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Supporting Your Immune System

Immunity is the ability to resist infection or illness.  Throughout our body, we can find immune cells that are designed to block invading pathogens and substances that pose any potential threat to our health.  These immune cells are produced in the bone marrow and stored in the spleen and thymus, then travel through our bloodstream patrolling our organs and tissues, protecting us from any intruders.

The immune system protects the body using two types of immunity.  One is the innate or nonspecific immunity.  Examples of the innate immune system are:

• Cough reflex

• Enzymes in our tears and skin oils

• Mucus

• Skin

• Stomach acid

The second immunity is called adaptive immunity which is a direct response to a specific immune stimulus that includes the memory of a specific antigen and defined by responses carried out by different classes of lymphocytes called B cells and T cells.

Along with healthy lifestyle choices in diet and exercise, an important part of supporting your daily immune regime is to make sure to have on hand daily immune tonic herbs and supplements. Below are just a few that can offer that support.

• Herbal tonic teas

• Elderberry

• Echinacea

• Olive Leaf

• Vitamin D3

• Vitamin C

• Zinc

• Daily Multi

• Probiotics

• Medicinal Mushrooms

• Quercetin

• Herbal tonic teas – Traditional means of preparing herbs for health for all practical purposes. Effective in the introduction to herbal remedies.

• Elderberry – Supports upper respiratory.  Stimulates the immune system. Antiviral components called Sambucus nigra agglutinins can block receptor sites on certain strains of flu viruses which keep the viruses from infecting other cells.

• Echinacea – Supports the immune system by activating macrophages that are directly involved in the destruction of bacteria, viruses, and other infectious agents.  Increases production of interferon.  

• Olive Leaf – Antiviral compound through its ability to penetrate infected cells and stop viral replication.  Effective against antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

• Vitamin D3 – Enhances immunity and is necessary for thyroid function.  Maintains healthy levels of calcium in the blood and increases calcium absorption from the digestive tract.  Best taken with K2.

• Vitamin C –Antioxidant that is required for at least 300 metabolic functions in the body, including production of interferon, an important immune system protein.

• Zinc – Promotes a healthy immune system.  Enhances acuity of taste and smell.  Protects the liver from chemical damage.  Vital for bone formation

• Daily Multi – Helpful in supplying necessary daily requirement of essential vitamins and minerals if your daily diet is lacking in any nutrients.

• Probiotics – Friendly bacteria that keep your entire body working well and balanced by supporting your immune system and benefiting the health of your microbiome -- a diverse community of your own unique microbes.

• Medicinal Mushrooms – Unique polysaccharides that have immune-enhancing properties from beta-glucans. 

• Quercetin – Bioflavonoid.  Antioxidant found to block destructive structural changes in cells.  Inhibits the synthesis of enzymes that can cause allergic reactions.  Antiviral activity.

Juanita's January Wellness Blog