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.

Foods To Fight Inflammation

At the basis of each disease – be it obesity, be it atherosclerosis – lies inflammation. It is neccessary to fight these diseases when they threaten your health. Here do help such products as onion, thyme and chamomile.

1. Onion
Tears we shed while cutting onion do kill viruses and microbes.

Explanation
While cutting onion do mix up substances of different onion cells. Appears gas containing sulphur. This gas irritates eyes and mixes with tear.s. Appears sulphuric acid which irritates conjunctiva and we feel itchiness. Tears are produced more actively. Thus, our body washes eyes and kills microbes with he help of sulphuric acid.

2. Thyme
Thyme has powerful anti-inflammatory effects.

Explanation
Antiseptic properties of thyme help to soothe the inflammation. Consumption of thyme helps to fight cough and inflammatory diseases of upper respiratory tract.

3. Chamomile
In case of inflammatory reactions of infectious origin in gastro-intestinal tract may be used chamomile tea.

Explanation
Bisabolol and chamazulene are substances of chamomile essential oils that have antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. They do prevent inflammations because do not let microbes get to mucous membranes to damage the body. Deactivated microbes are released outwards.

Daily dose against inflammations
Onion – 100g (1 onion) of fresh onion
Thyme tea – 3–5 teaspoons of powdered thyme herb per one grass of boiling water
Chamomile tea – 1-2 cups daily

Truth About Viral Diseases

Various polls show that most people consider that cold-related diseases are treated with antibiotics. It is wrong belief because antibiotics do not act on viruses. When doctor prescribes antibiotics in case of cold, he supposes treatment of complication that was developed at the back of bacterial infection.

Viral diseases are treated with antiviral drugs such as Tamiflu. The medication works complexly – from the one side it activates natural body defense, from other side it blocks reproduction of viruses in epithelial cells. This approach really helps the body to fight infection much quicker. Tamiflu not develops addiction, it just accelerates natural process of body defense. The immunity may produce itself all necessary protective substances but it requires more time for this.

Figurally, this process may be compared with the situation when you saw a danger and notified security service before security observes the dander itself. Indeed, in older times influenza coursed mildly with running nose and slight weakness which lasted 5 days.

In recent years flus do course severely, practically causing bronchitis, pneumonia and sinusitis. In first symptoms of starting disease it is necessary to take medications that activate immune system. Vitamins C, D and zinc also improve immunity, therefore may be recommended in case of influenza. Vitamin C may be taken in doses of 2 grams per day.

Many people do sincerely believe that is is dangerous to aerify room because you may catch cold. Cold-related diseases are caused by viruses, concentration of which get increased in closed rooms. Aeration helps to get rid of “excessive” viruses and get a portion of fresh air.

Conditioner not solves this problem, it cools down stagnant air in the room. And if you stay under its cool streams of air, you may easily get cold. Therefore, try to aerify room regularly and dress warm clothes when you stay in a room with conditioner.

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.