About the immune system and Chaga Health Immuno elixir active substances
Author: Margus Annuk, Doctor of medical sciences, Chaga OÜ research development projects consultant
Nature has given us a mechanism to overcome diseases. That is the immune system – a very complex and powerful system that has developed over an extremely long time. The immune system protects us from influenza to cancer. The trend in new research-based medicines is that they are not aimed directly at destroying harmful bacteria or mutilated cells, but to intensify our immune system to recognise and destroy them. This, at the same time, saves the rest of the organism and does not allow the side effects of the medicine to express themselves. Nature has actually already itself offered us assistants with similar active mechanisms – herbs.
Strengthening immunity
Plants and mushrooms are unique chemical factories around us. Wisdom is required to use them for the benefit of our health. The knowledge of our ancestors about herbs has reached us through empirical experience and has been proven by contemporary research. It has been confirmed that different plants contain different substances that all have specific effects, among them those that strengthen the immune system.
The Chaga Health Immuno Elixir precisely concerns a combination of different components that are all aimed at strengthening the immune system. The end result is the same, taking into consideration that the active mechanisms of different plants and mushrooms are different. This gives the possibility of being universal – one mechanism has an effect on a person and another on another – we indeed are all somewhat different.
One important mechanism for developing diseases is oxidative stress and thus the capacity to resist it or antioxidantivity. There are many medical conditions associated with the given mechanism. Falling ill, as well as treatment, can be influenced through potential antioxidants. One such powerful antioxidant is chaga. Many research studies have indicated this.
Vitamin C is a strong antioxidant. It is found plentifully in the sea buckthorn, blackcurrants and rosehip added to the Chaga Health elixir, as these berries do not contain ascorbinase that breaks down ascorbate. Thus, the vitamin C content remains high. Additional vitamin C, in addition to sea buckthorn has been added to the Immuno Elixir that in turn increases the antioxidantivity of the product.
Effects of the components of the Immuno Elixir
The supposed mechanism of such sort in the case of Chaga, is precisely the ability to stimulate cells that have the task of destroying structures that are foreign to the organism and in the case of tumour- like processes, to stimulate the so-called natural cell death process. Researchers have identified chaga like and concrete active substances. It has been proven in studies with animals that chaga stimulates the intensification of the activity of concrete blood cells, in the case of a virus attack. The aim is to protect the organism (1, 2, 3, 4, 5).
The effects of sea buckthorn in the treatment of different diseases are precisely foremost connected to the capacity of the organism to improve its own immune system. The existence of specific active substances that stimulate the activation of stem cells (cells that are the predecessors for different cells), is considered to be an important factor. This process in turn supports the improvement of the tissues of the organism.
Trials on patients with psoriasis have shown very promising results for using sea buckthorn as a medicine. The isoharmentin isolated from sea buckthorn is treated as a potential medicine in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, as well as for the treatment of anti-inflammatory diseases. Finnish scientists have found that an emulsion based on sea buckthorn is good against dryness of eyes. Studies have also shown that sea buckthorn possesses a good anti-inflammatory effect on teeth (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17).
Rosehip is also widely known for one of the highest levels of vitamin C (300-4000 mg/100 g). The vitamin C content varies according to the type of rosehip. The cinnamon rose (rosa cinnamea) is considered to be one, with a higher content of vitamin C (21).
100 grams of black currants contain twice as much vitamin C as the daily requirement of the organism or 181 mg. Meta-analysis has shown that administration of vitamin C reduces the risk of contracting respiratory diseases (pneumonia). That precisely among the more elderly population. This is particularly relevant, precisely in this age of viral infections.
There are also high concentrations of vitamins A, B1, B6 and B5 groups. The seeds of black currants are rich in vitamin E. They also have a relatively high concentration of saturated fatty acids, especially alpha and gamma linoleic acid concentrations (22, 23, 24)
Vitamin C, in addition to the aforementioned components, has been added to the elixir. The importance of vitamin C for the maintenance of health is a well-known fact. Its addition to the extract in turn makes a contribution to strengthening the immune system. There is at the same time no risk of overdosing, as excess vitamin C is excreted by the kidneys and it does not accumulate in the organism (25).
It has been noted in the case of yarrow (Achillea millefolium), in in vivo tests (animal studies) that adding yarrow to food rations has improved the creation of immune response. A substance specific to yarrow, has been found at the same time that inhibits inflammatory processes (6, 7)
The polyphenylpropanide polysaccharide complex found in pine (pinus sylvestris), is considered to be a factor that stimulates the immune system (8).
It has been found in the case of honey that honey increases the number of T and B lymphocytes, antibodies, eosinophils, neutrophils and monocytes in cell cultures. This in turn enhances the resistance of the organism (9)
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