My number one priority as a mom is to make sure my family is happy and healthy. Having a nursing background, I always knew how important a healthy lifestyle was. But, ever since COVID-19 came into our lives, it became even more important to adopt a healthier way of life.
One of the ways you can help create a robust immune system that will help fight off the flu, or any other illnesses you might encounter, is having a good daily vitamin routine. It’s always best to get your vitamins through good nutrition by eating organic, whole foods. However, it isn’t always feasible to eat all of the foods we need in order to get all those good vitamins and minerals for our immune system.
Below I have outlined the vitamins and supplements we take on a daily basis, year round, as well as the extra supplements we take when one of us is getting sick. All of the supplements I take were chosen from doing my own diligent research or recommended by holistic healthcare professionals such as my chiropractor and naturpathic doctor we see frequently.
I do not claim to be a nutritionist or a doctor. I’m just a passionate mom who cares about the well-being of my family. I am still learning a lot and welcome any commentary on my list!
If you want to dive deeper into the benefits of each supplements I have listed, I included an article or study that will explain more. I have also included a lot of kid-friendly options!
Click the photo of each supplement to shop. I might make a small commission if you purchase through one of my links, but all of the supplements listed are truly what my family takes. I will never recommend taking something I have not tried.
*Disclosure* this is NOT medical advice. Before taking any supplements, please do your own research and talk with your healthcare professionals to make sure they are right for you and your family.
Daily Vitamins + Supplements
Daily Super Green Powder
Okay, so I know there are a TON of different green powders out there to choose from. But, what I love about this green powder from Sprigs Life is that all the ingredients are organic and there is only 1 gram of sugar (a lot of other green drinks have loads of sugar, which kind of defeats the purpose.
This green powder is like a multivitamin on steroids. It essentially is using blends of whole foods that target specific areas of health. It includes an immunity blend, anti-inflammatory blend, super green blend, super berry blend, sustained energy blend, probiotic fiber blend and antioxidant blend.
I can honestly tell the different when I take this powder versus when I don’t.
The best part are the flavors! The adult options are very tasty and the kids is a chocolate flavor. My kids absolutely love it in smoothies or mixed with almond milk.
Honestly, if you don’t use anything else from this list, just use this! It’s that good. And no, this isn’t sponsored by them!
Vitamin D3 + K2
Vitamin D3 has many cardio-respiratory protective properties and vitamin K2 is a powerful anti-inflammatory antioxidant that plays a key role in blood clotting. There are currently several studies underway that are looking at the effect of low vitamin D3 and K2 levels and everely ill covid patients. Read more about the benefits of vitamin D3 and K2 here.
Choosing liquid vitamins is always a better option because it is absorbed into the body much more effectively.
Probiotics
Probiotics have been a huge focus in the wellness industry lately, and for good reason. The immune system starts in your gut. Aproximately 70-80% of your immune system cells are in the digestive tract. Probiotics are great for supporting these immune cells.
We take Dr. Ohhira’s prebiotic, probiotic, postbiotic formula blend as advised by my Naturpathic doctor. It is on the pricier side, but I honestly feel like probiotics are the single most important vitamin you can be taking for your overall health. If you’re going to invest in a supplement, I would invest in your probiotic. (Daily Super Greens, as mentioned above, also has probiotics, but it isn’t as diverse of a blend – still very beneficial though!)
To read more about this brand of probiotic formula, click here.https://www.drohhiraprobiotics.com/dr-ohhira-probiotics/dr-ohhiras-original-formula/
Kids Multivitamin
Sometimes if my kids aren’t feeling the Daily Super Greens drink, I’ll give them gummy multivitamins. Nordic Berries is sold at my local herb shop, which is why I chose it. They do have a sugar free option as well. My kids love them and will even eat them as a dessert.
They provide 10 essential nutrients that are optimal for children’s growth and development. They’re vegan, gluten free and are third party tested to ensure the best quality.
Magnesium
Most people don’t know that magnesium is essential in helping activate vitamin D absorption, which then helps regulate calcium and phosphate in the body. There are even recent studies that suggest having low magnesium and vitamin D levels could be contributing to the cytokine storm they’re seeing in covid patients. You can read that article here.
