Key Strategies for Staying Healthy This Winter

Our Best Prevention Strategies:

Why is it that science is still no closer to a cure for colds and flu? It's because we're dealing with smart viruses. Any one of hundreds of viruses could launch a cold or flu attack, and chances are that this year's flu virus won't be the same as last year's making it nearly impossible to develop a simple cure. But there's still much you can do to stay strong and healthy all winter.

Take Good Care of Yourself: As always, the best place to start to maintain a good immune system is with the basics. Make sure to keep exercising, sleep well, reduce stress, drink alcohol in moderation, and eat a low-fat, low-sugar diet.

Wash Your Hands: Washing hands remains the most effective way to protect yourself and your family from colds and flu. Lather, rinse, repeat throughout the day. Do it long enough to sing "Happy Birthday" twice.

Boost the Beneficial Bacteria: 80 percent of your immune system surrounds your digestive system. Research supports a healthy gut flora and overall immunity. 

Add Foods that Support Immune Health: There are many foods with medicinal properties, make sure you include as many as possible. Think about combining a lot of the ingredients below in chicken soup. 

Oranges, strawberries, bell peppers, potatoes and other vitamin C and E rich fruits and vegetables are all good for your immune system.

Shiitake, Maitake, and other mushrooms have been used, especially in Traditional Chinese Medicine, for boosting the immune system. 

Garlic and Onions not only taste great but have also been researched for their ability to modulate immune function. 

Helpful Herbs: Research supports the immune modulating activity of tumeric, oregano, ginger, Echinacea, Larch, and elderberry. A unique combination of plant extracts discovered in Japan, using pumpkinseed, safflower flower, Asian plantain, and Japanese honeysuckle were shown in a study to stimulate the immune system response.

Make Sure You are Getting the Right Nutrients: Your immune system needs to be well nourished to function at its best. Stock up on the following nutrients:

Macro-Nutrients: the macro-nutrients are proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Focus on good proteins; it is essential for a healthy immune system. 

Supplement with EPA and DHA, or eat fish twice a week for those healthy fats.

Vitamins and Minerals: Vitamins such as vitamin A, B6, B12, E C, folate, and the minerals zinc, copper and iron all support an effective immune response. 

Vitamin D: vitamin D, in particular, has been the focus research on optimal immune system functioning. Vitamin D plays a role in the improving mucus membrane barrier functioning, the production of anti-microbial peptides (small proteins), and in general overall immune support. 

Take care of your immune system by starting early, taking good care of yourself, and feeding your body the nutrients it needs to stay strong.

Info and sources thanks to Shaklee Health Wise Blog

Have a healthy and productive weekend! 

MJ 

Shaklee, America’s number one natural nutrition company since 1957. Check us out at http://mjshealthyway.com  

How Your Immune System Works

Your Immune System

You are exposed to billions of bacteria, viruses, parasites, and other microbes on a daily basis. To give you an idea of just how many, your hand alone has more germs living on it then there are humans alive today. Most germs you encounter are harmless, but some can make you sick.

Luckily, you have your immune system to keep the bad germs at bay.

Your immune system is made up of a complex and vital network of specialized cells and organs that protect your body from infections and diseases. Behind the scenes, 24 hours a day, your immune system stays alert patrolling for intruders.

Billions of white blood cells make up the bulk of your immune system and each white blood cell has a special job. T-Cells produce specialized substances that activate other white blood cells to attack foreign invaders. B-Cells produce antibodies that fight specific infections. Macrophages and neutrophils gobble up bacteria and other invaders.

Fighting Infections

Your immune system is not simply a collection of white blood cells; specialized proteins (such as antibodies and interferon) are produced in response to infections.

Antibodies: Each kind of germ has an outer layer that's different from those on other germs and a unique antibody is produced to match each of these outer layers. Antibodies your body produced to fight off last year's flu virus can't get a grip on this year's model. So your immune system has to go back to the drawing board and make new antibodies. The good news is germs can't fool your immune system twice. Once your body has withstood an attack by a specific germ, the antibody-making cells remain on alert. They're ready to rumble if the same germs show up again.

