Prepping, cooking, cleaning…stressing! It’s easy to get We can’t do much about the bugs we’re exposed to—but we can strengthen our immune systems to protect us against annoying offenders. When it comes to blasting bugs, naturally, we defer to our resident supplement guru, Steve Josepher. These are Steve’s immune-boosting Go-To’s for the winter months:

• Oscillococcinum (“Oscillo” for short) by Boiron is the best choice flu symptoms like body aches, headache, fever and chills. This homeopathic flu fighter has none of the side effects of Tamiflu (nausea, vomiting) and REALLY works. Steve recommends 6 full vials in a 2-day period, as soon as your symptoms start. Good for ages 2 and up.
• When it comes to the flu or any other nagging illness, Elderberry Syrup works like a charm. Elderberry is the queen of berries, shown to boost immunity, decrease mucous production during colds, and fight the flu. We like Black Elderberry Syrup by Gaia—gentle enough for kids but potent enough for adults. Or try Elderberry Force by New Chapter. These capsules sourced from an Austrian elderberry are made into a simple, pure, highly concentrated product.
• We get Vitamin C year round from fruits and veggies, but this time of year, you’ll want an extra slug of the stuff. Do you bring a water bottle to work? Do your kids bring one to school or after-school sports? Steve swears by Truly Natural Vitamin C Powder by Healthforce. Each 1.5 tsp dose added to water imparts just a hint of flavor, but packs a full 302 mg of food source, naturally occurring, absorbable, vitamin C complex made from acerola berries.
• You can’t underestimate the role Vitamin D plays in maintaining our immune system. Since we absorb our Vitamin D from the sun, our levels are dramatically lower in the cooler months, when most colds and flus hit. We’ve got all kinds of D products, for kids and adults. One of our favorites is from Bluebonnet Nutrition, and is available in drops, chewables and softgels.  Click here for more on Vitamin D and how much we need for optimum health.
• Mushrooms are awesome! Of the 140,000 species of mushroom-forming fungi, about 100 are being studied for their health-promoting benefits. This is mainly due to their high concentration of beta-glucan, a powerful antiviral agent and immune system modulator. A mushroom devotee, Steve chooses Host Defense by MyCommunity, a 17-species formula that features some of the Top 10 health-stimulating mushrooms out there (maitake, reishi, cordyceps and more). Take two a day for killer immune support.

As always…if you  have any questions about how to stay healthy this winter (or anytime!), just ask Steve or any of our other Supplement experts. There is always someone here to help!