Nutrition for proactive health!
Don't let the flu get the best of you this holiday season.
The flu season is upon us with a vengeance this year.
The strains are getting stronger while our immune systems are getting
weaker. Even with the promises of Flu shot vaccinations there is no
guarantee. The Flu shots may actually weaken an already compromised
immune system making you more susceptible. The key to staying healthy
this winter is to nourish your body's own defenses. Today's lifestyle
is putting pressure on our bodies at an intensity and rate that has
never been experienced before. The medical profession is rushing to
keep up. Unfortunately the very drugs they are prescribing to combat
the illnesses often deplete the body in ways that open them up to
other kinds of disease.
The compromised immune system profile.
Answer true or false to the following statements:
1. People in my family are generally healthy and rarely ill.
2. I get enough sleep and wake-up refreshed.
3. I rarely catch colds, flu or infections.
4. I am rarely around small children.
5. I rarely let myself get run down.
6. I am not under a lot of stress.
7. I have rarely taken antibiotics.
If you primarily answered false to these statements
then you may be at a higher-than-average risk for having a compromised
immune system.Knowing this you can be proactive by providing the essential
nutrients your body needs to maintain a healthy immune system.
Optimal nutrient status has a significant impact on immune health.
A recent Canadian study of 44 people 50 to 65 years of age (Nutrition
Research 22:5-11, 2002) evaluated the effect of a multivitamin-mineral
supplement on immune health. At baseline, 19 of the participants showed
evidence of one or more nutrient deficiencies, while only one of the
22 subjects in the supplemented group showed abnormal nutrient levels
after 6 months. No change was seen in the control group. Significantly
higher immune responses and lower incidence of infection were seen
in the supplemented group at the end of the 12-month study.
Nutrients for immunity.
Vitamin A. This vitamin is essential for immune function, as
it can affect your defenses through the role it plays in the functioning
of immune cells, or via its role in keeping the "barriers"
in the body, the skin and tissues, healthy. The benefit of vitamin
A is widely studied in relation to infection rates of malnourished
children. Among its benefits, vitamin-A supplements have been shown
to maintain gut integrity, lower the incidence of respiratory tract
infections, and reduce mortality associated with diarrhea and measles.
One proposed mechanism by which vitamin A exerts its health benefits
is through its role in controlling abnormal replication of tissue
cells.
Vitamin C. Vitamin
C, an essential part of every living cell and is highly concentrated
in the aggressive white blood cells of the immune system. Studies
have found that reduced concentrations of this vitamin are associated
with impaired immune function. Some, but not all, studies have found
a significant reduction in the incidence of colds with vitamin-C supplementation.
In one study of 10 healthy women and 20 women with major depressive
disorders or coronary heart disease (72 +/-6 years of age), supplementation
of 1 gram of vitamin C and 200 mg of vitamin E daily for 16 weeks
resulted in significant increases in immune function (Canadian Journal
of Physiology and Pharmacology 76, 373-380, April 1998).
Vitamin E. If deficient in vitamin E, increased free-radical-induced
damage to red-blood-cell membranes can result. In those with marginal
health status and the elderly, studies have found that vitamin-E supplementation
improves immune response. Although the optimal intake for immune health
is not known, many studies have determined a positive immune effect
with 200 to 800 mg/day dosages.
Zinc. This mineral affects many aspects of immune health. A
zinc deficiency may increase susceptibility to a variety of pathogens,
thus making it more difficult to fight infection. Zinc is essential
for the normal development and functioning of neutrophils (the most
prolific of white blood cells, playing a major role in keeping bacteria
in check) and natural killer cells (the immune system's first line
of defense.) It also helps with the production of antibodies.
Fatty acids. A diet high in omega-3 fatty acids may enhance
and balance immune function. Feeding moderate amounts of long-chain
omega-3 PUFAs eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid
(DHA) can enhance immune functions, including lymphocyte proliferation/activation,
natural killer-cell activity and macrophage activation, among other
functions (Journal of Leukocyte Biology, 71:16-32, 2002). In clinical
trials and animal models, fish-oil supplementation has resulted in
measurable beneficial effects on the immune system for rheumatoid
arthritis, ulcerative colitis, psoriasis and organ transplantation.
Although specific recommended amounts of many nutrients
in the diet may still be unknown for immune health, it is clear that
a wide range of nutrients play key roles in maintaining a healthy
immune system. Consuming a diet high in fruits, vegetables, whole
grains, nuts, seeds and herbs, along with a dose of probiotics, and
ALL ONE powdered multi-vitamin
and mineral supplement is a good start.
