Archive for the tag 'immune boosters'

Foods That Assist Immune Responses

No engine can run without the right fuel, and this is especially true when it comes to keeping a healthy immune system. If you feed it nothing but processed food or junk food, don’t be surprised if your immune responses begin to sputter, no matter what good shape you were in to begin with. Feed it fresh foods that are known to help build up a strong immune system, and you can keep it running well. Start with chicken soup, and then move on to other immune-boosting foods.

Your biggest immune boosters when it comes to food are in fact fruits and vegetables, preferably the darkest green or most brightly colored ones. For vegetables, think of things like kale, spinach or broccoli, along with carrots or sweet potatoes. The colored veggies contain anti-oxidants, while the dark ones are good for fighting cancer. Berries also have this property, while cranberries help prevent heart disease and bladder infections. Eating a balance of these and other fruits and vegetables will help to keep your immune responses in fine trim.

Whole grains and protein are other foods that help produce a healthy immune system. Grains provide fiber to guard the intestines against infections, and are full of vitamins and minerals. Whenever you can substitute whole grains for things like pasta, rice, or potatoes, you’ll be giving your immune responses a big helping hand. And protein doesn’t have to mean just meat, but includes tofu, beans, and legumes, with a nice benefit of extra fiber. Non-vegetarians should eat organ meats and lots of fish. On the other hand, milk and cheese don’t always deliver their protein that well, because of all the difficulty that many people have in digesting them. So be sure your main sources of protein come from other things.

Other miscellaneous types of food are also good for boosting your immune responses. Certain types of mushrooms, for example, like shiitake, oyster and other Asian varieties, are recommended as immune boosters. Turmeric and ginger, as well as really enhancing the taste of your foods, will enhance your immune system as well. There are medical means of giving the system a helping hand, but in the end, eating the fresh, edible fuels nature provided to run your body is the best method of all.

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Cytokine Storm Management

A healthy immune system is your best defense against a multitude of illnesses. Some sickness can cause your immune system to become your enemy. The name for this phenomenon is a Cytokine Storm.

DEFINE A CYTOKINE STORM
Messengers in your body that regulate your immune response to sickness are called cytokines. When cytokines over-stimulate your immune system to produce an exaggerated response to a pathogen, a Cytokine Storm has begun.

Cytokine Storms can cause great physical harm. High fever, inflammation and redness along with nausea and weakness are symptoms of a cytokine storm. If the storm is concentrated in the lungs and airways, the mucus and inflammation has the potential to block airways and result in death. Many believe that the high death toll among otherwise young and healthy adults during the Spanish Flu Pandemic of 1918 was due to the Cytokine Storm response.

AVOID IMMUNE BOOSTERS DURING A CYTOKINE STORM
During a serious viral infection, immune boosting foods and herbs are best avoided. These include herbs such as Echinacea, Elderberry, Pau d’arco, Aloe Vera, and Oregano which offer temporary relief followed by more severe symptoms. Additional foods that increase cytokine production (and should be avoided during a Cytokine Storm) include: Sambucol (Elderberry juice), Spirulina and Chlorella algae, Honey, Chocolate, and Kimchi. Normally these foods are a good resource for treating less severe colds or flu but are to be avoided when the symptoms are severe.

USE ANTI-VIRALS TO ATTACK THE PATHOGEN
Use Antipathogenic herbs – also known as anti-virals – to fight a virus. Apple Cider vinegar, Eucalyptus (inhaled), Garlic, Ginger, Grapefruit Seed Extract, Mullein and Pine needles are helpful in this application.

USE IMMUNOMODULATORS TO HELP BALANCE IMMUNE RESPONSE
Foods and herbs classified as immunomodulators should be selected for use. These help to balance the immune system and bring the immune response back into normal parameters. Herbs and foods known as immunomodulators include Ginseng root, Chamomile, and Olive Leaf Extract.

WAYS TO TREAT SYMPTOMS
If you are dealing with a Cykotine Storm which has resulted in bronchial inflammation and lots of mucus, you will want to utilize herbs which are anti-inflammatory and help expel the mucus, reducing the symptoms. A list of helpful anti-inflammatories includes: Yarrow, Red Clover, Pleurisy Root, Pine Needles, Plantain, Onions, Mustard, Mullein, Marshmallow, Ginger, Curcumin (from Turmeric), Apple Cider Vinegar and Eucalyptus (inhaled).

REMEDIES
Most of these herbs can be administered in an herbal tea or in tincture form. Inhaling the steam of herbs and/or Apple Cider Vinegar simmering in water is another way to receive the beneficial properties of herbs. In a plaster, onions and mustard can yield their benefits. Onions can also be given as an ingredient in a soup. A slow heating and burning of herbs (as an incense) can release their essential oil which is carried by smoke to the lungs of those that inhale it.

Rest and plenty of fluids are also very helpful in recovery. Monitor symptoms closely and seek additional help at the first sign of a life-threatening condition.

This information is given as a reference to the reader and not considered a substitute for medical examination. The reader will exercise common sense, seek to be informed and assume all liability in the use of these methods.

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