With the world in complete panic amidst the current COVID-19 pandemic, it’s of the utmost importance we inform ourselves about the details of the disease, and what we can do to build our immune systems during these times.
What is COVID-19?
On December 31st, 2019, the World Health Organisation (WHO) was alerted to several cases of pneumonia in Wuhan City, China that did not match any virus. On January 7th, Chinese authorities identified the virus as a coronavirus and the virus was temporarily named “2019-nCoV.”
All coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between animals and people. This new coronavirus officially referred to as the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is a betacoronavirus, which has its origins in bats.
Chinese authorities have sequenced the genome of the virus allowing effective detection. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the same genome in the first two cases in the US.
Many of the patients in the initial outbreak of respiratory illness caused by 2019-nCov in Wuhan, China had some link to a large seafood and live animal market (also known as "wet markets"), suggesting that the initial spread of the virus was animal-to-person.
Human coronaviruses usually cause mild to moderate upper-respiratory tract illnesses, like the common cold, and most people will get infected during their lifetime. These viruses, however, sometimes cause lower-respiratory tract illnesses, such as pneumonia or bronchitis. This occurs more commonly in people with cardiopulmonary disease, those with weakened immune systems, infants, and older adults.
What is the immune system and its function?
Our immune system plays a vital role in protecting us from harmful substances, viruses, bacteria, and cell changes that make us ill. Ironically, when it’s working perfectly, we don’t notice it’s there at all. However, without it, our body has no defense mechanism against the outside world or harmful changes occurring within ourselves.
Generally speaking, our immune system is tasked with the following:
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Fights pathogens: The immune system fights pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, or fungi and removes them from our body.
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Indentifies harmful substances: The immune system is designed to recognize and remove harmful substances within our environment.
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Fights diseases: The immune system also fights disease-causing changes within our bodies like cancer cells.
How does the immune system work?
The immune system is built up of two subsystems known as the innate (non-specific) and the adaptive (specific) systems.
The innate system fights harmful germs and substances that enter the body, for instance, through the skin or digestive system.
While the adaptive system makes antibodies and uses them specifically to fight germs that our body has come into contact with. Our adaptive system is constantly learning and adapting which enables our bodies to fight off bacteria or viruses that change over time.
How can you build your immune system?
During this current world pandemic, there is nothing more important than boosting our immune systems. Sadly, the Internet is flooded with misinformation, products, and claims of just what and won’t work. Because our immune system is exactly that, a system, it requires balance and harmony to function well.
A great place to start is to maintain a healthy lifestyle and healthy habits.
To find out more about how a healthy lifestyle can help you live a long and happy life, read: Lessons From The Blue Zones - Feel Younger for Longer
For the current crisis, it’s very important to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds. This is especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, after blowing your nose, and coughing or sneezing. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
Be sure to practice the following healthy lifestyle habits:
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Don't smoke
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Consume high quantities of fruits and vegetables
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Exercise regularly
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Avoid alcohol or drink only in moderation
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Be sure to get sufficient sleep
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Cook meats and animal products thoroughly
- Try to minimize stress
Research has also recently indicated that NAD+ can play an important role in moderating the immune system. NMN is a precursor to NAD+ and, therefore, supplementing with a high-quality NMN product (like our sublingual NMN) will increase the levels of NAD+ in your body. Read: What is NMN and Are There Any Side Effects?
Our product, Preservage is also packed full of antioxidants that can also help your body’s defense system.
What are the benefits of taking vitamin C?
Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble nutrient found in some food sources. It is essential for the absorption of iron from plant-based foods, helps support and build the immune system, and also plays an important role in heart and cardiovascular health.
Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant and protects our bodies from free radicals which can damage tissue and cells. We are exposed to free radicals daily either through our body’s normal metabolism, air pollution, cigarette smoke, or even ultraviolet light.
To find out more about free radicals, read Why Polyphenols Are Good For You.
In addition to protecting us from free radicals, vitamin C is also essential in activating several enzymes in the body which synthesize hormones that help with the production of collagen. These hormones also help the cardiovascular system respond to infection.
In addition, studies have shown vitamin C to have the following health benefits.
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It may prevent cancer: It has been found that consuming a diet that's high in vitamin C might lower the risk of getting cancers such as breast, lung, and colon cancer.
