With the corona-virus outbreak wreaking havoc around the world, this is a really stressful time. Here at Our Botanicals, we feel one of the best ways we can support you and your loved ones during this pandemic, is by sharing what we know about boosting your immune system naturally.

A lot of health companies are capitalizing on the panic buying phenomenon by raising their prices, so we’ve decided to provide you with 15% off our best immunity building formulas. The coupon code is at the bottom of the article, so keep reading!

First we’ll cover the top immunity boosting foods, best hygiene practices and the immunity boosting natural products you’ll want to have front and center of your medicine cabinet.

Foods to Eat:

Vitamin C

Citrus fruits should be a top priority at this time, as their high levels of vitamin C help to increase the production of white blood cells, which are key to fighting infections. Fill your fruit bowls with grapefruits, oranges, mandarins, kiwifruit, papaya, lemons and limes. Red bell peppers are also fabulous sources of vitamin C, and are also packed with beta-carotene, which keeps your eyes and skin healthy.

Garlic and Ginger

Garlic and ginger should also feature prominently, so make room on your weekly meal plan for stews, soups and curries that use plenty of garlic and ginger. Hot ginger tea is a great beverage to make, especially if you add in squeezed lemon juice.

Turmeric Curcumin

Special mention must be made of turmeric, as it is a powerful anti-inflammatory and helps your body to detox effectively. Use it in golden milk, vibrant curries and take curcumin (what gives turmeric it’s distinctive yellow color) as a supplement.

Dark Green Vegetables

Dark green vegetables like broccoli and spinach are everyday superfoods! They’re packed with fortifying vitamins and minerals, like vitamin E – a powerful antioxidant that is important in regulating and maintaining immune system function. Vitamin E can also be found in abundance in sunflower seeds and avocados. Remember, the less you cook them the better!

Water Intake

We all know water is essential to life, but do we understand how it helps our immune system function? Water is important in detox as it flushes toxins out, and prevents build up. It also carries oxygen to your body’s cells, which keeps everything functioning efficiently. Being dehydrated has a negative impact on your immune system, make sure you are staying hydrated.

If you find drinking water boring, you can opt for infused water by adding fresh berries, cucumber slices or citrus juice. Sip on herbal, healing teas like Our Healing Tea instead of coffee, which will only dehydrate your system.

Hygiene Practices

During this coronavirus outbreak, authorities have been clear in their recommendations – wash your hands, self-isolate and avoid touching your face. For those of us with dry skin, the frequency of hand washing is a problem due to the necessity of hot water and alcohol based soaps and sanitisers.

We’ve found that keeping a high quality moisturising cream by each sink has helped immensely and prevents painful cracks. We can highly recommend this Hand and FootRx Moisturizing Cream from Oncoderm Labs. It was formulated by dermatologists for sensitive skin and is clinically proven to soften and repair severely dry, rough, cracked fingers and heels. We love it because it has no fragrance, parabens or artificial dyes. Check it out here.

Supplement Guide:

We recommend fortifying your immune system with these four supplements: medicinal mushrooms, elderberry, licorice root and curcumin. Here’s why:

Medi-Shrooms I:

Medicinal mushrooms have been used around the world for millennia. Egyptian hieroglyphics show mushrooms as the plant of immortality, and ancient Chinese valued reishi as the king of herbal medicines.

There is much to be said about medicinal mushrooms, but let’s spotlight chaga and reishi, as these two star in Medi-Shrooms I.

Chaga Mushroom:

Chaga is exceptionally good at boosting and regulating the immune system. It does this by activating special cells called lymphocytes and macrophages, which causes an increased production of cytokines. Cytokines are the messengers of the immune system, so having more of them means a boosted immune system as part of what they do is organise white blood cells to fight infection. So, when you think chaga, think a more robust immune system that is ready to protect you against infection.

Reishi Mushroom:

Reishi is the perfect immunity helper! It is the highest honored mushroom in the ancient Chinese healing pantheon. Reishi protects the liver, eases inflammation, helps fight viruses, bacteria and candida, and modulates the immune system. We think it also gives us a very warm, healthy feeling inside when we take it, and it adds a distinctive dark, coffee-like flavor that we like a lot.

