MANY remain guilty of having a “reactive or seasonal approach” when it comes to boosting one’s immunity. The idea of drinking a warm cup of calamansi juice, for example, no matter how healthy and easy to prepare it is, often only comes when one already feels an incipient cold.
“Whenever we would have a decrease in our immune system, that’s the only time we want to strengthen it,” said Dr. Leah Manio, Bayer country health medical lead. “In truth, we should strengthen our immunity year on year, day by day.”
Manio said there are a lot of factors that can affect our immunity, ranging from lifestyle choices to environmental setups. To fortify one’s protection from illnesses, Manio reiterated the importance of healthy diet and exercise, alongside the value of taking essential vitamins and minerals to fully support the immune system.
Manio was a featured speaker at Manila House during the recent launch of Redoxon in the Philippines. Tagged as “the world’s pioneer immunity brand since 1934” that integrates more than 80 years of vitamin C expertise, Redoxon presents triple-action multivitamins and minerals in a sugar-free effervescent tablet. It is formulated with three-in-one nutrients, including Ascorbic Acid (vitamin C), which protects the body’s cells from oxidative stress that can cause cell damage; Zinc, which produces cells that defend the immune system; and Cholecalciferol (vitamin D3), which strengthens immunity with antibodies.
“With our global immunity expertise, we want to be able to fill the gap of addressing Filipino household’s concern of facing year-round immuno-threats, most especially during times when diseases and viruses are at an all-time high,” said Alek Barcia, Bayer associate marketing manager. “Our advanced formulation offers confidence and peace of mind to parents, breadwinners, and other heads of the household in protecting their families by starting their day with a breakfast immunity drink.”
Barcia drew the line between Redoxon and Berocca, another effervescent tablet from Bayer.
The difference lies in the combination of vitamins, he said, wherein Berocca is for individuals who need an extra jolt of energy and mental sharpness, while Redoxon deals more with immunity-boosting and protection with its high-dose vitamin C component at 1000 mg.
Getting that amount equates to eating 20 oranges in a day, Manio said.
“Our bodies do not produce vitamin C, that’s why we need to take it from our diet and supplementation,” she added, saying drinking Redoxon is a “wonderful habit to start in the morning.”
Present at the launch to discuss their own morning habits was celebrity couple Megan Young and Mikael Daez. They were joined by Chef Ed Bugia, who led a cooking demo of an avocado toast to promote a healthy breakfast.
“Living a healthy lifestyle for us as a couple really starts in the morning, because that sets you up for how you feel the rest of the day,” Mikael said. “In the morning pa lang, we try to take care of ourselves physically, mentally and emotionally.”
When it comes to managing stress, the couple said they deal with it as partners. “When I reach that point of stress, [Mikael] pulls me to the side, tells me to analyze the situation—and that we’re going to figure it out together,” Megan said.
For Chef Ed, it’s yoga. “It helps me get to my center. It helps me meditate a bit more because cooking in a restaurant is such a high-stress environment, with all the shouting and banging of the pots and pans, and a lot of stuff not working,” he said.
Manio added that managing stress is indeed different from person to person, and that it is crucial in observing a healthier lifestyle.
“At the backbone of [living healthy] is nutrition,” she said. “It is very important for us to get the proper vitamins and minerals for our immune system to function optimally.”