I had a bit of a health scare recently.

I had been teaching my karate class and putting my students (and myself) through an insane number of intense drills—lots of kicks, squats, sit-ups, push-ups and of course fighting.

Well…later on I ended up with some pain in my low back and hips like I’ve never had before.  It brought tears to my eyes.

And I got scared.

I went to the doctor and after getting thoroughly examined and tested, it was determined that I just seriously strained my back.  Rest, warm baths with Epsom salts and lots of (natural) anti-inflammatories will make me as good as new, and I’m feeling better already.   

I told you this story because that experience reminded me that even though there are all kinds of packages wrapped up in pretty-colored paper and ribbons this time of year, the best gift of all is not found under your Christmas tree.

It’s inside you.

And it’s called your HEALTH.

Because you could have mountains of money and every material thing in the world, but if you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything.

So, if you want to give yourself a boost toward better health this Christmas, start with three of the most significant steps you could take, especially this time of year:

Make sure you have enough vitamin D, support your immune system and keep inflammation low!

Here’s the scoop on each of those.

Vitamin D

You can’t beat vitamin D when you’re looking at ways to improve your health.  Here are some of the ways this mega-nutrient helps create a healthier you:

• Regulates blood glucose and insulin levels, lowering your risk of Type 2 diabetes.
• Prevents depression—which is rampant this time of year.
• Protects you against cardiovascular disease.
• Prevents cancer.
• Protects you against autoimmune diseases like MS, lupus and psoriasis.
• Supports healthy teeth and gums.
• Reduces inflammatory immune responses, such as those seen with allergies and asthma.
• Helps with learning, memory and concentration.

Unfortunately, vitamin D deficiency is extremely common, especially this time of year in the northern hemisphere where we have less exposure to sunlight and our bodies can’t make enough.  (Plus even in the summertime people slather themselves in sunscreen which blocks vitamin D production!)

Also, as we get older our skin doesn’t make as much vitamin D in response to sun exposure. At the same time, our kidneys become less efficient at converting vitamin D into the form used by the body as we age.

To help ensure you have health-supporting levels of this nutritional Superstar, it’s wise to supplement with the best vitamin D product you can find--Optimum DK Formula with FruiteX-B!

In addition to getting an impressive 5,000 IUs of vitamin D3 in each capsule (which is a health-supporting, therapeutic dose, unlike the RDA), you’ll also get the added benefit of vitamins K1 (500 mcg) and K2 (50 mcg).  Vitamin K works with vitamin D to provide bone support and prevent atherosclerosis.

Optimum DK Formula with FruiteX-B also goes beyond other vitamin D supplements by including the mineral boron, which further helps with strong bone, immune and cardiovascular health!

Support your immune system

Your ability to fight infections, viruses and even diseases like cancer depends on a sharp, strong, properly functioning immune system!

Unfortunately, this time of year our immune systems usually take a major hit from stress, sugary holiday foods and drinks, and not getting enough sleep. 

Here are 6 smart ways to help keep your immune system in tip-top shape!

1. Limit sugar and refined carbs

Sugar and refined carbs (which turn to sugar upon digestion) feed cancer cells, harmful yeasts and parasites and depress your immune system functioning.

So, avoid the white breads, pastries, cookies, donuts, cakes, bagels, rolls, white rice, crackers and snack chips as much as possible.

And most importantly, stay far away from the #1 health poison in existence—SODA. 

2. Have a good laugh

Laughter exerts positive influences on your immune system! 

3. De-stress and get some rest

Both stress and lack of sleep are harmful to your gut microbiome, which houses 70-80 percent of your immune system.

Do what you must to lower stress in your life (regular exercise works wonders!), and make sure you get enough sleep each night. 

4. Get nutritional support with probiotics

Since most of your immune system resides in your gut, it's essential to make sure that you maintain a healthy population of friendly bacteria to support it! 

Supplementation with a top-notch probiotic like Super Shield multi-strain probiotic formula is the single most effective step you can take to support a healthy gut microbiome.

Super Shield contains 13 robust, well-studied strains of beneficial bacteria that not only help support strong immune function, but also help reduce gas, bloating and constipation too!

5. Drink 8 glasses of water a day

Water is vital for cell and lymphatic system health—both of which are crucial to proper immune system functioning.

6. Nourish your gut

Be sure to include lots of fresh vegetables and fermented foods in your diet.  Nothing nourishes your helpful gut bacteria better than these nutritious foods!

Keep inflammation low

Chronic inflammation is a cause or contributing factor to a plethora of health issues including:

• Autoimmune diseases (Crohn’s disease, colitis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.)
• Heart disease
• Cancer
• Accelerated aging
• Type 2 diabetes
• Degenerative joint disease
• Asthma and allergies
• Eczema
• Worsening infections, including COVID-19

The best ways to help control inflammation are to eat an anti-inflammatory diet and take advantage of Nature’s own anti-inflammatories.

Strive to minimize or avoid these 10 foods, which are the WORST inflammation triggers:

1. Sugar (especially high fructose corn syrup)
2. Refined carbs (anything made with white flour and/or sugar)
3. Vegetable oils
4. MSG (monosodium glutamate)
5. Factory farmed meats
6. Margarine
7. Soda
8. Processed foods
9. Gluten
10. Artificial sweeteners

And as far as Nature’s anti-inflammatories go, nothing beats Omega-3 fish oil and turmeric!

Unfortunately, the average person gets very few of these two superstars in their diets.  Our food supply contains merely a fraction of the Omega-3 fats that it used to, and the amount of turmeric you would get from occasionally eating Indian cuisine is far below what your body needs to effectively control inflammation. 

To make sure your body maintains a health-supporting level of Omega-3 EFAs, supplementation with a pure pharmaceutical-grade fish oil formula like VitalMega-3 is crucial.

VitalMega-3 provides a soothing 1,200 mg of anti-inflammatory Omega-3 fats in every 2-capsule dose, including the Superstars EPA and DHA—that are critical for your brain and cardiovascular health.

And Optimal Turmeric Blend provides a soothing, therapeutic 750 mg of pure, organic turmeric in every 2-capsule dose, plus an additional 5 mg of BioPerine™ (black pepper fruit extract) to support maximum absorbency.

Turmeric has been shown to be extremely effective at fighting inflammation!  As a matter of fact, some studies have shown it to be MORE effective at reducing joint swelling and tenderness than diclofenac sodium—a common arthritis medication!

Take care of your health, and you’ll have the best holiday gift of all.

To your health,

Sherry Brescia