OVERVIEW
We’ve heard it so many times that we may say it without full understanding what it means or what to do about it — I’m sick because my immunity is low.
The immune system is vast, wondrous and ever-chaning. It’s a complex system that can be summed up by saying that the immune system is designed to protect your body from illness and foreign invaders, inside and out.
It consists of lymph nodes, mucous membranes, good bacteria in your gut, your skin and cells that kill and eat bad cells. But when there’s a problem with this system, your health suffers.
THE PROBLEM
Bacteria, viruses and fungi are part of our world. Unfortunately, so are manmade toxic chemicals, from cigarette smoke to car pollution to factory waste and drugs. All of these threaten the health of your immune system as they get inside your body and wreak havoc.
People with weakened immune systems are more susceptible to colds and flu, skin problems, food poisoning, stress, nervous conditions, respiratory infections and chronic fatigue.
Essentially, your body’s not fighting off what’s trying to attack it. Or, your body cannot get rid of its waste efficiently.
THE NATURAL APPROACH
There are a number of ways natural health care seeks to strengthen the immune system.
Herbs, super foods, exercise, stress-reducing techniques and lifestyle changes top the list.
Arguably, the most important action to take is to feed your body the building blocks of immune system health.
THE RESEARCH
Researchers are in awe of the healing and protective power of foods and herbs.
If people merely ate more of these kinds of plant nutrients, and less of the immune-destroying sugars, bad fats and fast foods, the world would be a more healthful place.
Mushrooms, grapes, olives, spirulina, fish and a host of fruits and vegetables contain phytochemicals shown to boost the immune system and even kill cancer cells.
The research is overwhelming as to how foods and herbs work.
Essentially, they increase the production of infection, fighting cells, detoxify cells and literally kill bacteria, viruses, cancer and fungi.
Spirulina, for example, “significantly increases the production of infectionfighting [called] cytokines,” say immunologists at UC Davis School of Medicine and Medical Center. “A number of animal studies have shown spirulina to be an effective immunomodulator (an agent that can effect the behavior of immune cells.)”
Or grape seed extract (found in SuperGreens). In laboratory experiments grapeseed extract forced leukemia cancer cells to “commit suicide,” according to researcher, Professor Xianglin Shi, from the University of Kentucky.
The more of these beneficial immune-promoting foods you incorporate into your diet, the better. At the same time you have to eliminate the bad foods to give your immune system a fight chance.
SUPPLEMENTS
We have three powerful supplements that all contain foods supporting immune system power, including spirulina, maitake mushroom, grape seed extract with resveratrol and others:
