Nutrition And Immunity In Children

Often in first signs of cold parents complain on weak immunity of child imagining badly what signs of illness exactly should cause anxiety. Does your child get diseased with influenza 3 – 4 times a year?

Most likely, in this case there is no need to worry and interfere with process of immunity formation in child. As general strengthening procedures may be recommended cold training of the body, walkings on fresh air and in children over 3 years old taking of natural botanical medicines based on Echinacea juice.

Day regimen
When sleep, rest, exercises, studies, work and food intake occur at one and the same time, then for the body it is easier to turn from one activity to another and there is consumed much less energy. Rhythmic cycle helps the body to effectively recuperate, optimally react on stress and changes, therefore child with an accurate and cozy regimen has more capabilities to meet an attack of bacteria and viruses.

Nutrition
First of all, for adequate development child should consume animal proteins and fats. For cold prevention it is good to eat onion and garlic – natural products containing phytoncides - and also vegetables, fruits and berries of red, orange and green color which do contain great amount of vitamin C.

It is better to avoid flavor enhancer, colorants and synthetic vitamins because they do give an additional load on body systems, provoke allergic reactions and do overload child's immunity because they are taken for a long time without taking into consideration individual needs.

Sugar also overloads immune system, helps to wash away from the body all vitamins and microelements and it would be better to exclude it from baby foods. It is good when meals take place at one and the same time as this helps body to better digest foods.

Children's Immunity

One of most important tasks of all parents is care about strengthening their children's immunity because immunity is the base of human health throughout the whole life from birth to decay.

In order to find out how to develop and strengthen child's body defences it is necessary to know nature and mechanisms of immunity. Immunity is the ability of body to effectively resist the action of foreign microorganisms, for example, viruses and bacteria that cause infectious diseases.

There are two types of immunity:

• specific immunity that develops after past diseases, for example, rubella or measles. This immunity type may be developed for the whole life or for some time depending on the disease.
• non-specific immunity that develops in a baby during pregnancy.

From mother's breast milk child gets antibodies to infectious disease which mother had. It means that child on breast feeding has passive immunity and this is very important in first months of life because in this period proper immune system only starts working. 

Therefore, when mother gets cold she needs to continue to feed child with her breast to give antibodies to baby. WHO recommends to feed baby up to two years or even more. Growth factors presented solely in female milk help baby's immune system develop normally.
 

Bifidus factor and lactoferrin presented in mother's milk do increase healthy bifido and lactic bacteria in bowels and reduce growth of pathogenic flora which strengthens child's immunity and lowers liability to colds. Breast feeding cannot 100% guarantee no diseases, but healthy gastrointestinal tract and calm emotional atmosphere in family lower likelihood of getting sick.

5 Effective Ways to Boost Your Immunity

1. Reduce stress in your life
Stress may have positive effects as it is a kind of training before real run, however excess of stress has negative effects and does great damage to your body. Health experts claim that stress decreases immunity and this makes body vulnerable to diseases. Learn to relax and occupy yourself with things you really like. This would have positive effects on your nervous system.

2. Enjoy regular sex
Remember that sex not only relaxes your body and gives pleasure, it also boosts your immunity. Studies showed that regular sexlife (ideally, with permanent partner) is a key to strong health. Latest study examined the connection between health of middle-aged people and sexual activity. Researchers came to the conclusion that people who lead regular sexlife have significantly better health condition than those who make sex rarely.

3. Smile more, laugh more
Researchers tried to find a connection between body protective functions and laugh. It turned out that those who truly laughed during watching cartoons showed immune functions increase.

4. Lead an active life
Regular exercises and generally physical activity do greatly train heart and persistence, they help to increase protective functions of the body and immunity. Spend 15 minutes each day for making exercises. Ideally, spend one hour three times a week.

5. Take up a family pet
Dog is called man's friend for a reason. Among with other pets dog brings a man joy and does not let him seat at one place but instead to move, thus helping to improve human health. It was proved that in these people blood pressure and cholesterol levels get normalized, heart health and vessels health get improved.

