You and your immune system

Wednesday 2nd December 2009 4:05pm

Immune system

Most people are familiar with the function of the immune system. In its simplest form it is the mechanism by which your body fights off infections caused by bacteria or viruses.

Generally we all are well aware of when it isn’t functioning as well as it should be.

Most commonly you start to get the sniffles and sneezes however there are a number of other signs of an immune system gone wrong.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a case in point where the body actually starts to recognise parts of itself as foreign and starts to mobilise its defences against itself.

Other possible examples of the immune system gone bad include some types of anaemia and diabetes.

Thankfully though for the bulk of the population our immune system works well within limits and we only get minor infections.

The interesting thing about the immune system is that it isn’t based in a single organ like say the liver or kidneys. It is a complex interaction between many parts of the body including lymph system, the spleen, blood and the bone marrow.

Keeping it in good order is therefore more complex than for other systems.

You can exercise your muscular system for example but how do you exercise you immune system to keep it fit?

Generally speaking keeping your immune system in good order means looking after yourself more widely like making sure that you get sufficient rest, use alcohol and other drugs in moderation, exercise, keep your weight within acceptable levels, try and avoid stress and eat as well as you can.

If you want to give your immune system a boost there are some herbs and vitamins that can help out too. These include:

Dandelion and milk thistle which help cleanse the liver
Garlic which relieves congestion and has anti-viral and anti-bacterial functions
Vitamin C is essential for formation of skin and collagen an important first defence against attack. It is also important for the formation of white blood cells which target invading pathogens.
Antioxidants like A,C,E, selenium and CoQ-10 all help mop up free radicals which can damage the immune system.
Echinacea and olive leaf extract are both immune system stimulants
Zinc is also important because it aids healing which reduces the likelihood of invasion by pathogens.

As a final word look after yourself and support your immune system when it needs a boost with sensible supplementation and you can look forward to more days free of the inconvenience of an immune system that is out of kilter.

Herb Valley products that might help you:

Co Enzyme Q10
Natural Vitamin E
Garlic - Odourless
Garlic Oil
Sodium Ascorbate Powder
Zinc

This information is not intended as a substitute for qualified medical advice. Please consult a properly qualified health care practitioner.