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Archive for the ‘Immunizations’ Category

Our body continually builds new tissue with one of the things that would stop this from happening is a very low vitality or natural immunity in the body. The scientific community is talking a lot about natural herbs, with all the talk going on about the AIDS disease, which occurs in those people who have a very low natural immunity. What is needed by the scientific community is a way to focus on cancer cells while leaving the rest of the normal cells untouched.

It is obvious that the scientific community realizes the importance of immunity in the total health of the whole human body. However, the issue lies in how to build the immunity, with the difference in the natural and scientific viewpoints being readily seen. From the natural standpoint, natural immunity is raised and built by natural things like whole foods, exercise, and peace of mind. While the scientific community believes that immunity can be helped and increased with drugs, chemicals, and surgery. With herbs having 4,000 years of experience on humans, scientists have only about 100 years of experience and most of that experience is on animal studies.

One should look at the effects of drugs, with the basic underlining principle of a drug being to suppress a disease or kill a bacteria or virus so that natural immunity can grow stronger and overcome the whole disease condition. Although that sounds good initially, we have to make a sacrifice and face the side effects. A lot of these side effects can be rather severe, causing many people to wonder if it is a fair trade. The other issue is that chemicals produce sever to life-threatening side effects. It has been stated that the number of people who are in the hospitals because of the mistakes of doctors or drug contradictions ranges anywhere from 25% to 40%. It is not debatable that if you suppress a disease or try to kill bacteria and you take that drug away, many times the bacteria will come back in a stronger state, causing the doctors to use a stronger and stronger drug, sometimes causing more problems than it actually solves.

Herbalists are trying to help accentuate all of the natural forces of the body with food or herbs. Golden Seal is a food that is not toxic also an herb and does not kill anything in the human body, but is extremely effective at raising the natural immunity and therefore, the body corrects the bacterial imbalance by itself. One of the many benefits of herbs it that they don’t have any side effects. Instead, they produce a renewed high immune vitality and natural energy boost. With an herb that helps to boost the immune system, bacteria that affect the body can not continue to grow because the body has a strong immune system.

The body’s high natural immunity can handle disease situations completely on its own. However, this is assuming that the whole environment is positive and going to reinforce the new higher natural immunity in your body. But one must know that going on a bad diet, not getting exercise, and having a negative attitude (stress) can cause a decrease in the body’s natural immunity. No amounts of herbs are going to help much when one doesn’t take care of them selves.

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Flu season is here and many of us will get sick. It seems we have more to worry about, though, because of antibiotic resistant Superbugs. There are things you can do to help protect yourself and even get healthier, quicker.

The herbs Echinacea and Goldenseal help rev up your immune system – up to 60%! This is helpful since it causes your own immune system to activate, which may help strengthen it. When used in a liquid combination, these herbs have been used to kill bacteria, fungi and protozoa and help to treat infections.

Goldenseal has been used for centuries to kill all kinds of bacteria including Streptococci, and has immune stimulating qualities. It also helps to protect the mucous membranes from infections in the throat, sinus, bronchi and even the gastrointestinal tract.

Echinacea has been shown to stimulate the immune system by promoting activity and T-cell activation. It also helps your white blood cells to aggressively attack germs.

This herbal combination can be a powerful addition to your medicine cabinet during flu season. The liquid form may work the best. It can be absorbed easier than breaking down a pill – which is helpful for those who are sick or who have gastrointestinal complaints. But be careful – if you take it longer than 10-14 days, your body will stop responding to it and it won’t work as well.

Drink plenty of warm lemon water. Just squeeze some fresh lemon juice into a glass of warm water and enjoy. The warm water will help your body absorb the juice quicker.

Lemon juice is one of the most powerful antiseptic agents you can find in nature. It kills germs and helps clear mucous from the body. It contains powerful antioxidants, is high in Vitamin C and contrary to popular belief, is very alkaline. Therefore it can help alkalize your body, which helps you heal faster.

Essential Oils of Lavender and Lemon can help you relax while killing bacteria and other pathogens at the same time. Essential oils have been used for thousands of years to protect and fight disease. Both of these oils have traditionally been used to help fight infection, kill germs, help circulate and cleanse the immune system and help with overall relaxation which the body needs to heal.

