I’ve been interested in immune system supplements for the last couple of years. It began when I got very sick from medicine which my doctor had prescribed me. It is common practice among doctors to write scripts for antibiotics for almost any condition, even when it isn’t a bacteria. In addition, they are using stronger and stronger antibiotics to treat routine infections with several bad results. One is that the bacteria are getting stronger and stronger, becoming resistant to the bodies defenses, and to even the toughest antibiotics. The other is that, taking prolonged doses of antibiotics has serious and often dire effects on health and well being. My antibiotics made me so sick that I can’t even take them for infections anymore unless I have a serious, life-threatening condition. That is why I take immune system supplements when I get sick.
I went to an herbal supplement store when I had, a few months ago, a chronic cough which I couldn’t seem to shake. After checking me out, they prescribed a variety of different immune system supplements to help me get better. They give me a tincture with echinacea and goldenseal, as well as a Chinese herbal blend, the name of which I’ve since forgotten. They also gave me lysine, which has great anti-viral properties. On top of that, they loaded me down with some throat-soothing tea, some vitamins and fish oil, and I was good to go.
The most important thing that the herbalist gave me, however, was advice. She told me that, even more important than the immune system supplements which I was taking was proper nutrition. Taking immune system supplements alone will not necessarily even help you. They are not like antibiotics which immediately mobilize the immune system to kill anything it can find. The effect of immune system supplements is more subtle. They help the body to build up its defenses, but they can not do it alone. They work best when in combination with proper nutrition and proper sleep.
Ever since then, I have been taking immune system supplements on a daily basis. I recommend that you do the same, however, you can not just take them as if you were sick. Certain immune system supplements such as echinacea lose their effectiveness when they are constantly being used. Four every month and a half on echinacea, you need at least a few weeks off of it. None the less, the immune system supplements have done wonders for maintaining my health.
The immune system is incredibly important, and most people are aware of this fact today. Having a less than healthy immune system not only boosts your chances of getting typical every day common colds and infections, but also increases you chances of developing more serious conditions such as cancer. If the HIV virus has taught us anything, its how important our immune systems are.
What’s in immune system vitamins varies a lot, but there are some common denominators. For a long time now people have noticed a connected between vitamin C and the immune system, so immune system vitamins almost always have a lot of C in them. There is also some evidence to suggest that vitamin E plays a role in the immune system, and many immune system vitamins contain it as well. Vitamins C and E are also both good antioxidants, which will help you live longer, so I pretty much stick to immune system vitamins that have a good amount of both.
More recently, it has become clear that zinc plays a crucial role in the immune system, and a lot of immune system vitamins now have it as well. This more than anything I’ve found to be very effective in avoiding or reducing the longevity of a cold. Once immune system vitamin brand I like is ‘Cold-Ez’. They make immune system vitamin supplements that have C, E, and Zinc all wrapped up in little candy like lozenges. Well, okay, so they don’t exactly taste like candy, but I swear by their effectiveness.
Whenever I feel myself coming down with something or just find myself around a lot of sick people I take a lot of immune system vitamins and it really seems to help. I can’t remember the last time I actually got a cold. I used to get colds almost every time I took a plane anywhere as well, but I’ve found that using an immune system vitamin or lozenge before boarding does the trick. Of course, getting enough sleep and avoiding stress is extremely helpful as well. Now if there was just a pill or lozenge that could lower stress and substitute for sleep!
There are many things you can do if you are concerned with boosting immune system function. Many people suffer from weak immune systems which can cause them to become more prone to infections and illness. If you are one of the people who have to deal with this than you should research methods of boosting immune system function to give yourself a fighting chance against the next burst of common colds or influenza that infects your area.
Eating healthy foods is one of the easiest ways to boosting immune system function. If a person is constantly eating fast foods or foods that contain little nutrient value that doesn’t work in conjunction with boosting immune system function.
There are specific foods that experts believe help with boosting immune system performance. Foods that are rich in Vitamin C and also those that have large amounts of Vitamin E are thought to work towards boosting immune system function. These vitamins are readily found in many foods and therefore it’s not difficult to incorporate them into the diet.
Garlic is also thought to work towards boosting immune system functions. Although some people claim that taking a garlic supplement helps, if you prefer the taste of garlic it’s easy to add garlic to many dishes including soups, sauces and salads.
Diet isn’t the only way to boosting immune system performance. Regular exercise also plays an important role.
In addition to boosting immune system function exercise can also benefit your mental health. When you keep your body moving your mind will stay clear and you’ll be fighting off depression as well.
Stress levels also play a part in boosting immune system operation. When a person is involved in a stressful situation this can lead to their immune system becoming compromised. Many people who are dealing with the loss of a job or a death will often find themselves also battling a cold, the flu or an infection. It’s important to take extra steps to reduce stress and when that’s not possible, it’s vital that you take extra vitamins and eat properly.
Sleep is essential to a healthy lifestyle. A good night’s sleep also helps with boosting immune system functioning. In the busy world of long work hours and the demands of home and family it can be difficult to get enough sleep each night. This can lead to a run down feeling and a lack of energy. When a person is lacking enough sleep they become much more susceptible to picking up illnesses.
Boosting immune system function can be done with just a few steps. Your immune system will respond to a healthier diet, exercise and a reduction in stress. You owe it to yourself and those who care for you to do what you can to stay on a healthy course.
Obviously, a great tool reported to help improve immunity is to use the QuWave Harmonizer!