As the COVID-19 pandemic sparks a new era of uncertainty bringing new daily stresses, it has never been more important to build your body’s natural defenses. While periodic stress can lead to temporary mood swings and headaches, chronic stress is linked to lower immunity and serious health conditions such as cancer, high blood pressure, anxiety, depression, and more.
To meet these new challenges, we are here to bring you science-backed, immunity formulations along with integrative health practices that strengthen both body and mind for optimized immunity. While we may not be able to control what comes at us in life, we can take control of how we respond. And in taking control of our responses, we can position ourselves to not only survive but to thrive in the new normal.
Our approach consists of 3 main steps to take control of your mind, body, and spirit. After all, a strong immune system depends on all three.
#1: Strengthening your body’s defense system
Consuming the right nutrients will equip your natural defenses with the ingredients needed to maintain a strong immune system. At Asha, we scoured scientific research investigating different plant-derived compounds that optimize immunity and well-being. By combining them into a unique plant-based formula, we bring you our 5-in-1 herbal immune complex with 200% daily value of Vitamin C, 100% daily value of Zinc, and a powerhouse botanical blend of Elderberry, Echinacea, and Garlic extract. To see how each of these immune-boosting ingredients benefit your body’s defenses, see our scientifically-sourced descriptions at the bottom of this page. IMMUNE* SUPPORT is a simple but powerful addition to your daily routine that’s packed full of antioxidants and internal recovery anti-inflammatories. We further bundled our Immune Support with our CBD products to bridge both body and mind.
#2: Strengthening both body and mind
Cannabinoids like CBD are considered a literal bridge between the body and mind, and can help maintain a healthy Endocannabinoid System (ECS) through promoting homeostasis across bodily systems. Numerous research studies indicate that CBD can provide relief for a variety of conditions―one of the most well-supported of which, is stress. You can head over to our ECS blog for a deeper dive as well as our blog on top nutrition tips for a healthy ECS. In short, since your ECS is your biological response system, it can be affected by everything from your diet to exercise to your environment. Thus, caring for your ECS requires an Integrative Health Approach.
#3: A practice for body, mind, and spirit
At Asha, we take an integrative health approach to cover all the bases of immunity. According to the Institute for Integrative Health, it is a “state of well-being in body, mind and spirit that reflects aspects of the individual, community, and population. It is affected by 1) individual biological factors and behaviors, social values, diet, and public policy, 2) the physical, social, and economic environment, and 3) an integrative healthcare system that involves the active participation of the individual in the healthcare team in applying a broad spectrum of preventive and therapeutic approaches.” Our Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Nathan Walworth, is working with the USC Institute of Integrative Health to conduct studies that integrate CBD into wellness routines involving practices like meditation, yoga, and beyond.
How can a wellness routine transform my life’s journey?
Having a holistic wellness routine consisting of science-backed techniques can transform your life actions from reactive to proactive. This strong mental and physical foundation will help to center you on a daily basis and maintain calm amidst the chaos. With a few tools, you can transform stress into fuel for your fire. The good news is that there is a wealth of science-backed wellness methods available on the internet to help you formulate a routine that works for you.
However, we understand that knowing where to start can be paralyzing with so much information out there from a variety of sources. Here, we have done some of the initial work to give you a starting point with several tools and practices that you can integrate into a single routine that includes CBD + Immune* Support supplement, meditation, and yoga. Please see our wellness routine blog for a deeper dive into the science behind each of the techniques. For a quick look, you can view the routine below and then head over to our blog that takes you through the theory behind each step. We hope this can help you as much as it helps our team in navigating these crazy times we are in!
CBD + IMMUNE* SUPPORT: 1 dropper full of either the 250mg or 500mg Asha Apothecary Broad-spectrum CBD tincture. Or alternatively, 1 Softgel of our Everyday Formula. Plus 2 capsules of our Immune* Support + Herbal Complex
YOGA: Sink into a yoga session – the type and length depend on how we are feeling on this day. There are lots of great (free) yoga videos on YouTube and on various apps that allow you to practice yoga at home!
MEDITATION: Now, if you are new to meditation, it can sometimes be difficult to sit still and quiet the mind. Like with anything transformative, it takes consistency and practice, but over time the effects are priceless. Newcomers can meditate for just 5 minutes and increase over time. Again, there are excellent YouTube videos and apps that can guide you through your meditation sessions – we highly recommend trying one if you’re new to meditation.
IMMUNE* SUPPORT ingredient benefits
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an essential vitamin (meaning your body cannot produce it) that plays numerous scientifically proven roles to boost the immune system. It’s a powerful antioxidant that protects the body from free radicals and oxidative stress [1,2]. Studies show that it can lower blood pressure [3] and has been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease [4]. It also improves iron absorption from plant-based sources [5] while boosting overall immunity through the improved white blood cell functioning that protects from infection6 and memory and thinking degradation through aging [7].
Zinc
Similar to Vitamin C, Zinc is an essential mineral not produced by the body that helps promote immune function and reduce oxidative stress. It is required for over 300 enzymes that aid in metabolism, digestion, nerve function, and many other processes [8]. It is necessary for skin healthand accelerates healing from wounds [9]. It has been shown to reduce inflammation [10] while also being linked to reduced risk of certain age-related diseases [11].
Elderberry
The powerful ancient Elderberry packed with vitamins and minerals has been used for thousands of years to help remedy a variety of ailments [12] and fortify your body’s natural defenses.* It contains antioxidants to help fight free-radicals and inflammation [13] and has also been found to have cancer-inhibiting [14] and antidepressant properties [15].
Garlic Bulb
Garlic contains compounds with potent medicinal properties. Being high in nutrition and low in calories, it is rich in Vitamin C, vitamin B6, and manganese. Garlic has been shown to combat sickness including the common cold [16] while also reducing blood pressure [17,18]. Research has also shown that it improves cholesterol levels thereby potentially lowering the risk of heart disease[19] while containing powerful antioxidants to reduce oxidative stress [20]. Taken together, garlic has strong evidence to reduce the risk of dementia and heart disease [21].
Echinacea
Echinacea has been used for centuries as the ultimate herbal remedy. High in antioxidants [22] and immune-boosting compounds [23], numerous studies have demonstrated that it may lower blood sugar levels [24] and reduce anxiety [25].