TIPS BALANCE YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM
The immune system is more complicated than some of our other organ systems. For one thing, it isn’t located in just one area, or a few organs, like the digestive or urinary systems. It is throughout our body. It consists of several levels of defence. Some of these are:
– Mucous membranes, such as those lining the respiratory and intestinal tracts, which form mechanical barriers to pathogens and other harmful invaders.
– Skin with the acid mantle that inhibits bacterial growth
– Cilia- tiny little hairs that trap and move contaminants to locations where they can be removed or destroyed
– Gastric juices, such as HydroChloric (HCl ) Acid, which destroys pathogens in the stomach. A good example of this is that when we travel to tropical destinations where different bugs, such as dysentery, can cause whatever particular ailment is connected with that region, be it Mexican Montezuma’s Revenge, or Thailand Trots.
HCl Acid , such as is found in NSP’s full spectrum Digestive Enzymes, or Protein Digestive Aid, helps us to avoid these problems.As many people over the age of 20 years are deficient in HCl Acid, these supplements give the extra boost needed to kill of bugs that enter through food and water. Our family won’t go travelling tropical without them. OK – back to more levels of our immune system.
– Tears and saliva contain enzymes to destroy microorganisms.
– Lymphatic system transports white blood cells (WBC’s) where they are needed, act as a back lane garbage collector for bacteria, viruses, and undigested proteins. Lymph nodes, which are strategically located throughout our body, are like filtering stations where toxins are dumped for purification and breakdown.
– Bone marrow creates WBCs. They then travel to different parts of the body to mature and differentiate into Lymphocytes, monocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils, or basophil, B Cells or T cells. Each cell performs different important functions to protect our immunity. These cells are vigilant for our health 24/7, comparable to our Department National Defence, except we don’t have to pay taxes to keep them going and updated! We don’t even need to give them orders, they figure it out for themselves when they are balanced. We do need to pay them in other ways though, if we expect them to carry out their functions effectively.
These are some of the essential things we can do to help them do their jobs.
1. Feed them properly. When we fill our bodies with wholesome food and pure water, our body can produce healthy cells. This means ensuring that our diet provides the complete myriad of vitamins, macro minerals, like Calcium, Magnesium and Potassium, trace minerals like Selenium, Chromium and about 74 others, amino acids, which are the building blocks that come from proteins, all the phytochemicals that science is just begun to identify such as lutein, xeanthanine, several hundred flavonoids, etc. etc. If this sounds all too complicated – it is! That’s why I personally don’t believe that scientists are ever going to be able to reproduce what nature has already provided us with – because they will never be able to do it in the same way! That’s why those of us who work in this field and with Nature’s Sunshine, all believe in the power of herbs and nutrition, which take care of providing us with this natural complex chemical cocktail.
Even though we may eat a healthy diet, full of fruit, vegetables, whole grains and legumes, we must understand that we may not get all the nutrients due to the fact that many of our growing soils have become depleted of minerals. Therefore the crops are lacking and this is why we supplement to get our necessary requirements.
We may also not be digesting foods efficiently due to lack of enzymes, or due to problems assimilating the nutrients, which can be caused by a number of conditions, such as Irritable Bowel, Leaky Gut, inadequate villi action in the small intestines.etc.
Our family uses a daily maintenance with a complete antioxidant, vitamin, mineral and omega supplement keeps you in health! All this is available in Super Trio. For a handout about Super ask for “Daily Maintenance” via email: takethenaturalpath@gmail.com
2. Next aid for our immune system is to provide time to do its job and rebuild. This includes physical, mental emotional and spiritual rest and relaxation. This down time is when our body can focus energy on attacking invaders and building healthy new cells with the nourishment we just mentioned in #1. Recent studies show most North Americans are chronically sleep deprived. Regular bed time hours, calming music or reading before bed, as opposed to stimulating TV shows, will help children and adults fall into their refreshing slumberland more easily.
It is also important for everyone to have some free time, that is unscheduled time. With children especially, “daydreaming time” , where they don’t have to be at a lesson or scheduled lesson or activity, provides them with time to assimilate the lessons they are been given in life.
3. Third, exercise is essential for healthy immunity, because of the lymphatic system. This is another crucial part of the immune system. The lymphatic fluid is only moved through the action of muscular movements. Even 15 minutes of exercise increases oxygen flow and increases WBC cell in your blood!
In all aspects of natural healing, we need to look at balance. For the immune system this means building up or stimulating an under-active or weakened immune system OR, calming an over-active or stressed immune system.
Under-active or weakened means your system does not mount an effect defence against invaders to which we are all exposed, every breathing moment of our lives. We can call these invaders by many different names: germs, bacteria, viruses, micro-organisms, fungi, parasites, yeasts, or pathogens. For simplicity sake I am going to refer to all of the above as germs.
A critical point to understand is that it is not a matter of not being exposed to these germs when someone sneezes on us – it is fact that we are continuously exposed to germs. They are in our air, water, and food – they’re here, they’re there – they’re everywhere, as the saying goes! The important part is that our body’s immune system can effectively manage them, so they do not overwhelm us.
