Bamboo Extract for Flu Season

December is upon us, and that means that some of your family, friends, and coworkers are most likely walking around with "a bug." While it could be some form of influenza - or the effects of much activity, too many toxins, and not enough rest - now is a great time to support the immune system using natural methods. We like to use bamboo extract to help boost our resistance to common viruses that proliferate during the winter months.

As they say, a good defense is the best offense. Bamboo is a plant high in anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and germicidal properties. It's also high in vitamins, amino acids, and nutrients such as calcium, and silica. Bamboo is known to heal wounds, aid digestion, and relieve nasal congestion. We especially like it to help with excess mucus build up in the sinus area that can come with colds and flu.

The bamboo plant, a type of grass, is quite important to Asian traditional medicine. Though we use just one name for this highly prolific and wide-ranging plant, it is a subfamily Bambusoideae and has over 1400 species found in many different parts of the world! In traditional Chinese medicine, bamboo is associated with the Lung, Stomach, and Gallbladder meridians. It is "generally considered cooling, calming, and phlegm resolving, and is incorporated in many traditional formulas to treat lung and stomach heat." (1) Coupled with a healthful diet, extra vitamin C, supplemental vitamin D (when the sun is hiding), plenty of pure water, quality sleep, and stress management techniques, this amazing plant gives us a good chance of retaining our health during this typically runny-nosed season.

(1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4659479/ - Accessed 12/18/17