| Most people should be interested in building a strong | | | | right quantity of a specific vitamin for your own |
| immune system, but many people really do not | | | | personal needs. For example, if you are beginning a |
| understand how the immune system works. And, | | | | high dose vitamin C regimen and you develop |
| that's understandable, because a lot of very intelligent | | | | diarrhea, then you need to reduce the dosage. When |
| people, including doctors and scientists are not sure | | | | the body gets more vitamin C than it needs it |
| how the whole thing works. | | | | responds with diarrhea. |
| Researchers have done thousands of studies about | | | | Those people who are very active need more |
| building a strong immune system and it is a relative | | | | vitamins than those who are sedentary. For example, |
| surety that they will continue to do studies for quite | | | | studies have shown that marathon runners benefit |
| some time. The immune system is very complicated. | | | | from large doses of vitamin C. Measurements of |
| Its normal functions seem to, in certain diseases, | | | | vitamin C presence in the blood indicate that during |
| make conditions worse. But, opinions on that subject | | | | infection (even a common cold) levels of vitamin C |
| vary. | | | | are depleted almost immediately. So, increasing |
| There are many things that we know about the | | | | vitamin C intake during an infection is a good idea. |
| immune system. It functions constantly without our | | | | Vitamin C works best when taken with calcium and |
| knowledge. Whenever an invader of any kind enters | | | | magnesium, which help the body absorb vitamins and |
| the body, specialized cells identify the invaders and | | | | other essential nutrients more efficiently. |
| communicate with other cells, planning a basic attack. | | | | Plant components believed to be helpful for building a |
| Injury causes the immune system to shift into | | | | strong immune system include Beta Glucans, the |
| overdrive. | | | | subject of numerous scientific and clinical studies. In |
| Fever, inflammation or swelling, sneezing, coughing, | | | | one clinical study, patients who were given Beta |
| vomiting, even diarrhea are all efforts made by the | | | | Glucans had an increased number of helper T-cells |
| body to rid itself of invaders. Some may think that if | | | | (specialized white blood cells that help other blood |
| they have a strong immune system, they will never | | | | cells identify invaders) circulating in the blood stream. |
| have an infection or never get sick, but in actuality, | | | | The are currently being studied for their potential use |
| having a healthy, strong immune system means that | | | | in fighting diseases which affect the immune system, |
| we can fight infection more easily, more effectively | | | | cancer treatment and cholesterol control. |
| and that the risk of serious complications from a mild | | | | Herbs that have scientific research supporting their |
| disease, such as a cold or flu, are relatively small. | | | | use for building a strong immune system include |
| Debate about building a strong immune system | | | | andrographis paniculata. Used in traditional Chinese |
| includes which vitamins, minerals, herbs, plants and | | | | medicine for treating infection, cold, fever and |
| other natural products may help. It is important to | | | | inflammation, researchers have shown that this herb |
| remember that good nutrition is of utmost | | | | is an effective influenza treatment. Study participants |
| importance. If, like most people, you do not always | | | | who were given the supplement recovered more |
| eat the right foods in the right combination every | | | | quickly from the flu and developed fewer |
| day, then a good daily multi-vitamin is a necessity. | | | | complications than the control group. |
| Experts do not always agree on the value of | | | | Green tea, ginseng, piperine, olive leaf and a number |
| mega-doses of vitamins, but if you are willing to | | | | of other botanicals may be effective for building a |
| experiment a little, then you may be able to find the | | | | strong immune system. |