| Humans are resilient creatures, intricately designed | | | | glutathione, carotenoids and bioflavenoids are a |
| from conception to fight off illness and disease. | | | | good choice. Co-enzyme Q10 is a fantastic |
| Newborn babies, whose own immunity maps are | | | | addition to your immune booster, but, only some |
| completely blank, utilize their mothers' antibodies | | | | immune boosters contain this due to the hefty |
| for the first few months of their lives, giving | | | | price of the raw product. |
| them the protection they need. But our busy | | | | |
| lifestyles, stress, fatigue and even the winter chill, | | | | When it comes to herbs, your best options are |
| all tend to give our immune system a knock | | | | immune boosters that contain echinacea, |
| when we least need, or expect it. | | | | golden-seal, red clover, wild olive, wild olive leaf |
| | | | | extract and cat's claw. |
| It might surprise you to learn that there are more | | | | |
| bugs in and on you than there are cells in your | | | | Your Immune Booster |
| body. But, that doesn't mean we get ill all the | | | | |
| time. You get sick when your body is tired and | | | | How often you take your immune boosters |
| stressed. It's for this reason that your immune | | | | depends on your current health situation. Experts |
| system needs to be in top shape. Taking an | | | | agree that antioxidants and vitamin C can be used |
| immune booster is one way of helping it stay that | | | | for long periods of time. If you don't take them |
| way. In layman's terms, immune boosters are | | | | as part of an ongoing supplement regime, you |
| substances (herbal or high-dose vitamins) that are | | | | start during the winter months at a dosage of |
| able to help fight off infection. | | | | once or twice a day. This dosage can be upped |
| | | | | to four times a day when your immune system |
| In conventional medicine there is a fixed viewpoint | | | | is compromised; you are surrounded by flu-or |
| that your body cannot heal itself. Pharmaceuticals | | | | cold-ridden adults or children, or you are travelling |
| are prescribed, but these tend to provide either a | | | | overseas. Increase your need when your |
| support or replacement therapy, rather than heal | | | | immunity is compromised, such as with heavy |
| the body. Naturopaths, on the other hand, believe | | | | exercise, high stress or the first sign of a chill. |
| that natural remedies, such as immune boosters, | | | | Take a combined total 1 200mg of buffered |
| can help stimulate the body's healing mechanisms. | | | | vitamin C, spread out over every two hours, |
| They are a tool to help our bodies heal, as | | | | when your system is low. |
| opposed to being a crutch. | | | | |
| | | | | When it comes to herbs, in particular echinacea, |
| And, it's not just colds and flu that you'll be | | | | you should 'punch' these when you feel the need. |
| keeping at bay by regularly taking an immune | | | | Long-term echinacea usage tends to cause |
| booster. Cancer, one of the world's biggest killers, | | | | tachyphylasis (acute tolerance). In other words, |
| is an immune disease. The right immune boosters | | | | the more you take it, the more your body gets |
| can slow down or target the cancer areas. | | | | used to it and the less effective it will be. Experts |
| | | | | suggest you take immune boosters once or twice |
| What to look for in your Immune Booster | | | | a day as a maintenance dose, and four times a |
| | | | | day as a preventative dose. |
| When it comes to vitamins, the old adage, | | | | |
| ‘you get what you pay for', applies. It usually | | | | Foods can also be immune-boosting. Fresh fruits |
| pans out that the pricier your vitamin, the better | | | | and vegetables, organic where possible. Berries |
| the product, although there are always | | | | (especially black and blueberries) are particularly |
| exceptions. | | | | high in antioxidants. |
| | | | | |
| Your vitamin should contain a mix of buffered | | | | Surprisingly, beef (and in particular lean beef) is a |
| vitamin C, antioxidants and herbs. The key is in | | | | great immune-boosting food as it is rich in zinc. |
| the combination of antioxidants. Research done on | | | | Other immune-boosting foods include sweet |
| one antioxidant in isolation is 'fooled research', as | | | | potatoes, carrots, squash, mushrooms, green tea, |
| antioxidants need to be taken in conjunction with | | | | yoghurts containing live bacteria, broccoli, |
| each other, to give you the best benefits. Look | | | | cauliflower and garlic. Whole foods rather than |
| on the packaging of your immune booster to see | | | | juices are preferable, although a vitamin-enriched |
| what it contains. A combination of vitamins A, C, | | | | smoothie could be a tasty way to get the |
| E, zinc, selenium, lipoic acid, pycnogenol and | | | | nutraceuticals your body needs. |