Build Up Immune System
Build Up Immune System
Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) is without doubt the outstanding immune boosting nutrient. It is available in fresh fruit, as a supplement in tablet form, and to some extent in cooked vegetables, although over cooking can reduce the efficacy of vitamin C by up to 60%.
The body does not store or manufacture this important vitamin, therefore it is important to include plenty of foods containing vitamin C in a balanced diet, particularly if you have any chest infection symptoms. It is essential in helping wounds heal, improving bone density, maintaining connective tissues such as the skin and the walls of blood vessels and aids in the absorption of iron. People who are undernourished are more likely to be more susceptible to virus infections, and for most people, a healthy and nutritionally balanced diet which include many of the foods mentioned below will be an important factor in helping to maintain a healthy immune system.
Colds and flu which are viral illnesses as opposed to bacterial illnesses increase the need for vitamin C so grab some fruit which is high in vitamin C and even saturate your body with recommended supplements to get the maximum immunity to kill and reduce the infection. (Those with kidney problems should seek medical advice before taking vitamin C supplements) Fresh fruit containing this important vitamin:
Fruits that contain Vitamin C are Blackcurrants, Blackberries, Bell Peppers, Broccoli, Oranges, Lemons, and limes, Kiwi fruit, Guava, Rosehip Strawberries, and Papaya. . The latest so called super fruit is the GoJi Berry. Pronounced “go-gee”, it is reputed to contain weight for weight more than one orange!
Fresh vegetables such as, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Spinach, Cabbage, and Cauliflower are termed as cruciferous as members of the brassica family. Bok Choy, Kale and Watercress and all leafy greens, all of contain this essential nutrient.
The current recommended daily allowance (RDA) for an adult is 60 milligrams per day, equivalent to one medium sized orange per day. This is based on the amount of vitamin C needed to prevent scurvy, the condition experienced by sailor’s pre 1795 when undertaking long voyages (cured by the addition of limes and oranges in their diets.)
Pregnant and lactating women are recommended as needing more. Dieticians recommend that the optimum intake is 500 mg per day. Smokers are particularly vulnerable to a vitamin C deficiency.
The role of vitamin C as a protection against various cancers and the common cold was analyzed by Dr. Linus Pauling and Dr. Paul Enstrom after a large survey in the US. They concluded that a supplemental intake of between 500- 1,000 mg per day showed positive reductions in mortality from these diseases.
Build Immune System Up
Build Immune System Up
The body’s immune systems defence and strength relies mainly on the foods we eat and don’t eat. The relationship between food and health is critical. We are in effect what we eat.
We need a steady intake of essential vitamins which are ever present in a diet high in fruit and vegetables. One of the best nutrients to support and build the immune system is the precursor to Vitamin A:
Beta-Carotene
The nutrient which is found in highly pigmented fruit and vegetables in colors of orange, red, and yellow. It is not a vitamin but it is converted by the body into vitamin A. Residuals not used by the body is converted to an antioxidant, to build the immune system by controlling the destructive free radicals, which can lead to disease.
Best Sources: Gac (note), carrots, sweet potatoes, raw parsley, spinach, raw watercress, spring greens, cantaloupe melon, tomatoes, apricots, broccoli, and peaches. (The gac fruit contains by far the highest beta-carotene of any known fruit. It is grown in Southeast Asia, and not common as yet in the West, but recently available in juice form). The sweet potato has almost twice the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A averaging 8,800 IU’s (International Unit) and is high in fiber and low in sodium, and contains over 40% of the RDA of vitamin C. Beta-carotene content is usually increased by cooking by releasing it from the cell walls of vegetables.
Beta-carotene is considered safe and does not appear to be toxic in large doses, however, taken over a sustained period can lead to the skin taking on a yellowish orange hue. As a consequence, high doses can be found in tanning pills.
As beta-carotene converts to Vitamin A in the body, it does in fact enhance vision, as the vitamin travels to the retina of the eye where it is converted into Retinol. It is said that British pilots during Word War 2 ate a plentiful supply of carrots to enhance night blindness so they could see better at night. This was the basis of a myth started by the Royal Air Force to fool the Germans into thinking that they were not using radar.
Taking beta-carotene supplements have been found to increase the risk of developing lung cancer amongst smokers and those who have been exposed to asbestos during their work. The advice of the FSA (Foods Standards Agency) concludes that you should be able to get the amount you need by eating a balanced and varied diet.
Too much supplementation can be harmful, as a result the Agency advises against taking more than 7 mg of beta-carotene per day unless it is under proper medical supervision.
Home Remedies for Colds
Home Remedies for Colds
There are over 150 different viruses which are continually evolving which can be the cause of a common cold, but unfortunately, medical scientists have yet to discover a chemical drug which can kill off these viruses.
Antibiotics have no effect against a cold, and are only effective against a bacterial infection as in upper respiratory infections such as bronchitis or pneumonia.
Here are some home remedies for colds which have stood the test of time, and are known to help reduce the symptom of common colds according to research carried out by Cardiff University’s Common Cold Centre. New research at the University in 2008 has discovered that a simple hot drink of fruit cordial can give immediate relief from sneezing, cough, running nose and a sore throat.
Professor Eccles the Centre’s Director compared the effects of a commercially produced blackcurrant and apple cordial either taken hot or at room temperature in some 30 volunteers with a common cold and discovered that it reduced the symptoms.
Professor Eccles recommended having a bottle of fruit cordial available whenever cold symptoms arose particularly in the winter months when cold viruses can thrive, or you can make your own cordials using the following fruits.
Home Remedy using Elderberries
Elderberry juice as a fruit cordial is an excellent source of vitamin C and has been scientifically proven to stop cold viruses replicating. Drink a hot tea made from elder with a squeeze of lemon to give sustained relief from the cold symptoms. There are several well known makers of the fruit cordial, but it can be brewed at home by boiling the juice from the fruits without the stalks, with a little sugar, a few cloves and ginger will produce a cordial.
Home Remedy using Lemon
Lemon is the traditional home remedy for the common cold. Hot lemon juice made from one lemon which is rich in Vitamin C with a teaspoon of honey in a glass of warm water should help alleviate the symptoms and reduce the duration of the illness.
Home Remedy using Ginger
Ginger is another great remedy for colds. A warm drink can be made as a tea by cutting or crushing stem ginger (about 12 grams) into a pulp and boiled to make an infusion. It should be strained and you can then add a little honey or sugar, and why not add some lemon juice for an extra boost.
Home Remedy using Garlic
An infusion made from garlic bulbs, is another old remedy to reduce the severity of a cold. Just boil a few garlic bulbs in a pot of water and drink when cool enough to drink. Garlic has been found to antiseptic properties by flushing out toxins from the body. Second hand garlic on the breath can be neutralised by chewing raw parsley which in itself is rich in Vitamin A and C and will help in detoxification. (Avoid parsley during pregnancy as it affects the uterus)
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