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For so many years I wondered why cows are sacred in so many religions. Did you know that in India they often have more rights than Humans?
This could be because there are so many health benefits in Colostrum ‘the necessity of life’. Colostrum is the ‘first milk’ that is produced in the first 72 hours of all nursing mammals.
It has been used in ancient times by many different cultures for both nourishment and remedial purposes.
- The Scandinavians and northern Europeans eat colostrum and honey as a dessert to celebrate the birth of a healthy new born calf (as well as contribute to their own health).
- In the United States and throughout the world, colostrum was used for its antibiotic properties before to the use of sulfa drugs and antibiotics were available.
- In 1955 doctors prescribed a treatment plan based on colostrum to treat rheumatoid arthritis.
- Albert Sabin or the ‘father’ of poliomyelitis (also known as polio) discovered that colostrum contained antibodies against polio and in 1962 developed a successful vaccine.
- Its healing powers were called into play in the mid-1980s when children with rotavirus diarrhoea were treated successfully with bovine colostrum.
Do you suffer from long periods of not being able to recover from hard work, workout or sport?
Is it taking longer and longer to recover from any sort of intense physical activity? 
Whether you are a seasoned athlete or a weekend warrior or your day to day activity requires you to perform at your best, for those that regularly push the boundaries of their body and mind need to be able to recover quickly from training, physical injuries and to prevent illness.
A good diet along with key supplements play a very important role in the overall health and therefore success of an athlete, or hard worker, no matter whatever your level. You need to to ensure your basic nutrition provides adequate calories, vitamins, protein and water. Then you may consider specific supplements.
There are many sports supplements available today that claim to enhance athletic performance in one way or another. Whichever supplements you choose, make sure you have a clear understanding about the mechanism of action – that is, how they actually help you; their safety, and whether they are on any prohibited substances lists.
Any athlete should be aware in any supplements they are taking are on the WADA prohibited list of substances. Bovine Colostrum is NOT on the 2009 or 2011 WADA prohibited list. More information available here
For a safe, natural supplement that can support healthy physical performa
nce, as well as your everyday health, look no further than Bovine Colostrum.
Colostrum is suitable for everyone, including athletes to:
- Maintain the health and integrity of the digestive tract
- Support the body’s natural defences against winter ills and chills
- Support natural healing and regeneration
The ongoing use of anti-inflammatory medication common to athletes and hard workers, and the natural changes caused by heavy exercise has been shown to damage the integrity of the gastro-intestinal lining.
The importance of a healthy gastro-intestinal lining is an entire discussion in itself; the short version is that this is the area where most of our nutrients and medications are absorbed. It is also an important barrier to the entry of many pathogens (bacteria). The gut is also home to around 70% of all of the body’s immune cells whose job it is to regulate a responsive, healthy immune reaction. Colostrum maintains the integrity of our gastro-intestinal tract. To read about Sports and Colostrum READ MORE
It has been discovered that because colostrum is non-species specific, humans may benefit from taking Bovine Colostrum long after birth throughout childhood, adulthood and into their senior years.
Colostrum is Nature’s first food, the pre-milk fluid a breast feeding mother provides her newborn. Colostrum assists the baby’s development.
Colostrum contains a number of immune components, including antibodies, growth factors, proteins, vitamins and minerals.
BUT WHY SHOULD WE TAKE COLOSTRUM?
DIGESTIVE HEALTH – Studies have highlighted the benefits of bovine colostrums to help support a healthy digestive system. Optimising absorption of vitamins and minerals from food and offering natural resistance against various pathogens that enter through the gut.
HEALTHY IMMUNITY – support for a healthy immune system is one of colostrums biggest benefits. Ensuring the body is primed to resist a wide variety of bugs, ills and chills that we are often exposed to. Among the immune components in colostrum are antibodies called Immunoglobulins, Lactoferrin, Proline-rich Polypeptides (PRP’s) Cytokines and growth factors as well as proteins, vitamins and 
minerals.
HEART HEALTH – Colostrum can help lower LDL cholesterol and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Research has also shown that heart disease can involve immune sensitisation to cardiac antigens, i.e. the immune system may play a part in heart disease. The PRP’s found in colostrum may have a role in reversing heart disease.
BONE HEALTH – Lactoferrin is a protein found in colostrum. A number of in-vitro and animals studies have found that lactoferrin from both human and cow supports healthy osteoblasts and normal bone formation. It is also thought that lactoferrin may maintain healthy oestrogenic activity which has a protective effect on bone mass especially in women.