What Happens When a Virus Enters Your Body

When virus enters human body it starts to fight against the virus, at the beginning at level of non-specific immunity then do appear antibodies. Antibodies do neutralize virus and the disease finishes.

However, it is not so easy as it looks at the first sight. In some cases during the time necessary for antibodies production the virus manages to cause many destructions in the body which leads to severe complications. Sometimes virus enters the human body, infects particular cells and stops his existence. It means that virus is in the body and it really is found in particular cells but this causes no disease – virus does not multiply, it stays in the cell waiting until the immunity weakens.

If virus is able to actively multiply it quickly leads to death and destruction of cell he captured. From destroyed cell they get into blood where antibodies are waiting for them. Thus it happens that active viruses cause acute contagious diseases (rubella, measles, mumps) which last all the time that body needs for antibodies production.

Terms for antibodies production are absolutely determined and as a rule it is 5 – 10 days, therefore it always may be said how long a man will be diseased with measles and when the rash would disappear. The doctor always knows after how many days a patient diseased with rubella would feel better. So if influenza lasts three weeks it means that it is not influenza.

The fact that viruses are found in cells of human body determines major complications in treatment of any viral infection. It is very difficult to destroy virus and leave the cell alive. Not surprisingly, there are few antiviral medications and all of them them are quite specific – it means they act against a particular virus (for example, Tamiflu acts against viruses of group A) or group of viruses (Acyclovir -  against all herpes viruses). It is clear that main principle of viral infections treatment is to help body to fight the virus.

Remedy Against Melanoma Found In Immunity

American scientists have developed a new method to treat melanoma which was successfully tested on mice.

What melanoma is
Melanoma is a cancerous growth on the skin that is developed from pigment cells containing melanin. Externally melanoma resembles a usual mole, however, there exist particular signs that help to define  cancerous growth. Unlike mole, cancerous growth is a non-symmetric formation with irregular edges and its diameter is more than 5mm. In some cases inoffensive mole which did not show itself for years  may turn into melanoma.

Signs that mole turns into melanoma:

• size increase
• color change
• reshaping
• itching
• ulceration
• bleeding

Major factor leading to melanoma development is action of ultraviolet irradiation.

What are the dangers of melanoma?
Major danger of melanoma is that even small tumors give metastasis into all organs and tissues of the body. The process of metastasis formation presents spreading of cancerous cells via lymphatic and blood vessels. When cancerous cells get into healthy organs and tissues they start multiplying which significantly aggravates treatment and the prognosis for treatment.

History of the research
Watching the mice which had no genes responding for production of special type of immune cells – T helper 17 cells., scientists found that in those mice melanoma was not developed. Thus appeared a hypothesis that blocking of signal path of T helper 17 cells would help to stop tumor growth. Besides this, scientists found that in mice bodies was presented a specific substance called interleukine that is formed under the action of other immune cells – T helper 9 cells.

Essence of the research
The research was performed on mice in which scientists modeled melanoma. As a treatment, scientists injected T helper 9 cells in mice. It turned out that immune therapy helps to slow down tumor growth. Besides this, scientists discovered that in a healthy man T helper 9 cells are found in blood and skin while in melanoma this type of immune system cells is absent or is found in small amounts.

Results of the research
Today is actively developed a new method of cancer treatment called immune therapy. Results of the latest study tell about success of usage drugs stimulating immune system in patients with melanoma. Scientists hope that data obtained will help to perform new studies to evaluate the role of T helper 9 cells in cancer treatment.

Lack of Sleep and the Immune System

A group of researchers from Great Britain and Netherlands studied how human body reacts on lack of sleep. Like stress, lack of sleep (including chronic one) has negative effects on the immune system. 

During stress human body starts to produce granulocytic cells, a kind of leukocytes. Lack of sleep has the same effects. It was proved by a study in which participated 15 young people who slept 8 hours  daily during a week, after which they did not sleep for 29 hours.

