How To Improve A Weak Immune System

How to Improve a Weak Immune System

What is the immune system?

The immune system is a body-wide network of specialised cells and processes. There are two divisions: humoral immunity and cell-mediated immunity.

  1. Humoral immunity produces antibodies in response to a vast array of invading viruses, bacteria, chemicals, and other substances foreign to your body. These invaders are called antigens.
  2. Cell-mediated immunity is concerned with specialised cells. The most important are the T-cell and B-cell lymphocytes that differentiate into many different subsets with different reactions. Lymphocytes use the antibodies to enable them to recognise and attack invading antigens.

The purpose of the immune system is to keep infectious microorganisms, such as certain bacteria, viruses, and fungi, out of the body, and to destroy any infectious microorganisms that do invade the body. The immune system is made up of a complex and vital network of cells and organs that protect the body from infection.

Signs of a weak Immune System

  • Rapid fatigue and lack of zest, headaches
  • Susceptibility to infections
  • Frequent suffering from cold or flu, a sore throat
  • Prolonged duration of illness
  • Poor healing of wounds.
  • Loss of appetite
  • Aching muscles and joints. 

10 Tips to Keep The Family Healthy...

  • Consume plenty of fluids, especially fresh juices, herbal teas and quality water, to prevent dehydration and help flush out the body.
  • The most common causes of immune dysfunction are pesticides, heavy metals, physical trauma, nutritional deficiencies and stress. These must be addressed for complete immune competency.
  • The three types of immune dysfunction are immune suppression, allergy, and autoimmunity problems. These may require the help of an experienced practitioner.
  • Limit excessive exercise during infection, as this will only use precious energy better spent fighting off bugs. Gentle rebounding may help get the lymphatics moving.
  • A high alcohol and fat intake will reduce immunity.
  • Use hot, pungent herbs for heating the body and stimulating the immune system. Ginger, Garlic and Cayenne pepper are particularly good and may be brewed up with Lemons, Honey, Water, and Apple cider vinegar.
  • Eat whole, nourishing foods like fruit, raw vegetables, wholegrain, seeds, cereals etc. Avoid empty or non-foods like alcohol, coffee, refined carbohydrates (white sugar, flour etc) and tobacco.
  • Relax and avoid stress to reduce nutrient depletion.
  • To aid a healthy immune system, regular exercise is essential in moderation for the stimulation of the lymphatics. 

Dietary supplements that may strengthen the Immune System

Colostrum

NZ Pure Health Bovine Colostrum is made from the milk of New Zealand pasture raised dairy cows, which is produced within the first 48 hours after birth. It may enhance the immune system and the overall health wellbeing. It is easily absorbed by human body, and may promote bone development.

Most people benefit from taking cow colostrum as an every day immune system enhancer, but in particular people suffering from Leaky Gut Syndrome, Candida, Stomach Ulcers, Acne, Arthritis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Colitis as well as being much in demand by athletes for building muscle. Colostrum contains growth factors that help to slow the aging process in anybody who takes it. It also helps to stimulate wound healing, cartilage and nerve regeneration, which is can  be helpful in cases of Multiple Sclerosis, Guillain Barre Syndrome and its variants.

Bovine Colostrum Chewable Tablets

NZ Pure Health Chewable Tablets are perfect for children and adults alike. They have a pleasant taste and are easy to digest. 

Olive Leaf Extra

NZ Pure Health Olive Leaf Extract is an extraordinary 100% natural herbal antibacterial/antiviral extract. Obtained from specific parts of the olive tree (Olea europaea), this new proprietary phytochemical extract is not only safe but is also a nontoxic immune system builder.
Olive Leaf Extract has been used clinically in its present form for over a year. Living up to its promising background, it has already, in its short time, demonstrated considerable therapeutic action against many common and chronic conditions. One frequently heard comment is that they feel more energy and a greater sense of well being.

Bee Pollen

NZ Pure Health Bee Pollen is a "natural multi-vitamin" full of concentrated vitamins, minerals and proteins - carefully processed to ensure no damage or oxidation to vital nutrients. Bee Pollen contains B vitamins, amino acids and carbohydrates that provide energy and the nutrients required to maintain stamina.

Shark Liver Oil

NZ Pure Health Shark Liver Oil mainly contains two very important ingredients, Alkylglycerols (AKG) and Squalene, which strengthen the immune system by increasing the quantity of antibodies and the number of white blood cells, thus help reduce CFS.

Multivitamin Plus

NZ Pure Health Multivitamin Plus Formula, which is a concentrated formula contains over 100 potent food source nutrients to provide essential vitamins, minerals, enzymes and amino acids plus herbs, essential oils and other naturally occurring active food factors. It's a comprehensive multivitamin formula for CFS, Fibromyalgia, thyroid, autoimmune, and other chronic diseases. 

    Other nutrients that have been shown to strengthen the Immune System

    Vitamin E stimulates your immunity...
    Premature babies have low vitamin E status and very poor immune response. Injections of Vitamin E raise immune strength to that of normal babies. Vitamin E content of lymphocytes and neutrophils is 10-20 times that of red blood cells, indicating the importance of this nutrient to their function. There are now over 100 studies since 1980 showing the immune enhancing effects of Vitamin E. In one recent report, diabetics with the depressed immunity that is a plague of their disease, were given daily Vitamin E supplements of 25mg/kg bodyweight for two weeks. Immunity, measured by the monocyte response, returned to the normal range. It works on healthy people too. Vitamin E supplementation can even improve normal immunity in the absence of infection.

    Vitamin C enhances your immunity...
    Required for T-lymphocyte function, stimulating Natural Killer cells. Vitamin C has been shown to reduce the severity of symptoms by half. The concentration of Vitamin C in neutrophils and macrophages is about 150 times that of your blood plasma. During their oxidative burst, while killing infection, the neutrophils suck up Vitamin C like a sponge. Not surprising that neutrophil responses (or part of your immunity) are suppressed in Vitamin C deficiency. Vitamin C supplementation has been shown to enhance neutrophil response in healthy individuals.

    Selenium can boost immunity...
    It does this by working in synergy with Vitamin E as an antioxidant. Adequate supplies of Selenium are crucial to maintain the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase inside your cells, and therefore your immunity. In one series of studies, animals supplemented with Selenium alone, increased their immune strength by 400%.

    Zinc boosts immunity by acting as a co factor for antioxidants...
    Zinc is involved in over 80 different enzyme systems including immune function. Needed for cell mediated immunity and prevents virus binding within cells. Animal studies show that Zinc deficiency causes a rapid decline of T lymphocyte function. Immunity is equally rapidly restored by Zinc supplementation. In animals with normal immunity, supplemental Zinc improves the lymphocyte response. In carefully controlled studies, Zinc enhanced immunity above normal levels. Don't take too much Zinc though (greater than 60mg per day), or the wrong type, as you can run into temporary problems (altered Copper metabolism and immune suppression).

    Beta carotene and Vitamin A strengthen immunity...
    They do so by acting as antioxidants and cause the macrophages of the immune system to release a specific chemical called tumour necrosis factor. They enhance the proliferative response of T and B lymphocytes. Humoral immunity can also be strengthened by a healthy dose of CoQ10, by increasing antibody production, improving cell-mediated immunity and improving resistance to bacterial and viral infections.

    Vitamin D essential immune support...
    Vitamin D has been shown to support our body in its immune response. The beneficial effects of vitamin D on protective immunity are due in part to its effects on the innate immune system.

    References:

    Zinc Immunity References

    Olive Leaf references

    How Colostrum Benefits Humans

     

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