Your Immune System vs The Unexpected


Staying healthy is hard enough on a regular day, let alone when a global pandemic hits. Even face masks and frequent hand washing may not be enough if you’re lacking the nutrients to support your immune system.

In addition to eating a nutritious diet, exercising regularly, and getting plenty of rest, certain natural health products used in herbal medicine support healthy immune function and help prepare your body to fight off infections.

Echinacea

Echinacea is one of the most well-researched herbs for fighting off infections. Clinical trials show that echinacea works preventatively to reduce the severity of cold symptoms by 23.1%.[i] When taken at the first sign of cold symptoms, it works with the body’s immune system to boost the production of white blood cells and speed up recovery.[ii]

Echinamide® Anti-Viral combines a standardized extract of certified organic Echinacea purpurea with reishi mushroom, astragalus, lomatium, and licorice extracts. This potent fresh herbal extract contains standardized levels of alkamides, cichoric acid, and polysaccharides for anti-viral support.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is an antioxidant and essential water-soluble vitamin that needs to be consumed daily. Because oxidative stress is an underlying factor in many illnesses, vitamin C plays a key role in immune function.[iii] Vitamin C increases the production of immune system cells that help fight infection and is needed in higher quantities when the body is stressed by illness.[iv]

Supplementing with 1000 mg of vitamin C per day has been shown to reduce the frequency of colds and help people recover from colds more quickly.[iv], [v] BioCgel™ contains calcium ascorbate, a high-absorption, pH-neutral form of vitamin C that is gentle on the stomach. It’s enhanced with extra-strength citrus bioflavonoids and BerryRich® whole fruit blend for extra antioxidant protection.

Probiotics

The gut microflora signals the immune system to rev up antibody production during times of stress. It also helps inhibit the growth of pathogens within the digestive tract.[vi]

When your microflora is disrupted by illness or antibiotics, it leaves your body more vulnerable to infection. Studies show that supplementing with live probiotic cultures can temporarily modify gut flora, helping to shorten the duration of respiratory tract infections by up to 1.9 days and reducing their incidence by 47%.[vii]

Ultimate Multi Probiotic contains 12 billion live probiotic cultures alongside prebiotics for long-lasting action. The lactobacilli and bifidobacteria strains come from human, plant, and dairy sources for well-rounded support of the intestines and immune health.

When you’re worried about getting sick, along with recommendations from your provincial health authority, your best option is to support your immune system and reduce your risk of catching something in the first place.

About the Product

Anti-Viral unites the power of clinically-proven ECHINAMIDE with astragalus, reishi, licorice and lomatium, for enhanced antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial activity. Anti-Viral is an excellent treatment for viral conditions, such as colds and flus. It is also a great supportive therapy for minor throat irritations.

What is ECHINAMIDE?

ECHINAMIDE is Canada’s #1 herbal cold and flu treatment and has been clinically shown to reduce the severity and duration of viral infections, including the common cold. Laboratory testing and human clinical studies with ECHINAMIDE provide consistent evidence of its effectiveness as an infection fighter.1

ECHINAMIDE is the result of a highly sophisticated, patented extraction process that guarantees consistent levels of the three key actives that are responsible for echinacea’s effectiveness. Natural Factors grows and harvests the world’s finest echinacea on our own organic farms in British Columbia. This field-to-shelf approach assures echinacea purity and potency as each batch is subject to rigorous testing and quality control procedures.

ANTI-VIRAL Potent Fresh Herbal Extract

Ideal for:

ECHINAMIDE is the first echinacea extract that meets the rigorous scientific standards demanded of pharmaceuticals.

It is the only echinacea products that has completed two randomized, double-blind, placebo- controlled Phase II clinical trials with statistically significant and reproducible evidence of effectiveness as an infection fighter in combating upper respiratory infections, such as the common cold and flu.

[i] Goel, V., Lovlin, R., Barton, R., et al. (2004). Efficacy of a standardized echinacea preparation (Echinilin) for the treatment of the common cold: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics, 29(1), 75–83.
[ii] Goel, V., Lovlin, R., Chang, C., et al. (2005). A proprietary extract from the echinacea plant (Echinacea purpurea) enhances systemic immune response during a common cold. Phytotherapy Research, 19(8), 689–694.
[iii] Grosso, G., Bei, R., Mistretta, A., et al. (2013). Effects of vitamin C on health: A review of evidence. Frontiers Bioscience, 18, 1017–1029.
[iv] Ran, L., Zhao, W., Wang, J., et al. (2018). Extra dose of vitamin C based on a daily supplementation shortens the common cold: A meta-analysis of 9 randomized controlled trials. BioMed Research International, 1837634.
[v] Johnston, C., Barkyoumb, G., & Schumacher, S. (2014). Vitamin C supplementation slightly improves physical activity levels and reduces cold incidence in men with marginal vitamin C status: A randomized controlled trial. Nutrients, 6(7), 2572–2583.
[vi] Galdeano, C.M., Cazorla, S.I., Dumit, J.M., et al. (2019). Beneficial effects of probiotic consumption on the immune system. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 74(2), 115–124.
[vii] Lenoir-Wijnkoop, I., Gerlier, L., Roy, D., et al. (2016). The clinical and economic impact of probiotics consumption on respiratory tract infections: Projections for Canada. PLoS One, 11(11), e0166232.

Natural Factors® ECHINAMIDE® Anti-Viral


About the Author: Natural Factors

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Natural Factors is one of the largest manufacturers of nutritional products in North America. Learn more at naturalfactors.com.