Magnesium plays so many important roles in overall health including neuromuscular and sleep! I first started taking magnesium when I was pregnant with my second child and never got leg cramps or restless leg syndrome. It also helped my sleep tremendously.
Vitamins + Supplements for Illness
Rapid Immune Boost
Rapid Immune Boost was recommended by my local herbalist when I was 2 weeks postpartum and was suffering from mastitis. I really did not want to take antibiotics, as I didn’t want it to affect my new baby’s gut health.
I was shocked at how quickly I recovered after taking this tincture. Now it is a staple in our household anytime my husband and I are starting to feel ill.
This blend is filled with powerful herbs that are great for the immune system. I am just getting started when it comes to learning about herbs, but this website has amazing resources if you are interested in learning more about them.
Vitamin C Powder
Vitamin C has so many benefits! It plays an important role in collagen formation, neurotransmitters, breaking down fatty acids and ensuring optimal bone and teeth health. But, it is also a very powerful antioxidant. It has been used since the 70’s to help treat cancer patients!
To learn more about the benefits of vitamin C on the immune system, check out this scientific article.
As far as dosing…when my husband and I are sick we take a pretty high dose (to bowel tolerance – usually 1000mg 3x a day) Since it is a water-soluble vitamin, your body will only absorb what it needs and will eliminate the rest.
Vitamin A
When I think of vitamin A, the first thing I think about is carrots. As a kid, I was always told that eating carrots would help my eyesight. Traditionally, vitamin A has been known for helping vision. But it also plays an important role in the immune system! Vitamin A is known for its anti-inflammatory properties and helps with mucus integrity.
This is really thorough scientific article discussing the benefits of vitamin A.
Anytime we are feeling a respiratory illness come on, we run to our vitamin A drops. (Be careful to follow dosing instructions on your vitamin A supplements, as they can cause neurological side effects).
Zinc
Zinc plays a very complex role in the immune system, but nonetheless it is extremely important. In short, zinc is crucial for development of cells within the innate immune system. You can read this very thorough article to get a better grasp on zinc’s role in the immune system.
We love Mary Ruth Organics liquid ionic zinc. It doesn’t have a taste so my kids will easily take it! And I like that it’s liquid so it doesn’t have that chalky texture that always upsets my stomach.
Organic Elderberry
Elderberry is another recent very popular supplement getting a lot of attention. There have been studies that show consuming elderberry can help shorten the duration and severity of the flu. Although, there has not yet been evidence that it helps combat covid.
The pigments in the berries contain high levels of antioxidants that are said to have immune boosting effects. Read more in this scientific article.
I find that when I personally take elderberry syrup when I’m starting to feel sick, it nips it pretty quickly. It’s important to make sure the elderberry syrup you are buying is organic. I normally like to buy it from local vendors, but when I can’t I always get the Mommy Bliss version. I like that it also includes probiotics and zinc.
Kids Immuno-X by Sprigs Life (herbs for immune system)
Kids Immuno-X by Sprigs Life is basically a kids version of Rapid Immune Boost. It includes herbs specifically targeted to help build up and support the immune system.
Essential Oils for Immune System Boost
This could honestly be it’s own blog post, so I won’t dive too much into it. But, there are several plant oils that can help boost the immune system as well.
We buy our essential oils from Plant Therapy. I like this company because they do very thorough quality testing to ensure their oils are safe and effective, and they also won’t break the bank. They’re very reasonably priced.
Some of favorites that we use include the KidSafe Immune Boom roller. It contains 100% essential lemon, palmorosa, dill weed, petitgrain, copaiba oleoresin, and frankincense, which are all proven to be beneficial to the immune system. You can also purchase it as a regular blend to put in your diffuser. They also have an adult roller version.
I know that nutrition and health information can be overwhelming! I take it one day at a time and just try the best I can. Taking care of OUR OWN health is so important. We can’t rely on others to do it for us.
I hope this was helpful. And if you have any other recommendations please let me know!
