Part 6 -
Cell Protection/ The Immune System
Cell Protection
A major factor in having healthy cells and a healthy life
is the condition of the immune system. This system, a miracle inside our
bodies, works to keep us well. It fights disease-that is, it fights the
viruses, bacteria, fungi, and other microbes that cause disease. When our
systems are not working well, we can come down with common illnesses, such
as colds, more easily; can run a greater risk of contracting more serious
illnesses; and can take a long time to recover from health problems. It
pays, then, to keep the immune system in tip- top shape.
A Brief Introduction
One of the reasons that we fall ill is because the body's
defense system-the immune system-is breached by a pathogen. A pathogen is
simply an organism that causes disease. Three examples of pathogens are
viruses (colds, AIDS), bacteria (strep throat, pneumonia), and fungi
(athlete's foot, candida).
The immune system fights pathogens by first refusing them
entry: the skin and mucous membranes at body openings act as guardians. If
a pathogen does make it inside the body, different types of white blood
cells engulf and destroy it. (For information on the components of the
immune system, see the "Cell Protection" sections of the Healthy
Cell Concept softcover or pocket books.)
Protecting Cell Protection
We can enhance our immune systems through lifestyle. In
improving your immunity, you should focus on diet, exercise, and attitude.
Note that these are three components of the Healthy Cell Concept- and a
great example of how its individual components work together to form a
greater whole, in this case cell protection.
Diet
You can use diet to aid your immune system in two ways: by
eating the right foods and by avoiding the wrong foods. What are the right
foods? As we learned in the Cell Food section of the Healthy Cell Concept,
fruits, vegetables, and complex carbohydrates such as grains and whole
wheat breads are great. Keep fat intake low, and get plenty of fiber.
Certain vitamins and minerals are especially good for the immune system.
These include the B vitamins and vitamins A, C, and E, and the minerals
potassium, copper, iron, and zinc.
Certain foods should be avoided. These include foods with
simple sugars. When you digest sugar, the activity of a type of
disease-fighting white blood cell slows down. Remember: if you eat sugar
throughout the day, you slow down your immune system throughout the day.
Nancy Appleton, Ph.D., in her book, "Lick the Sugar
Habit" documents some 77 consequences of sugar. These include
hyperactivity in children, kidney damage, mineral deficiency and
imbalance, weakened eyesight, arthritis, asthma, candida, and hormonal
imbalance. Supplements may help boost your immunity. Echinacea and garlic
are proven immune enhancers. A study conducted at Ball State University,
Muncie Center for Medical Education, showed that green barley extract may
increase leukocytes- white blood cells important in immunity.
Exercise
Exercising also helps bolster the immune system. With
exercise, some of the white blood cell components of the immune system
circulate throughout the body more quickly, which means they have more
opportunities to combat viruses and bacteria.
Don't be fooled into thinking that you have to become an
athlete and exert maximum energy everyday to use exercise as an immune
booster. Researchers in Minnesota found that one exercise session a week
was effective in reducing the risk of death from a variety of causes.
Regular exercise also reduces the risk of dying
prematurely, of dying from heart disease, of developing diabetes, of
developing high blood pressure, and of developing colon cancer; helps
reduce blood pressure in people who already have high blood pressure;
reduces feelings of depression and anxiety; promotes psychological
well-being; helps control weight; helps build and maintain healthy bones,
muscles, and joints; and helps older adults become stronger and better
able to move about without falling.
Attitude
Another component in helping the immune system should be
easy: relaxation. This means sleep, low stress, and a good attitude. When
we sleep, our bodies recharge themselves: this means repairing tissue,
healing, and fueling cells and organs. Sleep may be the single most
important thing we can do to help our immune systems.
Stress hurts the immune system. Indirectly, when we worry
about family, jobs, friends, or school, we often lose sleep and cannot
relax. This takes valuable recharge time away from our immune systems. On
a more technical level, recent studies have shown that stressful arguments
change the level of hormones that promote or reduce immune system
functions. A 1993 study demonstrated that immune function markers showed
significant changes after newlywed couples had words on a sensitive topic.
Finally, feeling good about things makes a difference. Although there have
long been reports of laughter helping people through illness, they were
often dismissed as "testimonial." Now, however, research is
discovering why a healthy mental attitude bolsters the immune system.
Studies have shown that components of the immune system can respond to
chemical secretions by the central nervous system.
White blood cells, for example, become less active in
fighting infection when exposed to a neurochemical released in response to
stress. David Spiegel of the University of California-San Francisco led a
study showing that women with advanced breast cancer survived nearly twice
as long if they participated in a weekly support group. Other researchers
have found the same results in patients with melanoma, leukemia, and
lymphoma.
The AIM Products
Many AIM products are "cell protectors." AIM
Barleygreen, AIM Just Carrots, and AIM Bear Paw Garlic contain nutrients
that are beneficial to a healthy immune system. Antioxidants, such as
those found in AIM Super-Zymes/WheatZymes and AIM Proancynol, provide
protection against free radical damage, which can hurt immunity. Finally,
AIM Silver Plus is often used to maintain a healthy immune system.
With autumn in full swing, cold season is starting. This
is a good time to educate people on keeping the immune system healthy and
on the role of AIM products in doing so. An autumn "Fight the
Flu" home meeting might be a great attention- getter. Invite people
over to discuss how lifestyle can help them get through the cold season.
What To Do:
Read "Healthy Mental Attitude" in the
Healthy Cell Concept pocket book.
Read "Healthy Mental Attitude" in the
Healthy Cell Concept softcover book.
Eating for your immune system
Eat a variety of foods, not just "immune system
foods."
The immune system is varied and, thus, needs many different nutrients. If
you stick with only a few foods, you may deprive the body of its
nutritional needs.
Eat generous amounts of fruits and vegetables.
Fruits and vegetables contain important vitamins as well as phytochemicals
that can help the body fight disease.
Eat foods that contain minerals, especially zinc, iron
and copper.
Don't overdo it; too much of these is as bad as not enough. (Which is why
you should eat foods, not take supplements.)
Eat complex carbohydrates such as grains and legumes.
This results in longer- lasting energy. If you do not get enough
carbohydrates, your body will draw on protein, robbing immunological cells
of important foods.
Eat foods high in fiber.
Try to consume 30-40 grams of fiber a day. Eat before or during times of
stress. This way you make sure you get adequate energy for your
"normal" functions and the extra energy needed during times of
stress.
Don't eat fat.
Try not to make fats any more than 20 percent of your daily caloric
intake.
Don't eat sweets.
They suppress the immune system.
Medication can hurt as it
"helps"
The pharmaceutical industry produces many over-the-counter
products for "routine" illnesses such as colds, fevers, and so
on. Unfortunately, in the long run many of these do you more harm than
good. What a cold medicine does is suppress the cold's symptoms-and doing
this actually suppresses the immune system. When you take these remedies
to "feel better," what you actually do is prolong your illness
and weaken your immune system.
For example, antihistamines, found in many popular
cold-relief products, interfere with the components of the immune system
that fight allergies. Decongestant sprays suppress signals to the nose and
throat that do little to promote natural defenses against invaders.
In other words, if you have a cold, the best thing you can
do is eat well and rest. Stay home if you can; don't go to work and tire
yourself, or spread your cold. It may mean a few days of uncomfortable
symptoms, but this beats a lifetime of a weakened immune system.
The article "The Healthy Cell Concept" is
reproduced with the permission of AIM International
© 1997, 1998, 1999 by AIM International.
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