, to optimally supporting our immune health with essential vitamins and minerals, regardless of whether it’s within the neighbourhoods of Blackburn or beyond.
The Importance of Prebiotics & Probiotics
Our body is host to a vast ecosystem called the microbiome, housing billions of bacteria. When the microbiome balance is disrupted, it can lead to poor gut health, weakened immune defence, and possibly infections.
Fighting on the frontlines of our body are probiotics, nature’s microscopic warriors helping maintain harmony in the microbiome. As the beneficial bacteria, they promote health by supporting their fellow beneficial bacteria and combating harmful ones. Some of these probiotic guardians can be sourced from foods like kimchi, yoghurt, and sauerkraut.
Working in tandem with probiotics are prebiotics, the nourishment needed by these microscopic warriors. They help strengthen the beneficial bacteria, keeping them primed and ready. Optimal sources include bananas, artichokes, greens, and onions.
Given that food sources may not always provide the ideal amounts or varieties of prebiotics and probiotics, supplements can be a useful avenue. Prebiotics can be found in supplements like LiFiber, ProBionic, ProBionic Plus, Bios 7, Immunizen, and Hawaiian Noni, whilst probiotics are in ProBionic and ProBionic Plus.
The Power of Green Tea Catechins
In addition to being a comforting beverage, green tea also packs powerful immune-boosting properties. Natural antioxidants found within, known as green tea catechins, protect the body against oxidative stress caused by an imbalance of free radicals and antioxidants. Furthermore, regular green tea consumption is linked with lower influenza rates. To further reap the green tea benefits, consider sources with higher concentrations of the potent antioxidant, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (ECGC), such as dry matcha leaves. Unicity Matcha and the listed products below are great sources of these beneficial catechins.
Zinc – The Vital Mineral
Second only to iron, zinc is tremendously important for our body, acting as a fundamental building block. Crucially, zinc facilitates the growth and functioning of the body’s immune cells. It can also lessen the duration of common colds, assist in healing wounds, support normal development, and potentially slow down age-related macular degeneration.
Since our body lacks a dedicated system to store zinc, regular intake is key. Numerous Unicity products contain zinc, including Core Health, Quadplex, Balance, and Hawaiian Noni.
The Almighty Vitamin C
Vitamin C is the go-to solution at the first sign of a common cold. It’s a staple in the immune health toolkit, especially due to its role in cell function support. However, remember that various vitamin C sources are metabolised and absorbed at different rates by the body. As such, consuming a mix of sources will help maintain steady vitamin C levels, which are available in Bio C, Core Health, Vitamin B Complex with Vitamin C, and others.
Echinacea For Immune Support
Echinacea or the purple coneflower has been a popular health remedy among the Plains Indians, used to treat colds, coughs, sore throats, and snake bites. Renowned for its immune-boosting properties, echinacea can help reduce the duration, frequency, and severity of illnesses. Similar to green tea, it also possesses anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants, which tackle oxidative stress. Echinacea is available in SIG and Red Clover.
The bottom line is it’s crucial we take charge over our immune health, equipping ourselves with essential vitamins and minerals to fortify our defences, whether we’re in Blackburn or elsewhere.