Christmas is right around the corner as I write this. I am looking forward to our kids coming home for a visit; other family members joining us for a special meal; friends and neighbors getting together. Just like everyone else there is lots of shopping, cooking, visiting, family dynamics. There is also more stress, more eating, less exercise; a break in the usual routine. It's wonderful to have the break, but it also takes it's toll on our immunity. Take a look at what you can do to build your immunity. And exercise for me...
3 Steps to Building Immunity
41 days ago by Mark Murphy in ( Nutrition , · Science & Health )
The immune system defends your body against bacteria, viruses and
other harmful invaders. At full strength, it is an efficient protector
against infection and illness. But like all aspects of your health, it
takes healthy lifestyle choices to keep your immune system in top shape.
Three vital areas in protecting and bolstering immunity are nutrition,
exercise and stress reduction.
Immunity-Boosting Nutrients
Lunasin: Clinical
studies continue to uncover the many benefits of this remarkable soy
peptide. A recent study showed that lunasin boosts innate immunity by
stimulating immune cell receptors. (See Dr. Carl Hastings’s message below for details.)
Antioxidants: Antioxidants
are vitamins and minerals that remove free radicals from the
bloodstream. Free radicals can damage DNA and suppress the body's immune
system. A few of the most important immunity-boosting antioxidants
include vitamin C, vitamin E and beta carotene.
Zinc: A review in the Open Respiratory Medicine Journal concluded that supplementing with zinc may shorten the duration of the common cold by up to 40%.
Vitamin D: A
study at the University of Copenhagen found that vitamin D is needed to
trigger the immune system’s killer T cells and that a lack of vitamin D
can render these cells inactive.
Probiotics:
Fight the flu bug with these friendly bugs! In a Swedish study, a group
of employees given a probiotic missed less work due to respiratory or
gastrointestinal illness than did employees who didn’t receive the
probiotic. Another study showed people taking a probiotic plus vitamins
and minerals daily for three months had reduced frequency, duration and
severity of cold symptoms.
Get Moving
A study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine
found those who exercised the most were least likely to suffer from
colds in the winter months. Researchers followed a group of 1,002
healthy adults aged 18 to 85 over a 12-week period during the autumn and
winter seasons.
Each participant reported daily any symptom of
respiratory illness they experienced (sneezes, coughs, fever, etc.). On
average, they reported such symptoms for 13 days in the winter and 8
days in the autumn.
But those who exercised regularly were much less
likely to develop a cold, and when they did, it was much less severe.
The fittest 25% (those who exercised five or more days a week) had 43%
fewer days with symptoms than those in the lowest 25% (one day or less
of weekly exercise).
Don’t Stress Out
The negative effects of stress on the immune
system have been well-documented. Stress impacts your susceptibility to
infection and overall wellness in two important ways:
- Weakened Immune System: Chronic stress can raise cortisol levels, making us more vulnerable to colds and the flu, as well as more serious health problems.
- Unhealthy Choices: In stressful situations, we often fail to sleep enough, eat well or exercise, increasing the likelihood of illness.
Healthy energy shot 24K™ provides a nutritional approach to reducing stress.
