Our immune systems are important to our well being. Environmental free radicals and pollution can damage the delicate balance in our body. When your immunity is weak, you are more likely to catch an illness. There are things that boost the immune system like Acai antioxidant.
“Our immune system is our defense network,” says Fort Erie pharmacist Sherry Torkos, author of the Canadian Encyclopedia of Natural medicine. “When we are exposed to a virus, it gets taken up by our lymphatic system. The cells, called macrophages, recognize the foreign invader and, like Pac-man, gobble up the virus.”
When our immune systems are not in tip-top shape and are exposed to a new virus (such as the H1N1) to which our bodies have had no previous exposure and therefore no immunity, we are vulnerable. Some of us, particularly those in high-risk groups, can become ill, she says.
“There are plenty of things we can do to help support our immune systems,” says Torkos. “I believe strongly in the power of nutrition.” She recommends a rainbow diet, one in which plates are half loaded with colorful fruits and vegetables. (Elderberry and acai berries are great for the immune system.) And don’t ignore antioxidants that are common in things like garlic, onions and ginger, she adds.
Sleep is also an immune booster. “When we go without sleep, it suppresses the ability of our immune system to work. Sleep deprivation decreases our natural killer-cell activity,” she explains. “Killer cells are part of our immune system and how we fight infection.” Go for seven to nine hours of nightly shut-eye.
Though fear of this flu stresses us, Torkos says stress “further hampers immune function.” She says along with smoking (a real immune system stressor), too much alcohol, caffeine or sugar may also suppress the ability of our immune system to act with full force.
Acai health benefits have been under scrutiny, but they have been proven to be a powerful antioxidant. Acai supplements can help boost your immune system and help you keep disease at bay.