SUPERCHARGE YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM

Health Update by Nathan Jaynes

Supercharge Your Immune System

Each day we are surrounded by hordes of microscopic bacteria, fungi, and viruses that want to invade our bodies. They try to enter with the food we eat but they are repelled. They attempt to attack us through our respiratory system, but they are stopped. They try to assault us through a sore or cut in our skin but they are turned away. The onslaught does not stop even while we are sleeping. Millions of times a day our immune system saves us from the ravages of disease without us even noticing.

A healthy immune system protects us against harmful organisms (also called "pathogens") on three levels.

1. It prevents their entrance and removes them from the body. Most people are surprised to learn that the skin is our body's first defense against infection. Skin acts as a barrier, preventing bacteria from entering into the body; it also produces sweat which has a salt concentration that inhibits bacterial growth. Our bodies also keep pathogens out by expelling them. When you have a cough, runny nose, or diarrhea; your body is actively working to remove pathogens.

2. The second line of defense against harmful organisms is called "non-specific immunity." Our blood contains compounds that kill most pathogens before they have a chance to reproduce. We also have specialized cells that float in our blood (called white blood cells) that seek out invading organisms and digest them. These special cells need heat to work at peak efficiency. That is why, when the body senses an invasion, it produces a fever.

3. The third way the body fights infection is a process called acquired immunity. When our body reacts to an invading pathogen, it "memorizes" how the pathogen looks. Then it builds specialized tools to help fight it. The next time the body encounters the same harmful pathogen, it knows exactly how to fight it. That is why most of us only get the chicken pox once in our lifetime. Our bodies remember how to fight the virus from the first time we contracted the disease.

On rare occasions, the immune system does not work properly and the body succumbs to infection, catches a cold or has a reaction. This is when most of us seek to stop our immune system from doing its job by taking medications that mask the symptoms but do not treat the real problem. For example; when you have a runny nose, your body is trying to "flush out" harmful organisms from your sinus cavities, but many of us use medicines to stop the sniffles. When you cough, your body is trying to get harmful organisms and old mucus out of your lungs, but many of us take cough syrup that stops us from coughing. Your body produces extra heat (a fever) in order to stimulate the immune system, but many people extinguish even the slightest fever with aspirin. Diarrhea is a sign that your body is trying to flush out harmful organisms from the digestive tract, but many of us prevent it from doing so with medication. Although there are times when it is appropriate to stop a fever or stop diarrhea, when we prevent these immune responses, we run the risk of developing more serious health issues.

Instead of hindering the immune system in these ways, we should strengthen it so it does not become weakened as often. Keeping the immune system strong requires nutrients from the foods we eat. Fruits, grains, vegetables, nuts and seeds contain the raw ingredients our bodies need to build healthy immune cells. They also contain powerful antioxidants that help neutralize free radicals in our bodies. Many experts suggest that we include a large variety of fruit and vegetables in our diet so we can be sure we are getting as many different vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants as possible. When we do catch a cold or infection, we should support our immune system and help it do its job more efficiently. Foods that help our immune system fight infection include garlic and onions which contain natural antibiotic compounds. Drinking plenty of juices and water is also helpful. Real fruit and vegetable juices provide concentrated nutrition that the body can use to fight infection. Water helps the body produce sweat if it feels too hot and helps clean out the digestive and urinary tract so the body can get rid of harmful organisms more quickly.
Nature's Sunshine carries a full line of supplements that support natural immunity and help supercharge the immune system.
Zambroza is a ready-to-drink blend of juices that is rich in vitamins and antioxidants these help the body build a healthy immune system and fight the effects of free radicals. Free radicals are caused by our own energy production, as well as by pollution, environmental toxins, food additives, and over-processed food. Free radicals are one of the greatest threats to our health, attacking each cell in the human body thousands of times per day, weakening them and making them susceptible to sickness and disease. Zambroza is bursting with anti-oxidants and is specially formulated to neutralize free radicals before they have a chance to do damage. One of Zambroza’s ingredients, mangosteen, contains the highest known level of xanthones, a family of plant nutrients that have a very powerful antioxidant activity. Zambroza is also a good source of vitamins, including vitamin C, which supports the immune system.
Echinacea purpurea is the Latin name for an herb native to the United States. The plant, which also goes by the name purple cone flower, bears beautiful purple flowers resembling black-eyed susans. Echinacea has been used for thousands of years to stimulate the immune system. German research has demonstrated the herb’s ability to increase the number of white blood cells (a vital part of the immune system’s defense against invaders). Today echinacea is one of the most popular herbs for the prevention of colds and sickness. It is rich in organic nutrients including cobalt, zinc, chromium, iron, manganese, niacin, riboflavin, selenium and vitamin C.
A recent article in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that the average diet results in "suboptimal levels of vitamins" and recommends that every adult take a multivitamin daily. Super Supplemental contains all of the essential vitamins and minerals—many in high doses—as well as antioxidants and other nutrients such as choline, inositol and PABA. It comes in a super-nutritional base of alfalfa herb, asparagus powder, barley grass juice, broccoli powder, cabbage powder, hesperidin, lemon bioflavonoids, rutin, rose hips, wheat germ and kelp. When the body has these building blocks available, it can repair damaged tissue and manufacture immune cells whenever the needs arises. Good nutrition means you get sick less often, and if you do you recover much more quickly.

Information above written by Nathan Jaynes, copied from Nature's Sunshine online materials. I thank both Nathan and NSP for the opportunity to always share excellent health information. Teaching about Natural Health is a privilege which is constantly in jeopardy. Why are they wanting to take away our rights to Complementary and Alternative Modalities ("CAM")?
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