Tests have shown that 29 hours of insomnia provoked not only increase in production of granulocytic cells but also break in rhythm of renewal of white blood cells. It was proved that lack of sleep may cause different diseases such as obesity, diabetes and increased blood pressure.

Researchers also say that chronic lack of sleep leads to absorption of body immune system. In the very near future they intend to make one more study during which they plan to study body reaction on stress at molecular level in order to understand how exactly lack of sleep provokes different diseases.

Scientists consider that results of the study are an occasion to overview schedule of work in professions which are connected with long periods of awakenings, for example, where people work in rotating teams.

How To Fight Summer Cold

It is considered that colds are winter problems. In fact, 20% cold-related diseases occur in summer months. To catch a cold in heat is not just an annoying confusion. Specialists say summer colds are more dangerous than winter ones because summer symptoms are not so manifestative. Many people do not pay attention to sore throat and running nose and therefore even do not try to treat them. So they feel sick for a longer time.

There exists another cause. Upper respiratory tract infections together with sore throat, cough, running nose, temperature increase are caused by parainfluenza viruses, coronaviruses and rhinoviruses. They circulate all the year round but in summer time enterovirus joins them and it shows with rash on skin and diarrhea. Enterovirus is transmitted not only via dirty hands but also via airborne. It means that risks to catch a virus in summer time even increases.

Why do we catch cold in summer?
1. Air-conditioner
Habitually we do escape from heat and prefer to stay in places with air-conditioners and ventilators, but namely they are major causes of colds. Permanently circulating air dries nasal mucosa that is a protective barrier against infections which makes viruses easily enter the body. Besides this, conditioned air is not only dry but also cold one and these are perfect conditions for virus replication.

Solution: do not do at home air colder than 21C. Ideally, the difference between air temperature in the house or office and outside must be not more than 5 – 7C.

2. Icy drinks
Sensation that icy drinks allay thirst is deceptive one. They do freshen up for a quite short time but for throat it is a real icy shock. Overchilled mucous loses its ability to fight viruses and bacteria. After ice cream and other diary products those effects are stronger than after icy juice or water.

Solution: do not drink beverages with ice. It would be better to eat slightly melted ice cream. It is necessary to drink beverages or eat cold food with small portions in order to let them warm in the month.

3. Journeys
In summer we do actively travel and microorganisms do travel with us. In hotels holidayer may face infections unknown before. There is a major risk to catch a virus in air plane. Restricted space of air plane together with very dry air is an ideal medium for disease transmission. It was proved that chance to catch a cold depends directly on duration of flight – the longer you fly, the higher the risks are.

Solution: do not admit mucous drying, use rewetting drops and sprays for nose, drink more water. In vacations use antibacterial wet wipes. Remember that easiest way to catch cold is after flight during period of acclimatization. Those who like to spend time under the sun should know that the excess of solar radiation lowers the immunity.

Low Dose of Stress Strengthens Immunity

It is well known fact that chronic stress is destructive for the body, however, low doses of stress may be helpful. According to a research, acute stress has positive effects on human nature, makes him more accurate and punctual, and sets up his immune system.

During experiments scientists subjected participants to small stress by making them solve simple and difficult tasks, and then invited them to play a game connected with the ability to share. It turned out that those who experienced more stress, were more friendly, generous and trustworthy.

Acute stress helps to better memorizing, say scientists from Buffalo University, USA. Experiments were performed on rats and they showed that stressed animals digest information more quickly and do reproduce it more exactly. The point is that stress hormone cortisone has protective effects on prefrontal parts of brain cortex which controls emotions and learning.

Low dose of stress strengthens the immune system. Review of 300 scientific works showed that chronic stress weakens defense mechanisms of the body making it more vulnerable to infections. Short-term stress trains the immunity, making it more willing to fight pathogens.

