Health & Prevention
Immune System Health – The Key to Staying Healthy
The immune system has evolved during millions and millions of years as an extremely potent and efficient defense mechanism directed toward one single goal: to keep us healthy. The stress our defense systems are working under has significantly increased. The various pressures in our lives, such as psychological stress, dangerous chemicals in the form of pollution, food additives, car exhausts, allergens, overuse of antibiotics, nutrition or lifestyle, various types of radiation, and overuse of antibiotics. These are some of the catalyst that may lead to immune system deficiencies. Every infectious attach lowers the level the body’s natural immunity. The immune system is further weakened by our age and by diseases we may contact.
To compound the situation, our environment is deteriorating more each year, and as a result,our immune system is becoming less effective.Therefore, nutritional supplements supporting and activating individual parts of the defense reactions are becoming extremely critical.
Our bodies immune system is what fights off illness; however, today we are living under dangerous conditions, with millions of bacteria, viruses and parasites constantly entering our bodies. Considering the clear and present danger, most of us are usually fairly healthy. However, we become ill because somehow our immune system has been weakened. It can no longer due it’s job as well. This can happen from different reasons; inadequate diet, excessive alcohol consumption, stress, lack of sleep, poor intake of vitamins and minerals, excessive intake of medicines, lack of excersise, and pollution, to name a few. As a result our immune system needs all the help it an get. Those of us with cancer, and surviving in the current conditions of this world, need to tune up our defensive reactions to the most optimal level. IT is highly recommended that we supplement with a immunomodulator for prevention as well as keeping away any additional illness.
SEVERAL OTHER KEY FACTORS of OVERALL HEALTH WEAKENING OUR IMMUNE RESPONSE
SLEEP
It has been shown that people who get 7 hours of sleep or more a night will improve their immune status 3 fold over those who get less.
A study from the Archives of Internal Medicine evaluated 153 people, and exposed them to a cold virus via nose drops. What was found was those who had less than 7 hours of sleep were three times as likely to catch the virus and get sick than those who had more than 8 hours of sleep. Other studies have also shown inadequate sleep lowers natural killer cells, which are immune cells that fight cancer.
STRESS
Don’t be surprised if you come down with something when you are overwhelmed with dealing with life. Psychologists in the field of “psychoneuroimmunology” have shown that state of mind affects one’s state of health. For stress of any significant duration – from a few days to a few months or years, as happens in real life – all aspects of immunity went downhill. Thus long-term or chronic stress, through too much wear and tear, can ravage the immune system.
EMOTION
Scientists are finding more and more proof of the remarkable way our emotions can affect our immune system.
The powerful link between emotional outlook and physical health is no secret. “I didn’t believe in it when I started out 40 years ago,” says Martin Seligman, PhD, one of the preeminent experts in the field of positive psychology and author of the new book Flourish. “But the data has grown year after year, and it’s become a scientific certainty.” Good feelings, scientists now know, have healing effects on the body, and researchers studying everything from the flu to HIV continue to find eye-opening evidence that a person’s mind-set can influence her immunity and the rate at which she heals from injuries and illness.
Negative feelings like stress, sadness, and worry cause a spike in the hormone cortisol, which in turn suppresses the immune system.
THINGS you can do to help, journal your feelings 30 minutes a day, meditative exercises, seek help if you need it, find a support group/and family to help with positive thinking. Lean on those that can help work through life’s struggles.
Study after study has proven that your emotions play a huge part in your health. Those that had a positive outlook on life less likely got sick or came down with viruses, versus those that were depressed and negative emotion. Do what you need to keep your emotions in check. We have plenty of resources today to help.
Relationships
The area of relationships, work, family, spouse create the same response of stress as you find with stress/emotion. Being in unhealthy relationships plays huge role in our bodies chemical reactions as well suppressing our immune system.
Nutrition/Diet
Outlined on separate page Nutrition/Diet.
All the topics touched on above are a part of our immune system and all these factors weighing down on us dramatically weaken our immune response.
I hope everyone that is reading this will take the time to read about the role of their immune-system, how the immune response weakens and take control keeping your immune system at the highest level of health. We have natural supplements that have been studied through clinical trials in animals and humans for over 25 years and the benefit of taking an immune stimulator is catalyst in our health. Be your own advocate and do your research. A couple of recommendations and areas I have studied are www.vitatheimmunity.com and a book called Beta Glucan Nature’s Secret written by Vaclav Vetcicka, PH.D, Director of Research at the Department of Pathology of the University of Louisville in Kentucky. Vaclav has done extensive study for over 25 years on immune stimulator called beta glucan. Great book as well as some great sources for beta glucan. You just want to be sure you are careful as you can buy bad, mediocre or good.