immune system Archives - Treat for life

Boost Immune System For Children

December 15, 2017 By Nemira Leave a Comment

Healthy microbiome depends on the immune system. Boost the immune system in children is possible through supervision of lifestyle in early age. The microbiome is a bunch of microbes in the intestines weighing about 3 pounds. It is the same weight as for the brain. Humans have nearly ten thousand microbial species. There are at least one hundred microbes for one human gene. Bacteria are responsible for biochemical activities such as digesting carbohydrates from the food of making vitamins.

How Are Kids And Microbiome Connected?

The period from birth to three years is busy for children’s microbiome. For three years, the child’s microbiome has been continuously changing. By age three, the microbiome will have the same behavior pattern as adults.

Adults have stability and bounce back after challenging the microbiome. The first three years are essential in the toddler’s life — all interactions with food, people, and the environment influence the quality and behavior of the microbiome.

More Dirt In Child’s Life, More Health For Microbiome and Immune System

Children who play outside, interact with animals and have many siblings or friends around develop a robust microbiome and immune system. How does it happen?

It is the same as the training. The child is exposed to various unharmful bacteria, which train the immune system to adjust and deal with multiple intruders.

Our ancestors did not wash hands with sanitizer or dishes in machines. They hunted, planted, cultivated soil touching it whenever it was needed.

Good And Bad Bacteria

Good and bad bacteria are the expressions of lifestyle. Bacteria can change behavior according to the environment, food, and immune system. Usually, the healthy immune system keeps bacteria in the right places. Authors of book Dirt Is Good told that

some of the bacteria that are considered to be beneficial to your gut when stressed, turn to the dark side and infect your body’s tissues.

Bacteria behave in an excellent or harmful way depending on circumstances. For example, E.Coli usually sits quietly in the gut, but when food changes, stress, or toxins bother us, E. Coli can cause diarrhea or urinary tract infections.

It is fascinating how a robust immune system keeps things in check. Meningitis bacteria reside in the back of the throat and nose. However, just one in a thousand can be infected thanks to close contact with the carrier.

Everything Is Connected

Parents can boost children’s immune system by introducing them to new things such as dirt, animals, friends, or various objects. The well trained immune system would keep microbiome in good shape, not letting them rebel. Nutritious food, fresh air, plenty of play, and moves around will keep microbiome and immune system in balance. Microbiome and immune system correlate. The immune system is healthy, microbiome flourishes.

Here is an interesting video about a connection between gut microbe and the brain. Unfortunately, we forgot many beneficial things. Slowly, we return to the unique and unharmful lifestyle.

Do you have any thoughts about the importance of food to our wellbeing? It would be great to hear from you. Please leave a comment below.

Ways Protect Immune System

December 10, 2017 By Nemira Leave a Comment

Ways to protect the immune system are simple and manageable for everybody. An immune system is the body’s lifeguard and warrior. Without immune cells, we would disappear into the ocean of bacteria and viruses. They would eat us alive. Scary, yes, it is. Worse is then the immune system turns against the body’s cells.

Let’s check ways how to protect the immune system.

Nutritious Diet

Foods rich in vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and good fats such as omega-3 fatty acids, fibers, and proteins keep the body vibrant and healthy. The immune system does not have reasons to act in harmful ways.

Diet without chemicals does not provoke inflammation. A proper diet holds the body in shape and provides all nutrients for the best performance.

Dietary supplements enrich the diet with minerals and vitamins because not everybody can grow their food, buy everything organic, and get the required nutrients.

Dietary supplements such as Dr. Carolyn Dean’s Total Body ReSet bundle provide potent and absorbable nutrients.

Activity

Activities such as exercise, walking, and choosing stairs instead of elevators keep us flexible and youthful. Moving means living. You do not need to force yourself to sweat in the gym if you do not want to do it. Simple asanas on a yoga mat would keep you in a good mood and full of energy.

Working in the garden, walking in the park or a safe, clean space, and volunteering for shelters give the body a chance to stretch and stay flexible.

Cultivating Mind

Thoughts create reality. We can not escape bad things if something happens, but we can change our attitude. You can not think of a few ideas at once. Peacefully evolving negative thoughts with positivity would bring balance. We must watch our minds as strangers watch the crowd moving to the side. Without constant supervision, reasons can be like ships without captains.

We can practice reducing stress by meditating, contemplating, or performing yoga or tai-chi. Everything that calms us works to our benefit. In this way, the immune system does not need to complete additional work when something happens. We help the whole body with the right choices and actions.

Dietary supplements such as astragalus and immune-enhancing mushrooms can support the immune system.

How do you protect your immune system? I would be glad to hear from you.

How To Rid Of Inflammation In The Body?

December 6, 2017 By Nemira Leave a Comment

How to rid of inflammation in the body? First, you must understand the concept of inflammation. There are two types of inflammation: normal and abnormal. The first is the body’s reaction to the impact, such as burn, injury, or cut. The second one, abnormal inflammation, is a process that brings plenty of problems. Who needs issues? Not me, and I guess not you.

For better understanding, let’s check out how these two types of inflammation occur.

Normal Inflammation

Four signs show healthy inflammation. They are redness, heat, swelling, and pain. These symptoms show up together, illustrating the process of inflammation.

Heat and redness occur when blood flows to the affected area. Swelling happens when small blood vessels let plasma seep into tissues.

Pain does result from the release of messenger compounds. The immune system reacts to injury and responds, calling for support for the affected area.

These four signs show that the body’s healing process started and will work until the end. Everything is fine here. We felt pain and swelling, but after a few days, the inflammation is gone. New cells take place.

Healthy inflammation takes place in an affected area. It starts and ends in the same place. If we can not function adequately at inflammation, it is a reality. The healing takes time. After recovery, we are back on track.

Abnormal Inflammation

Abnormal inflammation is the process without particular localizations. Healthy inflammation occurs in one place. Abnormal can reach all corners of the body.

This type of inflammation is a dangerous one. Why? You know that the immune system can deal with all kinds of intruders. However, the abnormal process triggers the immune system to release powerful cells that attack and kill intruders, but at the same time, they can turn against healthy cells. Some enzymes can break the walls of cells and digest the content inside. Sounds scary? Yes, this scene prompts me to throw all my sweets to garbage just right away.

Did you hear about autoimmune diseases? It seems that type I diabetes is one of them. It happens when the abnormal immune attack without the real cause goes after insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.

Rheumatic fever is an autoimmune disease too. I remember being a child and getting swollen tonsils most of all time, especially on Holidays. A few decades ago, doctors knew about the dangers of bacteria hidden in tonsils. This streptococcus could trigger the immune system to attack joints and heart valves.

Rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus are autoimmune diseases.

The Abnormal Inflammation Hurts The Body

Asthma is an inflammatory disorder of airways.
Coronary heart disease happens when the lining of arteries hurt by inflammation. High levels of C-reactive protein are found in the blood when inflammation occurs in arteries.
Alzheimer’s disease correlates with inflammation in the brain. Parkinson’s and ALS have connections with abnormal swelling.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has links to inflammation.

Regulatory Hormones

Hormones control the process of inflammation. These hormones are prostaglandins and leukotrienes. These molecules have a different impact on swelling. Some of the hormones intensify, and some of them dampen it. The balance between hormones ensures that inflammation is controlled.

Interestingly, hormones that intensify inflammation can trigger cell proliferation. The broad division can lead to the risk of malignant transformation.

How To Rid Of Inflammation In The Body?

Dr. Andrew Weil believes that diet influences inflammation. According to him:

The food choices we make can determine whether we are in a pro-inflammatory state or an anti-inflammatory state.

It means that we need to pay attention to the quality of food. Food provides us with energy and building blocks to maintain and repair tissues. The body requires macro and micronutrients.

Macronutrients are fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. Micronutrients are vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytonutrients.

Okay, you got the answer on how to rid of inflammation in the body. It would help if you looked after your diet. Constantly. Food is funny because people do not get real help besides being a multi-billion business. They follow instructions, but the weight comes up again when they finish their diets.

It is essential to know what type of food hurts us and what doesn’t. Let check macronutrients.

Fats

The body synthesizes inflammation regulatory hormones prostaglandins and leukotrienes from polyunsaturated fats (PUFA’s). These PUFA’s are essential nutrients. The body can not produce them. We must get them with food. Do you see the connection?

There are two classes of PUFA: omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. We need these fatty acids always and in proper quantities. Here is one big thing about it. Curious? I bet you are.

Hormones made from omega-3 acids downregulate inflammation. It means slowing down or suppression.
Hormones synthesized from omega-6 fatty acids upregulate inflammation.

What does it mean? We need to choose what we put in our mouths carefully.

Foods Containing Omega-6 Fatty Acids

The Western diet contains plenty of omega-6 fatty acids. Chips, crackers, cookies, candy, meat from animals fattened on grains, fast food do not have omega-3, just omega-6. Hydrogenated oils, margarine, and vegetable shortening are proinflammatory.

Foods Containing Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids downregulate inflammation. It means that foods containing omega-3 are good for health.

These foods are:

Leafy greens
Walnuts
Flax
Hemp
Sea vegetables
Oily fish from cold waters
Meat from grass-fed animals
Extra virgin oil
Avocados
Organic eggs

The risk of abnormal inflammation can be reduced by taking more omega-3 fatty foods and less omega-6 fatty acids.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates have a connection with inflammation. It is explained by the theory of aging when glycation occurs. The glycation produces pro-inflammatory compounds called AGEs ( advanced glycation end-products). AGEs trigger inflammation and can deform proteins. It can lead to further inflammation. Besides it, AGEs and cross-linked proteins can trigger inflammatory and autoimmune responses and push cells to proliferate. You know that abnormal cell division can lead to chronic diseases.

AGEs can damage DNA and RNA, creating abnormal bounds between adjacent protein strands. It is called cross-linking. Proteins become sluggish and less flexible. The cross-linking causes cataracts when proteins in the eye’s lens become opaque.

AGEs damage proteins. The consequences of cross-linked proteins are sagging skin( uh), hardened arteries, development of neurogenerative diseases like Parkinson’s, ALS, and Alzheimer’s.

How Can You Minimize Glycation In The Body?

Count calories
Exercise
Choose the right carbohydrates, which digested slowly. Whole grains, sweet potatoes, winter squashes, beans, berries, cherries, apples, and pears are on the scale of the low glycemic load( GL).
Learn about the glycemic index and glycemic load.
Avoid fast food
Eat fewer products made with flour
Avoid refined and processed food
Skip products made with high-fructose syrup

Sugar is the reason why people have problems with insulin resistance. Carbohydrate diets trigger obesity. Later on, diabetes shows up. It is known that it takes just one generation to become obese with the Western diet. It means plenty of processed foods, fewer vegetables, and plenty of sweets.

Why Are Processed Carbohydrates Bad?

The grain is stripped of minerals and vitamins. Unfortunately, there is no beneficial fiber. The pulverized starch digests fast, creating spikes in the blood sugar. It leads to colossal insulin secretion. Later on, insulin sensitivity disappears.

Bad carbohydrates are stripped of vital nutrients, fast digested, and have high numbers on the glycemic load scale. It is white flour, bleached, and used in the bakery for various sweets.

What Are The Heck Glycemic Index And Glycemic Load?

Glycemic Index(GI) ranges from zero to a hundred. The glucose is on the top. Foods rated 70 and more trigger high spikes of sugar in the blood. It is dangerous because of the excess of sugar in the blood calls for insulin. When the consumption of sugary foods is constant, sugar levels in the blood elevated, and insulin resistance can begin. It leads to diabetes with other complications. Besides it, the insulin resistance correlates with obesity.

It is better to know the Glycemic Index. You can choose the lowest numbers which are not dangerous to your body.

Glycemic Load (GL) is a better measure of carbohydrates. It will show how much food will raise sugar levels in the person’s blood after consuming it. Some foods, such as carrots, have a high Glycemic Index, but carbohydrates’ glycemic load (GL) is low. Carrots have plenty of water and fibers, which dilute sugars.

The low glycemic load is from one to ten, moderate from eleven to nineteen; the high GL will be 20 and up.

Proteins

Proteins do not have a direct influence on inflammation. However, proteins come along with fats or other substances.

Take a look at protein foods. Chicken meat contains fat, which can be pro-inflammatory. However, oily fish can be anti-inflammatory. Animal foods are more contaminated compared with plants. They are on the higher food chain step. Besides it, vegetable proteins have phytonutrients and healthier fat.

How To Choose Best Proteins?

Consume less animal meat and poultry
Eat more vegetable protein such as whole grains, seeds, nuts, legumes, and beans.
Choose fish without toxins such as wild Alaskan salmon, Alaskan black cod, and sardines.
Take Dr.Carolyn Dean’s ReStructure Protein powder.

Micronutrients

Micronutrients participate in the body’s metabolism and support the immune system. By eating plenty of vegetables, you will get fibers and phytonutrients.

Phytonutrients

Phytonutrients can be called phytochemicals. There are two good groups such as carotenoids and anthocyanins.

Anthocyanins

These phytonutrients reside in their concentrations in leaves. They are protective against oxidative stress. Organic vegetables and fruits have some more pressure because insects invade them.

Scientists claim that anthocyanins protect against damage made by free radicals, support the liver, reduce blood pressure, improve eyesight, and work as anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial agents.

Berries, cherries, red grapes, pomegranates, red cabbage, and beets are rich sources of anthocyanins.

Carotenoids

Carotenoids are the big family of more than six hundred pigments. These pigments are fat-soluble. They act as biological antioxidants. Carotenoids protect cells from free radicals. Different carotenoids defend different organs or tissues in various ways.

For example:

Lutein found in collard greens, spinach, peas, reduces the risk of macular degeneration.
Lycopene from tomatoes guards prostate against malignancy.
Some of the carotenoids improve the immune system, saves us from sunburn.
Carotenoids are better to be steamed slightly and eaten with fat.
Pumpkins, carrots, leafy greens, winter squashes sweet potatoes contain carotenoids.
Besides anthocyanins and carotenoids, there are more beneficial phytonutrients in the plants.

Curcumin, ginger, sulforaphane in broccoli, and I-3-C in the cabbage family have anti-inflammatory properties, strengthen the immune system, and protect DNA and cells from the toxic environment.

Micronutrients

Micronutrients are chemical elements or substances in small amounts required for proper body functioning. Magnesium is one of the most important essential nutrients.

Magnesium Works Against Inflammation

Magnesium acts as an anti-inflammatory nutrient. How does it happen?

Let’s begin with calcium. Calcium is essential for bones, muscle contraction, blood clotting, and the heart. Unfortunately, significant amounts of calcium and deficiency of magnesium lead to diseases.

