Leverage the power of nutritional support for your immune system
| By Michael D. Lewis, MD, MPH, MBA, FACPM, FACN
Our good friends at CV Sciences, makers of my favorite CBD products, Plus CBD, have introduced a new line of immune support products—and there’s nothing out there quite like it! They offer the benefits of traditional Chinese medicine without concerns about product quality, contamination or adulteration that might come from less scrupulously vetted imports. I take them when I feel run down, to fend off respiratory infections if I’m depleted. For more on these novel formulations and how they work, read on…
—Dr. Hoffman
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NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT FOR THE IMMUNE SYSTEM**
The immune system is a homeostatic system involving a complex network of tissues, cells, receptors and peptides involved with host protection and defense against infectious pathogens. A robust or strong immune system is associated with a lower risk of infections; if weak, a greater chance of infections. The strength of your immune system is determined largely by your age and nutritional status. Unfortunately, the modern Western diet does not contain the necessary micronutrients to keep the immune system running its best. Supplementing lost micronutrients can help enhance immune status. Nutritional supplementation can also fortify individuals struggling with other factors associated with a depleted immune system, such as chronic stress, socioeconomic status, poor sleep, smoking and pollution.
CV ACUTE
CV Acute is an oral liquid dietary supplement made by CV Sciences that consists of 3 authentic, well-researched herbs used extensively as a patent formula in Traditional Chinese Medicine, known as Shuang Huang Lian (SHL). It consists of 750 mg each of the flower of honeysuckle, the root of Baikal skullcap and the fruit of forsythia. These botanical extracts contain compounds that are studied to promote an anti-viral, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effect. Extensive in vitro, in vivo, human clinical data and 3000 years of historical use support the properties of these botanicals both individually and in combination. Today, SHL is used widely in China alone and in conjunction with other traditional and modern therapies. SHL is acknowledged by the World Health Organization, and its role in the treatment of prior viral outbreaks in Asia is noted. CV Sciences recommends that this product should be taken immediately at the start of viral symptoms (e.g., fever, sore throat) and continued for 3 days. Additionally, when going into a higher risk area (e.g., getting on an airplane; going to be in crowded surrounding), it is wise to have CV Acute in your carry-on luggage—it also makes for a great gift! CV Sciences prioritizes exquisite quality when it comes to botanical extracts, and only uses authentic herbs. By scanning the product QR code, you will be taken to the Certificate of Analysis (COA), solid proof of the manufacturing process.
CV DEFENSE
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CV Defense is the most exciting daily immune support product in years! It contains a unique combination of six ingredients: two vitamins (Vitamins A and D3), two minerals (Zinc and Selenium), one ancient mushroom (Reishi mushroom) and a compound called PEA that may be the most powerful anti-inflammatory, anti-allergy, anti-pain compound that you’ve never heard of and is like our bodies’ very own cannabidiol (CBD). These ingredients work together to optimize your barrier, innate, and adaptive immune function.
Vitamin A, an antioxidant, maintains the first line of immune protection: the skin and respiratory tract. It also helps regulate the immune system, particularly T-cells, to maintain a healthy immune response.
Vitamin D levels are the lowest in the winter, and the lower your Vitamin D level, the higher your risk of an upper respiratory tract infection. Vitamin D supports multiple immune activities including the endogenous production of anti-microbial peptides.
Zinc and selenium are essential micronutrients which incorporate into enzymes and biochemical pathways associated with immune and antioxidant status.
Reishi mushroom extract, derived from the fabled “mushroom of immortality” contains immunomodulatory polysaccharides.
Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) was first discovered in the 1950s, and early studies showed it prevented the recurrence of bacterial infections in children. In the 1970s, clinical trials involving approximately 4000 subjects demonstrated a clear benefit in daily immune prophylaxis over placebo throughout the cold season. Recently, PEA has been evidenced to impact multiple cellular activities including mast cell regulation, gut microbiome health and endocannabinoid signaling.
CV Sciences uses Levagen + for the source of PEA in CV Defense. Levagen + is the highest quality PEA on the market and is supported by numerous peer-reviewed clinical trials.
CV Defense is the perfect combination of critical vitamins and minerals, Reishi mushroom and the next big ingredient: Levagen + PEA. Tissues robbed of PEA during stressful and inflammatory challenges can be resupplied for optimal wellness and immune support with CV Defense supplementation.
Together, CV Defense and CV Acute are two powerful immunity products that are studied to be safe and effective: they really work!
Michael D. Lewis, MD, MPH, MBA, FACPM, FACN
Colonel (Retired), U.S. Army
Infectious Disease Hunter, Public Health Expert
**NONE OF THE PRODUCTS DISCUSSED IN THIS ARTICLE HAVE BEEN PROVEN IN DOUBLE-BLIND PLACEBO STUDIES TO CURE, PREVENT, OR TREAT COVID 19. THE SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES SUPPORTING THE DISCUSSION OF THE EFFICACY OF TREATMENTS AND PRODUCTS RELATED TO COVID 19 ARE NOT DOUBLE-BLIND PLACEBO STUDIES OF THE PRODUCT ITSELF.
**ACCORDING TO THE FTC, NO PRODUCT HAS BEEN PROVEN IN DOUBLE-BLIND PLACEBO STUDIES TO PREVENT OR CURE COVID 19.
**THE DISCUSSION IN THIS ARTICLE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IT IS NOT INTENDED AS A REPLACEMENT FOR DIAGNOSIS OR TREATMENT BY YOUR DOCTOR.