Kids, they get into everything!
Whether they’re hard at play in the mud outside, helping the dog with his dinner or sharing toys with friends. Kids give little regard to hygiene, resulting in them having and increased exposure to bacteria and viruses.
This tactile nature of children is important for their learning and development, but how do you guard against the increased risk of germs?
In a time of excess allergies people are now questioning whether the plethora of antibacterial products is in part to blame for this – based on the hygiene hypothesis – which in short is the theory that by killing all bacteria we are left with a sterile environment and fail to develop natural immunity to everyday bugs. By now most people are also clued up to the fact that antibiotic medicines should only be used when absolutely necessary; reliance on antibiotics can not only lead to antibiotic resistance (where the medications are no longer effective at treating infection), but they also disrupt the delicate balance of intestinal microflora.
So, if not through the abundant use of antibacterial cleaners and antibiotics, how do you guard against the increased risk of germs? Simple, you support the development of a healthy, robust immune system. Children are born with a certain level of immunity called ‘innate’ or ‘non-specific’ immunity that prevents the entry of bacteria into the body by providing generic protection such as mucous membrane barriers, inflammation mechanisms and of course white blood cell activity. But their ‘acquired’ or ‘specific’ immunity which creates a memory of a bacteria or virus so it can fight it off if it’s encountered again (the theory behind vaccinations) requires children to be exposed to bacteria and viruses so they can build up their specific immunity.
Because the immune system in humans doesn’t fully develop until around the age of 7 or 8 years of age we need to look at what we can do to support them during these formative years. The key factors to raising healthy children and helping them to build strong immunity are making sure they eat a healthy diet, get plenty of fresh air, sunshine, exercise and sleep. Of course there will always be times when your child is faced with additional challenges and sometimes their immune system doesn’t seem to be able to keep up. It is in these situations, or if you can foretell them, the lead up to these situations, that additional support in the form of supplements may be helpful.
Many people may argue that children shouldn’t require nutritional supplements. This would indeed be true if kids ate a varied healthy diet with lots of vegetables, if they went to bed on time and if they played outside more; but sadly this is not the world our kids live in. In saying that, if you do decide to give your children supplements it is imperative that you understand the way the supplement you choose will work and what specific benefit it will bring to your child. As adults we tend to take all manner of supplements to relieve our achy joints, restore our hormone balance, give us more energy, reduce the signs of ageing and so on. Most of the time kids don’t need such supplements; they’re young, agile and heal quickly. But there is one supplement that stands out for children – bovine colostrum.
Colostrum is something that many children will have received if they were breastfed as babies. Though the timing and source may have changed, bovine colostrum is a natural whole food that is not foreign to our body, making it safe for our children to take. The key benefits of colostrum supplements are the presence of growth factors that can support gut health, immune factors that support healthy immunity and the ability to provide digestive comfort – making it an ideal substance to help your children to cope with the constant immune challenges they face on a daily basis.
Protect your family this winter.
It’s that time of the year again, when exposure to viruses is more prevalent then ever.
These viruses are very intelligent organisms, they continually evolve in order to survive. That is why there are so many different strains of a virus we collectively think of as the ‘flu virus’ (influenza) or cold virus (rhinovirus).
How do you protect yourself against such intelligent, ever evolving viruses? Simple, strengthen your immune system.
The human body is wondrous and has the ability to maintain optimal health if we treat it
right. Your immune system is no different. Even if we do get sick it’s not like our body just lies back and takes it – the common symptoms of a cold such as a sore throat, runny nose and sneezing are all a direct result of the body trying to rid itself of the bugs.
However, if you’re more interested in prevention rather than cure, then you need to look at ways to support your body and keep your immune system strong. Aside from upping your vigilance on basic hygiene (think hand washing), the best thing you can do is to make sure your gut health is in tip top shape. Why the gut? Well around 70% of your immune cells can be found in your gut, predominantly in the mucosa, which along with your skin and stomach acid make up the first line of defense your body has against infection. A healthy gut wall provides a natural defense system for the body, for good immunity and resistance to bugs and chills.
Colostrum not only supports the health of our gut wall, but it is widely known that colostrum provides vital support for our immune system.