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Vitamin C may decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease: As mentioned, vitamin C helps heart and cardiovascular health, and also decreases the damage from oxidation.
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It may also help manage high blood pressure: Research indicates that vitamin C lowers blood pressure in those who struggle with high blood pressure and in healthy adults with normal blood pressure.
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Slow age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and catarats: Studies seem to indicate that consuming vitamin C and other nutrients might lower your risk of developing cataracts and AMD.
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Reduce symptoms and aid in the recovery of the common cold: It has been shown that vitamin C may reduce the symptoms and duration of the common cold.
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Seems to decrease blood uric acid levels: High levels of uric acid can cause gout. Studies have shown that vitamin C reduces the levels of uric acid in the blood which may prevent and decrease the risk of developing gout.
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Protects and maintains healthy skin, nails, hair, and gums: Vitamin C boosts collagen production which keeps your skin, nails, hair and gums healthy. Collagen also plays a very important role in reducing the formation of fine lines and wrinkles that are related to aging.
What food is highest in vitamin C?
Fruit and vegetables are the best natural sources of vitamin C. If you manage to consume five servings of the raw foods mentioned below such as broccoli or citrus fruits, you will provide your body with roughly 200mg of vitamin C.
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Citrus fruit: Citrus fruits (such as grapefruit and oranges), as well as their juices, have high doses of vitamin C
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Other fruit: Red and green peppers, as well as kiwifruit, have high doses of vitamin C.
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Fruit and vegetables: Fruits and vegetables such as broccoli, strawberries, cantaloupe, baked potatoes, and tomatoes all contain vitamin C.
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Fortified products: Remember to check product labels as some foods and beverages are fortified with vitamin C.
What is the best vitamin C supplement?
Most multivitamins contain vitamin C, but it’s also available as a single dietary supplement usually in the form of ascorbic acid. Other forms of vitamin C include sodium ascorbate, calcium ascorbate, ascorbic acid with bioflavonoids and other mineral ascorbates, ascorbic acid with bioflavonoids, and the revolutionary liposomal vitamin C.
However, there is a problem with traditional vitamin C supplements: roughly 14-30% of vitamin C consumed in supplement form is absorbed by your body, the rest is quite literally flushed away. The reason why so little vitamin C is absorbed is because our body uses transporters of vitamin C in the small intestine called Sodium-Dependent Vitamin C Transporters (SVCT-1) and these can only absorb vitamin C efficiently up to a certain point, about 200mg. In addition to this, any excess vitamin C is excreted into our urine to maintain plasma concentrations.
This is why liposomal vitamin C is so revolutionary and is one of the best supplemental forms of vitamin C. The liposomal form does not depend on SVCT-1 but rather the direct fusion of liposomes with the small intestine. This brings a direct intracellular release of vitamin C into the bloodstream, allowing you to absorb 1000mg. You can find out more about vitamin C in Vitamin C Megadose Health Benefits - From Colds to Longevity
Youth & Earth’s liposomal vitamin C has enhanced bioavailability to ensure that your body absorbs close to 1000mg of this critical vitamin.
To find out more about our revolutionary product, head over to Liposomal Vitamin C.
You might also be interested in What are Liposomal Supplements and How Do They Work?
Conclusion
During this worldwide pandemic, it’s important to maintain a healthy standard of living. This is not just our responsibility to ourselves and our families but those around us.
COVID-19 is a coronavirus that causes mild to moderate upper-respiratory tract illnesses and in some cases lower-respiratory tract illnesses such as pneumonia. This often occurs more commonly in the elderly or those with weakened immune systems.
Our immune system plays a vital role in our protecting us from harmful substances, germs, and cell changes that make us ill. A great way of boosting our immune system is by maintaining a healthy lifestyle and supporting this system with the supplementation of vitamin C.
Vitamin C aids our body in supporting our immune system, fighting free radicals, and producing collagen that’s needed for healing. Studies show major health benefits such as cancer treatment and prevention, lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease, and slowing AMD.
Although vitamin C can be found in most multivitamins, citrus fruits, and vegetables, liposomal vitamin C provides the body with the highest absorption of vitamin C directly into the bloodstream.
Head over to our products page and try our Liposomal Vitamin C.
The content of this article is for informational purposes only. It’s not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or health provider before starting a new health regime or program. Do not ignore medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you’ve read on this site or any Youth & Earth product.
