Immunity

A healthy lifestyle is paramount to a strong immune system – and medicinal herbs can go a long way to naturally help boost immunity through sensitive times as well, for instance during the winter months. It is essential to have plenty of nutritious, natural, preferably organic food to eat, a balance of work and play, exercise and relaxation, sufficient sleep, a minimum of pollution in our environment, a positive attitude to dealing with stress and the cultivation of practices to engender peace of mind. A healthy diet is very important to good immunity, to ensure you are getting all of the essential vitamins and minerals that your body needs to function well – importantly including vitamin C, zinc, selenium, iron and vitamin D, among many others. In addition, a positive outlook, fun, laughter, serenity, being in beautiful, peaceful surroundings, and clean air can all support your immunity. Evidence suggests that the ability to maintain a healthy immune system is clearly lowered by physical or emotional stress, poor diet, toxins, smoking and drinking excess alcohol.

For a natural boost, there is a wide range of herbs which strengthen the immune system in various ways. Some increase the production and activity of macrophages, cells that the immune system sends to digest foreign invaders. Some herbs also stimulate the production of defence substances, such as interferon, which protect uninfected cells from viruses. Herbs can also enhance the production and function of T-cells, vital immune cells that kill viruses, fungi and certain bacteria.

Immune enhancing herbs include elderberry, echinacea, holy basil (or tulsi), rosehip, olive leaf and andrographis – all of which are in our Defend tincture, which was designed by our team of medical herbalists to bolster your immunity. In addition to the specific support to immune function provided by these herbs, rosehip for example is also very rich in vitamin C, which is also essential to wellness, vitality and healthy immunity. Rhodiola also increases protein synthesis, which is also useful for increasing strength and endurance – in addition to its direct stimulation of immunity by increasing natural killer cells (which seek and destroy infected or mutated cells), by improving T-cell immunity and by increasing resilience to stress which compromises immunity.

Many medicinal mushrooms also have immune-boosting properties: the chaga, maitake, lion’s mane, cordyceps and reishi included in our Mushroom power mix can enhance immune function, among a host of other benefits including improving physical and mental resilience to stress, supporting focus, concentration and memory retention and balancing blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

There is a wide range of herbs which strengthen the immune system in various ways. Some increase the production and activity of macrophages, cells that the immune system sends to digest foreign invaders. Some herbs also stimulate the production of defence substances, such as interferon, which protect uninfected cells from viruses. Herbs can also enhance the production and function of T-cells, vital immune cells that kill viruses, fungi and certain bacteria. Immune enhancing herbs include elderberry, echinacea, holy basil (or tulsi), rosehip, olive leaf and andrographis – all of which are in our Defend Tincture , which was designed by our team of medical herbalists to bolster your immunity. If this blend was designed with preventative immune support in mind, we also have one that was specifically crafted to help your body to fight an active infection, supporting a quick recovery once you’ve fallen ill.

In addition to the specific support to immune function provided by these herbs, rosehip for example is also very rich in vitamin C, which is also essential to wellness, vitality and healthy immunity. Rhodiola also increases protein synthesis, which is also useful for increasing strength and endurance – in addition to its direct stimulation of immunity by increasing natural killer cells (which seek and destroy infected or mutated cells), by improving T-cell immunity and by increasing resilience to stress which compromises immunity.

Our Recovery Tincture contains another range of herbs which enhance your natural defences to combat infections, and support the body in alleviating fevers, aches, and pains. This blend is rich in quercetin, a natural anti-viral and anti-inflammatory compound. It's also been devised to support gut-friendly bacteria and soothe coughs. It contains Baikal skullcap, bupleurum, sweet wormwood, rhodiola, liquorice, cinnamon, elderflower, elecampane, calendula, linden blossom, wild indigo and nettle root.

A traditional herbal tea usually given at the first signs of a cold is a blend of elderflower, peppermint and yarrow – the recipe of our Recovery Tea.

Elderflower is antimicrobial, relaxant and decongestant, and particularly useful to address any respiratory infections and to help loosen and expel any excess catarrh from the respiratory tract. Drinking it as a hot tea helps reduce fever and speeds up recovery from colds, fevers, flus, tonsillitis and laryngitis.