Five Ways to Prevent Influenza Complications

1. Spend three days in bed
When a man diseased with influenza has just got rid of fever and at once continues to lead an ordinary lifestyle, his immunity becomes weaker because it was lowered when it fought with viruses. Thus  viruses continue to multiply. This circle may end up with myocarditis. Besides this, low immunity is perfect environment for bacteria development. Bacteria stayed quietly in the body while immunity inhibited them, now they would multiply which may lead to tonsillitis and bronchitis. Therefore, patient should spend at least first three days in bed.

2. Do not send the temperature of 38C down
Temperature is a sign showing that body fights viruses. It is critical when temperature is above 38.5 or if at the back of high temperature occur convulsions or blood pressure jumps. Then it is necessary immediately to call an ambulance.

3. Drink three liters of liquid
A man loses up to 2 liters of liquid daily, and a man with temperature loses 1,5 times more. A man consists 80% of water and it is necessary to fulfill liquid losses to let organs and system work correctly. However, if you suffer from kidney or heart failure, you should be careful with abundant drinking in order to avoid loads on kidneys and heart.

4. Airing
Do it at least several times a day,10 - 15 minutes each time. Besides this, make wet cleaning three times a day. Dry air overdries mucous which leads to local immunity lowering and thus recovery may be delayed.

5. Three days without meat
Human body needs a lot of energy to process proteins.Now body requires energy to fight influenza, therefore food must be liquid and vegetal, for example, mashed potatoes, vegetable soups, porridges, fruits. In order to avoid allergy, consume up to 5 oranges, 1/2 glass of wineberries and half of lemon.

Five Steps To A Stronger Immunity

1. Make foot baths
If you have no time for contrast shower, make every evening contrast baths for feet: keep feet for two minutes in a hot water and then one minute in a cold water. Repeat this procedure for five times.

2. Refuse from coffee
Coffee along with black and green tea increases production of cortisone and adrenaline. The excess of those stress hormones inhibit immune system, therefore you may drink only two cups of one of these beverages (or single cup of each beverage).

3. Spend more time on fresh air
40 minutes of daily outdoors walking do clean our body off toxins and helps to improve metabolism. It means the immunity will have less strain and when it would face virus it would easily fight it.

4. Positive thoughts
Failures in nervous system have negative effects on immunity, therefore you should think positively. For example, at the end of the day write down all good things that happened to you this day. Also call for 20 positive moments for tomorrow, 30 positive moments the day after tomorrow and so on, more and more. Soon positive thinking would become a habit and even a need. Get enough sleep beacause it also helps to keep nervous system strong.

5. Consume healthy food
Here the talk is not only about food rich in vitamins but also about the frequency of food intake – not less than 3 – 4 times a day. When healthful substances enter the body intermittently, its protective powers become weak. It would be good to drink lemon juice each morning (mix water with juice from quarter of lemon).

Myths About Immunity

Do you think your immunity is low because you are often sick? Are you afraid to vaccinate against influenza in virulent season? Probably, you are a victim of common myths believed in society. Now let's try to reveal them!

Myth #1. If you are often sick it means you have low immunity
Cold, influenza, acute respiratory diseases show with running nose, sore throat and high body temperature. The man is sure that he got sick because he has low immunity.

Revealing the myth
It is wrong! When man feels these symptoms, it means his immunity responds to pathogenic microorganisms. Symptoms of cold are systematic and local reactions of our immunity to viral invasion. The disease is manifestation of strong immunity.

Explanation
In human body exists a group of special immune cells called T-killers. They do regularly examine all cells and analyze their receptors. Thus they recognize foreign cells or microbes and viruses and kill them. If patient has no temperature and the disease courses without symptoms common for inflammation – it means patient has low immunity.

Conclusion
If you are sick with influenza and it shows with temperature, running nose and sore throat it is good sign. It means your body fights the infection and immunity works correctly.

Myth #2. Vitamin C strengthens immunity
It is considered that taking vitamin C during outbreak protects our cells and prevents their membranes from distruction, which means it strenghtens the immunity.