Interferon: Interferon is a natural protein released by infected cells and it "interferes" with viral replication (this is interferon, how it got its name). Viruses, you may know, are unable to do anything on their own. Typically, they invade a host's cells and then hijack that cell to produce more viruses (this is viral replication). Interferon directly blocks viruses from replicating. Overall, interferon increases the immune system's recognition of an infection.[i] It communicates with neighboring cells (to increase their defenses) and triggers the immune system by enhancing T-cell activity, phagocytic (gobbling) activity of macrophages,[ii] and increasing the cellular destruction capability of natural killer cells.[iii]Interferon, antibodies, and white blood cells act together as powerful allies to keep your immune system primed for when those bad germs come knocking at your door.

i Kotredes KP, Gamero AM. Interferons as inducers of apoptosis in malignant cells. J Interferon Cytokine Res. 2013 Apr;33(4):162-70. PMID: 23570382

ii Schroecksnadel K, Frick B, Winkler C, Fuchs D. Crucial role of interferon-gamma and stimulated macrophages in cardiovascular disease. Curr Vasc Pharmacol. 2006 Jul;4(3):205-13. PMID: 16842138.

iii Welsh RM. Natural killer cells and interferon. Crit Rev Immunol.1984;5(1):55-93. PMID: 6085941.

Info thanks to Shaklee Corp.

Check out Shaklee Nutriferon, the best thing for prevention, prevent prescription!

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Have a healthy and productive week! 

MJ 

Is it a cold or the flu?

Every year cold-and-flu season sprinkles its misery on just about everyone. According to the Centers for Disease Control, Americans suffer from a staggering one billion colds every year and have a 20 percent chance of getting the flu. Adults average 2-4 colds a year; kids typically get more, with some getting as many as 12 colds every year.

You and your family may be next, and it is important to know whether you have a cold or flu.

Colds rarely cause serious complications; only about one percent of cases lead to complications (mostly sinus or ear infections). The flu, on the other hand, is responsible for around 200,000 hospitalizations every year. A virus is the cause of both colds and flu and though they share many symptoms, each illness has telltale signs.

Flu versus Cold

In general, flu tends to come on fast, makes you feel exhausted, and is more intense. The flu comes and goes quickly. Flu is more likely to leave you with a lingering cough or feeling tired for weeks. If your muscles are achy and you have a temperature, you most likely have the flu. You are the most contagious five to seven days from when you first feel bad.

Colds, on the other hand, start with a runny or stuffy nose and maybe a sore throat that you may have felt coming on for days. When you have a cold, you either don't have a fever, or it is very mild. You are most contagious during the first three days of getting a cold, during that sore throat phase.

If you are coughing, sneezing, or have a sore throat, then you are more likely to be in the cold camp, where a headache will put you more in the flu camp; but these symptoms are shared by both illnesses.

Take a look at this chart to determine if it is a cold or flu:

Prevention is the Key

As with almost any illness, prevention is your best strategy. When you start seeing that people are getting sick around you, remember to eat well, exercise, and get enough sleep. The number one prevention tool you have is to wash your hands frequently.

When to Pay Attention

The big concern about colds and flu is not the illness itself, but what occurs afterwards.

Bacterial infections (which can be much worse than a virus) are more likely to happen in someone with the flu. Any long-lasting fever suggests a bacterial infection. If a cold goes on for more than 4 or 5 days, or if you are coughing up yellow phlegm, then you should to seek the advice of a doctor.

Severe flu, like the Swine flu, is associated with persistent vomiting and diarrhea. Pneumonia (lung infection) typically presents as a fever that returns after being gone for a few days.

The warning signs that mean you should visit your doctor are painful swallowing, a long persistent cough, vomiting, severe diarrhea, shortness of breath, or any rash. Most colds and flu come and go without any problems and are easy to take care of on your own. Paying attention to your symptoms will help guide you in your decision to seek additional care.

Thank you Shaklee for the info! 

Shaklee can help you in the prevention of cold and flus! Products like Nutriferon help boost your immune system and fight off free radical which can cause a case of the icks! He is a link, check it out: http://mjshealthyway.myshaklee.com/us/en/products.php?sku=20962  

Have a healthy and productive week! 

Mike 

Shaklee, America’s number one natural nutrition company! http://mjshealthyway.com