According to Dr. Carolyn Dean, M.D., N.D.

…calcium is the major cause of inflammation and that you can neutralize calcium with magnesium, dramatically reducing your levels of inflammation.

The excess calcium can cause spasms in blood vessels. It leads to angina, heart attack, and higher blood pressure — high amounts of calcium deposit in kidneys creating stones. Calcium can trigger constipation, abdominal distress, and abdominal pain. All these events correlate with inflammation as a consequence.

Only magnesium can help in these situations without side effects. Magnesium and calcium work together. Magnesium balances the amount of calcium without harming cells when calcium exceeds limits, magnesium guards cells against overload.

Many people use magnesium supplements and do not like them because they have laxative effects. Some of them have less, some of them more, but nobody wants to run to the bathroom too often.

It is a ReMag, liquid, 100 percent absorbable at the cellular level, pico-ionic magnesium. ReMag does not have a laxative effect. Of course, if you drink gallons of it, you would need help from Scott Tissue company.

Magnesium protects cells, tissues, and organs from the inflammation.

Conclusion

Healthy inflammation consolidates defensive and healing mechanisms. It starts and begins in one space and place until healing ends.

Abnormal inflammation hurts the body paving the path for long-lasting problems such as autoimmune diseases and chronic diseases.

The diet is responsible for the beginnings of abnormal inflammation. Wrong diets such as refined, processed, fast food, meat and poultry from factories, fish contaminated with mercury, and PCBs disturb the balance of hormones such as prostaglandins and leukotrienes. If more foods trigger the production of upregulating inflammation hormones, the possibility of being a prisoner of diseases increases immensely.

How To Rid Of Inflammation In The Body?

Avoid unhealthy items such as refined, processed, and fast food.
Consume fresh food
Include carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in every meal.
Eat whole grains, beans, winter squashes, and sweet potatoes.
Consume avocados, nuts, seeds.
Use extra virgin oil or coconut oil.
Eat more vegetable proteins.
Try to eat 40 grams of fibers each day.
Consume fruits and vegetables, choosing them from all spectrums of colors.
Choose organic products as much as possible.
Eat vegetables from the cabbage family
Take ReMag, the 100 percent absorbable magnesium

Help for Obese Children

December 1, 2017 By Nemira Leave a Comment

Help for obese children must be constructive and based on scientific facts. Obese children can have more problems in life compared with tiny peers. First, the appearance is different. Modern clothes do not fit. Big children cannot enjoy activities so much as children who do not have problems with weight.

Help For Obese Children

Nutrition

Proper nutrition plays a vital role. Nutritious food gives minerals and firing. Processed food offers empty calories, which are later on converted to fat. Sugary drinks lead to the risk of catching diabetes and weight gain.

Microbiome

There is evidence that children’s microbiome can influence weight gain. Microbes can change the way how the body gets energy from food. Circadian rhythms are affected by microbes too. In this way, the body starts to turn how and when the liver works. Liver stores glucose which is converted to energy when it is needed.

Without proper energy, children can become sluggish. It is the same pattern as with adults. When we feel tired, we grasp for coffee and something sweet. Processed foods lift us for a while, but the lack of nutrients prompts us to eat more, making us happy.

Children who develop a taste for sweets linger for more of it. It is better to offer them food rich in fibers and vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. In this way, children will be fulfilled and will not crave sweets.

Think about the time when they were born. Babies do not know what sweets are. They crave them when candies and cakes are always around and introduced to them.

A diet full of processed and fatty foods triggers the growth of different bacteria. These microbes do not have a day and night rhythm. They are not diverse compared to germs from the healthy gut with nutritious food. Besides it, when these microbes change the rhythm of a liver, it becomes not compatible with the rhythm of a brain. The perception of time differs for the liver and brain. It creates turmoil as the body is not balanced anymore. One of the results is the increased storage of fat.

Do you see how everything is connected? Processed food leads to the change of quality and quality of microbes in the gut. Later on, it affects circadian rhythm in a liver. The liver, which is the storage of glucose, does not work together with the brain. These systems interpret time differently. I called systems because it is the more complicated process involving not just organs, but tissues, nerves, vessels, and so on.

How Can You Help?

Providing nutritious food would help gut microbiome happy and healthy. Researchers found out that there is a constant interaction between the microbiome, immune system, and brain. When microbiome changes, neurotransmitters produced by bacteria start to behave in a harmful way. It means that children can feel not real hunger but increased cravings instead of it. The satiety feeling changes. Children do not think about limits when they eat. Processed food is high in calories. It means that children can gain weight faster.

You can protect children against obesity by introducing them to healthy foods. Everybody would be happy: children, microbes, and you.

What To Do When Child Is Obese?

Authors of the book Dirt Is Well advised changing the microbiome using fecal transplant, severe changes in the diet, or probiotic therapy.

There are reports that fecal transplants make positive changes in individuals’ microbiome. Maybe it sounds gross, but if somebody does not have the strong will to keep up with the diet, this procedure can be a savior. Fecal transplants are from healthy individuals and carefully inspected.

