A Healthy Immune System:
The Best Defense Against Colds or Flu


Having a healthy immune system is everyone's best bet against catching colds and flu, and for helping defend against all kinds of illness and disease.  Modern allopathic, or conventional medicine fights disease by way of drugs and surgeries, but real health can only be attained by maintaining a balanced and properly functioning immune system.  It is this system that fights off disease-causing invaders and creates the healing process in our bodies.

The immune system response is comprised of the spleen and thymus glands, along with lymph nodes and bone marrow.  These organs contribute and create very special kinds of cells such as T cells, NK (natural killer) cells, B cells, granulocytes,  leukocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells that help us fight off harmful bacteria and microorganisms.  The purpose of the immune system is to identify those things that are "self", that belong in the body, and those that are "non-self", that do NOT belong in the body, and to get rid of that which is non-self.

This very involved  and complicated process works hand in hand with the lymphatic system, which circulates "lymph", a fluid that basically cleans the body's cells and spaces around the cells and helps take these wastes, toxins and debris to be removed by the body.

Incredible as it is, the immune system works well ONLY if it is cared for properly.  There are many different factors in our modern societies that lead to a weakened or imbalanced immune system.  Proper function of this system is an intricate balancing act, and immune system disorders also include "autoimmune" problems, which is when the system is inappropriately attacking itself.  Some examples of autoimmune issues are allergies, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and pernicious anemia.

There are many different ways to attain a healthy immune system and enjoy a healthier mental and physical life.  Here are a few life enhancing suggestions:

  1. Make the right dietary choices
What you are feeding your body is one of the most important factors for good health and a sense of well-being.  Eating plenty of fresh, ORGANIC fruits and vegetables is key to good health.  Fruits and vegetables have THE MOST nutrition and should be the group of foods we eat the most.  Try to eat these foods in raw or lightly steamed form as much as possible, as cooking destroys a lot of the beneficial nutrition.

In the 1930's, the French chemist Paul Kouchakoff discovered that as soon as a cooked or processed food is tasted, white blood cells rush to the intestines.  This phenomenon, called digestive leucocytosis, disrupts the immune system; the body regards cooked food as a pathogen and works hard to destroy it.  As Leslie and Susannah Kenton wrote in Raw Energy, the implications of leucocytosis are that every time white blood cells flock to the intestines to deal with cooked food, the rest of the body is left undefended.  "Continual red alerts, three or more times a day, year in and year out," they observed, "put considerable strain on the immune system."  Unlike cooked foods, raw foods leave the white blood cells free for other tasks, thus saving the body considerable effort while strengthening its resistance to disease.

However, if you eat something cooked AFTER eating something raw, leucocytosis doesn't happen. The body only responds to the first bite of food.  For that reason, it's sensible to begin every meal with a taste of something raw.

Also be sure to include oats and barley in your diet.  These grains contain important immune boosting nutrients such as germanium, a vital mineral that helps improve cellular oxygenation, and beta-glucans, a polysaccharide that helps stimulate the activity of macrophages.  Both activities are extremely important for immune system health and balance.

Avoid unhealthy, heated, hydrogenated (trans-fats) and saturated fats, but be sure you are getting enough of the healthy, "good" fats in your diet.  Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) are needed by every living cell in the body and include Omega-6 and Omega-3 categories of healthy fats that are absolutely necessary for life and the proper function of the immune system.  Good food sources of Omega 3 EFAs are salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines and flax seeds, while good food sources of Omega 6 EFAs are raw nuts, seeds, legumes, black currant oil, evening primrose oil, borage oil and grape seed oil.

Also avoid white flour, white sugar, cow-dairy foods (goat-dairy foods are actually helpful for moving the lymph system more efficiently), sodas, alcohol, caffeine, meats and junky foods.  This kind of food and drink slows down digestion and the body has to work extra hard to break it down, which of course leads to illness.

2) Drink plenty of water

While human beings can survive a very long time without food, we would all be dead within a matter of a few days without water.  Our bodies are mostly made up of water and every body process we go through uses water.  If you feel thirsty, this signal already means you've been dehydrated for quite a while.  Recurring dehydration weakens the entire body and a weakened immune system leads to more frequent illness and possible disease.  If we do not drink enough water on a regular basis, we are poisoning ourselves with our own metabolic waste as it cannot be removed properly from the body without adequate water intake.

What kind of water to drink is a subject that is controversial at best, but the main point is to just drink more.  Filtered water is more important than ever because of the increasingly "bad" city and tap water throughout the United States and many parts of the world.  There are more and more bottled water and water filtering companies to choose from than ever before, but do your homework before you buy; some bottled waters are better than others, just as all water filtration systems are not created equally.  Be sure that one of the filtering systems used has been reverse osmosis.  Steam-Distilled water is even more helpful at removing toxic waste from the body, but there are some who say that this water is "dead" and should not be consumed for more than a couple weeks at a time.  A remedy for this potential problem is to add some mineral drops to distilled water to make it more "nutritious".