Revealing the myth
During a disease viruses affect body cells, destroy their membranes and kill cells. On one hand, vitamin C normalizes cell membranes and help the immunity because it is strong antioxidant. However, vitamin C helps only in big doses – 8g or 16 pills should be taken at once. Otherwise, there will be no positive effects.

Explanation
Vitamin C is powerful antioxidant and it would help the immunity to fight influenza on condition that patient would take big doses of vitamin C which may fatal. Vitamin C is an acid, therefore its big doses may cause ulcer of stomach or kidney failure leading to death.

Conclusion
Vitamin C strenghtens the immunity only when taken in big doses, but it may lead to death.

Myth #3. Vaccine doesn't prevent from influenza
Many people beware of influenza vaccines as they believe that it doesn't prevent from influenza.

Revealing the myth
Patient cannot get sick from modern vaccines because they are safe and are created in such a way as not to infect a person, Vaccine helps human body to work out immune response to pathogenic virus.

Explanation
Vaccine has properties similar to real virus, but it is not contagious. Vaccine imitates viral infection to make immunity fight the virus. Therefore, when a real virus enters the body it faces antibodies produced by body with the help of vaccine.

Conclusion
It is necessary to vaccinate. It is most effective way to prevent influenza.

Changes In Immune System

Administration of anabolic-androgenic steroids leads to body changes including changes in immune system. For an athlete those changes may have positive effects but sometimes may occur negative ones. During steroid therapy most athletes are resistant to viral infections. Latest studies on the effectiveness of steroids in people with HIV showed that such drugs as Deca Durabolin and Oxandrolone have positive effects over immune system. Due to this, many doctors prescribe anabolic steroids mentioned above to their patients.

However, if patient not observes any diseases during steroid therapy, the break in steroid administration may cause inverted effects for immune system. The immunity fights pathogenic microbes not as actively. Often those problems are connected with inverted effects of cortisone action – the hormone which is released during the apolexis in the body and also this hormone suppresses active action of immune system.

When the athlete stops to administrate steroids, his body experiences great androgens deficiency until his body supplies hormones production. Though action of testosterone and cortisone coincides in many ways, the lack of balanced androgens level leads to increase of cortisone action. Disbalance not only makes cortisone destroy muscle mass but also makes a man more vulnerable to virus diseases. Timely intake of necessary supplemental drugs (antiestrogens which stimulate testosterone action) is the best decision in such situations because it would restore balance of hormones in the period when athlete stops taking steroids.

Do not forget that during steroid therapy there may increase level of cortisone in the body. This phenomenon is called hypercortisolemia and it is quite common during steroid therapy. It is connected with anabolic-androgenic steroids, possibly, prevent body from elimination of cortocosteroids from the blood because these hormones do activate particular enzymes during their breakup.

Antiviral Natural Products. Part Three.

Protein
Sadly, fat pork and mutton will not help boost the immunity. Instead, young beef and turkey are perfect for the immune system. Also are used polyunsaturated fatty acids, known as Omega-3, to improve the immunity. Omega-3 is found in oily fish of cold seas such as herring, tuna, halibut, salmon.

Dietitians recommend to consume oysters, a healthy and delicious product. Oysters are rich in zinc that helps to fight influenza and protects body from cold. Zinc has a positive effect on T-cells which play an important role in detecting foreign antigens and recovery of other cells of immune system. Even moderate zinc deficiency may have negative effects on immune system.

Vegetable oils
In period of boosting your immunity try to prepare food with oils made of pumpkin, walnut, grapes, cedar necessarily of primary extra virgin. They are rich in Omega-3 but are quite expensive. Alternatively, accept purchase of these oils as purchase of a needful medication. Generally speaking, it is so.

Honey
Honey is digested easily by the body and its consumption helps to increases the immunity. Honey contains vitamins of B group which helps it to improve stomach work, calm nerves and improve sleep. Besides this, honey is natural analgetic remedy, which helps it to relieve cough during cold. Eat honey with or without warm green tea.