Probiotic therapy works for animals in a significant way. Mice after probiotic got better insulin production.

The dietary approach works best. However, to see changes and diet take at least nine months. Maybe with children, diets would work better compared with adults. You can divert the child’s attention to games or play outside. Adults are different. They cling to old habits and later complain about why their weight increased more than before the diet.

How Does Diet Work For Microbiome?

When we introduce healthy products, harmful bacteria do not get sugar and other junk from processed food. Bacteria starve to death, and good bacteria change it.

Good bacteria restore a healthy relationship with the liver and brain. Circadian rhythm works as Nature created: in the balance.

Conclusion

Obesity hurts self-esteem and opens gates for disorders. The best way to avoid weight gain is to have a healthy diet and control amounts of children’s food. The microbiome changes when sugary and processed food introduced. The move prompts to weight gain and inflammation. A healthy diet and watching over how much one eats prevents obesity.

Disclaimer

Dirt For Immune System

December 1, 2017 By Nemira Leave a Comment

Dirt for the immune is beneficial, especially for children. When people are introduced to bacteria from a young age, they develop a more robust immune system than those living in sterile households.

Healthy Children Become Healthy Adults

Did you ever think about the health of your parents and grandparents? Most of them were and are firm and do not have so many allergies to cats, dust, or pollen. Why does it happen? A few decades ago, people were not so crazy about sanitary conditions. They ate apples from trees or picked from the ground. Nobody washed strawberries or vegetables. The visible dirt was removed from food, and it is all. They ate it without consequences.

In cities, people got more problems compared to in the countryside. However, children who had contact with dogs and played with dirt anywhere developed a more robust immune system compared with their well-being than it is now.

Dirt For Immune System Is Good

Having contact with the soil keeps the immune system more vital. The immune system can adapt. When exposed to various microorganisms, the immune system becomes more robust. Significantly children benefit from it. Exposure to farm animals and multiple plants reduces the risk to become allergic.

The authors of Dirt Is Good to recommend parents let children play in the dirt. I can imagine how it can be scary for moms who carry unique napkins to protect children from germs.

The sterile environment is suitable for labs, not for the real world. To prepare for various encounters with germs immune system must be ready for it.

The immune system develops a protective mechanism during its lifetime. Primarily, it is essential for children. Here is an excerpt from the book Dirt Is Good written by Jack Gilbert, Ph.D., and Rob Knight, Ph.D.:

One way to ensure that your baby or toddler will be able to control inflammation is to expose them to a diverse bacterial world. This exposure trains their immune system to identify self versus nonself, and it also increases the chance that they’ll have bacteria that help keep inflammation in check.

Conclusion

Living in a world that exposes you to various bacteria is helpful for the immune system. Children benefit the most. The immune system expects microbes to come in. Having them around, children get more robust because the immune system develops continuously. The clean air, contact with farm animals, and soil can help build a strong immune system. It works for adults too.

Disclaimer

How To Keep Healthy On Your Side?

November 22, 2017 By Nemira Leave a Comment

How to keep healthy on your side? Being healthy is a joy and constant work. We must focus on the right and healthy habits, stick to them and work on them. The health is the most critical asset after time. These two things you can not buy. How to keep healthy on your side?

There are no secrets or enormous expenses to keep healthy in daily life. Commitment, perseverance, and wish to stay in shape must be prioritized. Without health, the experience is not so exciting as it would be if we would live in balance with body, mind, and soul. The health is in your hands. I do not talk about accidents or genetic diseases which do not happen so often.

Ways To Stay Healthy

Eat vegetables and fruits which grow in your area. Exotic fruits do not bring so much good as native harvest. Colorful plants are beneficial because they contain plenty of vitamins, fibers, minerals, and oxygen.
Carefully choose fats. Good fat is cold pressed oils such as olive oil, avocado oil or sesame oil.
Exercise. Moving around and breathing using techniques helps the oxygen to reach the smallest areas of our body.
Keep your thoughts in check. Do not let the negativity to sip in and cover all view of the world. Only you can decide what kind of attitude you will have towards various problems, events, and encounters with people.
Relax. Find some time to stretch and listen to music, walk outside, sith with your thoughts alone or dance as nobody sees you.
Train your brain. The brain has a terrific ability to stretch. It is called plasticity. It does not matter how old are you. As long you force yourself to learn new things, you will be in good shape mentally.
Do not skip sleep time. During sleep, the immune system regains strength; the brain rests, the blood pressure becomes normal, stress levels fell. People can sleep 4-5 hours and feel good. For somebody else, 9 hours of work well and give plenty of energy.
Adjust to cold. Sleeping in the room, where the temperature is 60-65 Fahrenheit, lets the body to rest. Using a cold shower in the morning and before night strengthens the body and immune system.
Eat less. When people eat less, they save energy and do not add calories. The quality of food is essential, not the amount.
Start to laugh again. Children laugh a hundred times a day. Adults forgot this fantastic exercise. A good laugh relaxes, calms down and fulfills us with good energy.
Cherish relationships with partner or spouse. Love each other. The sex rejuvenates and enriches both partners if it is useful and desirable for both.
Detoxify your body using natural remedies and consulting with the trained health professional.
Listen to your body. Sometimes we do not pay attention to signs and skip valuable information. Nothing starts from zero. The body always sends signals about disbalance and the need to get help.

