Viruses can be difficult for your body to prevent or protect against.

They typically replicate very rapidly and your immune system doesn’t often have a chance to cease that replication as fast as the virus can move. A healthy, well-resourced immune system can respond much more quickly than an unhealthy, poorly-resourced immune system.

I like to think of my immune system like a fire brigade. If a small fire appears, a poorly-resourced fire brigade can probably handle it without too much of an issue. However, if a large emergency happens, the brigade needs to have more resources to handle the fire so that it doesn’t take over and get out of control.

How nutrients affect your immune response 

Much of your immune system lies within your gut and circulatory system (your white blood cells and lymphatic system). This means that the beneficial microbes in your intestinal tract are one of your first defences against immune threats, and the health of your gut depends on the nutrients you put in your body.

• Vitamin C fuels many of your white blood cells (your immune cells)
• Vitamin D is a valuable component of many healthy immune cells
• Vitamin K2 (as menaquinone) is shown to inhibit damage to your lungs
• Minerals – magnesium, selenium, zinc and copper – are used to produce enzymes for the energy pathways that power your immune system
• Many herbs carry antioxidants and phytochemicals that signal an immune response to ready your immune cells against threats
• Antioxidant enzymes support a healthy immune response.

A healthy immune system, made and supported with the right nutrients, can help defend against a wide range of pathogenic attacks and enhance your body’s response when you come into contact with viruses.

What about COVID-19?

There are no natural supplements or herbal remedies that have been proven to prevent or treat COVID-19. However, if you were to get this virus, you would want the strongest immune system possible. To assist in building and supporting your immune system, we highly recommend:

• Vitamins A, C, D, and K
• Quercetin and the medicinal mushrooms – reishi, cordyceps, maitake, shiitake, and turkey tail
• Magnesium, selenium, zinc and cooper (in an appropriate ratio). 

For advice to support your immune system, talk to our knowledgeable team in store, or visit our website. Keep in mind that natural remedies are not intended to replace measures to avoid catching COVID-19 such as mask wearing, social distancing, sanitation, hand-washing, contact tracing and self-isolation when necessary.