Best Multivitamin to Boost Your Immune System
Question… Why bother with vitamins? For starters, the average individual doesn’t consume enough nutrients required for the body to function even at a basic level. In theory, we could get all the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals from our food; eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, and nutrient-dense foods.
The problem is, we don’t. As a result, our bodies don’t get the nutrients necessary to function properly.
Here we are going to explore what to look for in a multivitamin to boost the immune system as well as other ways to give your health a push in the right direction.
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What vitamins and minerals to look for
Just so we are on the same page, vitamins and minerals are considered part of the micronutrient group. You don’t need much in terms of quantity. Having too much in your system can throw everything out of whack; our inner workings are a very delicate balancing act.
For this reason, I have to put in a plug. Before jumping to a multivitamin or supplement, hoping that it will be the magic pill while you dive into that lovely steak. Consider looking at what you consume on a daily basis, finding ways to incorporate more nutrient-dense foods.
However, if you are struggling to get those nutrients, for whatever reason, don’t feel guilty. We are going to help you know what to look for. So what should you look for?
Vitamins
- Vitamin A (fat-soluble)
- An assortment of B vitamins, 1-12 (water-soluble)
- Vitamin D (fat-soluble)
- Vitamin E (fat-soluble)
- Vitamin K (fat-soluble)
Minerals
- Magnesium
- Manganese
- Calcium
- Zinc
- Copper
- Iron
This is not THE list. This is just a basic list of what any multivitamin should contain. Therefore, there are plenty of other minerals that can be included.
Caution
I urge you to be cautious, as previously mentioned, too much of a good thing does not always mean better. In the case of vitamins and minerals, too much can lead to toxicity buildup in the body that has nasty consequences. Considering taking a double dose for “added benefit” would be ill-advisable. A “little” works wonders and allows your body to do what it needs. Allow time to work in your favor when taking a multivitamin or supplement. As long as your body has the materials needed, it can make the repairs to various body systems while maintaining general wellness.
When you start taking your multivitamin, listen to your body. You know better than anyone what is going on within your body. If you start experiencing side effects, consider not taking them for a couple of days and start again on a half dose; observing what happens and go from there. An upset stomach, headaches can be normal side effects related to your body adjusting. However, swelling, severe pain anywhere in the body, elevated heart rate are signs of a serious problem and you should stop immediately and check in with your doctor.
Remember you don’t need huge amounts of these nutrients, usually, you just need a trace amount for the nutrient to be effective to boost the immune system.
What brand to buy
Not all brands are created equal, we know this. Unfortunately, there are companies that are more concerned with making a profit than helping the general population. With that in mind, do your research on any brands you are considering. Ask questions about their ethics, how they create their products, etc. Doing the research allows you to make the purchase confidently.
My choice
For our family, we decided to go with Doterra’s Vitality Pack and Doterra’s Kids’ Supplements. Doterra was a lifesaver when my husband had cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy. Because of our experience with the company, we have confidence in our purchases there.
The Daily Vitality Pack includes:
Free radicals, the reason for DoTerra’s ALPHA CRS+
Here we will expound a little on the ALPHA CRS+. As with anything we need a balance within our body for it to function at its optimal level; free radicals are considered unstable and reactive. Due to their structure, free radicals have the ability to negatively alter lipids, proteins, and even our DNA leading to a host of diseases and chronic illness.
These free radicals come from multiple sources; exposure to x-rays, air pollutants, cigarette smoke, and industrial chemicals as well as certain drugs. Too many of these can cause stress on the body and cause the cells to behave abnormally.
ALPHA CRS+ introduces antioxidants as well as polyphenols to reduce free radicals, and the oxidative stress they cause to promote healthy cell function and reproduction. For this reason, this supplement was important to me because my husband was diagnosed with Stage 3 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at age 22.
Cancer develops when abnormal cells are allowed to multiply and grow out of control. Free radicals can contribute to that. In order to promote cell health and boost his immune system to prevent possible secondary cancers or late-term side effects from chemotherapy, we wanted to give his body everything it would need to kick any abnormal activity in the cells.
