Supporting the immunity of Canadians
A lot has changed over the past six months, but the words “virus,” “immunity,” and “economy” are still very much on everyone’s minds. The world is focused on finding a cure, but it’s also important to talk about what we can do to support our immunity in an effort to stave off viral upper respiratory infections—especially with school on the horizon.
We have long known that a healthy diet containing certain key nutrients is the foundation of health and can help promote a strong immune system: fruits and vegetables for their phytonutrients, fermented foods, healthy fats, as well as vitamin C and zinc, echinacea, garlic, and elderberry to help fight off infections, when needed.
There is also a lesser-known nutrient that has astonishing antiviral potential. Canadian scientists are collaborating with Chinese scientists in a massive 1,000-subject trial to investigate the anti-coronaviral properties of quercetin. Quercetin, found in healthy plant foods, has proven antiviral properties, having been studied with the Ebola and Zika viruses.
Incorporating superfoods into your diet can have significant benefits for the immune system. Researchers at the University of Toronto have been very interested in quercetin and other herbs they believe can be very effective. Licorice and ginseng, both studied for their antiviral properties, would also be excellent additions to a daily diet. Ultimately, the goal for maintaining optimal health is to reduce the dietary acid load, a form of stress on the immune system.
Researchers are also focusing on susceptibility. Remarkably, the gut microbiome can influence viruses that wreak havoc in the respiratory tract. This is one reason why oral (encapsulated) probiotics, for both adults and children, have been so successful at lowering rates of upper respiratory infections and the sick days associated with them.
Research has also shown that probiotics can help maintain a healthy mindset and support immune health during times of stress. The past few months have been stressful for everyone, and we will need to do our best to introduce more advanced gut health probiotics into our bodies.
Supplements are the foundation of health, including immunity. And there has never been a more important time than now.
At Genuine Health, a proudly Canadian company, we live by five core values that we uphold:
1. What we do matters. We feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to change people's lives every day by producing science-backed supplements in Canada, and we take that responsibility very seriously.
2. What we put in our bottles matters. We are passionate about the latest nutritional research to drive innovation in our products. And we have an unwavering commitment to using only the most effective ingredients, like hand-harvested dulse from the North Atlantic and Siberian ginseng, standardized to a dose that will truly deliver benefits.
If you've ever had trouble finding your favorite Genuine Health product, it's because we don't sacrifice quality for quantity. We produce in small batches and always insist on using ingredients that meet our standards, not ingredients that are easy to find.
3. How we treat the planet matters. Canada is one of six countries that are home to 70% of the world's remaining wilderness areas. We are therefore committed to helping preserve these precious resources for years to come. For you, this means we source the most effective ingredients we can find close to home.
4. How we treat people matters. We are aware that not everyone has access to nutrition. Therefore, we share our supplements with those less fortunate than ourselves so that we can all continue to do well.
5. Providing you with the latest credible information matters. The science of nutrition and health is constantly evolving, which is why we make consumer education a priority, so they can achieve optimal health at all times.
Most importantly, the products we create make a difference in your life, supporting your immunity, gut health, and giving your body the energy it needs to thrive.