Sugar hampers immune system

08 Dec 2009

8 Dec, 2009 Nutrition

With the cold season already here , we should pay more
attention to the immune system- the most complex and dynamic
of all our systems.

    The immune system protects our bodies against infection
and development of cancer.
    To understand what you need to do to strengthen the
immune system, you have to know its components.
The thymus gland is below the thyroid gland and above the
heart. Its main function is to produce T- lymphocytes- the
cells responsible for protecting against infection by mould-
like bacteria, yeast, fungi, parasites and viruses.
One good method for providing optimal thymus gland
activity is to prevent thymic involution with antioxidants
such as vitamin C, E, beta- carotene, selenium and zinc.
The thymus is very susceptible to free radicals caused by
infection, stress and chronic illness.
Another way of stimulating thymus gland activity is by
using thymus and botanical extracts. Echinacea, licorice and
European mistletoe are just few of the botanicals that have
profound immune- enhancing effects.
Another component of the immune system is the spleen,
which produces lymphocytes, engulf and destroy bacteria and
cellular debris and destroy worn- out blood cells.
By enhancing the blood flow to the spleen, we maximize
its function with spleen extracts, as well as the botanical
golden seal (hydrastis).
While the liver is not directly involved in the immune
system, it produces the majority of lymph and also contains
the Kupffer cells, which are specific macrophages that
filter bacteria, yeast and toxic foreign components.
The possibilities for improving the activity of the liver
are almost end- less; among the most important, however, are
lipotrophic factors, such as choline and inositol, and
botanicals such as dandelion and milk thistle.
Other important components are the white blood cells.
Although virtually all vitamins and minerals are important
for maintaining the normal functioning of white blood
cells, the essential requirements are found in vitamin A,
B6, C and zinc. Some very useful herbs are goldenseal,
Echinacea, ginseng and licorice.
Some of the nutritional factors implicated in immune
function are:
·         Protein – necessary to manufacture antibodies
·         Sugar – 100 grams of glucose, fructose,
sucrose, honey or orange juice decreases the ability of
neutrophils to engulf bacteria by at least 50 percent, less
than 30 minutes after ingestion and lasting over five hours.
·         Lipids – like cholesterol, free fatty acids,
triglycerides – they all inhibit the ability of
lymphocytes to proliferate and produce antibodies.
·         Alcohol – increases susceptibility to
infections by depleting our bodies of vitamins and minerals
By paying attention to these little details, we should be
able to face the cold season more easily.