Get 400% Antioxidant Power to Combat Coughs and Colds with Comvita’s Fresh-Picked™ Olive Leaf Extract [Interview][Transcript]
Guest: Stephen Eddey
Presenter: Wayne Bucklar
Guest Bio: Stephen Eddey is the Principal/CEO of Health Schools Australia (The International College of Complementary Medicine), where he overseas seminar programs, course structures and the college administration. During his time at Metagenics, Stephen Completed a Bachelor of Complementary Medicine (Charles Sturt University) and a Masters of Health Science (Southern Cross University). Stephen also wrote many publications for Metagenics and also was a contributor to the writing of many practitioner only seminars with the company.
Segment overview: In today’s Health Supplier Segment, Stephen Eddey from the Health Schools Australia returns to share great insights on coughs and colds during the Winter season. He stresses the importance of boosting one’s own immune system in order to prevent getting sick this time of year and reminds us that olive leaf extract has traditionally been used as a strong antimicrobial agent proving beneficial for supporting the immune system. He also points out that Antioxidants act as free-radical scavengers, helping to quench free radical activity which are the cause of a weaker immune system and inflammation.
Transcription
Health Professional Radio
Wayne Bucklar: You’re listening to Health Professional Radio, my name is Wayne Bucklar. Today my guest is Stephen Eddey, the Principal of Health Schools Australia and it’s that time of the year when the topic for health is coughs and colds. Stephen welcome to Health Professional Radio.
Stephen Eddey: Oh it’s great to be here on this very rainy Queensland day actually.
W: Yes. Now you’re located on the Gold Coast in Queensland, aren’t you?
S: Yeah, very much so. You’d think there would be sunshine.
W: Well you know if it’s not perfect today, it will be tomorrow I’m sure.
S: (Giggle) Exactly right.
W: Stephen, tell us what’s happening with the coughs and colds season.
S: Absolutely. Coughs and cold season … it’s winter and we’re more indoors, less outdoors, less vitamin D, and sun, colder weather all equals colds and flus.
W: Now Colds and flus are two different things, aren’t they?
S: They are. That’s good point, the flu is an “influenza virus” and that’s quite a nasty one. That’s the one that knocks you on the coach and someone will brings you a chicken soup and serving you feel very very sick with that, you get sneezes, all sorts of things. The other one which is the normal one, we call it colds – lasts 24 to 48 hours. You feel a bit crook, you can easily go to work and you do all sorts of things and people called that “quite a flu,” but it’s really not the flu. It’s a much more mild a case of the flu and it’s because by lots of things, usually the rhinovirus is the classic one.
W: And in both cases lots of coughing and sneezing?
S: Yes, very much so.
W: Now what can people do to help themselves along here?
S: Look, it’s a great question. There are lots of things we can do, obviously wash your hands and avoid contact with people that are sick. That’s all wonderful ongoing theory but these bugs channel through the air. So the way I do is of course do all that, but also I look after myself by taking supplements that boost my immune system.
W: Okay. So having an immune system that’s up and healthy and thriving, can help avoid these infections?
S: Absolutely, that’s exactly what it is. Because of the flu and colds won’t take hold if your immune system will kill the virus or bacteria before it gets time to take hold and we can do it with lots of supplements… olive leaf is a classic one … the anti-oxidants of that can help reduce the severity of coughs and colds dramatically.
W: Now the olive leaf extract that you’re talking about there, I know about olives, I know about olive oil but I’m not up on olive leaf. Tell us how does that work.
S: Yeah, olive oil is of course good for cardiovascular health and you shouldn’t stop eating that. But there are some outgoing chemicals that healthy, natural chemicals in the olive leaf which if extracted when it’s fresh, can help boost the immune system. This has been shown in trials and this has been a very very successfully use to prevent or to treat the flu or cold.
W: Now I’m just making a wild guest here, but someone’s going to the trouble to put this in a bottle on a shelf somewhere for us, haven’t they?
S: They have. And actually if you look for the freshly picked one, they’re the ones you got to look out for and of course they come in great flavors these days, so everyone quite pleasant to take when you’re unwell. And more importantly to take when you’re well, does that make sense? Because the problem is that people wait till they get sick before they treat themselves. I’m a big fan of prevention and prevention is all we’re about and that’s why I take it every day jut to keep my immune system at bay and keep my immune system healthy.
W: Yes, one of the problems with preventive medicine is that you never get the sense of having had something work because you don’t have sick and you go “Oh well I wasn’t gonna get sick anyway” but I guess there’s no easy way around that problem.
S: There isn’t. and that’s a great point to bring up. It’s kind of like “Well why would I take something if I’m completely healthy?” And it’s a very hard mindset that a lot of people don’t understand it, “I’ll just take it when I get sick.” That’s the mentality that you should do when you’re taking a medicine from the doctor like when you got a bacterial infection you take an antibiotic when you’re sick, because if you take it when you’re healthy it has side effects. It’s different with natural medicine like the olive leaf extract, there aren’t any side effects that we see in drugs that are good for you when you’re sick. So these are very very good agents to take while you’re healthy.
W: So Stephen freshly picked olive leaf extract is the way to go this colds and flu season.
S: Absolutely, very much so and you can just take some every day, every morning and that’s what I do and it will keep your immune system healthy and prevents that colds and flu that everyone seems to be getting around you. Or if there’s someone at work and who’s getting sick, that’s when you can take if you’re trying to be a bit more well for a bit but I just rather not take the chance. I’d rather jut not get sick in the first place but I’m a naturapath and that’s what we’re all about. Prevention is better than cure.
W: Well I have to say my primary experience with the olive plant has to do with olives and martini shaped glasses, but you persuaded me to try the olive leaf extract. It’s been a pleasure having you on Health Professional Radio this morning.
S: No problem, you have a great day.
W: Thank you Stephen and if you just missed our interview, there will be a transcript on our website and a SoundCloud archive and it will be YouTube as well. It will be at www.hpr.fm. My name is Wayne Bucklar.