If you decide to try these oils this flu season – be sure to get the oils that are made to be used on the skin as opposed to only in aromatherapy gadgets. When you find the oils that can be used on your skin, dilute it half almond or olive oil. These are “carrier oils” that helps your body absorb them. Try putting the mixture on the inside of your wrists, behind your ears, the lower part of your spine and on the bottom of your feet. They also make a nice addition to a healing bath.

Don’t forget the old stand-by, Vitamin C… and lots of it. It is a powerful antioxidant, stimulates tissue growth and repair, and helps the body produce collagen. It has been shown to help decrease symptoms of asthma in some patients. It is well known to increase immunity to infections and even helps lower blood pressure.

There are two important parts to vitamin C; dehydroascorbic acid and ascorbic acid. Unfortunately vitamin supplements usually include only one part called ascorbic acid. Therefore, it is best to get your main supply from food sources including these fruits and their fresh squeezed juices; lemons, oranges, limes, grapefruits, pineapples, papayas and even guavas.

This brings us to the last, yet very important fact that will help you strengthen your immune system this flu season – eat healthy foods. It is as simple as that. Junk food burdens your digestion which can overload your entire body. This can cause your immune system to become sluggish and not work fully. In addition, excess sugar can literally shut down the immune system.

Eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables along with unprocessed proteins and whole grains are easier for the body to digest, which in turn allows this extra energy to be used for the immune system to do its job. In addition there is the obvious – these foods provide the vitamins, minerals, trace minerals and enzymes needed to keep your immune system running and your body repairing.

Any or all of these tips can help you stay or get healthy this flu season. Use these to strengthen your immune system, keep your organs of detoxification working and help your system move any of the bad guys, including bacteria, germs and virus, out of your body before they can do harm.

The cocoa plant grows abundantly in Panama where the Kuna Indians live. Drinking about 40 cups of cocoa a week has been a part of the Kuna Indian tradition and lifestyle for hundreds of years. When a team from Harvard Medical School visited the Kuna people they were surprised to see that less than 10% of the population suffers from heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, cancer or diabetes. The Kuna people were also recorded to have longer life spans than their Panamanian counterparts. This was not a hereditary immunity as Kuna Indians who migrated to other parts of the world and adopted a more “western” diet were not immune to heart disease. What is it that keeps the Kuna Indians so healthy? Dr. Hollenberg, who led the study, proposed that a diet that includes plenty of pure cocoa could be the reason behind this unusual protective immunity!1-2

Antioxidant Power—Supporting the Body’s Ability to Neutralize Free Radicals
Cocoa contains flavonoids and is rich in antioxidants called procyanidins and epicatechin. These flavonoids are also found in Green Tea, particularly the powerful antioxidant known as epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), Resveratrol is another powerful antioxidant produced naturally by red grapes in response to fungal infection.

Antioxidants work on the cellular level and are believed to counteract the damaging effects of free radical activity. Free radical activity destabilizes molecular activity leading to cell disruption, cell mutation and is the main reason for tissue and organ damage, even disease. Antioxidants help to support immune health at the most basic cellular level.

In today’s world, stress, pollution, processed food or convenient take-aways, a diet rich in carbohydrates, sugars, saturated fats, even a sedentary lifestyle can create an overload of free radical activity in the body. The body’s immune system finds it difficult to keep up with combating this overload, and as a result the immune system becomes weak. We find ourselves feeling fatigued and susceptible to diverse illnesses. A diet rich in antioxidants can help the body to neutralize free radical activity.

Numerous studies show that resveratrol and antioxidants in cocoa and green tea can help the body to support the immune system in various ways.This makes Chocolate Tea a great beverage for supporting immune health!

Helping to Stimulate the Production of Immune Cells
Studies show that there may be a strong connection between cocoa intake and the production of thymocytes. Thymocytes are white blood cells that are produced in the thymus and are a precursor for T cells. T cells are vital to our body’s immune functions, and are beneficial in reducing the risk of disease.3

Green tea contains a high amount of an amino acid called L-theanine. L-theanine is known to enhance the body’s immunity. In a Harvard study, people who drank 5 cups of green tea per day had 5 times more virus-fighting interferon in their blood than others who did not drink Green Tea.

