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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.

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.

The main function of the immune system is to protect the body against various infections. It is the most important body component that helps in determining one’s state of health. The effectiveness of immune system varies from person to person. In case of weak immune system the person is more susceptible to infections and other health problems. Immune system forms various antibodies that fight against germs. The main components of the immune system are bone marrow, antibodies, cells, lymph nodes, spleen, chemicals, thymus glands and tonsils. There are many foods that interfere with the working of immune system and various nutrients and herbs that enhance immune system. The two main herbs that are highly beneficial for immunity enhancement are:

Amla

It is the richest natural source of vitamin C. It is considered as a versatile and powerful antioxidant that protects the body against all types of cancer, fights against virus that is responsible for causing AIDS and HIV. Amla also helps in lowering the blood pressure. Other than a rich source of vitamin C it is a good dietary source of various minerals and amino acids. It is helpful in raising the total protein level and the body weight. Due to its antibacterial and astringent properties it helps to fight against various infections, thus, making the immune system strong. In Ayurveda it is considered as an acrid, cooling, refrigerant, diuretic, laxative and with anabolic effect.

Various other benefits of amla are:

Helps in good iron absorption from the dietary sources.

It increases the protein synthesis that strengthens the body muscles.

Helps in better food absorption making the digestive system strong and balances the stomach acid.

It strengthens the liver and helps in the easy removal of toxins and morbid matter from the body.

It is also responsible for strengthening the hair, nails, bones and teeth. It prevents the premature graying of hair and dandruff.

It provides nourishment to the brain and heart making the nervous system strong and lowering the blood cholesterol.

It is considered best tonic for eyes .

All these benefits make amla a strong immune enhancer

Ashwagandha

In Ayurveda the herb ashwagandha is believed to have anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-stress, anti-oxidant, rejuvenating, aphrodisiac and immune enhancing properties. It is considered as an adaptogen that stimulates the immune system and improves memory. It also helps to fight against stress due to its anti-stress properties. It increases the count of white blood cells and prepares the body to produce antigens against various infections and allergies. It is also considered as a tonic for the heart and lungs as its regular intake controls the blood pressure and regulates the heartbeat. It has a strong nourishing and protective effect on the nervous system.

Various other benefits of ashwagandha are:

It reduces the inflammation of the joints, eases arthritis and increases the energy level of body.

It is also considered as a sex stimulant for both men and women.

It helps in preventing miscarriages in pregnant women by balancing the hormones that stabilizes the pregnancy.

Its regular use helps in the maintaining the sugar and cholesterol levels.

It is the only herb that supports the immune system of HIV patients.

It has been used in prolonging life, improving overall health, enhancing mental function, increasing fertility and libido, augmenting physical energy, and preventing infections. Thus, acting as an immune booster.

Did you know that your immune system is the answer to all health problems?

Whether you are trying to control pneumonia, leukemia, herpes, shingles, diabetes, flu, indigestion, cancer, or fungus under your nails, all disease and illness in their various manifestations are a result of the failure of the immune system.

In the microscopic world, since the human body is surrounded by toxic gases, free radicals, damaging radiation, bacteria, viruses, parasites, and other sources of harm, it is no wonder that building and maintaining a strong, healthy immune system, should be second to none in any of our lives.

You can think of your immune system as an army of millions of microscopic soldiers patrolling your body, working to prevent illness by fighting any invading germs.

These “soldiers” are white blood cells, and how you “treat” and “feed” them has a large influence on how well they boost your immune system and protect you from microorganisms, infection, and disease.

How do you treat your immune system so that it’ll work well for you? By following basic healthy patterns! In fact, many health recommendations you may have heard, such as eating a varied and balanced diet and exercising regularly, all help boost immunity.

Studies have linked a number of foods and nutrients to the strengthening of the immune system:

vitamin C (citrus fruit, broccoli), vitamin E (nuts, vegetable oils, and whole grains), garlic (also a natural antibiotic), zinc (beef, turkey, beans, oysters, crab), bioflavenoids (fruits and vegetables), selenium (chicken, whole grains, tuna, red snapper, lobster, shrimp, garlic, egg yolks, sunflower seeds, brown rice), carotenoids (carrots, yams), omega-3 fatty acids (nuts, salmon, tuna, mackerel, flaxseed oil).

In simplest terms, the immune system is a balanced network of cells and organs that work together to defend you against disease. It blocks foreign proteins from getting into your body.

If a few happen to sneak by your biological sentry, not to worry. With a powerful “search and destroy” task force, your body deploys a host of additional immune cell forces designed to hunt down these unwanted invaders and ultimately works to destroy them.

The human body is gifted with the ability to keep itself free from disease-causing invaders. Unlike the organ systems in your body, the immune system has no major organs of its own. It is composed of individual microscopic cells and molecules that have widespread access to every nook and cranny of the body.

You and a friend step into a crowded elevator and immediately notice two people coughing and sneezing up a storm. Within a couple of days you come down with a bad cold and blame it on that elevator ride. Yet your friend, exposed to the same germs at the same time, remains perfectly healthy. What made the difference? The power of your immune system!

Your immune system is a network that can help us avoid illness, or sometimes become the underlying reason we get sick. The strength of our immune system is what makes the difference between who gets sick and who doesn’t. The one with the immune system functioning below base-line normal has an increased risk of getting sick.