The Investigation
As we head into cold and flu season during the second year of the pandemic, it’s important to provide support for your immune system – especially if you have an autoimmune disease like Hashimoto’s, Lupus, MS, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Type 1 Diabetes, Addison’s, Grave’s, and Celiac disease.
As someone with Hashimoto’s and who works with a lot of people with Hashimoto’s I’ve created a protocol that I have been updating month after month and here is my latest version. This protocol is great for overall immunity and best of all, it is absolutely safe and recommended if you have an autoimmune disease as well.
Herbs & Supplements to Avoid with Autoimmunity
I always need to remind those with autoimmunity that the supplements you often hear about for supporting the immune system can do real damage if you have an autoimmune disease. These supplements stimulate the immune system. For those with autoimmunity, an overstimulated immune system can lead to flare ups.
Here are the commonly suggested supplements to avoid:
- Echinacea
- Astragalus
- Reishi (or other immune supporting mushrooms)
- Elderberry
My Autoimmune-safe Immune Support Protocol
Here are the things that I take to give me the best chance for avoiding the flu, colds and other viruses as well as how I use them to decrease symptoms if I do get sick. These are my go-to recommendations:
Vitamin C
For general immune support, I usually recommend for an average, 150lb adult, a dosage of 1000 – 2000 mg of vitamin C per day. I personally use C+Biofizz from Designs for Health which you plop in water for a fizzy drink (if you prefer capsules, try their Stellar C). Please note that if you experience loose stools when taking vitamin C, you may want to try liposomal vitamin C because it helps the body absorb through the mucous membranes in your mouth first (just remember to keep it refrigerated.)
If you are already sick, vitamin C can be very helpful in decreasing recovery time from infections, cold, flu or other viruses. You can increase your daily dosage but make sure you divide it and take it over the course of the day. That might mean taking 500 to 1000 mg of C (it can be powder, liposomal or capsules) every 30-60 min to bowel-tolerance (until you get diarrhea which is when your body says it’s saturated and had enough). You would then restart it later in the day or next day. Do this for a few days when you are sick. There is a ton of research about high dose vitamin C in helping fight infections.
Alternatively, you could look at getting a vitamin C infusion through an IV for prevention or treatment.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is imperative for many different things but specifically supporting your immune health. Many people have low vitamin D and it tends to decrease during our shorter winter days here in the Northern Hemisphere.
You can determine how much vitamin D you need by checking your levels through a blood test. Ideally, you want to be in the range of 50-80 on that test (the lab range is wider, typically 30-100).
If you don’t know your vitamin D levels (and you’re not regularly supplementing) the typically recommended daily dose is 5,000, IU.
If you are already sick, you will want to make sure that you are also taking vitamin K with your vitamin D to prevent calcification of tissues and organs. You can either take a vitamin K supplement or a multivitamin with vitamin K.
I use Vitamin D Supreme which is a capsule but if you have issues with fat soluble vitamins, you could try a liquid form of vitamin D or, if you also struggle with energy issues, you could try Hi-Po Emulsi D3 from Designs for Health.
Zinc & Quercetin
There has been a lot of talk about Zinc online and in the media lately as a great way to boost your immune system during the COVID pandemic and into cold and flu season. What many people don’t realize is that Zinc mainly stays outside the cell and you want it inside the cell for optimal immune support. One natural way to do that is by taking it alongside Quercetin. I take Designs for Health’s Quercetin and Nettles blend and I recommend 250 milligrams to about 500 milligrams daily.
Quercetin is something that I’ve added to my protocol a bit more recently because I’m seeing such great results. When combined with zinc, it’s great for both prevention and also healing from infection. Please keep in mind that extended use of zinc can cause a copper deficiency so you want to make sure you are balancing these two minerals. If you are taking zinc for a long time, consider supplementing with copper or a multivitamin that contains copper. To be extra sure that you aren’t deficient in copper (which can have serious health repercussions), a hair analysis will reveal both your copper and zinc levels. If you already have recent hair test results, you would want to look at, not just the individual zinc or the copper level, but actually, the ratio of the two. Ideally, the zinc to copper ratio should be right around 8. If your levels are lower than 8, then you can use more zinc. If you are above 8, you would need to supplement with copper.
Garlic (Allicin)
This one is a favorite because it really works and I typically don’t see any side effects. Garlic has both antiviral and antimicrobial properties which means it can work on bacteria, yeast and other bugs in addition to viruses.
