It is now September and the weather is already starting to change in the Northeast. In just a few short weeks, we will be into fall (and then winter) and with that brings the increased risk of infection. A new flu vaccine is coming shortly, although it is unclear at this point if there will be any safety issues associated with it. Additionally, its effectiveness is yet to be determined.

So what can you do to reduce your risk of becoming a statistic this fall and winter? First of all, do your best to avoid contact with anyone around you who is ill. It is also extremely important that you wash your hands frequently with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds and then use a paper towel to dry them, turn the water off and open doors. If you do not have easy access to soap and water, use a hand sanitizer. If you happen to cough, be considerate and avoid exposure to other people. When out in public, cough into your arm rather than into your hand where the germs can be easily spread. Avoid touching your face as this is the main way most people place a virus or bacteria into their body. I can't emphasize enough the importance of getting adequate sleep and eating a healthy, balanced diet, along with moderate exercise.

There are several nutrients that I strongly recommend which can help boost immune function. The first nutrient is called EpiCor®, a unique product derived from baker's yeast fermentation. It was discovered by accident at a company manufacturing animal products using this fermented yeast culture. It was observed that the workers at the plant got sick a lot less often than those at similar size companies. When researchers investigated this occurrence, they discovered that the fermented baker's yeast had strong immune enhancing properties.

A study¹ published last month in the journal Advances in Therapy examined the benefits of Epicor. Ninety-six healthy subjects participated in this twelve-week study and were given either 500 mg daily of Epicor or placebo. At the end of the study, those taking the Epicor experienced a significant reduction in nasal symptoms, including congestion and discharge. Additionally, it was found that those in the Epicor group had a significant increased elevation in salivary IgA levels, an indicator of a strengthened immune system. Adverse effects were said to be similar to that of placebo. Epicor appears to increase natural killer cells and, as noted above, increases salivary IgA levels. I have been taking Epicor 500 mg daily for the last couple of years and have been very pleased with the results. Other studies indicate 1,000 mg per day may provide additional benefits and it also appears to be a very strong antioxidant.

Probiotics are another extremely important class of nutrients that help boost immune function. I have talked about probiotics many times in previous newsletters, as recently as this past July. At that time, I cited a study² published in the journal Pediatrics. It was found in this study that daily probiotic supplementation for a period of six months by a group of children, three to five years old, significantly reduced fever, runny nose and cough compared to placebo. Aside from 500 mg of Epicor daily, I also take two capsules a day of NSI Probiotic 15-35. This product contains fifteen different strains of friendly bacteria for a total of 35 billion colony units, quite a powerful probiotic. This is the #1 selling probiotic at Vitacost. NSI also offers a new great tasting strawberry chewable children's probiotic. This has several strains and several billion colony units, a perfect combination for kids.

The next nutrient that I strongly recommend to support your immune system is a product called AHCC® (Active Hexose Correlated Compound) which is extracted from mushrooms. It has potent antioxidant effects and also appears to increase natural killer cell activity, along with increasing cytokines which help coordinate healthy immune function. AHCC also appears to increase levels of macrophages, which are white cells that engulf and destroy the pathogens in the body. The reviews on AHCC are quite impressive. NSI AHCC+ Immune Booster gets 4.9 out of 5.0 stars. 93% of customers would recommend this product to a friend. One individual writes "I read the reviews and thought I would give it a shot. This winter, everyone at work and my home were sick and I haven't even gotten a sniffle. It works great!" The typical dose is 500 mg once or twice daily. I recommend 1,000 mg per day. To help jump start your immune system, a loading dose of 3 grams daily can be taken for a few weeks.

Moving onto another important immune enhancing nutrient, I turn to my good friend, vitamin D3. The studies on vitamin D3 are rather impressive in regard to optimizing healthy immune function. As you know, I've written about this nutrient on a regular basis and have told many people that if they can only take one nutrient (which I certainly DON'T recommend), it would be vitamin D3. The optimal level is 1,000 IU per 25 lbs of body weight for children, pregnant women need 5,000 IU and most adults need 2,000 to 4,000 IU per day. NSI has capsules, softgels and liquids at dosages of 400 to 4,000 IU per serving. The upper safe limit based on the most recent science is 10,000 IU per day. The RDA/DV of 400 IU for adults is not as beneficial.

There's another product that is available only at Vitacost called NSI CellBooster, a patent pending product developed by researchers at Wayne State Medical School. It is a special blend of turmeric, green tea extract, resveratrol and soy extract. My wife has been taking two capsules twice a day of this product for some medical concerns and she has been doing extremely well. She also has not had a sniffle for the two years that she has been taking this product. One of the ingredients, standardized green tea is high in EGCG and studies indicate EGCG may have immune benefits not to mention it is a very strong antioxidant. I recommend you consume several servings of green or white tea per day.

Vitamin C with quercetin at 1,000 to 2,000 mg per day is essential along with zinc and selenium. Elderberry, echinacea and colostrum are also used to promote immunity. There are so many wonderful, affordable and safe natural options that support healthy immunity. One warning I would like to make is to recommend that you avoid supplements with chemicals such as titanium dioxide which can be harmful. In fact, certain countries are concerned titanium may cause health issues related to abnormal cell growth. Many of the mass market and health food store vitamins contain these harmful chemicals. Mr. Mike Adams, editor of "Natural News" issued an alert to his readers yesterday about consuming titanium dioxide and pointed out how Vitacost has banned this chemical from our NSI brand.

Also, avoid corn syrup and sugar, as more than 100 grams of sugar/corn syrup per day can be very harmful to the immune system not to mention to your body fat and waistline. Soda, candy, cookies, cakes and junk food are the main offenders. Also eliminate fried foods.

Although I mentioned several products that can help boost immunity, it is extremely important that you also take a core nutritional supplement. I recommend those from the Synergy line of NSI products. Whether it is Synergy Once-a-Day up to Synergy Platinum, you can't go wrong. They are free of titanium dioxide and other harmful chemicals, but are loaded with the most standardized and natural forms of nutrients available. Many of the nutrients contain several hundred to several thousand percent of the RDA/DV because this is the level required based on the most recent science for optimal health.

Please follow these recommendations to help promote and maintain a healthy immune system.

To review all NSI Synergy click here.

1. Moyad MA, Robinson LE, Kittelsrud JM, et al., Immunogenic yeast-based fermentation product reduces allergic rhinitis-induced nasal congestion: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, Advances in Therapy, August 12, 2009.

2. Leyer GJ, Li S, Mubasher ME, et al., Probiotic Effects on Cold and Influenza-Like Symptom Incidence and Duration in Children, Pediatrics, August 2009.