Think of germs as flies looking for something to eat – if they find it in our house (body) they stay – if they don’t they go looking for a house (body) where they will find some junk to eat. They are not the cause of the disease – they are the agent that is attracted to clean it up. So those runny noses, fevers, diarrhea, coughs, even vomiting are all attempts to rid the body of accumulated toxins.
4. Herbs can help in two ways: one is to keep the immune system strong, so it does not allow the germs to get the upper hand. Secondly, if the germs do start to do their work, herbs can aid them to do it faster , while making it more comfortable for us to get through the cleansing disease process.
On the other end of the pendulum, we have an over-active immune system, one which is attacking itself. This can result in illnesses such as Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis, and Rheumatoid Arthritis. In this case, the natural treatment is to work with herbal adaptogens, which help the body adapt to stress and bring it back into balance. This is where the Chinese Tonics excel.
We’re now going to look at some of the protocols our Associates have found to be the best to help the immune system do what it has to do.
Astragalus is a herb with a long tradition of strengthening and balancing immunity. It does this by supporting T-cell function by increasing the bone marrow reserves of WBC. According to Dr. Jack Ritchason, Astragalus also increases interferon levels and the levels of antibodies in our blood. Studies have shown that it has doubled the life of cancer patients being treated by chemo and radiation, and as it supports the adrenals, it aids in recovery from illness and surgery. Astragalus can be effective for both under and over immune systems, as it is a tonic adaptogen herb. You will hear a fair bit about this herb tonight. Besides being available as a single herb, it is also in some of the following combinations.
Another immune supporting combination is Nature’s Sunshine Cat’s Claw Combination. This herbal blend combines the best known immune enhancers from 3 continents: Cat’s Claw (Una de Gato) from South America, Echinacea from North America, and again Astragalus, from Asia. Cat’s Claw combo, in addition to some of the uses of Astragalus mentioned previously, has a particular affinity for the intestinal tract, and is therefore helpful for conditions of candida, diverticulitis and colitis.
Garlic has been known and used by Russian medical doctors for centuries, earning it the name “Russian penicillin”. It can effectively treat bacterial and fungal infections, expel parasites, worms and vampires. (see if anyone is listening to you). Nature’s Sunshine has never made an odourless garlic, as they feel odourless is useless, and they have the history and diagnostic lab tests to prove it! They have figures out an ingenious way to keep the potency without the negative effects of the infamous’garlic breath’. Each tablet is coated with a chlorophyll coating that only breaks down in the pH of the small intestine- thus reducing odor on the breath, yet maintaining the potency. One tablet of this High Potency Garlic is the equivalent of one large, fresh clove of garlic, picked at its optimum strength.
Herbasaurus Elderberry Plus is one of the most popular products for boosting immunity for children. Like some children’s supplements, it is in a tasty, chewable tablet – even the shape of a dinosaur. Unlike most children’s chewables though, it has no artificial coloring, artificial flavoring, artificial sweeteners, or chemically based coatings.
Elderberries contain potent antioxidants, promotes perspiration to help alleviate fever and has a specific affinity for the respiratory system. It is combined with astragalus, which you’ve now heard for the third time, as well as Reishi mushroom. Reishi inhibits bacteria and helps the immune system combat viruses.
HRP-C is a Chinese anti-viral formula that was developed to deal with major viruses such as Herpes and AIDS. It is very effective against these, as well as the viruses that cause common colds and flus. Both glycerine extracts and capsules are available for all ages.
Silver Guard Liquid and Silver Gel are incredible products that are capable of killing just about every microbe known – within 6 minutes of contact. INCLUDING H1N1; ALL SWINE, AVIAN AND OTHER FLUS! See other articles and testimonials about these on the blog, or email for peer reviewed studies: takethenaturalpath@gmail.com
In our office we work with many other supplements to help balance the immune system. We use over 200 other products that can help deal with specific challenges, but the ones I have mentioned will help the majority of people get on the right track to a more balanced immune system.
If you have any immune challenges, or are concerned about the upcoming flu season, or considering dangerous alternatives such as the vaccine, PLEASE, do yourself a favour and contact us first! takethenaturpath@gmail.com
Let’s do a quick review of what we have covered:
The immune system needs to be balanced, that means, not under or over active. Some of the most important considerations to achieve this are:
- Diet
- Rest, relaxation, stress reduction
- Exercise
- Herbal aids to balance immunity
For children:
Daily Maintenance: the Herbasaurus line for children is one of the easiest ways to keep your child healthy- Kid’s pack includes Elderberry Plus for immune strengthening, as well as a balanced Multi Vitamin and Mineral to help meet everyday needs. As part of the Kid’s Pak, you also receive a Children’s Bifidophulus, which gives your children the correct species of probiotics, for healthy intestinal function.
First sign of any infection: Silver Shield Liquid or HRP extract .
For adults:
Daily Maintenance: Super Trio and at least one bottle of Astragalus or Cat’s Claw Combination for everyday immune balancing, increase in energy and for dealing with everyday stress.
First sign of any infection: Silver Shield Liquid or HRP-C -have them on hand!
Health and Blessings from our office to your home!