Flu Season is Here...

Happy Monday!

Before we dive into the microscopic warfare that is the flu season, a quick heads-up, our OmniBlue Ambassador Program is officially revamped! More on that at the end, but if you’re an influencer who loves minerals and wants to earn 20%, keep reading for the details, stick around.

Now, onto the main event: the flu. Not the avian variety (though that would make for a dramatic newsletter). If you didn’t know, flu season usually peaks in February so we are just in time to fortify your immune system for impending viral attacks. No, we’re talking about the plain old seasonal flu, which has decided to show up this year with record-breaking enthusiasm. In case you need hard numbers to believe us, the CDC reports 24 million cases and 13,000 deaths so far, making this the worst flu spike in 15 years.

Now that we are on the same page regarding how big of a problem the flu can be, let's go over the main ways to make sure that you breeze by it unscathed!

Your immune system is needy. It demands constant upkeep, and if you slack off, you’ll be at the mercy of every stray cough within a 10-foot radius. Let’s break down the essentials:

Sleep: Sleep is probably one of the most important parts of our day. Let’s hear some more numbers to resonate its importance. Hospitalized patients who slept less than 6 hours a day experienced infections at a 27% higher rate and patients who slept more than 9 hours a day contracted infections 44% less than other patients. Every additional hour of sleep boosts your white blood cell count by 2,700 cells per microliter, basically like adding extra soldiers to your immune army.

This shows that sleep is key to restocking our bodies' defenses and sadly most of us overlook its vital importance.
Exercise: Exercise is another, “Duh” component for a healthy immune system. Aside from stimulating white blood cell production like sleep, exercise does something else that is really important. When we exercise our blood pumps faster and with more intensity throughout our body. There is more blood flow in the periphery of our body meaning that the blood has redistributed, this helps improve something called immunosurveillance. What that means is that our white blood cells are “patrolling” and covering more of our body in a shorter amount of time. This makes it easier to track down and destroy any opportunistic pathogens before they end up becoming a problem.
Nutrition: Your immune system is in constant renewal mode—immune cells last only 1-3 days, meaning your body is replacing and adapting them daily. If you’re not giving it the right nutrients, it’s like expecting a factory to run without materials.

Protein is non-negotiable. Antibodies are a really important component of the adaptive immune system and are proteins that we need to synthesize using other amino-acids. Generally speaking most of us get enough protein on a daily basis but it’s never a bad idea to step back and confirm that assumption.

Vitamins like C, D, E, and A act as support staff, regulating immune response, reducing oxidative stress, modulating immune response, and aiding in cell production. Vitamin C, for example, is critical for collagen production, which helps strengthen barriers against infection.
Minerals: These unsung heroes are implicated in ANY and EVERY metabolic process in our body, including production and function of white blood cells. That being said here are the ones with the most direct roles:

Selenium: Key component of selenoproteins that modulate inflammation.
Zinc: Essential in the development of white blood cells as well as acting like a cofactor for cellular signaling.
Iron: A building block for macrophages, neutrophils and T cells. Too much or too little can negatively impact our health so it is important to keep an eye on our iron levels.
Magnesium: Producing white blood cells is an energy intensive process, so you are going to want enough of this mineral to ensure that you can convert macronutrients into ATP. Unfortunately 52% of Americans are running a little low on this essential nutrient which causes their bodies to function in “Low power mode”.

Final Thoughts

Flu season might be at its peak, but that doesn’t mean you have to be its next target. With solid sleep, smart movement, and the right nutrients, your immune system is more than capable of handling whatever comes its way. Give your body what it needs, and you’ll breeze through while everyone else is reaching for tissues.

And if you like being ahead of the curve, our Ambassador Program is your chance to spread the word on real health solutions while earning a 20% commission. Reply to this email if you're interested, and we’ll fill you in, or you can visit the sign-up page here.

Take care, stay sharp, and we’ll see you next week.