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COVID-19 UPDATES

COVID-19 INFORMATION

WHAT IS MUSTARD SEED DOING TO PROTECT THE HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY AND EMPLOYEES?
  • Following all guidelines put out by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
  • Our Montrose Café is currently closed.
  • The Highland Square Café is open with COVID safety protocols in place. Learn more here
  • Our salad bars are closed temporarily
  • Employees complete daily health screenings
  • We’ve instructed our night time floor cleaning crew to clean 7 nights a week and to sanitize all door handles and high-trafficked surfaces
  • Additional sanitizing stations have been implemented around our stores
  • Passive food sampling has been suspended
  • All events and lectures have been suspended
  • Increased ordering volume in all departments to ensure adequate stock
  • All-hands-on-deck approach by deploying ALL employees to assist the grocery department in stocking shelves
  • Hours of operation are currently 9am-8pm daily
  • Senior Seed discount of 10% for those over 60 will be honored everyday from 9am-10am, in addition to all day Wednesdays.
  • Plexiglass dividers will be installed in all checkout lines
  • We are encouraging our shoppers to refrain from using reusable shopping bags temporarily
  • Masks are required for all employees
  • Masks are required for all customers with exceptions for health reasons and small children

More updates will be posted here as they come available. 

WHAT CAN I DO TO BOOST MY IMMUNE SYSTEM?

Our director of Education & Standards, Abraham Nabors, shares his insight into Immune boosting tips below…

Abraham Nabors

3.19.20

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) has rightfully caused quite the concern globally. Many are wondering what they can do as individuals. COVID-19 can most likely be spread as an airborne pathogen, which means it is very hard to avoid. Our best protection is to continue to boost our immune systems. Here are my favorite immune boosting essentials:

  1. 8 hours of sleep 
  2. Vitamin C 
  3. Vitamin A 
  4. Vitamin D & K2
  5. Zinc 
  6. Selenium 
  7. Medicinal Mushrooms 
  8. NAC

I’m not allowed to give medical advice, but I can tell you what I’m personally taking:

  1. 8 hours of sleep with a sleep mask (to block out all artificial light)
  2. Dr. Mercola Liposomal Vitamin C – 3,000 mg/day
  3. Solgar, Country life or Mustard Seed Market Brand Vitamin A – 25,000/day
  4. Vitamin D – I am taking 1000 mg of K2 from Life Extension (I got my blood levels to between 70 – 80 ng/ml, which you can get tested from your doctor.)
  5. Zinc – Garden of Life or Mega Food – 25 m/day
  6. Selenium – Natural Factors or Mega Food – 200 mcg/day
  7. Host Defense Stamets 7 or MyCommunity 6 grams per day (2 tsp of the powder or 12 of the capsules) 
  8. NAC – Jarrow time release – 600 mg/day
Information about all 8 Immune Boosting Tips

8 hours of sleep – it’s our super power

Sleep can help support:

Vitamin C  – Holds Powerful Antioxidant Properties
      • Antioxidants are compounds that play a central role in health and disease. They help fight disease-causing free radicals, minimizing oxidative stress and damage to your cells. Studies show that antioxidants may also aid in the treatment and prevention of multiple chronic conditions, including heart disease, autoimmune disorders and even cancer. (1)
      • Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant in the body, helping prevent the buildup of free radicals to protect your body against disease. This could have far-reaching benefits when it comes to disease prevention, with some studies suggesting that a higher intake of vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables may be associated with a lower risk of many chronic conditions. (2)
      • One of the most well-known benefits of vitamin C is its ability to improve immune health. In fact, loading up on vitamin C foods is often used as a first line of defense during cold and flu season. Studies have repeatedly confirmed the immune-boosting benefits of vitamin C. A review published in the Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism showed that getting enough vitamin C may help reduce symptoms and shorten the duration of respiratory tract infections, such as the common cold. Plus, vitamin C may also help decrease the incidence of other conditions like pneumonia, malaria and diarrhea as well. (4)