It contains a number of immune components, including immunoglobulins (also known as antibodies), lactoferrin, proline-rich polypeptides (PRPs) along with growth factors, proteins, vitamins and minerals. Immunoglobulins are the main part of our
adaptive immune system that is responsible for responding to the various immune challenges we face every day. The most abundant
immunoglobulin is in cow colostrum. The main function of immunoglobulin, or IgG for short, is to identify and protect against invading organisms and the first place this often occurs is (you guessed it) in your gut wall.
One of the simplest things you can do to support your overall health is to include colostrum products into your daily routine.
So, while you’re doing all the things that you know help keep your body healthy and functioning optimally – like getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, moving everyday and taking high quality nutritional supplements – it is essential you boost your immune system with the additional support of our Colostrum products.
Avoiding getting sick in the first place is really the ideal situation … prevention is after all the best cure.
It’s that time again where we need to start looking at how we can strengthen our immune system for the up-coming winter ills and chills season. Most of us are all too aware of the familiar signs of falling ill – a sore throat, swollen, runny and stuffy nose, increased mucus production, sneezing and generally feeling like we could sleep for days. These symptoms are a direct result of the body trying to rid itself of the bugs, typically they will last for 3-7 days.1
While there are many things you can do to help with these symptoms, avoiding getting sick in the first place is really the ideal situation…prevention is after all the best cure. Every system in the body – including the immune system will respond positively to adequate sleep, work/life balance, a healthy diet and low stress levels. These are often the trickiest areas to manage every day, but they will yield the best long term health results. Some simple life-hacks to improve these areas and build strong immunity are:
●● Go to bed 30 minutes earlier most nights
●● Pencil time into your busy schedule to spend with friends, family and loved ones – maybe one night per week for date night and one morning on the weekend for friends and one for family (don’t forget to schedule time for yourself too)
●● Being organised is the key to eating well – try writing a menu plan for the week ahead and shop to this menu so you know that you have everything you need for healthy meals all week
●● Exercise is an excellent stress buster – if you find that too stimulating maybe find a calming Yin yoga class nearby (that can be your ‘me time’)
If you know that you tend to be susceptible to winter ills and chills or just want to ensure optimal health, then some additional nutritional support may be really beneficial.
Two top supplements that come to mind when thinking of immune support are vitamin C and bovine colostrum.
Vitamin C – this is an essential vitamin that cannot be synthesised in the human body – meaning we must get it through our diet, luckily, it is abundant in fresh fruits and vegetables. During times of stress or infection our concentration of vitamin C in our blood and white blood cells actually reduces2 – his is when supplementation can be of benefit. Vitamin C helps to prevent common ills and chills and slightly reduce their duration3 – resulting in fewer days off work and school. Information about how much vitamin C
we should take varies hugely – some studies report benefits at as little as 200mg daily – whereas others suggest doses of 10,000mg daily. For preventative purposes a daily intake of 500mg – 1,000mg would be sufficient. If you want to increase your dose, say perhaps you are surrounded by people with ills and chills, then 3,000mg – 5,000mg4 taken daily in divided doses throughout the day is likely to be supportive.
Colostrum is nature’s first food, the pre-milk fluid all female mammals provide for their infants in the first few days after birth. Colostrum provides vital immune and growth factors and essential vitamins and minerals which
contribute to an infants healthy development, in particular to the development of a responsive immune system. Because colostrum is non-species specific, scientists have found bovine (cow) colostrum may support good health in humans long after birth – from infancy to old age. Bovine colostrum contains highly concentrated compounds including immune components, antioxidants and factors to support healing. Among the immune components in colostrum are antibodies called immunoglobulins, lactoferrin, Proline-rich Polypeptides(PRPs), cytokines and growth factors. Colostrum also contains proteins, vitamins and minerals. Bovine colostrum is known to support the health of our digestive tracts by nourishing the gut wall to promote overall digestive health. A healthy gut wall provides a natural defence system for the body, for good immunity and resistance to bugs and chills.5
If you do get sick remember that it is part of a normal immune response, what’s important is how efficiently and effectively our body deals with this attack. Typically you should only feel under the weather for no more than 3-4 days; during this time the most important thing to do is rest up. Recurrent illness or chronic illness such as more than 2 colds per year, secondary bacterial infections ongoing coughs and constant exhaustion may be a sign of a fatigued under-functioning immune system and generally require more than the self-help listed in this article – so get yourself along to a natural health practitioner for more help.