The kid’s choice
Due to our families’ medical history, I wanted to ensure that our boys were getting the nutrients that they needed for healthy growth right off the bat. The Daily Vitality Pack’s dosage is obviously geared to the adult nutrient needs which contrasts from a child’s nutrient needs. For them, we went with DoTerra’s children’s supplements; A2Z chewables and IQ Mega.
My boys love taking these, the chewable taste like watermelon, and the IQ Mega taste like orange. They look forward to taking them every morning and have actually reminded me a few times. Children grow so quickly; physically, mentally, emotionally… this is the time to make sure they have the nutrients as basic building blocks so their bodies can keep up with all the rapid developments.
What else can you do to boost the immune system
We all want to make sure we are doing everything possible to stay healthy and each of us has our own reason for doing so. Well, what else can we do?
Drink kombucha
Kombucha is a fermented drink, it contains probiotics that can help supply your gut with good bacteria while giving your immune system a boost. Some individuals have replaced their pop intake with kombucha, however, if you think that it’s going to have the same taste like Dr. Pepper or Coke you will be quite disappointed. Although, Kombucha comes in all kinds of flavors and can be pretty tasty so don’t knock it until you try it.
The importance of gut health related to improving immune function has come to the forefront lately. Now you are hearing of studies (see bottom of post) that connect gut health to the brain, and immune function. Everything starts in the gut, if that’s out of whack then your other systems can not function properly, especially your immune system. Causing you to be more susceptible to infections, autoimmune disorders, long term inflammation, etc.
Which leads to our next suggestion for boosting your immune system through the gut…
Probiotics
Here is a situation that some are faced with… you are eating nutrient-dense foods or supplementing, doing everything you possibly can do to lead a healthy lifestyle but you are still experiencing problems perhaps some brain fog. The problem might be your gut isn’t absorbing what it should be. How are you supposed to know if your gut is taking in the necessary nutrients?
You really don’t. Gut flora imbalance or microbial dysbiosis decreases the small intestine’s ability to absorb nutrients causing malnutrition. It’s not that you are not feeding your body, it’s that your body cannot absorb what it needs from the food you are giving it. We have to correct the gut in order to restore balance and allow our bodies to glean what it needs.
Which brings us back to probiotics. Probiotic is the name we give the good bacteria in the gut therefore if we are in need of more good bacteria, we need a probiotic supplement. Preferably take a probiotic that contains prebiotics as well. Yes, prebiotics is a separate thing and not a typo. Simply, prebiotics is food for probiotics so they can thrive and do their job within the small intestines.
Probiotics change the environment in your gut, giving good bacteria a chance to thrive thereby allowing nutrients and micronutrients to be better absorbed and utilized.
Personally, we use All-Star Nutrition probiotic which comes in capsule or powdered form. The powdered form is a lifesaver in our household because you can put it in water, juice, or even sprinkle it on food.. My boys take it without a fuss, no flavor or smell.
You will notice if you log on to their website that it is advertised for individuals with autism. There have been studies that indicate that those with autism struggle with their gut health. This product is not just for those with autism, it is an exceptional probiotic that anyone can use.
Fair warning though, expect some “detox symptoms” the first two weeks or so when taking it. Supplying your body with more good bacteria and killing off the bad bacteria can cause detoxification symptoms such as an increased need to go to the bathroom, diarrhea, constipation, gas, and mild stomach upset. Therefore, it would be prudent to start on a quarter or half a dose and slowly work your way up to the daily intake. This gives your body time to adjust and won’t send it into shock thus mitigating the symptoms.
Other ways to boost the immune system
Prioritizing good, restful sleep can also improve immune function. Sleep is when the body takes the time to repair itself but you need to reach a certain stage in sleep in order to do that. Therefore, taking steps to ensure a restful night’s sleep will give your body the time it needs to do the repairs.