For general immune support, I don’t recommend it long-term (unless your practitioner has you on a specific protocol).
Instead, consider garlic for immune support when you’ve been around someone who’s sick, you’ve been exposed to a virus or when you feel like you’re coming down with something.
It can be difficult to get enough garlic in food form so supplementing is best. There are many on the market but my absolute favorite is Allimax. It’s a potent (and patented) allicin extract which has all the benefit with way way less of that garlic odor. I recommend 4-6 capsules a day for the duration of illness or for a few days if exposed or feeling off. I also give this to my kids when they come home with a runny nose or they’ve been exposed to a virus and it’s really fantastic.
SPM’s and Liposomal Glutathione
Two things I’ve added recently to my immune support protocol are SPM’s and liposomal glutathione.
SPM’s stands for Pro Resolving Mediators and they literally go in and resolve inflammation. I think it’s one of my most favorite vitamins these days. SPM is great at dealing with all types of inflammation so the immune system is more balanced. I use 1 per day for overall immune support and balance and up to 6 per day if you are sick for about a week. What is really neat about SPM’s is that I have found it to work really great for autoimmune flare ups such as Hashimoto’s flares and any other up ticks in autoimmunity. You would take 6 per day for about 7-10 days and then can lower to 1-3 per day for maintenance. I use it myself and really love it.
There are two brands that I recommend for SPM. The first is Metagenics SPM Active which is a bit more potent but also a bit more expensive. I also like Designs for Health’s SPM Supreme, which is less expensive but because it has slightly less and you have to take a bit more of it.
Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant and immune balancer that you can take every day. I typically recommend a teaspoon a day but if you’re sick, you can increase that to one teaspoon twice a day.
There are a lot of different brands to choose from and after trying pretty much everything out there, I use Apex’s Trizomal Glutathione. I find it to be the most potent and best absorbed out of all of the ones that I’ve tried. And it tastes better than some of the other glutathione I’ve tried.
Fermented Beverages for Gut Health
Our microbiome is another key for balancing the immune system so it’s important to support gut health. One thing that I’ve been getting really good results from is a fermented beverage called R’s Koso. This Japanese fermented drink is made from more than a hundred different vegetables, fruits, and plants. In other words, it’s full of plant fibers to feed the bugs that help keep our gut flora happy. Often we eat the same things day in and day out but our gut health needs more variety to stay healthy which is why this drink is so great. You can try it out at rskoso.com and use the promo code INNA10 to save 10%
Liquid Silver (Silvercillin)
This last supplement has been on my list for a while and I still love it. Silvercillin is a powerful antimicrobial and it can be used orally or topically. I recommend taking 1-2 TBSP orally a few times a day when you are sick or if you know you’ve been exposed. I don’t recommend this for long term use but it’s great to have around the house. You can even use it topically to treat rashes, burns, cuts and even acne.
Healthy Immune Habits
Nasal Rinse
One habit that I think really helps to support my immune system is nasal irrigation. Some of you may have heard of a neti pot for clearing your nasal passage. I use something similar called the NeilMed but I find it easier to use. I like to add a tablespoon of Silvercillin mixed into the distilled water and salt solution I use for my nasal irrigation. It’s a really great way to boost antimicrobial activity.
Stress Reduction
Another important habit to adopt to help support your immune system is to be aware of your stress levels. Your immune system can’t function optimally if you are in a chronic stress state. So, take a minute to reduce your stress by taking a few breaths, reframing things or even looking out at the sky and nature. It can really help to quiet the stress response.
Save on Immune Boosting
I have all the products on my practice website Complete Nutrition and Wellness. We have a coupon so that you can save 10% on all products by Designs for Health and that coupon can be used as many times as you like (not just on your first order). Just enter promo code DFH10 and checkout and always get 10% off any designs for health supplements.
Eliminating Health Mysteries
Staying healthy or recovering your health quickly can happen when you have good protocols and I hope this helps you get through this cold and flu season with ease. Could this help someone in your life stay healthy too? Please share it with them.
Links:
Resources mentioned
Suggested Products:
C+Biofizz Stellar C Vitamin D Supreme liquid form of vitamin D Hi-Po Emulsi D3 Zinc Quercetin and Nettles Blend copper multivitamin with copper Allimax Metagenics SPM Active Designs for Health’s SPM Supreme rskoso.com Silvercillin
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