2 Minute ReadTrend Report by Jenny Hill
21.08.24
We will never forget the times of isolation, lockdowns, masks and feeling of fragility that COVID-19 brought across the world. But that’s history right?
Well… there are rumblings that it may well be too soon to throw that multi-pack of face masks, and everyday PPE, to the recycling bin.
Public health officials have raised significant concerns over the resurgence of COVID-19 cases in the United States. Recent data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has indicated a marked increase in reported cases, hospitalizations, and deaths when compared to the same period in 2023.
July 2024, saw a 35% increase in weekly cases of COVID-19 reported in the US when compared to the previous month, with over 50,000 new infections reported in a single week. The emergence of new variants, such as XBB.1.16, has been linked to this rise, as officials note that the new variants demonstrate higher transmissibility and some resistance to existing vaccines.
According to the CDC, these newly identified variants account for almost 60% of new cases in major metropolitan areas. Hospitalization rates for COVID-19 have also climbed, with certain states reporting their highest levels since winter 2021.
We asked LYMA’s Director of Science Prof. Paul Clayton for his view on the importance of immunity, especially vital when COVID-19 could be creeping its way back into our lockdown free world.
Prof. Paul Clayton explains:
“There is a lot of evidence that our immune systems are under threat. Auto-immune disease, for example, where the immune system wrongly attacks the host, has increased dramatically over the last 3 decades; and allergy, where the immune system reacts to otherwise harmless targets (such as grass pollen) has shown similar increases.
“Cases of sepsis, a dangerous condition where infection takes over the whole body because the immune system fails to keep it in check, is spiralling; and cancers, which the immune system defends us against, are rising too.
A range of nutritional factors have been identified. The industrial diet is not only depleted in nutrients that the immune system requires in order to function, but it has also been stripped of so-called ‘old friends’. These are friendly microbes that prime the immune system and keep it on its toes. The best researched of these compounds are the 1-3, 1-6 beta glucan found in baker’s yeast; and we put these compounds in LL, in the patented form of Wellmune® Blend.
Other compounds which improve the immune system’s ability to kill pathogens include Vitamin D3. A specific and proven extract of this included in LYMA.
“Other nutrients which play a vital role in immune-modulation (a process of balancing the immune system so that it works against pathogens and other dangers, but does not attack the host or innocent bystanders. One such is Vitamin D3, and the endocannabinoid-like compound PEA. Both of these are in the mix too.
Last but not least, it is well known that immune functions are suppressed by chronic stress. This means that compounds that alleviate stress can provide considerable immune support. This is where the ashwagandha extract Sensoril and the saffron extract affron® come in; Levagen+ plays a key role here too. Together, these three specialized nutrients provide considerable stress-reduction, which you experience as relaxation and your immune system experiences as first aid.
