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Super Charge Your Immunity

The Healing Collective • February 14, 2022

Your immune system is your first defense when it comes to viral infections and harmful environmental compounds. A strong immune system means your white blood cells are functioning optimally to seek out and destroy disease-causing organisms or substances.

So, let's keep them happy!

White blood cells, or leukocytes, love Zinc, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5). These, combined with herbal extracts and adaptogens make this supplement an immunity powerhouse .

Viracid is designed to: Provide Support for Immune Challenges Strengthen Immune Function Maintain Normal Inflammatory Balance

Now more than ever we have to make sure our body's immune system is functioning at full capacity. But it can be hard trying to figure out exactly how much of each nutrient you're getting from your diet and whether or not you're even absorbing them properly.

This supplement is formulated with optimal leukocyte function in mind and a strong focus on immune health and integrity.

What’s in Viracid?

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is well known for its ability to support immune response. Vitamin C concentrations decline rapidly in the body during periods of stress. Dietary intake is therefore crucial during immune challenges. (3)

Vitamin A

Vitamin A helps support mucous membranes. When vitamin A is lacking, mucus-producing cells are replaced by keratin producing cells, and the membranes become tough and more vulnerable to organisms. Vitamin A is a critical immune supporting nutrient. Vitamin A also supports the immune system by stimulating white blood cell function and increasing antibody response. (4)

Zinc

Zinc supports immune functions such as natural killer cell activity and phagocytosis. Furthermore, studies show that zinc can directly support the body during immune system challenges and can help support healthy respiratory function. (1, 2)

Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5)

Pantothenic acid is essential for the production of energy from carbohydrates, fats and protein. Maintaining optimal pantothenic acid levels is crucial for supporting immune system energy, thymic function and healthy white blood cell levels. (6, 7)

Black Elderberry Extract

Black elderberry (Sambucas nigra) has a long history of traditional use among herbalists for its immune boosting properties. It has been shown to enhance immune cell killing potential by supporting healthy cytokine production, the cellular pathways used to eliminate foreign invaders. (10)

Astragalus Root Extract

Astragalus root has been traditionally used for thousands of years in Chinese medicine practices to strengthen the immune system. Research has demonstrated the immune-regulating effects of astragalus which include boosting T-dependent antigens, and lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells and macrophage activity. (11, 12)

Echinacea Extract

Echinacea Echinacea has been used for centuries in Native American medicine. Current research has supported echinacea’s clinical applications. Echinacea activates multiple aspects of immune function including enhancing leukocyte and granulocyte counts, activating neutrophils, monocytes, and eosinophils and solubilizing immune complexes. (14, 15, 16, 17)

Andrographis Leaf Extract

Andrographis leaf has been used in Asian medicine for centuries. A study found that andrographolide administration significantly improved lymphocyte count in patients which immune challenges. (18) It has also been reported to provide strong antioxidant support due to its ability to activate highly protective antioxidant reactions. (19)

Watch a short video about the effects of Viracid to see how it works!

How Much Do I Take?

It's always recommended to consult your healthcare provider for individual dosing instructions, because your provider knows your unique history and presentation. Please reach out to us if you have questions!

For health, immune support and prevention:

  • 2 capsules per day.

During a time of illness:

  • 1-2 capsules per hour or as directed by your health care professional. After symptoms resolve, return to 2 capsules per day.

Where Can I Get Viracid?

  • Come visit us and pick up a bottle at the clinic.

    The Healing Collective

    6800 N. 79th St. #202

    Niwot, CO 80503

  • Call our office and we’ll have it mailed to you in 2 days

720-572-5236

  • Order online through Fullscript . Click below, log in or set up your Fullscript account, and enjoy 10% off and free shipping!

REFERENCES

1. Dardenne M, Pleau J, Nabarra B, et al. Contribution of zinc and other metals to the biological activity of the serum thymic factor. Proc Natl Acad Sci 1982;5370-3.

2. PDR Health: Zinc. www.pdrhealth.com.

3. Wintergerst ES, Maggini S, Hornig DH. Immune enhancing role of vitamin C and zinc and effect on clinical conditions. Ann Nutr Metab 2006;50(2):85-94.

4. Vitamin A. Integrative Medicine: Integrative Medicine Communications; 2000.

5. Zhao W, Zhai F, Zhang D, et al. Lysine-fortified wheat flour improves the nutritional and immunological status of wheat-eating families in northern China. Food Nutr Bull Jun 2004;25(2):123-129.

6. Melampy RM, Cheng DW, Northrop LC. Effect of pantothenic acid deficiency upon adrenal cortex, thymus, spleen, and circulating lymphocytes in mice. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 1951;76:24-27.

7. Mahboob S. Thymic weight in pantothenic acid deficiency. Nutr Metab 1976;20:272-277.

8. The American Botanical Council. The ABC Clinical Guide to Elder Berry. 2004; http://abc.herbalgram.org/site/ DocServer/Elderberry-scr.pdf?docID=165.

