Immune Boosters
Nature's Finest Remedies
by Monica Galvan

Purple coneflower: Echinacea purpurea

They lurk in elevators, airplanes, shopping malls and schools. They threaten to attack you at work and even at home. Yes, they're the common cold and flu, and no matter where you are these days, they seem to be "going around." This season, instead of turning to your stash of Sudafed, Tylenol, Robitussin, NyQuil and TheraFlu, try a few alternative solutions that get to the root of the problem.

We’re generally concerned with masking and suppressing the symptoms of the cold and flu—a practice that allows us to continue our daily lives without missing a beat. But masking these symptoms often comes with uncomfortable side effects from drowsiness to upset stomach, dehydration and foggy heads. Chasing only the symptoms on the surface, we ignore the imbalances within and end up prolonging our illnesses or experiencing lingering afflictions. Here is a list of nature’s finest remedies to improve your general well being and give your immune system its needed boost.

Wellness Formula
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Wellness Formula enjoys its status as the top-selling winter herbal supplement, and for good reason. In essence, it is a powerful combination of herbs, vitamins, antioxidants and minerals perfectly designed to get to the root cause of bodily imbalances. Among the long list of ingredients, it contains potent doses of vitamin A, vitamin C, echinacea, goldenseal, astragalus, propolis ("bee glue") and garlic. The formula works in several different ways. It strengthens the immune system, for instance, by promoting healthy-protective barriers. Siberian ginseng also boosts the body’s stress defenses. Vitamin C and bioflavonoids (natural pigments in fruits and vegetables, also referred to as vitamin P) work together to provide antioxidant defense, fighting off free radicals. For the respiratory system, herbiotics help to cleanse the mucous membranes that act as the body’s first line of defense. As well, herbs are added to help clear mucous from the upper respiratory system to help you feel better faster. Properly named, Wellness Formula is just that—and it seems to be the perfect formula for us.

Cold Snap
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Another mega-mixture, Cold Snap consists of twenty herbs that employ Chinese herbology to restore your "righteous chi" (or qi, also known as life force or vital energy). We’re talking inner strength and balance to promote outer glow and wellness. Chinese medicine focuses on the relationships between the ingredients that make up the formula. As such, there is a sort of chain of command at play in which the active ingredients trigger the body’s main response, and lesser ingredients neutralize any harsh side effects to create a smooth harmony. The ingredients in Cold Snap, such as forsythia, Japanese honeysuckle, burdock and soybean, work as catalysts to help your body do its exquisite healing work. They can also help to nourish, restore and move stagnant energy, which in turn contributes to your righteous chi. The best way to fight off "unwanted guests" such as stress, contagious sicknesses, chills and heat is to build chi. Instead of stimulating the system or eliminating toxins, Cold Snap works to foster strength and balance the body’s interior systems, which helps to ward off outside illness-causing intrusions.

Astragalus
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For thousands of years, astragalus (Huang-Qi) has been used in China to restore life force. An immune system-booster, it strengthens general vitality, improves digestion and supports the spleen. As an aid to the immune system, some people use it like a "natural antibiotic." It has inhibiting effects on molecular changes caused by viruses, increases growth of plasma cells, stimulates synthesis of antibodies and builds up the body’s defense. It is also a diuretic and has been used to cure kidney disease. Traditional Chinese medicine has used astragalus for such problems as weakness, edema, respiratory infections, diabetes, night sweats, diarrhea, heart disease and high blood pressure. Recent tests suggest that astragalus may help improve immunity functions in cancer patients by increasing T-cell counts, so just think about what it can do for you common cold. Popularly found in tea and tablet form as well as in powders and simply the root itself, we recommend selecting a product that contains an extract of the root, with 0.5% glucosides and 70% polysaccharides. For general well-being and balance, this is a good tonic to keep in your health-conscious routine, but alternate the use of astragalus with another immune-boosting herb such as echinacea, so as not to build up a tolerance to its healing effects.


Echinacea
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Echinacea has recently found its way into the American vernacular after a long tradition of medicinal use by North American Plains Indians and homeopathic doctors in Europe. Also known as the purple coneflower, it has been used to treat general infections and wounds, the cold and flu, strep throat, staph infections, urinary infections, allergies and toothaches. While hundreds of studies have been done on the herb, the most common analysis is that it works to encourage white blood cells and lymphocytes to attack invading organisms, thus increasing the number and activity of immune system cells. As with astragalus, echinacea works best as an aid to a healthy immune system to strengthen the body’s response to outside invasions. Again, continuous use is discouraged, as the body may build up a tolerance to the herb, but usage over a six to eight week period is recommended to get maximum benefits. While you can find echinacea in power bars, teas, juices, powders and capsules, researchers in Germany, where it has been used for centuries, recommend the standardized extract above all other forms. Echinacea can be used as a preventative immune system enhancer as well as an immediate remedy at the early onset of symptoms. Use it for the duration of several weeks and then take a break until the next cycle to prevent building a tolerance.

While there are countless herbal remedies, pharmaceutical prescriptions and healing rituals, the best way to ensure vitality, strength and wellness is to combine healthy eating habits with suitable amounts of exercise and rest. Our bodies are our temples, so stick to your New Year’s resolution and treat your body right!