Boost your immune system naturally with nutritionist Andrea Donsky
The cooler weather is almost upon us - and that means cold and flu season is not far behind. How can you naturally boost your immune system to stay healthy? Our favorite nutritionist and founder of the website Naturally Savvy, Andrea Donsky, stopped by WCL to give us some of the best options.
Manuka Honey
Manuka honey is a superfood that comes from New Zealand and its known for its antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. If you have a sore throat, Manuka honey can coat the inner lining of the throat and help to soothe it. Wedderspoon is the #1 Manuka honey brand in the US. All of their Manuka honey is raw and unpasteurized so it's nutrient-dense. You can eat Manuka honey on its own, in yogurt or you can even use it as a face mask. Wedderspoon's products are available at specialty, natural, and grocery across the country and on Amazon.
Palm Fruit Oil
Palm oil is a superfood that produces a healthy oil high in antioxidants including tocotrienols (they're from the vitamin E family). Tocotrienols contain antioxidants as well as immune boosting compounds that support our immune system. They're also good for our liver, kidneys, and brain. Its beautiful red color comes from carotenes including beta-carotene and lycopene. You can spread it on bread, cook with it or find it in products like these Oat Start Cran-Blueberry cookies. These are brand new to the market, and they're peanut and nut free (so they're safe for school), vegan, gluten free and dairy free. And they have 3 grams of plant-based protein, which is great. You can find them at Jewel-Osco in Chicagoland.
Elderberry
Black elderberries are a superfood because they've been scientifically studied for their immune boosting properties. Black elderberries contain antioxidants, called anthocyanins that are found in dark blue and deep purple fruits. Sambucolis the original elderberry. They come in liquid and gummy form and they're vegetarian and vegan friendly and they are free from all major allergens including nuts, dairy and gluten. They're safe for anyone over the age of 4 (we want to make sure they can chew properly).
Oregano Oil
This is oregano oil. Oregano oil is loaded with antioxidants like rosmarinic acid and compounds like carvacrol (antibacterial) and thymol (antifungal). You can start taking Oregano now to help boost your immune system. Take 5 drops 2 times a day in water or straight up under your tongue. Or you can rub it on your feet or chest. This is Oreganol P73 from North American Herb & Spice. I was the first person to ever tell Oprah about oregano oil! They just launched a new kids product called OregaCinn. It's cinnamon flavored oregano oil. It tastesyummy for kids and it's also good for sensitive adults. I love the taste. What's nice about it is that it doesn't have any added refined sugar. Both products help to support immune health, which is great going into the fall season.
Turmeric
When it comes to reducing inflammation, which is often a side effect of having a cold or flu, turmeric is my go-to supplement. There are over 10K studies on the benefits of turmeric and it can help with everything from pain, to inflammation, brain health, and even mental health. Dr. D's Ultra BioTurmeric uses something called PNS technology to help increase absorption 10 fold. It uses the whole turmeric root, as opposed to just part of it, so it contains curcumin plus more than 200 other antioxidants that work together to improve our health. It's free of additives and fillers and remains in the bloodstream for 24 hours so it continues to work around the clock. It's also vegan, Non-GMO and gluten-free.