9. Monograph. Sambucus nigra (elderberry). Altern Med Rev Mar 2005;10(1):51-54.

10. Barak V, Birkenfeld S, Halperin T, Kalickman I. The effect of herbal remedies on the production of human inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Isr Med Assoc J 2002;4(11 Suppl):919-22.

11. Tan BK, Vanitha J. Immunomodulatory and antimicrobial effects of some traditional chinese medicinal herbs: a review. Curr Med Chem 2004;11(11):1423-1430.

12. Kemper K, Small R. Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceous).1999. http://www.longwoodherbal. org/ .

13. Sinclair S. Chinese herbs: a clinical review of Astragalus, Ligusticum, and Schizandrae. Altern Med Rev 1998;3(5):338- 344.

14. Berrett B. Medicinal properties of Echinacea: a critical review. Phytomedicine 2003;10:66-896.

15. Percival SS. Use of Echinacea in medicine. Biochem Pharmacol 2000;60:155-158.

16. Pizzorno JE, Murray MT. Textbook of Natural Medicine. (2013) St. Louis, MO: Churchill Livingstone.

17. Cáceres DD, Hancke JL, Burgos RA, et al. Use of visual analogue scale measurements (VAS) to assess the effectiveness of standardized Andrographis paniculata extract SHA-10 in reducing the symptoms of common cold. Phytomedicine 1999;6:217-223.

18. Calabrese C, Berman SH, Babish, SH, Babish JG, et al. A phase I trial of andrographolide in HIV positive patients and normal volunteers. Phytother Res 2000; 14:333-338.

19. Verma N, Vinayak M. Antioxidant action of Andrographis paniculata on lymphoma. Mol Biol Rep 2008; 35:535-540

The information on this site is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of our healthcare providers and the functional medicine community. We strongly encourage you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.

Learn about our Functional Medicine providers , here .

Happy Pride and Alzheimer's/Brain Awareness Month!

By Tracy Shulsinger • June 1, 2024
This month has two very important celebrations that I would love to connect. Making connections is actually one of the strengths of the functional medicine detection process that guides us to the root causes of illness and toward healing! I now invite you to take a pause and ask yourself, what does pride in owning one’s sexual orientation as LGBTQ have to do with brain health and Alzheimer's Disease? As not to leave anyone out- if you identify as straight or heterosexual, what could having pride in yourself have to do with your brain health and Alzheimer's? An important connection that I would like to make involves the nervous system. The brain is a central component of the nervous system, along with the spinal cord and nerves. Our nervous system influences and controls many bodily functions and is also influenced and controlled by many factors. Our emotional state highly influences our nervous system. Individuals who do not feel accepted to be who they are without being judged, criticized, ridiculed and loved by others live under tremendous stress. They often feel unsafe- emotionally and/or physically. Living with constant emotional stress and feeling physically or emotionally unsafe takes a major toll on the nervous system, including the brain, and can be one of many contributors to cognitive impairment. This constant level of stress can impair cognitive function. Stress is inflammatory to the body and brain. Stress affects neurotransmitter production, causing excess excitatory neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine and epinephrine, which up-regulate our system which can unfortunately cause even more stress. Stress also causes increased cortisol, the stress hormone to be produced. An excess of these chemicals causes health consequences to many bodily systems. To name a few: Cardiovascular- increased blood pressure and heart rate Respiratory- shallow and rapid breathing that reduces oxygenation Musculoskeletal- pain and tension Endocrine System- sex hormone and thyroid hormone abnormalities due to the HPATG (Hypothalamus Pituitary Adrenal Thyroid Gonadal) Axis disturbance caused by high cortisol and elevated blood sugar that could advance to diabetes Immune system- Autoimmune disease risk increases significantly from chronic stress Gastrointestinal- GI issues due to parasympathetic and vagus nerve disruption And on and on! Every single system is affected by chronic stress in the nervous system. 

Detoxing is Critical to Long Term Health!