Conclusion

How to keep healthy on your side depends just on you. Nobody else will exercise, consume nutritious food, would remain a positive attitude, will take care of sleep and healthy habits. You and only you are responsible for your health. Prevention is a powerful technique. It is nothing special or new. It is reasonable to respect your body because it is more challenging to reach your goals without fitness.

What Is Inflammation In The Body?

November 12, 2017 By Nemira Leave a Comment

What is inflammation in the body? Inflammation is a common root of many chronic diseases. Oxidative stress influences the beginnings of inflammation.

Types of Inflammation

Types of inflammation are:

Normal inflammation
Abnormal inflammation

Normal Inflammation

Healthy inflammation occurs when the body’s healing system reacts to a localized attack or injury. The process happens in one area. It starts here, is maintained, and is finished with healing here.

Inflammation could happen when a sudden injury to the skin from impact or burn affects a particular area.

Some changes occur together one by one. The heat and redness show the influx of blood to the affected area. The swelling happens because small blood vessels allow plasma to go to tissues. The pain follows. The immune system participates in the healing process. It takes time, but the inflammation disappears when the problem resolves. We can be disappointed when we have pain and redness or swelling. Fortunately, it takes a short time and a restricted area of inflammation.

Abnormal Inflammation

Abnormal inflammation differs in space and time. When healthy inflammation starts in one place and ends simultaneously, abnormal inflammation can attack the whole body.

What is worst is that inflammation lets the immune system attack all cells. These powerful immune killer cells go after affected cells and healthy ones.

How Do They Work These Killers Cells?

The immune system has the best army in the world. Immune cells have different tasks in the body and act according to the situation. Some enzymes could destroy cell walls and digest the vital components of cells and tissues.

Usually, when healthy inflammation occurs, the body able to control the process. It deals with the consequences of impact or invasion in one place. When healing ends, the body stops the control over the inflammation process because there is no need to take care of it.

What Is Wrong With Abnormal Inflammation?

The body does not control the abnormal inflammation. It spreads over all tissues and does not quit easily. The immune system participates in healing. Unfortunately, it could lead to autoimmune disorders when it does not get the command from the body on what to target and when to stop.

What Does It Mean?

Autoimmune disorders occur when the immune system attacks cells without a difference. Sick or healthy cells suffer from powerful killer cells. It can lead to:

Discomfort
Disability
Failure of organs
Irreparable damage to essential structures

For example, type I diabetes is autoimmune from the start:

The immune system starts abnormal attack triggered by unknown cause
The beginning is early in life
Insulin-producing cells in pancreas destroyed

Rheumatic fever, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus are autoimmune disorders.

What Does Trigger Autoimmune Reactions?

There are some origins, such as:

Infection
Toxic injury
Stress
Environmental issues such as air, water, food pollution

New Findings Are Of Causes Of Disorders

Dr. Andrew Weil states that doctors have a consensus about the triggers of some diseases. Asthma, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s, ALS, and Parkinson’s disease have components of abnormal inflammation.

Irritable bowel syndrome(IBS) can start from microinflammation. It can be seen just with a microscope examining damage to the GI tract tissue.

Previously, other triggers were to blame. For example, cholesterol was responsible for atherosclerosis. Now doctors think that the damage was done at first by inflammation. Later on, cholesterol deposits can be a response to protect damaged areas covering defects.

First, abnormal inflammation occurs. Second, the body attempts to heal affected areas.

Regulation of Inflammatory Process

Before digging into this inflammation topic, I thought hormones are primarily for growth and fertility. Nope. Hormones take a respectable place in our body’s metabolism.

What Does Control Mechanisms of Inflammation?

Prostaglandins and leukotrienes were responsible for the control of the inflammation process. Hormones work synergetically. Imagine a swinging pendulum. When you do not move it, the swing stays in one place. The balance was achieved. Hormones work in the same way in the body. They interact and make sure what processes would not go wild.

Some of the hormones increase inflammatory activity; some of them dampen it. These hormones must be in equilibrium.

Interestingly, the same hormones which increase inflammation can trigger cells to proliferate. Other hormones that decrease inflammation can cease the abnormous division of cells.

What Does It Mean?

It means that disrupted balance in the hormonal activity can trigger inflammation and lead to nasty diseases.

Is Here An Escape From This Misery?

Yes, it is. Education is the first thing that would help us make the right choices. Second, a fit lifestyle is a way to avoid significant problems and consequences from it.

Do you see a connection here?

According to Dr. Andrew Weil:

food choices we make can determine whether we are in a pro-inflammatory state or an anti-inflammatory one.