If you are not allergic to honeycraft products, it would be good to consume pollen. Pollen helps to boost immune system, prevent colds and influenza, normalize blood pressure, increases hemoglobin, normalize bowel work, helps to restore body after diseases and stress.

Tea
Tea (especially green tea) is second popular drink after water in the world. It is rich in polyphenols and contains a number of healthy substances which protect body from influenza.

Antiviral Natural Products. Part Two.

Mushrooms
Mushroom of oriental origin called shiitake is used to boost immune system. It contains specific substances which help to recuperate in case of chronic fatigue, besides this they destroy practically any viral microflora, inhibit and restrict development of cancerous growths, boost physical strength and sexual drive.

Grains and legumes
For a wonder, waste products in manufacture of wheat flour (mill offals) are healthy for immunity. Mill offals contains complex of vitamins B1,В2, В6, PP and micro- and macroelements such as potassium, magnesium, zinc, cuprum, selenium, chrome. Wheat mill offals help to lose weight by suppressing appetite.

Most healthy for the immunity are grains of buckwheat and oatmeal as they are rich in healthy elements. It is recommended 1 – 2 times a week to prepare foods with legumes: pea, bean, lentil as they give to your body native protein.

Fermented milk products
Kefir and yogurt deliver into stomach healthy microorganisms and help to maintain microflora healthy. Stomach itself is immune organ and it makes a contribution in common body strength. However, remember that healthy are only fresh products containing fresh microorganisms. Buy products with live bifidobacterium and lactic bacteria and pay less attention on brand name.

Antiviral Natural Products. Part One.

Human body protection – immunity - requires nutrition. To keep human body from viruses, bacteria, fungi and other pathogens, immunity should get particular set of elements found in products. Which ones? Let us see below.

Fruits and vegetables
There is a number of fruits and vegetables which are well known bacteria killers for centuries. Garlic and onion were included in everyday menu of Roman army. Horseradish, radish, onion and garlic were taken in travels by Russian sailors. There are lots of such examples in history. It's clear that in remote ages people didn't know about viruses and pathogens but they were observant enough. People who consume those products frequently, do never get diseased. Take advantage of it!

Onion, garlic, horseradish, mustard, radish, chili do release phytoncides, substances with antibiotic properties. They inhibit growth and reproduction of viruses and bacteria. They release phytoncides not only during eating but also in surrounding medium which helps people with unhealthy stomach to just smell acrid vegetables, but the effect in this case will be much weaker. Phytoncides are found in vividly colored fruits such as blueberry, black wineberry, cherry, dark grapes, raspberry. Antiviral effects do increase when those products are combined with other ones rich in beneficial microelements.

Major vitamins that do increase persistence to diseases are vitamins A and C. Vitamin C is found abundantly in citrus, cabbage, wineberry, spinach and other lettuce. Vitamin A and its provitamin called beta-carotene are found abundantly in red and orange vegetables and fruits (carrot, peach, paprika, persimmon).

Yellow berries are rich in vitamins A, C and E. They do activate immunity, prevent infection development in human body and improve skin. Red berries of rosehips contain daily amount of vitamin C, iron, magnesium and carotene. Those substances do increase hemoglobin rate in the blood and strengthen body defenses.

BAFS for Immune System

Biologically active supplements are divided into two groups:
1) nutraceuticals – biologically active foods supplements (BAFS) used to regulate chemical composition of food of a man. These are additional sourse of protein, aminoacids, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, mineral substances, dietary fibers.
2) parapharmaceuticals – biologically active food supplements used as a preventive measure, adjunct therapy, and also to maintain functioning of organs and body systems.
Among biologically active supplements most healthy for the immune system are pectins (apple, plum, currant, beet, eatberry) and algae (among algae first place occupies spirulina with its anti-allergic and immune-stimulating properties).