Tea polysaccharides (TPS), one of the main components in green tea, stimulate the production of cytokines in the bone marrow. Cytokines are used in cellular communication and are critical to the body’s immune response to pathogens.4

Helps the Body’s Ability to Protect Itself from Virus, Bacteria and Fungus
Resveratrol and EGCG inhibit the replication of the influenza virus. They also exhibit anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties. Clinical trials on resveratrol indicate it plays an inhibiting role on the herpes simplex virus, influenza A virus, dermatophytes and bacterial pathogens of the skin and all kinds of fungal infections. Green Tea has been studied for its inhibitive action on adenovirus, virus responsible for common colds.5-12

Helping to Reduce Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
Antioxidants in Green Tea and Chocolate and resveratrol have been individually studied for their role in supporting cardiovascular health. All of them indicate they support heart health by:

Helping to improve blood circulation by stimulating the production of nitric oxide. This relaxes blood vessels and helps to increase vasodilation,13-14

Helping to control blood pressure 15-16

Helping to prevent blood clots 17-19

Helping to regulate good cholesterol levels and helping to reduce plaque formation in the arteries.20-21

CocoPure combines the antioxidant power of pure cocoa, green tea and resveratrol to support immune health. It contains an ORAC value of 5,250 per 7.4 grams.

References:

Hypertension, the Kuna, and the epidemiology of flavanols. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 2006;47 Suppl 2:S103-9; discussion 119-21.PMID: 16794446

Vascular action of cocoa flavanols in humans: the roots of the story.J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 2006;47 Suppl 2:S99-102; discussion S119-21.PMID: 16794463

Cocoa-enriched diet enhances antioxidant enzyme activity and modulates lymphocyte composition in thymus from young rats. J Agric Food Chem. 2007 Aug 8;55(16):6431-8. Epub 2007 Jul 14. PMID: 17630760

Epigallocatechin Gallate Modulates Cytokine Production by Bone Marrow–Derived Dendritic Cells Stimulated with Lipopolysaccharide or Muramyldipeptide, or Infected with Legionella pneumophila, Experimental Biology and Medicine 230:645-651 (2005). Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine.

Inhibition of influenza A virus replication by resveratrol. PMID: 15838800

Resveratrol inhibition of herpes simplex virus replication. Antiviral Res. 1999 Oct;43(3):145-55. PMID: 10551373

Antimicrobial effect of resveratrol on dermatophytes and bacterial pathogens of the skin. Biochem Pharmacol. 2002 Jan 15;63(2):99-104. PMID: 11841782.

Fungicidal effect of resveratrol on human infectious fungi. Arch Pharm Res. 2005 May;28(5):557-60. PMID: 15974442

Inhibition of adenovirus infection and adenain by green tea catechins, Antiviral Res. 2003 Apr;58(2):167-73. PMID: 12742577

Specific Formulation of Camellia sinensis Prevents Cold and Flu Symptoms and Enhances T Cell Function: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study Journal of the American College of Nutrition, Vol. 26, No. 5, 445-452 (2007), American College of Nutrition

Antiviral effect of catechins in green tea on influenza virus, Antiviral Res. 2005 Nov;68(2):66-74. Epub 2005 Aug 9. PMID: 16137775

Multiple effects of green tea catechin on the antifungal activity of antimycotics against Candida albicans.J Antimicrob Chemother. 2004 Feb;53(2):225-9. Epub 2003 Dec 19. PMID: 14688042

Resveratrol, a Polyphenolic Phytoalexin Present in Red Wine, Enhances Expression and Activity of Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase, Circulation. 2002;106:1652-1658, American Heart Association, Inc.

Tea catechins inhibit cholesterol oxidation accompanying oxidation of low density lipoprotein in vitro. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol. 2001 Feb;128(2):153-64.

Cocoa Reduces Blood Pressure and Insulin Resistance and Improves Endothelium-Dependent Vasodilation in Hypertensives, Hypertension. 2005;46:398-405, American Heart Association, Inc.

Prevention of hypertension, cardiovascular damage and endothelial dysfunction with green tea extracts. Am J Hypertens. 2007 Dec;20(12):1321-8.

