What makes a simple extract from an olive tree so powerful that it can fight off colds, flu, and disease?
· It helps heal. The phenolic compound Oleuropein is the restorative substance produced by the olive tree, with properties chemically proven to resist disease.
· It kills pathogens. The olive leaf, as well as its extracts, has been researched for its potential to destroy and interrupt the replication of pathogenic invaders in the human body. This disruption, or “disabling” of infection, gives the immune system enough time to re-group, mount a defence, and stop bacteria and viruses from spreading.
· It protects. As much as it is proactive, olive leaf extract is also protective. It could even provide special benefits for sufferers of heart disease and diabetes. Olive leaf extract may help to prevent LDL cholesterol oxidation to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis. In studies, olive leaf extract also appears to have the same effect as some diabetes medications by lowering insulin resistance.
Antivirals olive leaf and zinc work better together
Extra antiviral support comes from taking olive leaf extract with a mineral that most people in Western countries are thought to be lacking. For the global population, zinc deficiency is estimated at more than 30 percent. But for those of us eating a processed food diet low in absorbable nutrients, this number is likely to be even higher.
Without enough zinc, the health of the immune system starts to plummet. Risk for infection and disease may increase. Low immunity, diarrhoea, allergies, hair loss, acne, and rashes are all signals sent by the body when zinc is in short supply. Every person needs daily zinc just to stay alive. For men, getting enough zinc is essential to the health of the prostate. The prostate gland holds one of the highest concentrations of zinc in the body, and many researchers believe that increasing zinc could help to treat or prevent prostate cancer.
How can zinc make the antiviral ability of olive leaf even stronger?
· It supports. As a trace mineral, only a minute amount of zinc is needed and can be found in a fast-absorbing daily supplement. Zinc accounts for the largest portion of trace elements in our cells and is required to maintain basic function.
· It fights. Like olive leaf, the critical mineral zinc defends against illnesses like the common cold and could also help decrease virus longevity when it is taken as symptoms start to arise.
· It moves fast. Zinc starts to act when proteins in the body push the mineral into at-risk cells to heighten the immune response against infection. This is the reason so many people up their zinc when they start feeling ill. Being zinc-deficient puts the immune system at a disadvantage and may also make it harder for the body to heal.
This powerful blend of Olive Leaf and Zinc contributes to normal immune system function and can equip the body to stay healthy in any season. Eating zinc-rich foods like beans, lentils, kefir, raw milk, and raw cheese can also support immunity, but taking Olive Leaf and Zinc together may strengthen the immune system more than taking the mineral alone.
Sources:
1. Omar SH. Oleuropein in Olive and its Pharmacological Effects. Scientia Pharmaceutica. 2010;78(2):133-154. doi:10.3797/scipharm.0912-18.
2. De Bock M, Derraik JGB, Brennan CM, et al. Olive (Olea europaea L.) Leaf Polyphenols Improve Insulin Sensitivity in Middle-Aged Overweight Men: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Trial. Nerurkar PV, ed. PLoS ONE. 2013;8(3):e57622. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0057622.
3. “Zinc deficiency.” World Health Organization.
Costello LC, Franklin RB, Tan MT. A critical assessment of epidemiology studies