Managing stress… this is a big one probably for most of us, especially since we are trying to navigate a global pandemic. Stress causes your cortisol levels to soar and directly destroys your immune system; making us more vulnerable to illness and infections.
Go for a walk/run, try some yoga, or even deep breathing. Read a book, whatever comforts you, and helps relieve the stress.
As always watch what you eat. Avoid processed foods if you can and enlist the help of your crockpot so mealtime can be a breeze. Go organic when you can, pesticides don’t do your body any favors. Tap into local farmers, ranchers, and farmer’s markets, if you can. I know in Colorado and Kansas, there are Shop Farms pages on Facebook that allows you to connect with local businesses, farmers, and ranchers so you can have more control over your food instead of just accepting whatever’s in stores.
Wrap up
We don’t have to accept any ill news when it comes to our health and just shrug our shoulders because we have no control. We do have some control. We can give our body what it needs to boost the immune system so when something bad comes along our bodies have what is needed to kick to the curb. The immune system is supposed to work for us not against us, we just have to do our part.
References
5 signs you’ve chosen the right multivitamin. (2015, July 27). Retrieved October 26, 2020, from https://utswmed.org/medblog/multivitamins-supplements/
C. Hill, F., C. Terciolo, M., M. Vancamelbeke, S., SC. Bischoff, G., R. Sender, S., AG. Press, I., . . . L. Wang, C. (1970, January 01). Probiotics, Nutrition, and the Small Intestine. Retrieved October 28, 2020, from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11894-019-0740-3
Children’s Supplements: DōTERRA Essential Oils. (2020, October 27). Retrieved October 28, 2020, from https://www.doterra.com/US/en/blog/science-wellness-kids-supplements
Kassel, G. (2020, July 02). 7 Ingredients Your Multivitamin Should Have, According to Experts. Retrieved October 28, 2020, from https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/best-vitamins-to-take-daily
Kombucha: Health benefits, risks, and how to make it at home. (n.d.). Retrieved October 28, 2020, from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319630
Krajmalnik-Brown, R., Ilhan, Z., Kang, D., & DiBaise, J. (2012, April). Effects of gut microbes on nutrient absorption and energy regulation. Retrieved October 28, 2020, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3601187/
Lazar, V., Ditu, L., Pircalabioru, G., Gheorghe, I., Curutiu, C., Holban, A., . . . Chifiriuc, M. (2018, August 15). Aspects of Gut Microbiota and Immune System Interactions in Infectious Diseases, Immunopathology, and Cancer. Retrieved October 28, 2020, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6104162/
Lobo, V., Patil, A., Phatak, A., & Chandra, N. (2010, July). Free radicals, antioxidants and functional foods: Impact on human health. Retrieved October 28, 2020, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3249911/
Product Spotlight: Alpha CRS: DōTERRA Essential Oils. (2020, August 19). Retrieved October 28, 2020, from https://www.doterra.com/US/en/blog/spotlight-alpha-crs-plus
Rose, C. (2019, August 21). Probiotics increase nutrient absorption from food. Retrieved October 28, 2020, from https://uni-vite.com/microbiotic/probiotics-increase-nutrient-absorption-from-food/
Sheridan, P., Bindels, L., Saulnier, D., Reid, G., Nova, E., Holmgren, K., . . . Scott, K. (2014). Can prebiotics and probiotics improve therapeutic outcomes for undernourished individuals? Retrieved October 28, 2020, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4049942/
Supplements Explained: Children’s Wellness: DōTERRA Essential Oils. (2020, June 24). Retrieved October 28, 2020, from https://www.doterra.com/US/en/blog/product-spotlight-supplements-for-children-wellness
Vitamins and Minerals. (n.d.). Retrieved October 28, 2020, from https://www.helpguide.org/harvard/vitamins-and-minerals.htm
Vitamins and Minerals. (n.d.). Retrieved October 28, 2020, from https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/vitamins-and-minerals