Yarrow tea stimulates blood flow to the skin and helps clear toxins, heat and congestion, by supporting elimination of toxins via the skin and the kidneys. It is excellent in a hot tea to relieve colds and clear the airways. It has an antihistamine effect (from luteolin) which can be used for allergies such as rhinitis.

Peppermint also acts as a decongestant, helping to clear the airways, and its antimicrobial actions enhance resistance to colds, flus and fevers.

Sipping a tea made with these three herbs every hour or two helps relieve aches and pains and clears catarrh.

If you are experiencing a cough, a soothing and anti-infective syrup can be helpful, such as our Cough Syrup, made with marshmallow root, liquorice and thyme.

A traditional herbal tea usually given at the first signs of a flu is a blend of elderflower, peppermint and yarrow – the recipe of our Recovery Tea. Sipping this tea every hour or two helps relieve aches and pains, reduces fever and clears catarrh. It supports perspiration, aiding the elimination of pathogens and toxins through the skin, and subsequently helping to relieve the fever. If your fever persists, please seek medical support.

If you are experiencing a cough, a soothing and anti-infective syrup can be helpful, such as our Cough Syrup, made with marshmallow root, liquorice and thyme. Our Recovery Tincture can also be another ally to help you get better, as it supports the body in combating the infection and alleviates fevers, aches and pains.

Soothing, moistening herbs that relieve inflammation and irritation, like marshmallow root and liquorice, are particularly helpful to ease any discomfort in dry tickly coughs. When you have a cough, it is also helpful to take expectorant and decongestant herbs that will help the body to remove any excess catarrh from the lungs – thyme is a great example of such herbs. Our Cough Syrup contains all three of these herbs in a sugar syrup to effectively ease a cough.

Sore throats are usually a prelude to a bacterial or viral infection, although they can also be caused by irritation of the throat lining by tobacco smoke, allergies, acid reflux, dry heat and shouting.

A soothing and anti-infective syrup can be helpful to ease any irritation and inflammation and help the body to combat any pathogens – such as our Cough Syrup, made with marshmallow root, liquorice and thyme.

Our Vocal Ease tincture is also specifically helpful for sore throats and voice loss. It helps soothe pain, irritation and inflammation in the throat and oesophagus, gently toning the tissues of the area. It cleanses and relaxes the area and boosts natural defences. Key herbal ingredients that are responsible for the actions of this tincture include raspberry leaf, agrimony, wild indigo, sage, marshmallow root, mullein, Icelandic moss and sweet flag.

It is also important to drink warm drinks to soothe the throat – for example our Breathe Tea, a herbal blend that supports your respiratory system and its resilience to colds and flu. In addition to respiratory anti-infectives, this tea contains soothing, moistening and protective herbs like marshmallow root, plantain and elderflower. These can help nourish and heal the lining of the respiratory tract, which gets easily irritated when you have a cough or a sore throat. You can also add some local, unpasteurised honey to the tea for even more of an expectorant, healing, anti-bacterial and immune-enhancing boost.

There are many herbs that have antimicrobial actions which make them helpful to combat acute infections and unfriendly microorganisms. It is best to choose an antimicrobial herb that is specifically indicated for the type/location of the infection you are experiencing, so we would strongly recommend consulting a medical herbalist before self-medicating with such herbs. However, potent herbal antimicrobials include garlic, andrographis, neem, goldenseal, wild indigo, echinacea, cat’s claw, turmeric, garlic, wormwood or myrrh.

For example, there is ample scientific evidence that andrographis is an effective anti-infective to reduce symptoms of respiratory infections and boost immunity – and it is even being actively researched by the NHS to explore whether it could help cut our use of antibiotics. Research has also shown that Baikal skullcap has potent antimicrobial properties against a range of pathogens. Sweet wormwood has also been researched for its antimicrobial activities – and more particularly those of its main constituent, artemisinin. Artemisinin was first isolated by researchers in 1972, and since then it has become hugely popular as an effective remedy for malaria. Much more widely, sweet wormwood enhances immunity, modulates inflammation, helps the body to combat infections and alleviates fevers.

It is important to seek medical attention if you have an infection which is not improving despite resting/taking herbs, if your symptoms worsen, if your temperature is above 39.5C or if any new symptoms develop such as; you have severe thirst or reduced urine output, you are passing urine that is darker than normal, you feel light-headed or weak, you have new severe muscle cramps or you have had a fever after recent foreign travel.