Cocoa inhibits platelet activation and function Am J Clin Nutr 2000;72:30-5.

Resveratrol attenuates TNF- -induced activation of coronary arterial endothelial cells: role of NF- B inhibition, Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 291: H1694-H1699, 2006.

Antithrombotic activities of green tea catechins and (-)-epigallocatechin gallate. Thromb Res. 1999 Nov 1;96(3):229-37.

Effectiveness of moderate green tea consumption on antioxidative status and plasma lipid profile in humans. J Nutr Biochem. 2005 Mar;16(3):144-9.

Penn State (2001, October 24). Cocoa And Dark Chocolate Show Positive Effects On Ldls – But Don’t Shun Veggies. ScienceDaily.

If you’re fighting cancer and are curious about immune system supplements, both clinical and natural, keep reading for an overview of some of the most popular methods.

BRMs (Biologic Response Modifiers)

Biologic response modifiers are substances that alter the response of specific elements of the immune system to enhance, restore, or direct the immune defenses of the body. By definition, biologic response modifiers include several fields of research – immunotherapies, vaccines, and immune-system-enhancing agents. These types of therapies are often called biologic therapies.

The most commonly used type of biologic response modifiers is interferon. Interferon is a protein molecule that can help fight off certain diseases, like cancer. However, for treatment purposes, synthetic interferon is created in a lab and then administered to the patient to supplement the immune system. Interferon won’t cure cancer, but it will improve life spans and help control the disease.

Vitamin Supplements

There are mountains of studies that prove certain foods and vitamins are critical immune system supplements and help to restore the body after cancer while also preventing it.

One of the most infamous studies related to vitamin consumption and cancer survival rates was the Vitamin C study conducted by Linus Pauling. Pauling started his experiment with thousands of cancer patients, all of whom had similar cancer types and were around the same age.

Out of these patients, Pauling put a hundred of them on a daily program of high Vitamin C doses. The remainder received no Vitamin C. In the end, the participants consuming large amounts of Vitamin C lived significantly longer than the untreated patients.

Vitamin C is a popular example and a popular method because it has few drawbacks. Vitamin C isn’t toxic in large amounts and is water soluble. That means it passes through the body quickly and excess amounts are passed through and eliminated. Essentially, the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.

Diet

Diet all by itself won’t cure cancer, but it can help slow it down, improve recovery and possibly prevent it. Nutrition is a major part of how well your body recovers after cancer, the strength of your immune system and how you deal with cancer and the cancer treatments.

One example of eating for the benefit of the immune system is all-organic diets, which are growing in popularity. Organic foods are foods that are all natural, have not been irradiated and have no chemical additives. For people trying to heal cancer, chemical additives are thought to be just one more foreign substance that can stress the body’s system.

The reasoning behind this theory is that eliminating anything that stresses the body will enable the immune system to spend more of its energy on fighting cancer while simultaneously providing immune system supplements.

There is unfortunately today no known sure fire means of either preventing cancer or healing it in individuals already afflicted. However, a combination of traditional medical approaches plus alternative strategies that have a degree of verifiable success is a great tactic to countering the effects of a malignancy and simultaneously building up the immune system.

Numerous studies have shown that people who are under chronic stress have lower white blood cell counts and a weak immune system overall. Chronic stress is another of those things that should be avoidable. But, depending on the person, it may not be that easy. A high stress job may be rewarding in other ways.

Long-term financial problems may not be quickly resolvable. Leaving a “bad” relationship may not be possible. Any of these things can lead to chronic stress, which in turn leads to a weak immune system. People who suffer from chronic stress may benefit from a natural product that provides immune system support. Your body is made up of millions of cells. And every second, millions more new cells are reborn in our body’s ceaseless program of self-generation. All living tissue and organs are created as a result of these cells.

Your body’s health is really going to be determined by the health of each and every one of your single living cells. Healthy cells create the healthy tissues. And then your healthy tissues create healthy organs, while healthy organs create healthy systems, like our immune system. Your healthy systems are what give you a healthy body.