Hormones are prostaglandins and leukotrienes synthesized in the body. The body uses polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), essential nutrients. We do not make these vital nutrients. We must get them from food.

There two types of PUFAs:

Omega-3 fatty acids
Omega-6 fatty acids

The demand for these fatty acids is a constant and vital one.

Hormones made from omega-6 acids intensify inflammation, and hormones produced from omega-3 fatty acids downregulate it.

Sources Of Fatty Acids

Omega-6 fatty acids come from the fat of grass-fed animals, oil-rich seeds, and vegetable oils extracted from them.

Omega-3 fatty acids found in :

Leafy greens
Walnuts
Flax seeds
Hemp
Soy oils
Canola oils
Sea vegetables
Salmon
Sardines
Herring
Mackerel
Black Cod
Bluefish
Fat from grass-fed animals

Nutritionists think that the balance between the consumption of omega-6 and omega-3 was stable in the past. When processed food takes over, especially in Western countries, this balance is disrupted.

You know about the fattening of animals and birds with hormones and antibiotics, keeping them in confined places. Vegetable oils heated. Snack foods provide omega-6 fatty acids. There is no place for omega-3. So what, you would ask?

Omega-3 fatty acids dampen inflammation. Period. If you do not get enough of these acids, your body cannot produce the right hormones that regulate inflammation. Do you see how it goes? It is a chain reaction. One thing leads to another.

Processed food disrupts the balance of hormones. It leads to inflammation. Inflammation is the root of diseases. No fun? Yes, I agree.

Again, there are words from Dr.Andrew Weil:

In a nutshell: you can reduce the risks of abnormal inflammation and diseases associated with it and shift your body from a pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory state by increasing your intake of omega-3 fatty acids, decreasing your intake of omega-6 fatty acids, and excluding from your diet the kinds of fat known to promote inflammation.

Are Fats Only To Blame For Inflammation?

I am sorry, but carbohydrates are responsible for inflammation too.

The chemical reaction’s name is glycation, when proteins and sugar react. Glycation produces pro-inflammatory compounds. They are called advanced glycation end products (AGEs).

For me, it correlates with aging. AGEs promote inflammation through the deformation of proteins, cross-linking them.

The glycation could be measured. Doctors check blood levels looking for hemoglobin AIC. It is a form of glycated hemoglobin.

To know the numbers of glycation is essential. This process affects proteins and generates AGEs.

Do We Need To Be Afraid Of Glycation?

Typically people have low levels because the body’s defense mechanisms protect us.

How To Choose Wisely Carbohydrate Sources?

Learn about the glycemic index and glycemic load

Eat foods with a low glycemic index and glycemic load. Change snack foods with whole grains, beans, sweet potatoes, and other vegetables. Eat more temperate fruits compared with tropical fruits such as pineapple, mango, or papaya.
Consume less processed food
Avoid fast food
Eat fewer products made with flour of any kind
Skip products made with high -fructose syrup.

Conclusion

Healthy inflammation benefits the body. At the time of impact, the body pulls all helpers and starts to take care of the confined area at a particular time. When consequences of injury or invasion are removed, inflammation disappears.

Abnormal inflammation occurs when the body can not control the immune system, and defense mechanisms start to attack its cells.

The quality and origin of diet have a strong influence on inflammation evolution. Watching the menu and changing lifestyles could enormously impact the quality of our lives.

If you have questions or would like to leave a comment, I would be glad to answer it.

Disclaimer

Fast Food with Antibiotics

September 29, 2017 By Nemira Leave a Comment

Fast food is harmful. Fast food contains antibiotics. Fast food with antibiotics does not bring benefits — chemicals are used in animals like chicken, beef, and pork. Restaurants serving fast food made promises to rid of chicken full of antibiotics. However, restaurants stuck with meat and pork, which is full of antibiotics.

You would ask why animals need antibiotics? Antibiotics prevent cows and pigs from diseases, rapid growth, and hormones.

People who use antibiotics weaken their immune systems. The good bacteria in the intestine start to disappear. Can the food not be adequately digested? What happens? Diarrhea and weakness bother us.

There is an escape from this situation. Proper rest, an organic diet, minerals, and probiotics can make a difference.

What Happens in Farms?

Animals live in crowded conditions. They get food full of antibiotics and hormones. They do not see the sun or breathe polluted air. Individuals who operate this business are concerned about weight gain during shorter periods.

Animals do not get probiotics. Nobody cares about well-being. Of course, highly praised animals such as horses that bring results and money for owners are treated differently.

Unfortunately, farm animals have other destinies: after standing in crowded farms, without fresh air and activity, fed with antibiotics, they travel to the table, nicely pressed between buns and topped with ketchup. Hamburger anyone?

Why do quick serving restaurants not serve antibiotic-free meat?

I had the same question, but later on, I returned to the same pattern: money. Antibiotic-free meat is expensive. To grow animals and birds without hormones and antibiotics takes time and plenty of expenses. You need to give different food, provide space, let freely roam as chickens do, give supplements.