Water
Insufficient consumption of pure water results in frequent colds and contagious diseases, thrombus formation, lymph congestion, tenderness of vascular walls, bladder diseases. Reduction of water in the body aggravates normal work of kidneys and as a result part of its work is made by liver (liver splits fats into useful energy and makes this 100% if not takes work of kidneys). When we drink sufficient amount of water, it makes work much better both kidneys and liver which regulates immune system work.

Antibiotic substances in food
Some foods have antibacterial properties which helps them kill disease causing microbes. These are non-specific antiinfection agents (organic acids such as winy, lemony, apple). Acerbic tanning substances of plums and apples also kill microbes. Raspberry, currant, apple, wineberry, ashberry, cranberry, pear, berbery, pomegranate, and also foods rich with phytoncides (horseradish, radish, garlic, onion, beet, cabbage, carrot, paprika) are perfect natural antibiotics.

Vitamin B for Immune System

Vitamins of B group help to activate work of immune system during stress, after surgery or trauma. Taking multivitamin preparations containing vitamins A, C, D, E, B6 helps to prevent virus diseases. Vitamin B6 stimulates synthesis of nucleic acids required for lymphocytes maturation and antibodies production to fight infection, and also vitamin B6 increases antibodies action against several cancerous growths. Deficiency of vitamin B6 occurs in cases of treatment of tuberculosis with isoniaside. Lowering of antibodies production may be caused by deficiency of vitamin A, B5 (pantothenic acid), B9 (folic acid), H (biotin). Vitamin B6 deficiency reduces the ability of neutrophiles to digest and kill bacteria.

Multivitamin preparations
Multivitamins play an important role in prevention of influenza and URI in period of higher illness frequency. Taking multivitamins helps to avoid diseases, keep body healthy and boost immunity. You should pay a serious attention to multivitamin preparation you choose. Multivitamin preparations are recommended to take as a preventive measure against virus diseases, especially they are recommended to children in spring when immunity is weakened after winter.

Specialists do recommend to take multivitamin preparations which contain whole spectrum of essential vitamins. They must be of hight quality and dosages must be well balanced. This will be a guarantee of effectiveness and safety of the multivitamin preparation. High quality and optimal dosages of vitamins help to reduce significantly risks for allergic reactions which unfortunately occur frequently today and make it possible to undergo preventive course entirely.

Vitamin C for Immune System

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) increases lymphocites number, movements and activity of neutrophilic leucocytes, increases production of interferon, a substance which has antiviral properties. Vitamin C stimulates macrophages, which makes them increase production of highly active forms and compounds of oxygen thus strengthening anticancerous immunity. It is supposed that at least part of immune-stimulating effects of ascorbic acid are connected with its antioxidant properties.

Under the influence of Vitamin C occurs the increase of body ability to recognize proper and foreign cells which is extremely important in older age when frequency of immunodeficient diseases with age increases dramatically. Therefore ascorbic acid is important medical product for older people with immune deficiency conditions. Other cases when ascorbic acid is prescribed:
- when person was subjected to ionizing radiation and exhausting physical load
- persons after severe surgical interventions, who got in their body an increased intensity of free-radical reactions which resulted in increased risks for development of destructive processes, cancerous growths, viral and bacteria infections.

In this case ascorbic acid is recommended as an immune-stimulant. Dozes of 100 – 300mgs (4 – 5 admissions) of ascorbic acid daily help to reduce the intensity of pathologic processes and prevent from infections. To protect from ionizing radiation the doze of ascorbic acid must be not less than 1g daily (5 admissions).

Commonly ascorbic acid is recommended in cases of increased risks for infectious diseases development. In this case ascorbic acid is admitted after food intake 0,025 – 0,05g three times daily. In a different scheme is recommended to take 0.4 g (4 admissions daily) in first four days, 0.3g daily in next three days and then 0.1g daily in next 6 – 8 days.

