COVID has been on everyone’s mind this past year. Nothing is normal. Hopes are pinned on vaccination and herd immunity, yet no one is discussing boosting your immune system.

Families are stressed. Jobs lost, working from home, schooling students at home, family members ill.

Healthcare is stressed to the max. Long-term care facilities are extremely scary places to be. Folks are dying alone. Families are overwhelmed.

Mental health is a true concern. Long-term isolation and financial stress are known causes for substance and physical abuse. Children not in school are particularly vulnerable.

Eating out has never been so different. As a former restauranteur, I worry about all those small businesses which are at a greater risk for failure in a normal year, but this year could be devastating to many. Not only restaurants, but theaters, non-profits, and many service industries are suffering as well.

Vaccines are coming. We know the time will come when this will all be a horrible memory. What can we do now? Guidelines preach hand washing, social distancing. Many are cleaning more now than ever before. Stay home. Take care of yourself.

Help your Immune System

When things are going well, do we ever really consider how our immune system is functioning? Some of us do because of health issues. But the vast majority of folks don’t really worry about it on a normal basis. Is there a way to help ourselves further? I believe there is.

Reduce toxins, keep moving, calm your mind, eat healthy, and supplement your diet. I know our Aronia Berries are boosting our immune system. Many folks are researching immune boosters now more than ever.

Our Partners In Immune Health

We have teamed up with A-2 Immune, Boone County Organics and Elder Farms. All are companies we fully trust who have developed amazing products using Aronia Berries to help folks boost their immunity.

A-2 Immune

Boone County Organics Powdered Aronia

Elder Farms

I’m going to share an article the American Aronia Berry Association recently shared an article by Zachary MacDonald, Ph.D. student, Department of Kinesiology, University of Connecticut, nationally-ranked #3 Kinesiology doctoral program in the United States (by NAK)

We all know that the immune system is our body’s defense system against invaders (or infectious agents) such viruses and bacteria. However, something you might not know is how that the immune system is absolutely critical to normal bodily functions like digestion, regulating blood pressure, and managing chronic inflammation. Having a healthy immune system is not just about defending your body from nasty invaders, but also about overall health of every organ system.

Fortunately, consuming foods in our diet that support and possibly enhance immune function is impactful; making great choices about what we put in our bodies can help us function better and be more healthy. Such foods include berries packed full of compounds that improve cell function, ability to handle stress, and recovery from stress. Even the pigmentation that gives color to berries, some of which are called anthocyanins, are seen to have health benefits. Anthocyanins have a high amount of biological activity in inflammatory-related diseases such as cancer [1], diabetes [2], and cardiovascular disease [3]. Examples of anthocyanin-rich sources include blueberries, elderberry (also known as sambucus), and cherries.

For example, anthocyanins from wild blueberry powder were found to lower a pro-inflammatory protein complex called NF-κB in cell cultures [4], rats [5], and humans [6]. In elderberry, an anthocyanin called cyanidin 3-glucoside has been shown to significantly suppress the transmission of viruses in cell cultures, illustrating promising potential as a nutraceutical treatment for influenza [7].

There is one berry that stands out among the rest: the chokeberry, also known as aronia. There are several species of the chokeberry, but the black chokeberry in particular has been of great interest in the scientific community. This is due to its notably dark purple pigmentation, indicating its dense anthocyanin content, which is estimated to be the highest plant content of anthocyanin measured to date [8]!

            Aronia has demonstrated its powerful anti-inflammatory effects in various ways. One way this has been shown is with the chronic digestive disorder colitis. Aronia appears to directly stimulate a type of immune protein called IL-10, which is vital to keeping excess intestinal inflammation at bay [9]. This berry has also shown to produce a mild but significant reduction in blood pressure, a symptom of what’s called “low-grade inflammation”. The reduction of this low-grade inflammation was explained by Aronia’s ability to decrease the inflammatory biomarkers IL-4, IL-5, and tumor necrosis factor-α in a 16-week human trial [10].

            Aronia has also been shown to exhibit antibacterial and antiviral properties with its impressive anti-inflammatory abilities. An interesting speculation regarding aronia’s antibacterial properties is that it has shown to inhibit the growth of many different types of bacteria, while at the same time illustrating a lower potential for bacteria to develop resistance to it in comparison to some antibiotics [11]. It has also exhibited its antiviral properties against two types of the influenza virus: seasonal and oseltamivir-resistant (meaning that it is resistant to the common antiviral medication commonly known as Tamiflu). Impressively, it was able to inhibit nearly 70% of both types of virus [12].

There is still much more to be done and especially in human subject studies. There are many studies using bacteria, mice, and cell cultures, but not nearly as many in clinical human trials. However, there are enough out there that do exist that allows us to see the general direction Aronia research is headed in, and it looks like a good one for sure. Consider including aronia and other immune-enhancing foods in your diet to improve your physical and physiological resiliency!