3) Exercise and move that body

We've all heard it a million times, but somehow we manage to put this one off...it can just seem so hard to start an exercise program and then stick with it.  Yet we will never achieve good health without moving our body, it is designed for movement and NOT for sitting in one place for extended periods of time.  Exercise is vital for a healthy immune system and has so many other mental and physical health benefits; improved sleep, stress relief, enhanced mood, stronger and healthier body systems including cardiovascular, muscular-skeletal, digestive-intestinal and respiratory...indeed, the list of positive benefits from exercise is very long.  It's time to just stop the excuses and just start MOVING.

4) Get in the sun and fresh air

Staying cooped up inside homes, offices, cars and buildings without fresh air and natural light not only weakens the immune system, it also encourages depression and anxiety.  Be sure you are experiencing some fresh air and sunlight, or natural light as often as possible.

5) Sleep at least 7-9 hours every night

Most human beings need somewhere between 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night for their immune system to function correctly.  Unfortunately, to many members of our fast-paced and over-worked societies, this seems like some kind of luxury life that they have never been privy to and they are surviving on much less.  Many of us seem almost proud to say that we don't get enough sleep, as if this is some kind of competition or race to see who can do the most with the least sleep.  Well, I can tell you that whoever "wins" ends up in the doctor's office or hospital...not my idea of a great prize!

Our bodies and minds need intervals of rest so that they can perform all of their processes correctly and repair the daily damage that occurs.  The proper amount of sleep is absolutely essential to support healthy immune system function, and to help fend off other physical and mental disorders.

6) Avoid tobacco and other drugs

Smoking definitely weakens the immune system, along with other body functions.  Taking over-the-counter (OTC) drugs also puts a lot of strain on the body and proper immune system function.  Prescription drugs are additionally very hard for the body to assimilate, but do not EVER stop taking prescribed medications without consulting with your doctor first.  In addition, caffeine tends to weaken immune system function, especially overuse.

7) Take vitamins, minerals and other natural supplements

While it is absolutely BEST to get your nutritional needs met with food, supplementation with herbs and other nutritional supplements is extremely beneficial for those of us who aren't.  Sometimes there are some deep nutritional deficiencies that are more easily met with supplementation than with trying to take in enough of the right kinds of food, too.

There is a wide array of choices when it comes to what is important for proper immune system health.  Limited time and space does not permit me to offer you a complete list, but here are some of my favorites:
Vitamins A, B-complex, C (and bioflavonoids), D, and E, Zinc, Selenium, Germanium, Maitake/Shittake/Reishi mushrooms, Pycnogenol (Maritime pine bark and grape seed extract), Thymus gland extract, Beta glucans, Probiotics, Colostrum, Chlorophyll/Kelp/Blue-Green Algae/Spirulina, Astragalus, Lycii berry, Acai, Green and/or White tea, Milk Thistle, Red Clover, Echinacea, Parthenium and Suma.

8) Cut down on stress, get your mind in a good place

I saved this one for last not because it's the least important, but because I believe that this is THE most important aspect of boosting our immune system response.  And stress is like the lack of sleep to a lot of folks...almost proud of continuing to trudge forward, no matter all the obstacles and stressful feelings, just keep going no matter how tired and sick you feel.

Stress is a very complex issue and people get stressed out for a wide variety of reasons.  Low grade stress, and short durations of stress are not harmful.  It's the CHRONIC and high level stress that gets us into trouble with our immune system and our physical and mental health in general.  The frantic running around, trying to get it all done with not enough sleep syndrome is a pretty persistent picture of our societies as a whole.  Sooner or later, this kind of behavior catches up with us and we end up with adrenal fatigue and immune system breakdown.  Then these issues lead to worse health, such as cancer and heart attacks.

There are no easy, quick fixes for getting stress under control, but there are a lot of choices available to fit every lifestyle (and to change the lifestyle, if necessary).  Yoga and Tai Chi are just two wonderful choices for stress relief, while also helping you get your body in better condition.  Meditation, prayer and listening to or reading positive affirmations can be very helpful for getting the mind into a better place, as can listening to soothing, relaxing music, or watching uplifting movies or performances.  Just sitting in nature helps most folks to quiet that internal chattering "monkey mind", even just for a minute or two at a time.  Breathing exercises don't cost a thing except your attention and help both the body and mind to relax and heal.  Biofeedback, guided imagery and visualization techniques are often used successfully for reducing stress.

Of course there are many fear-inducing circumstances and experiences that come up in life, but you can also learn different reactions to that kind of stimuli.  You can learn to exercise your mind, just like you learn to exercise your body and you can control your own thoughts and emotions and become a much happier and more relaxed you!  Because attitude and how you deal with stressful situations on a regular basis is going to make all the difference in what kind of physical and mental health you experience in your life.  Thinking happy thoughts leads to living a happy and healthy life.

Wishing everyone the best of health and happiness!
 
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*DISCLAIMER:  These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  The information in this article is intended for educational purposes only and these statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.


Carol Koenigsknecht, Medical Consumer Writer
and
Hulet Smith, OT
RehabMart Team Leader & CEO