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.

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Have a healthy and productive week! 

MJ