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Your immune system is important. Very much like your own personal army, it guards your body against attacks from invaders (like bacteria, fungi, and viruses), defending against infections and several kinds of cancer. And it’s smart, too, often “remembering” certain infections so it’s ready for them the next time they try to attack. But just like any other body system, your immune system can deteriorate if you don’t treat it well. Keep it functioning at its peak performance, so you can stay healthy, too, by following these six steps. 1. Eat Right In theory, this one is pretty simple: Eat just enough of the right foods when you feel hungry. Unfortunately, this isn’t as simple to put into practice. We’re tempted by unhealthy options everywhere we turn, we eat for emotional reasons, or we don’t even know what the “right” foods are. For those of us who struggle in this area, this may take some work. Avoid eating too much, which can lead to weight gain and harm the immune system. Research performed by scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine has shown that obesity prevents the immune system from functioning properly, increasing its vulnerability to infection. In the study, obese mice were found to be 50 percent less capable of killing the flu virus, compared to lean mice. The researchers believe that the same holds true in humans. To find out how many calories you need to maintain or lose weight, refer to your customized Nutrition Tracker. Just as important as how much you’re eating, is what foods you’re eating. Some nutrients and foods that have been found to enhance the immune system include:
Some immune system all-stars that have recently garnered a lot of attention in the scientific community are vegetables from the brassica family, like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and cabbage. According to a new study led by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, and published online in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, a chemical produced when these vegetables are eaten can stop the growth of cancer cells and boost the production of certain components of the immune system. Turns out, Mom was onto something when telling you to each your broccoli! Continued › |
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Health & Wellness Articles › Healthy Lifestyles6 Steps to Strengthen Your Immune SystemBoost Your Body's Defenses-- By Liza Barnes, Health EducatorSparkPeople advertisers help keep the site free! Learn more
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Liza Barnes
Liza has two bachelor's degrees: one in health promotion and education and a second in nursing. A registered nurse and mother, regular exercise and cooking are top priorities for her. See all of Liza's articles. |
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Member Comments
Danielle
http://madefrom
acai.com/acai
/mun - 3/4/2012 3:15:20 PM
Here's one woman's account: http://autoimmune
diseasesgfliv
ing.blogspot.
com/2009/03/g
luten-autoimm
une-disease-connection-or.html or for shorter, easier copying and pasting:
http://bit.ly/e1o
lsH
If you or someone you love has IBS, it might be celiac disease and misdiagnosed. Gluten-free diet helps with epilepsy, Tourette's, narcolepsy ...
~40% of our population have the genes for celiac disease. Doesn't mean they're triggered, but stress can do it. 95% of the population are undiagnosed. I am not even talking about gluten "sensitivity" which is another topic.
Sure, you can take QUALITY vitamins, but are you absorbing them?! Your immunity is in your gut, so take care of it!
Speaking from experience (unfortunately). :P
(Always cracks me up that people have to be told to be moderate in their drinking. Why isn't it ever suggested to not drink at all? ... I know, killjoy, huh?!) lol - 3/21/2011 4:57:00 PM
on that dietary supplements are unregulated. Foods are no more regulated than supplements in terms of providing the stated nutritional levels. Both foods and supplements are regulated by the FDA, both are subject to Good Manufacturing laws (cGMPs), which, help ensure safety, identity and quality of food and dietary supplement ingredients, all of which help ensure these products provide the stated nutritional content. The FDA has similar powers to enforce these laws for foods as it does dietary supplements and the FTC has jurisdiction over claims for these foods including nutritional content and health claims. Some nutrients are even acknowledged by the medical profession as difficult to acquire from the typical diet alone, especially as we age. Women don't get enough calcium, most of us don't get enough Vitamin D. So If you think you can get all the nutrients you need from the fabled "healthy diet" go right ahead and try! Me, I will continue to take my fish oil, Vit D, calcium, chromium, magnesium and zinc because I personally feel better when I'm taking these supplements and I have confidence that they are just as regulated as foods! - 3/21/2011 10:47:07 AM
........there is a company called Nutrilite that can answer a lot of questions regarding supplementation and they've been around for over 65 years............
. - 3/20/2011 8:49:30 PM
End of rant. :) - 1/16/2011 7:22:42 PM
I always believe that good nutrition is our first defense against all bad things that can happen to a body. There's no such thing as prevention - if a germ wants you it will find you - but we can do a lot in regard to making ourselves unpopular hosts for germs. If our bodies are too busy fighting off the garbage we put in them, they can't fight off the "serious" stuff. Always endeavor to eat for your body's needs! - 1/16/2011 9:15:29 AM