By Tracy Shulsinger • May 23, 2024
When people ask me what is one of the most important elements of healthy living, disease prevention and feeling one’s best I always include detoxing as a top priority. Then one of 2 things generally happens. People respond with a resounding, yes! Or I get the deer in the headlight look. I love to break down information for my clients because the more understanding into why something matters, the more follow through and greater benefit to the client will occur. Detoxing is so critical because we are exposed to toxins all day, every day, in our modern life through our basic survival needs and beyond. . Exposure comes through the air we breathe, water we drink, food we eat, personal hygiene products we ironically use to cleanse and care for ourselves and our living spaces. Additionally, extra exposures occur when we renovate our homes or offices; buy a new mattress, carpet, or couch due to the new materials off-gassing chemicals used in the manufacturing process. On top of this certain industries provide extra exposures, such as: mechanics, chemists, beauticians who work in spas and nail salons, artists, construction workers/contractors/mechanical engineers, hospital workers, farmers and more! The deer in the headlights look continues and people wonder, how to detox? People often ask- do I have to do a juice diet or not eat…they often imagine something hard and extreme. Yes, these types of detox’s do exist but must be short lived and thus are less effective. The best type of detox is actually one that supports your daily life rather than interfering with it. There are 3 important, simple messages I’d like to share regarding detoxing. First, living a detox lifestyle is an important way to provide self care to your body, mind and emotions. This means you are eating, drinking, moving, bathing and sweating in an intentional way that helps the daily toxins that flow in, to flow right back out. This preventative method significantly reduces toxin accumulation . Second, address stored toxins by doing a deeper detox dive over multiple months. Start with supporting your drainage pathways, which is “Phase 3” of the body’s detoxing cycle. For this I recommend a detox kit by Cellcore, which they named Phase 1…sorry for the confusion! This is Phase 1 of a detox protocol but in fact it supports Phase 3 of our own body’s detox elimination cycle. Once the body’s drainage pathways are open then deeper detoxing is safe, effective and comfortable, which I love to guide people through!. Thirdly, incorporate intermittent fasting on a regular basis. At the least, do a 12 hour fast overnight. But then build up from there. I strongly recommend that we discuss this further before doing longer fasts to maximize effectiveness and minimize unwanted results. In addition to detoxing support, fasting also supports longevity, cancer prevention and treatment, metabolic disorders- but when not done correctly, especially for a woman's body, it can actually cause unwanted hormonal changes. I would love to support your detoxing needs further so if you feel you are in need and ready for some detox support, please reach out. Wishing you all the best and so, so well! With love, Tracy Shulsinger, FNP

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By The Healing Collective • May 10, 2024
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A Heart Screening Test To Know About

By Tracy Shulsinger • February 21, 2024
Heart health is a major concern for many people. According to the Centers For Disease Control Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) has been the leading cause of death since 1950. Many daily choices are based on heart health. These may include not smoking, exercising, limiting high fat foods, taking heart focused supplements/medications, heart medical tests, and more.

Menopause is a Journey Part 1

By Tracy Shulsinger • October 30, 2023
The next several blogs will be presenting a series of information about menopause. This topic is SO immense that it will take many months to share...besides menopause is a journey! This series will open with presenting an article, “Women Have Been Mislead About Menopause” in the New York Times that was published in February 2023. I tremendously appreciate this article due to the blend of compassion and sensitivity regarding women who suffer through menopause and the scientific reporting from many excellent sources including large and small studies and experts in the field. Menopause is a topic that I am very passionate about. It affects every single woman and despite this wide reach, there is still a high amount of reported confusion, distress and poor impacts to quality of life and global health reported by women during per-menopause and menopause. One healthcare topic that affects half of the population in the world is worth giving lots of attention! But yet there is tremendous controversy about this topic and many women report difficulty having a satisfying conversation w/ their providers about menopause- one where they feel well informed of benefits and not just risks, lack of judgment and a sensitivity to their experience. Here are some important take-aways from this article regarding the many signs and symptoms women can experience: About 85% of women experience symptoms during menopause Hot flash’s are too often all that is discussed and understood by women as menopause symptoms. In fact there are whole body, systemic changes as well. The severity and experiences vary woman to women but here is a more complete list of signs and symptoms: Brain: Vascular effects, cognitive changes/impairments, poor word finding, forgetfulness, short term memory disturbances. Mental/Emotional Health- Insomnia, depression, anxiety, irritability, reduced libido Skin/Mucous Membranes- Dryness to skin, mouth, eyes; accelerated skin aging in appearance and loss of elasticity Cardiovascular- Increased cholesterol Gastrointestinal- Digestive disturbances Genitourinary/Vaginal- urinary leakage/incontinence, dryness, painful intercourse, atrophic vaginitis, increase in infections such as “BV” (bacterial vaginitis) and yeast infections, excessive vaginal bleeding, unpredictable menstrual cycles, shortening or lengthening of menstrual cycle. Musculoskeletal- joint pain, bone density loss that can lead to Osteopenia and further to Osteoporosis Metabolic- weight gain and body composition changes including reduction in muscle mass and increase in belly fat

Perimenopause - Know the Facts!

By Dr. Madelyn Altman • October 16, 2023
Everyone talks about what to expect during pregnancy and the first year of a child’s life, but few women are aware and few allopathic providers are talking about what to expect in perimenopause, which is why it is vital to increase awareness and inspire action. Most women enter perimenopause in their 40’s, but changes can begin as early as mid to late 30’s. These changes and symptoms can begin up to 10 years before menopause. Perimenopausal women may experience none, some, or all of the following symptoms:
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This month's blog is inspired by the times- back to school, approaching fall a.k.a cold/flu season and the increase in COVID cases amongst us. In fact I was exposed myself and am now nursing myself back to health. The functional medicine approach is quite simple when it comes to maintaining and improving health. Eliminate what doesn't belong in the body that contributes to disease and introduce or increase what supports health. In regards to viral illnesses such as the common cold and COVID, this approach is very helpful. While we still can be exposed and contract an illness, the severity of the illness can be significantly reduced by following dietary considerations and taking supportive supplements before, during, and after an illness.
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