Many diseases prevail because of the weakened immune system and can lead to serious complications. It is proved that there are some natural, botanical herbs and animal products that boost our immune system. Improper diet can impair our immune system accompanied with fast paced lifestyles and fast food causes inadequate nutrition and consequently inadequate immune system support.

Even the Food and Drug Administration which rarely has anything to say about health supplements advises that everyone can benefit from a daily multi-vitamin. Biologic response modifiers are substances that alter the response of specific elements of the immune system to enhance, restore, or direct the immune defenses of the body. By definition, biologic response modifiers include several fields of research – immunotherapies, vaccines, and immune-system-enhancing agents. These types of therapies are often called biologic therapies. Acai berry supplements are the health industries latest response to the new found popularity of this incredibly healthy fruit.

And one of the nice things about Acai berry capsules and pills is that they have a much longer shelf life, often pack even more health benefits then Acai berry juice and they offer an opportunity for people who want to gain the health benefits of Acai berries but are not fans of the taste which to some has been described as a bit musky. A super green supplement is made up of all-natural nutrients that many people today don’t have enough of in their diets. These plant-based nutrients, also known as phytonutrients, are essential to good health. Amongst the important nutrients in super green supplements are vitamin B12, trace minerals, cartenoids, good fatty acids, linoleic acid, chlorophyll, beta carotene, amino acids and more. Some of the ingredients you will find in super green supplements include: barley grass, chlorella, sprouts, wheat grass, spirulina, fruits and vegetables

Boosting the immune system of your pet is important for biochemical reactions. The immune system is constantly protecting them from parasites, bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Boosting their immune system will help to overpower bacteria, destroy toxins, and kill viruses. In a weak immune system all those bad things lie toxins and bacteria can pass by the immune defending cells and create disorders. Disorders that can happen in your pets are fungi, yeast infections, eczema, ear infections, slowly healing wounds, food allergies, arthritis, and mange.

Not getting the proper nutrients is the main cause of immune system problems in dogs and cats. Thus, poor nutrition and continuously feeding the wrong food will weaken the immune system. When pets take medication or eat poisons their livers produce extra enzymes to detoxify them. So the reason a pet gets sick is that something is interfering with the bodies natural healing powers.

Sure Antibiotics can fight an infection but they are not affecting what weakened the immune system in the first place. Things like diet, stress, and exercise play an important role in determining whether a pet gets sick or stays healthy. Making sure that you play with them and take them for walks can keep them in shape.

Certain diets can make your pet vulnerable to diseases and sickness. Most pet are fed commercial foods that are filled with dyes, preservatives, and additives. Not to mention the chemicals that is put in the food as well. The artificial ingredients themselves can cause an immune response that can make a pet sick. The only time your pet can make enough antibodies is when it is healthy and well-fed. This does not mean over fed, which most pet owners are known to do as well.

A balanced level of minerals, vitamins, and nutrients is essential for boosting the immune system of your pet. Some things that you can do to boost the immune system of your pet is feed a raw food diet. The body of a dog or cat was designed to digest raw foods. They have been digesting raw meat and foods since they have been put on this earth. Since the domestication of dogs and cats we are now feeding them the crap in commercial dog foods. Now that you think about it same goes for us, our bodies aren’t made to digest preservatives, additives, and chemicals. Wild animals are not inundated with the disorders that affect our domesticated animals.

There are some natural dog foods that are out there that can be fed instead of a raw food diet as well. Adding a nutritional supplement to your pet’s diet can help too. It should contain things like vitamin C, Omega fatty acids, zinc, neem, and potassium and magnesium. Vitamin C is a great antiviral and antibacterial vitamin. Neem boost the production of T cells that defend the body when attacks on the immune system happen. Omega fatty acids promote good skin and coat health. Zinc can prevent infection and aide in healing wounds and develops white blood cells.

Alterative Health Supplements offers a variety of pet products that can increase the health of your pet. Immupet is great for boosting the immune system of your pet. It stimulates the heightened production of antibodies to fight for better health and stronger immunity for you pet. It will give them more energy and help them live a longer, healthier, happier life. It is a liver flavored chewable tablet that your pet can take everyday. It is recommended that one tablet is administered for every 25 pounds of weight.

