The Good Immune Guide

The Good Immune Guide The immune system is the body's defence mechanism - the army with which the body protects itself. The troops that make up this army are the white blood cells. Your immune system doesn't work independently to the rest of your body and can respond positively to certain lifestyle choices and negatively to others. Avoid succumbing to bugs this winter with advice from A.Vogel's nutritional therapist, Alison Cullen, and Dr Margaret Ritchie from The University of Edinburgh. ALISON IDENTIFIES THE MAIN CULPRITS OF A WEAK IMMUNE FUNCTION EATING A LOT OF SUGAR competes with vitamin C, which is good for the immune system; so if you have heaps of sugar then you undermine your immune system. EATING LOTS OF FATTY FOODS or having a high cholesterol level makes your immune cells lazy and they lie around instead of going out on patrol. SMOKING DRINKING EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF ALCOHOL is bad for immune function as well as everything else in the body. One cigarette destroys 25mg of vitamin C and a habit of four a day can wipe out most of your RDA. is also bad for your immune cells, which get disorientated and confused just like us! NOT GETTING ENOUGH BEING SLEEP STRESSED AND UNHAPPY also means you'll have a less active and efficient lowers your immune function. The body needs a good seven hours kip to help build itself up. Poor sleep over a long period can decrease the immune function. immune response so do some things that make you happy. Watch a funny film or have a good catch up with a friend. THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION Dr Ritchie warns that ESTIMATES THAT BY 2020 stress has a huge impact on the immune system and with stress levels at a peak it's time to think about ways to relieve our worries before they spiral out of control. DEPRESSION WILL IMPOSE THE " SECOND BIGGEST HEALTH BURDEN Green tea is rich in many 1 1 chemicals that have been I shown to have health protective properties (phytochemicals). WAYS TO BOOST IMMUNITY RELAX It is very important that people can relax, or in some cases re-learn to relax in their busy lives. DRINK GREEN TEA * Practise mindfulness for ten minutes every day. ECHINACEA Mindfulness is incorporated into cancer patient programmes in Germany and has been shown to help with the recovery process. It can also boost energy levels and help you cope better with • the stresses of modern life. It is a traditional herb known to aid the body in its fight against the symptoms of cold and flu. Supplements like Echinaforce® help support the immune system, helping to maintain the body's resistance. %3D A ten minute exercise Sit in a quiet peaceful place. Focus on your breathing and centering yourself. Don't worry if a thought pops up - try not to react to it by just acknowledging it's there and letting it pass. GET SOME GENTLE EXERCISE Walking, swimming or cycling for half an hour daily can be very helpful both physically and mentally. EAT A HEALTHY PLANT-BASED DIET Be aware that excessive exercise such as that undertaken during extreme training sessions for competitive sporting activities can actually reduce the immune Plants provide plenty of immune protecting chemicals. The best superfoods are good quality organic fruit and veg like broccoli, cabbage, strawberries and carrots. response. One serving of vegetables ! can contain over a hundred different phytochemicals. How healthy are you? visit our health your immune system is for winter: avogel.co.uk/immune-system ker to find out prepared A.Vogel AVogelUK f AVogelUK