“As fitness professionals, we know that exercise can help boost the body’s immune system. But did you know that physical activity can actually produce an inflammatory response, leading to chronic inflammation? And when a body becomes chronically inflamed, a host of negative and potentially injurious conditions can result.

Like other stressors in our lives—allergic reactions, lack of sleep, emotional duress, poor nutritional intake and excess body fat—exercise can directly affect the body’s complex immune system and produce a cascading effect of inflammatory responses.”

Exercise and the Inflammation Process

However, the above being said, there are three very good reasons for people to seek out the right, high-quality supplements to augment their already healthy diet – especially athletes.

First, there are plants, roots and mushrooms from around the world (many used for centuries) that offer very specific, well documented and understood health and nutrition benefits that are simply not found in the produce section of your neighborhood store. The key ingredients found in any one of these doesn’t exist in western fruits and vegetables. Therefore the only way to consume it would be to go to its place of origin – likely on the other side of the globe – to find it, and eat it. It’s both a practicality and convenience issue.

One example: Ultra Immune’s ten ingredients would pose quite the challenge in sourcing and preparing easily. Each one plays a critical role in the mix and in supporting the immune system. There is not a practical way to “swap” any one of these ingredients with some sort of local alternative. We’ve tried. If you want the blended nutritional value of the herbs, mushrooms and roots found in our product – the only way to get it is in a supplement form.

Second, many plants, mushrooms and herbs begin to lose a portion of their nutritional value immediately after harvest. Certain foods “decay” faster than others – place a pealed apple on the table and come back in an hour. In the case of the Acemannan ingredient in Aloe, we have just minutes from harvest, to fillet, to manufacturing, before oxidation destroys the nutritional value we are working to lock in. Eating the plant or gel isn’t enough – it’s the time from harvest to processing (the correct processing) that matters in order to capture the nutritional benefit you expect.

Finally, by nature of the extreme training and physical exertion by athletes, their bodies burn through a lot of nutrients. Yes, by eating healthy you can likely consume enough of the vitamin/mineral basics – but if you’re a hyper-competitive athlete or train on a daily basis, is “likely” good enough? Do you really want to run the risk of being short of one of the many vitamins, minerals or micronutrients needed to reach absolute peak performance and feel your best every day?

Taking a natural, whole food supplement is a convenient insurance policy on your nutrition – one extra thing you can do to create an edge and maximize performance (more to say on this subject in future posts).

The verdict? Both are essential. Eating a healthy and varied diet will provide your body with all the vitamin and mineral basics needed to function normally. But when you are looking to go beyond the basics, look to a quality supplement partner to provide the necessary support.

• Sleep. Do not underestimate the importance of a full night’s sleep in keeping immune function strong.
• Avoid close encounters. Wash hands often and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Eat healthy. Fruits and vegetables are full of nutrients to keep the body healthy and strong. Quality food matters.
• Control stress. Physical and emotional stress can depress immune function. Relax. Decompress. De-stress.
• Moderate alcohol. When you drink, do so in moderation.

Stay healthy and strong this flu season.

www.health.harvard.edu/flu-resource-center/how-to-boost-your-immune-system.htm

One of biggest frustrations in the immune category was the broad array of known healthful ingredients but all packaged separately. Do I really need to buy five different products to get what I need?

Which ones were really the best, have a history of efficacy, and which should I be taking daily. Some ingredients, such as Echinacea, are not meant to be taken daily. We spent over two years investigating various ingredients, interviewing practitioners and herbalists, soliciting input from the scientific community and subject matter experts across the Natural Products and supplement industry. The goal: create the collective “wish list” of ingredients for the ultimate immune support product.

After compiling all the information and years of practical experience – we ended up with a list of ten (10) key ingredients. Each one is included for good reason and in quantities that make a difference (an important differentiator). We wanted a product with a vast array of ingredients, all of which help to support the immune system in different ways. After all, the body is the most complicated and sophisticated machine you will ever own. Let’s make sure we deliver a strong list of ingredients and maximize the opportunity for great immune health. Our final solution is Ultra Immune’s Daily Immune Support.

We searched for products that contained all of the ingredients we needed and wanted, consulted with practitioners and herbalists, delved into research – but the product simply didn’t exist. Not even close. Certainly not as a clean, whole food, all natural liquid product with ten real ingredients. So we decided to create it…for our family, for our friends and for others.

It’s been quite the journey and is still in its infancy. The more time we spend in the Natural Products industry, the more we’ve come to respect both it and the people fighting to a make a healthful difference in the world. Our commitment is to continue creating and marketing unique and compelling products. We will do right by our customers, employees and partners. Focus on value, results and excellence. And leave the world a better place. Rob & Amy – Founders.

Your body’s immune system is a highly complex network of cells, chemistry and biological interactions that not only keep your body healthy and strong, but also keep you feeling and performing your best. Everyone’s immune system is challenged on a daily basis as we live our lives and face exposure to the universe around us. In addition to fighting off the outside world, our immune system is just as active on the inside managing internal systems and keeping our own body’s cells in check.

So often we take for granted all the great work our immune system does for us day in and day out. That being said, physical and emotional stress, fatigue, poor diet and over exposure to places near and far (i.e. travel) and a host of other factors can challenge even the strongest immune system. Your body needs all the help it can get to operate at peak performance and empower you to live, work and play on your terms.

Our goal in launching Ultra Immune is to deliver products that offer just that. And to do so in a form that is easy to take, cost effective and contains the best ingredients available for daily immune support (acemannan, beta glucan, and beyond). We believe the first of its kind, we have raised the bar with a product that is all natural, non-alcohol based and stands to have a lasting impact for customers from all walks of life and from around the world.

With our blog, we are looking forward to providing insights and resources for the immune system, ingredients and broad range of health and nutrition topics in the months ahead. Thank you for taking this journey with us.