As well as Chaga and Reishi, Medi-Shrooms I also boasts an impressive array of other medicinal mushrooms. To name a few, Lion’s Mane, Cordyceps, Shiitake and more. Check it out here.

How to Take Medi-Shrooms I?

You can mix Medi-Shrooms I with water, juice, nut milk, soups or smoothies. We recommend mixing it with hot water to replace your morning coffee. You don’t need to worry about the heat of the water impeding the potency of the mushrooms!

Start with one quarter of a teaspoon once or twice a day. Then, over a month increase this to one or two teaspoons up to three times a day.

We recommend you take it consistently for 3 weeks at a time and then take a week off.

Elderberry:

Much of the elderberry’s health benefits are drawn from the fact that it is packed with antioxidants and vitamins that boost your immune system. As a preventative measure, it goes a long way to reduce inflammation, manage stress and help protect your heart. It helps to fight viruses, bacterial infections and ease allergies. Elderberry is also a fantastic formula to start taking if you or a loved one are already ill, as it is known to relieve symptoms and support your body during recovery.

How To Take Elderberry?

Elderberry is an immunity boosting essential. If you’re taking it as a preventative measure, take 10-20 drops daily for immune support. At the first sign of cold or flu, the adult dose is 30 drops, 3 times a day, mixed with warm water, or followed by a drink of water.

Children can take half of an adult dose. At the first sign of cold or flu, start with five drops, 3 times a day and increase to 15 drops, 3 times a day, mixed with warm water or followed by a drink of water. Children can take 5-10 drops daily while healthy for immune support. Check out Elderberry Comfort here.

Licorice:

A Licorice Root tincture is a great way to combat coughs, colds, viruses and the flu. It also helps to expel respiratory mucus or phlegm. It helps to build immunity by boosting levels of interferon, which is a key immune system chemical that fights off attacking viruses. In a 2003 study published in Lancet, glycyrrhizin was the most potent of 5 antiviral compounds tested in inhibiting replication of the SARS coronavirus xii. Check out Our Licorice Root here.

How To Take Licorice?

We recommend taking 1 dropperful 2-3 times per day. You can mix the dropper in water or juice if you find the taste is too strong for you, although I prefer to take mine ‘straight’. If you are using multiple tinctures together in your protocol then you can mix the dosages into a ‘shot-glass’ to take if you wish.

Please note Licorice Root shouldn’t be taken regularly, so limit use to 4-6 weeks at a time.

**Practioner disclaimer: Do not use licorice root if you have high blood pressure. Instead, consider trying a different option for the adrenal glands like ashwagandha or adrenal glandulars. Or look into the “deglycyrrhizinated” version of licorice, or DGL licorice, which won’t affect blood pressure levels.

Curcumin:

Curcumin is a potent modulator of the immune system and an effective way to reduce inflammation in the body. In 2012, a study at Oregon State University showed for the first time that curcumin can turbocharge your immune system’s already formidable arsenal of defensive and restorative mechanisms. The breakthrough finding is called a cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide (CAMP). It’s a powerful antimicrobial—the only of its kind found in humans. The good news? Curcumin nearly tripled the amount of CAMP in the immune system. We already knew that vitamin D is required to activate this powerful killer, which protects us against bacterial, viral, and fungal infection by spotting those unfamiliar raindrops in the downpour—and killing them. Now, we know that curcumin does the same job as vitamin D.

We recommend Curcumin EX Plus from Newport Natural Health, as it also contains resveratrol. In a cell study, resveratrol significantly inhibited MERS-CoV infection and prolonged cell survival after MERS infection. Resveratrol also down-regulates apoptosis of affected cells induced by MERS-CoV in vitrovii.

How To Take Curcumin?

As a dietary supplement, take one softgel daily with a meal. Taken as recommended, each bottle is a 30 day supply of the supplement.