Normally human needs 70 – 100mg of Vitamin C daily. Products rich with ascorbic acid are black currant, cabbage, lemons, oranges, lettuces, peppers, tomatoes, turnip greens, rosehips. When you consume these products, remember that heating, contact with metal, freezing and defrosting reduce vitamin C rate in products from 30 to 70%. Moreover, when you smoke one cigarette your body loses 0,025g of vitamin C.

In viral and bacteria diseases also gets activated run-off of vitamin C, therefore it is recommended to consume it in form of tablets. Remember, that your body never accumulates vitamin C, and you should consume products with this vitamin regularly, or at least you should take it in form of tablets.

Vitamins A and E For Immune System

Immune system lowers body protective potential when the body for a long time is affected by radionuclides, heavy metals, pesticides, tobacco smoke, and when the body at this time lacks such natural antioxidants as vitamins A, E, C, beta-carotene, macro- and microelements (calcium, selenium), organic components of plant tissues (bioflavonoids).

The system of antioxidant defense requires consumption of vitamins containing antioxidants as this system plays a very important role in prevention of damages caused by foreign agents. Vitamins E, A, C, beta-carotene, selenium and zinc have immune-stimulating effects – they aggravate immune response in form of virus abtibodies production and production of interferons which disturb virus production in body cells and mobilize anti-cancer immunity.

Vitamin E deficiency leads to lowering of antibodies formation and lymphocyte activity. Admission of Vitamin E increases disease-resistance at all ages and it is most useful for aged people. Nutritional sources of Vitamin E: wheat, porridges from ungrained cereals, green parts of plants, liver, egg yolk, leaf lettuce, sunflower oil.

Vitamin A perfectly stimulates immunity by activating cytotoxic functions of T-lymphocytes and macrophages which provide anti-cancer and anti-viral defebse, resistance to autoimmune and immunodeficient conditions. It is necessary to consume daily 1,5 mg of Vitamin E for the normal work of immunity and its acting against cancer.

Vitamin A deficiency leads to immunity disorders: lowering of B-lymphocites rate, disoreds in antibodies production against microbes. Here most of all is affected cell-mediated immunity: the activity of cells, which are first who monitor cancerous cells, gets lowered, If immunity works normally, those cells fight cancer at its embryon state. Remember that excessively high doses of Vitamin A may lead to balance disorder in certain parts of immune system, so high doses should not be taken. Vitamin A deficiency weakens body immune system and it cannot fight viral infections. Also vitamin A deficiency may provoke allergy for albumens, milk, chicken meat, and this shows with following signs: dry skin, small rash, loss of hair, visual loop. Vitamin A is useful for mentation, attention concentration and reaction rate. Two forms of vitamin A:
- retinol, which is ready-to-use vitamin found in butter, milk, egg yolks, fish oil, liver;
- provitamin A (carotin) found in apricots and other yellow fruits, carrots, green vegetables, cabbage, lettuce, potatoes, plum.

How Your Immune System Works

Human immune system nicely responses to the entering of foreign molecules (called antigens) into the body - it localizes antigens, then neutralizes them to destroy them. When immune system works normally, it is able to protect us from a great range of contagious diseases including our own pathologic cells which are formed in the body.

However, when immune system begins to work incorrectly or stops its work entirely, this may result in such severe diseases as AIDS or cancer. Normal immune reaction may occur naturally when agents of viral infection enter the body or may be activated artificially with the help of various vaccines.

Most vaccines contain dead or very weak microorganisms which cause development of particular disease (pathogens) . These microorganisms just activate immune reaction and do not cause the disease itself. Immunity acquired after vaccination is as strong as natural immunity which appears after body fight with viral infection. However, vaccination not causes in man usual disease symptoms in order to produce normal defensive reaction of immune system. Vaccination is performed gradually against viruses causing such diseases as measles, parotitis, roseola, influenza, poliomyelitis, hepatitis, and also some bacterial infections.

The effectiveness of body immune system work reduces slowly, and as a result with aging immunity becomes weak. It was found that most of cancers which appear in older people result from “aging” of immune system.