Summer is a fun time with weddings, graduations, vacations,
clam bakes, barbecues, family reunions and back yard parties.
Unfortunately, summertime is also a common time for people
to get SICK! Many of us are stressed
with multiple commitments, traveling on germ-loaded airplanes, lacking sleep,
eating not-so-healthy foods and drinking more alcohol than usual…all of which
depress your immune system functioning and invite a cold to come knocking.
But the good news is there are seven very effective measures
you can take to help your body fight off a cold or other respiratory
infection:
Cold Fighting Strategy #1: Vitamin C
Vitamin C boosts your immune system by helping to increase
the production of infection-fighting white blood cells and antibodies. It also increases your level of interferon, which is the antibody that
coats cell surfaces, preventing the entry of viruses.
Good sources include parsley, broccoli, bell peppers,
avocado, strawberries, oranges, lemon juice, papaya, cauliflower, kale, mustard
greens and Brussels sprouts.
You can also buy
Vitamin C supplements just about anywhere.
2,000-3,000 mg a day is the typical suggested dosage.
Cold Fighting Strategy #2: Vitamin E
Although it's not as popular as Vitamin C, Vitamin E plays
an important role in the health of your immune system too.
The main cells of your immune system are T cells and B
cells. Helper T cells patrol your body,
waiting to attack a dangerous invader.
Regulatory T cells protect your healthy cells. And B cells create antibodies when you do get
sick to help prevent that sickness from entering again.
As you age, your T cells and B cells don't work as well as
they used to, so your immune system is weaker.
But Vitamin E has been shown in studies to significantly increase T cell
and B cell activity, thereby making your immune system stronger.
Good sources are spinach, Swiss chard, turnip greens,
mustard greens, cayenne pepper, almonds, sunflower seeds, asparagus and bell
peppers.
Vitamin E supplements are also readily available. 400- 600 IUs per day is recommended.
Cold Fighting Strategy #3: Garlic
Garlic is a natural immune system booster. It stimulates the production of
infection-fighting white cells and enhances the efficiency of antibody
production.
There's a catch, though:
To get the full benefits of garlic, you have to eat it raw.
Typical garlic pills, tablets, oils and capsules, especially
the odorless ones, usually have had the active enzymes in the garlic that
provide the health benefits processed out.
But never fear--there are a great many ways to enjoy garlic
and get its full immune system charge (more on that below).
Cold Fighting Strategy #4: Oregano
The oils in this delicious spice include thymol and
carvacrol, both of which have been shown to inhibit the growth of dangerous
bacteria.
In addition to enjoying oregano in Italian and Mediterranean
dishes, oil of oregano is also available at health food stores and many grocery
stores.
Plus here is a recipe for a delicious dip that will give you
a dose of both garlic AND oregano, plus Vitamin C-rich avocado—you’ll be the
hit of the party if you bring this for an appetizer!
Avocado Feta Salsa
- 1 large avocado, chopped
- 2 plum tomatoes, diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
- 1-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 4 oz. crumbled Feta cheese
Chop avocado and tomato in a large bowl. Add next 6
ingredients. Toss to coat, then fold in Feta cheese.
Serve with raw vegetable dippers or organic tortilla chips.
Cold Fighting Strategy #5: Zinc
Similar to garlic, this powerhouse mineral increases the
production of infection-fighting white blood cells, and helps white cells
release more antibodies.
Good sources of zinc include beef, oysters, crab, turkey,
scallops, oats, yogurt, venison and spinach.
Note that although zinc supplements and lozenges are
available, too much zinc can backfire on you and inhibit your immune
system. It's best to aim for 15-25 mg a
day which you can easily get from a healthy diet.
Cold Fighting Strategy #6: Probiotics
Nothing enhances your immune system like a healthy dose of
the same beneficial bacteria that reside in your gut and house about 70 percent
of that immune system!
The key is taking a probiotic supplement that has a wide
variety of bacteria to help you in different ways.
Super Shield contains 13 potent strains of beneficial
bacteria, each of which has its own specialty
on how it enhances your health and helps strengthen your immune system to
better fight colds and many other illnesses and diseases too!
Cold Fighting Strategy #7: Eating real foods
You can take all the immune-enhancing supplements on the
planet, but if your diet is poor, you're cutting your own throat in these 3
ways:
- A poor diet creates excessive acid waste in your body, which impairs nutrient absorption. So any supplements you do take can pass right through you.
- A poor diet (especially refined carbs) nourishes the harmful bacteria in your gut, while starving the helpful ones. This can make your immune system function practically non-existent.
- A poor diet also encourages an acidic pH. When your body is in a state of acidity, it can't effectively heal itself or fight illnesses.
Now, if you think having a healthy diet sounds about as
exciting as watching grass grow, you're in luck.
The Great Taste No Pain manuals will teach you how to
structure delicious meals featuring real
foods that not only taste good but are good FOR you.
Plus the recipe section is jam-packed with scrumptious
dishes, many of which feature immune-enhancing oregano and garlic, as well as
natural dietary sources of Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Zinc.
Put these 7 Cold
Fighting Strategies to work for you and see how good YOU can feel this
summer!
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