      Sources

      Vitamin A 

      Vitamin A is known as an immune-boosting vitamin because several immune system functions are dependent on sufficient vitamin A intake and antioxidant activity. Certain genes involved in immune responses are regulated by vitamin A. Deficiency in this vitamin can lead to increased infections and an overall weakened immune system. Vitamin A is also required for the development of T both-helper (Th) cells and B-cells. Beta-carotene supports immunity by acting as a powerful antioxidant and help in prevent a variety of chronic illnesses. Researchers from the USDA Western Human Nutrition Research Center and Nutrition Department explain that “vitamin A deficiency impairs innate immunity by impeding normal regeneration of mucosal barriers damaged by infection, and by diminishing the function of neutrophils, macrophages, and natural killer cells.” (7) Some research suggests that in populations deficient in vitamin A, acquiring more appears to be effective in reducing cancer incidence. (8

      Sources:

      Vitamin D & K2

      If you find yourself feeling under the weather more often than usual, you may want to consider adding a natural vitamin D supplement into your routine. Vitamin D is important for the function of immune cells, and increased susceptibility to infection is one of the hallmark signs of deficiency. One study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that low levels of vitamin D were linked to a higher risk of recent upper respiratory infections, such as the cold or flu.

      Sources:

      Zinc

      Zinc is often taken as a natural over-the-counter remedy for fighting colds and symptoms of illnesses. When taken for at least five months, zinc may reduce your risk of becoming sick with the common cold, plus supplementing once you already feel sick can speed up the healing process. Research shows that zinc can interfere with the molecular process that causes mucus and bacteria to build within the nasal passages. Ionic zinc, based on its electrical charge, has the ability to exert an antiviral effect by attaching to receptors in nasal epithelial cells and blocking their effects. Research conducted by the Medical Education Center of Chandigarh India found that when zinc was administered within 24 hours of onset of cold-related symptoms, the duration of symptoms was significantly reduced compared to the control group that didn’t supplement with zinc. Fewer patients in the zinc group had cold-related symptoms five and seven days after experiencing the first symptoms compared to those who did not take zinc.

      Sources: 

       

      Selenium

        1. Substantial research has been conducted that shows that selenium deficiencies suffer far more serious viral infections than those that have adequate levels of selenium in their bodies. Viruses can mutate much faster in selenium deficient people leading to longer lasting and more severe infections. Some studies have also shown that selenium prevents viruses from mutating into highly virulent (destructive) forms that lead to chronic disease states.
        2. Not only does selenium help prevent severe viral infections, it is needed for approximately 79 different chemical reactions in the body including thyroid hormone production (specifically the T3 thyroid hormone) and even brain chemistry production. Most people are deficient in selenium so adding this important mineral to your daily routine can help you in more ways than one. Remember that municipal water systems that fortify their water with fluoride can cause a deficiency in selenium by blocking the cellular receptor sites where selenium needs to enter the cell, so consider drinking non-fluoridated water, like Reverse Osmosis purified water like Mustard Seed makes.

      Medicinal Mushrooms 
        1. mushrooms augment the body’s immune system, providing nutritional building blocks on a cellular level.*
        2. The study published in Nature shows that medicinal mushrooms are the only natural compound ever studied to be proven to be more effective than a pharmaceutical at anti-viral effectiveness.
        3. The NK cells (natural killer cells) in bees were increased 14,000%

      Sources: 

        • https://hostdefense.com/collections/immune-supporthttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-32194-8

          NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine)

          Not only has been it been used for three decades as an effective mucolytic agent (mucous-thinner), but it also has uses including reducing inflammation, protecting the liver, and preventing/treating drug toxicity, insulin resistance, infertility due to PCOS and more. NAC is involved in the regulation of the glutamatergic system. In other words, as a precursor of L-cysteine, which results in glutathione biosynthesis, NAC (along with glutamine and glycine) is an amino acid that is needed to produce what’s arguably the most important antioxidant in the human body. The most important N-acetylcysteine mechanisms of action are its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. These are due to its ability to increase glutathione levels, scavenge free radicals and reduce oxidative stress. NAC has the ability to reduce mucus secretions and phlegm, as well as to reduce coughing, wheezing and trouble breathing. This makes it helpful in treating conditions including chronic bronchitis (defined as the presence of chronic productive coughs for more than three months in two consecutive years), as well as colds and the flu. In addition, there’s evidence that it can be an adjunct treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (the fourth-leading cause of death in the United States) and emphysema.

        Sources:

        Please work with your primary health care provider to form your health plan before starting to make any changes to your diet/lifestyle.

        Stay safe out there everyone, 

        Abraham Nabors – Director of Standards & Education 

         

         

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