How many colds have you had in the past year? Do you tend to get sick very often? The answers to those questions could be a clue to the state of your immune system. If you have a healthy and strong immune system, you will get sick less often since your immune system will be able to fight off germs, bacteria, and viruses. If you find you are sick more than you would like to be, luckily, you can take steps to start boosting your immune system.

Boosting your immune system may mean making lifestyle changes. This means to stop smoking, cut down on alcohol intake, eat a healthy diet, and get more exercise. The same steps you need to take to live a healthy life, lose weight, and get fit, are also the same things that will boost your immune system.

Boosting the immune system is very important if you want your body to be able to fight off disease and repair itself faster after injury. Your immune system destroys germs and bacteria so they can’t get a foothold and make you sick.

This is why AIDS is such a devastating disease. It destroys the immune system and therefore the body is left wide open for opportunistic attack from all kinds of germs, viruses, and fungi. That is why those with AIDS are constantly ill and often die from a seemingly simple ailment such as the flu.

To go about boosting your immune system, you should analyze your daily diet. Change to a healthier diet and make as many substitutions and changes as you can in a manner that you will stick with. Eating processed and chemical laden food just further weakens an already weak immune system.

Next, include exercise into your daily routine. Exercise does wonders for developing a healthy immune system and fit and sound body and mind. Exercise at least three times a week for a sustained 20 minutes each time.

In addition to that, incorporate more exercise into your daily life by parking farther away, taking stairs, walking to work if possible, and other simple measures that will add up over the course of the day.

You should also consider boosting immune system by taking supplements and a multivitamin. This is especially important if you have not yet incorporated a healthy diet into your lifestyle yet. Make sure your body has the nutrients it needs to ward off infection and repair damaged cells.

Boosting your immune system is pretty simple, but it isn’t easy if you are used to inactivity and living on fast food and junk food. Your health is important and is definitely worth the effort to build a strong immune system. It isn’t only colds and flu a healthy immune system keeps at bay, but also life threatening infections and chronic disease.

Researchers have proved time and time again that stress affects our immune systems.

There are killer stresses that suppress the immune system, and if something comes along in the process, you can become very ill, and perhaps die. Realize this, and you can protect yourself my managing stress.

Facts About Stress and The Immune System

1. Stress has a direct effect on our immune systems.

2. The acute stressors evoke our “fight or flight” response, and our immune system prepares itself for defense. The stressors force chemicals also into our system that boost the power of our immune systems.

3. Those long-term chronic stressors are the killer stressors, and reduce and gradually destroy the effectiveness of our immune systems.

4. The ill or elderly will be more effected by stress than the well or young person, with usually very negative effects.

Categorizing the Stressors

Instant Stressors.

These are the ones that evoke responses from our own self-defense system, and produce quick-acting, all-purpose cells that can attack many pathogens. This kind of stressor for a time boosts our natural immunity

Short-term Anxiety Stressors:

These are the type when going for a job application, performing in public, examinations and the like. These too, if are only short-termed, can boost our natural immunity. However, if these stressors draw themselves out (such a being in a trial or legal event), they will turn into negative stressors and suppress the immune system.

Traumatic Stressful events:

These are the anxiety of impending disaster (natural or economic), or serious illness of a loved one. These stresses greatly reduce one’s immune system, and even when the events are over, one can still suffer the effects of post-traumatic stress syndrome.

Killer Stressors. The Chronic Ones:

These are the long-term stressors that make one change their life and life-style. Good examples of these are being a refugee and changing countries forcibly, becoming a care-giver to a love one, or becoming one who needs a care-giver. All of these are stresses without end, and are called killer stressors, as they often result in illness due to the impaired and suppressed immune system.

Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome.

PTSS acts as real threat to one’s immune system. It is in illness in itself, and is based on a distant stressful event that has left the person changed. These people have suppressed immune systems generally.

The major point to remember here is that knowing what the killer stressors can do to our immune system and general health, we must learn then some form of stress management. Having so learned these techniques, we can minimize the negative effects stress can (and does) have on our immune systems.

There are many methods of stress management such as yoga, certain forms of modified martial arts, philosophical systems such as employment of the Konov Principle, and also the well-understood power of prayer, faith and religion. These all serve to limit or modify the effects of killer stressors.