Strengthening Your Immune System
December 07th, 2004
By Sal Roach
Fighting infections before they arrive is the best way to stay health in the
winter months.
The winter months are bringing with them an increase in viruses and various
epidemics. The flu and common cold are gripping many Americans, causing them to
loose valuable time by having to run to the store to buy medicine that will not
help, because, in truth, there is no cure for either of those things. Vaccines
are in great demand but short supply, and with many Americans without Health
Insurance, there needs to be another way.
There is: Prevention.
Strengthening your immune system is really the best way to fight infection in these
months when the elements are clearly against you.
The best way to protect yourself is to increase your intake of veggies and fruits.
No, that tomato and lettuce you had on your burger does not count. Fresh,
uncooked natural fruits and veggies have the vitamins and minerals to boost the
protective wall that is your immune system. If you can, try to eat raw foods in
about 85 percent of your meals for about a week. Cut out processed foods that
contain a lot of sugar. Also, decrease your meat intake during these months.
I know it keep you warm, but the grease and fat are tearing down what protects
you the most.
If you are a smoker or a drinker, you should be reading this carefully. We know
you are not going to give that up, but if you insist on putting that poison in
your body, make sure you are supplementing it with good nutrition. Quitting
smoking in the New Year may be exactly what you need.
Holiday parties call for increased alcohol intake. This damages your liver and
in turn, makes it very difficult for you to replenish your essential minerals and
immune fighting agents. The reason drinkers are always sick is because they have
no protection against dangerous infections. Also, the lethargy gained with too
much consumption does not allow for exercise, which also is an essential agent
in blocking infection and strengthening your immune system.
Now some of you may have needed to pick up an extra job in order to pick up all
the presents and holiday goodies you need. Make sure you are getting between
6-8 hours of sleep a night. Take a nap when you can, even if it’s for a
few minutes. Your body needs time to regenerate itself. Pulling all
nighter’s in search of Santa’s Rain Deer will leave you sick and
crawling around the chimney come Christmas morning.
If you are feeling stressed out, you need to find some way to control that
other than with drugs or distractions. Do some inner work, meditation and
stretching to relive some of your stressful ways. If not, the activity of
your white blood cells, a main helper in protecting you, can go way down,
allowing in all the airborne diseases to infiltrate your body.
While rest and relaxation are great, too much of it can actually hurt the flow
of blood in your body and decrease the effectiveness of your immune system.
If you have the opportunity to trade massages with someone, especially a
massage of the lower back, this can loosen up the joints, and also help to
prevent stress, as well as decrease isolation, which can also lower your
resistance.
Be aware of your inner workings at all times, especially in these months.
Once you get sick, it can be hard to shake, so make sure to take measures of
prevention before you are infected.
If you would like more information on how to guard against infections with
natural vitamins and minerals, feel free to visit our online directory for
more information.
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