How Stress Affects Our Immune System
Stress has been linked with a weakened immune system. A recent review in the Psychology Journal documents that chronic stress, lasting over a long period of time, is associated with higher levels of inflammation in the immune system that has potential further health consequences.
So too much stress is not good for our immune system. We also know that stress makes us more susceptible to catching more colds as it lowers levels of vitamins and minerals in the body.
So how can we protect our immune systems? Here are my top 3 tips:
1) Eat a balanced diet that contains high amounts of fruits and vegetables. These are powerhouses of nutrients especially of vitamin C, zinc and antioxidants. All of which help to protect our immune system. Whilst the government recommends 5 portions of fruit and veg per day I don’t think that is enough. I think we should aim to eat 8 portions of fruit and veg a day with the focus being on vegetables.
2) Given that 68% of us are failing to take anything to avoid getting a cold we can consider supplementation. For the immune system I like black elderberry. Rich in antioxidants known as anthocyanins, black elderberries are known for their immune boosting effects. I’ve been taking Sambucocl for a while now and they have a good product range – including capsules and liquids. Each product contains vitamin C and zinc. We know that vitamin C helps to stimulate the production of white blood cells. Just one sambucol capsule provides 200mg of vitamin C, 6 mg of zinc and 3.8g of black elderberry juice.
Black elderberry has also been proven to help fight viruses and protect immune cells. A study in 2001 found that black elderberry has antiviral properties, especially against different strains of influenza virus. Sambucol was shown to be effective in vitro against 10 strains of influenza virus. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study, Sambucol reduced the duration of flu symptoms for 3-4 days.
I really think Sambucol is one of the strongest immune combinations on the market.
3) There’s virtue in work, theres virtue in rest! As a nation drowning in work, deadlines and to do lists it’s all too easy to put our health last and feel frazzled as a result. Don’t forget that rest is productive. My advice is to take time to do things that make you feel calm, happy and alive. Get in that hot bath, book that massage, go to that yoga class with a friend. We need to spend more time interrupting the stress response and protecting our immune systems from illness.
Those are my top 3 immune boosting tips. You can order sambucocl from their website below: https://sambucol.co.uk