Most of the time when I fly, I get sick a day or two after.

Immunity

Share

Q. Dear Terry, “I will be traveling a lot over the next few weeks to see family for the holidays. Most of the time when I fly, I get sick a day or two after. I would like to take something to help prevent getting sick. What can I do to stop this from happening?” – John B., Virginia Beach, VA

A. Dear John, As someone who travels quite a bit, I think there are nutrients we can take to support our immune system while traveling. Elderberry is one of my favorite botanicals for the immune system. It is one of the best, most clinically studied herbs for fighting many viral illnesses, like colds and the flu. Research shows that elderberry disrupts viruses and can restore the body’s ability to fight them off – without the side effects or drug resistance that you see from prescription medications.

A recent clinical study involving 312 people traveling overseas found that Haschberg elderberry could significantly cut the risk of colds or the flu. Half of the passengers received elderberry and the other half received placebo. The passengers were surveyed for any cold or flu symptoms before, during, and after their flight. At the end of the study, the elderberry group had fewer illnesses compared to the placebo group. For those in the elderberry group who did get sick, their illness lasted only two-thirds as long as the placebo group, plus their symptoms were less severe.

I think elderberry works best when combined with other important immune system nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, magnesium, calcium lactate, zinc, selenium, and bioflavonoids.

I would take 2,500 IU of vitamin A (as retinyl acetate), 200 mg of vitamin C (as ascorbic acid), 3,000 IU of vitamin D3 (as cholecalciferol), 15 IU of vitamin E (as d-alpha and mixed tocopherols), 41 mg of calcium (from calcium lactate), 6.7 mg of magnesium (as magnesium citrate), 15 mg of zinc (as zinc bisglycinate chelate), 150 mcg of selenium (from yeast), 50 mg of bioflavonoids from citrus, and 300 mg of elderberry fruit extract that is standardized to at least 12% anthocyanins. You could take these ingredients a few days or more before traveling, once or twice per day.

Healthy Regards!

Terry . . . Naturally