I hate to compare with people, but the comparison is here. Watch people who consistently eat in fast food chains and individuals who prepare food at home, go to farmers’ markets, watch their diet, and exercise.

Do We Have Any Choices?

According to Chicago Tribune reporter Samantha Bomkamp, there are some changes.

Fourteen of the top 25 chain restaurants have taken action on chicken, up from nine a year ago, according to the third annual Chain Reaction report, which grades companies’ policies. But there have been no new commitments to curb the use of antibiotics in beef and pork, the report found.

You see that there is progress with chicken. Unfortunately not with beef and pork. This article brings an objective perspective to everybody who still thinks fat fast food can be healthy and beneficial to eat every day.

Our choices are enormous because we can think about what we eat. We can look for information and talk with a knowledgeable health practitioner asking for advice regarding nutrition and lifestyle.

Why Is Full of Antibiotics Food Not Good?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ” at least 2 million Americans become sick, and 23 000 die yearly from antibiotic-resistant infections.” It is a crime.

Consumers Union stated that seventy percent of antibiotics sold in the U.S. are fed to healthy animals on industrial farms. When people consume food with antibiotics, they lose the ability to fight real diseases because their bodies are familiar with antibiotics. Medications can not fight infections quickly if something happens.

Conclusion

We must think about how we lead our lives. We must check our habits and turn to safe alternatives. If we prepare food at home and bring something of it to a job, nothing will be hurt. We will win from this situation. At once, fast food is okay. However, eating junk food every day creates dangerous situations, as you see from the Chicago Tribune article.

Immune System’s Alpha Importance

March 8, 2017 By Nemira 8 Comments

The immune system’s Alpha importance means it is a perfect defense system if we do not screw it up. Nature provided us with tools and abilities to live long and balanced lives. When the immune system is healthy, we are strong too. How do I know it? Personal experience and digging into books written by doctors and scientists let me assume that we do not care enough about ourselves.

A Cliche About Important Things

A poisoned environment, junk food, and stress weaken our immune system. We heard about it on TV; we read in various blogs about the importance of exercising and eating well. We know that junk food makes us fat and that stress shortens life. So what? If people thought and cared about it, their habits would change. Unfortunately, as we know too, changes are so annoying. Difficult too.

We can be tired of a cliche because we understand what is wrong and right for us. If we thought about our bodies as friends or dear family members, we would better care for them. Nobody abandons their children or parents. However, we surrender our bodies — most of us.

Immune System’s Alpha Importance Works for You

Our body can fight any infection. It works as the armed forces in real life. We have antibodies which are the army. Antibodies detect different microorganisms and destroy them.

Granulocytes are the Navy. These white blood cells patrol the body looking for invaders. When granulocytes find different microbes, they mobilize millions of cells to attack and ultimately destroy them. You do not need to do anything. You sleep peacefully or watch TV when your immune system takes care of your body’s well-being.

When a dangerous invader shows up, macrophages take charge. They are larger, more potent white blood cells. Macrophages fight until the end, when the last intruder is destroyed.

The third defense system is a complement system. The complement system consists of nine proteins. The liver manufactures these proteins. The complement system would destroy everything that cannot differentiate as a friend or foe. It can compare with the air force.

Relax, the Immune System Works for You

The lymph system performs the role of the commander center. It analyzes and decides where to send troops, ships, and air force. Lymphocytes float in blood and travel along with other cells. They work as inspection patrols. When lymphocytes meet the invader, they make a “print” of antigens marker and run to the nearest lymph node with the information. The antigen is a foreign intruder with a marker different from the body’s cells.

The lymph node alerts all immune systems. Everybody is mobilized and ready to attack foes. Besides, antibodies, granulocytes, and macrophages participate in battle till the immune system wins. The immune system’s Alpha importance has the value of the body’s protector.

The Conclusion about Immune System’s Alpha Importance

The immune system is well equipped to fight and win. Our bodies are created to protect themselves. However, cliche factors interfere and make it difficult for our immune system to withstand the battle. If we take care of ourselves, our immune system will take care of our bodies at any time. We know what we do wrong. Let’s act and help bodies function in the best way possible.

We can excuse ourselves that bad habits such as smoking, laziness, or drugs are little things. Unfortunately, it can destroy the immune system’s ability to fight against invaders. It leads to not so hilarious consequences such as chronic diseases and more: the peace forever. It is better to live conscious lives because life is one, and it is yours. Not mine, not your friends or moms. Yours. The immune system’s Alpha importance lets us be safe.

Disclaimer

Spirulina and the Immune System

December 15, 2016 By Nemira 2 Comments

Spirulina and the immune system is an exciting topic. Why? The immune system is a complex of ruthless guards who can stand against intruders of every kind. The immune system’s primary function is to recognize, detect, and then kill invading pathogens, such as bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses. Spirulina, a source of active ingredients such as phycocyanin, helps the immune system perform its job efficiently and effectively.

How Does the Immune System Work?

There are two responses to the immune system. They are classified as innate responses and adaptive responses.

These ruthless guards are phagocytes, which kill intruders. It is done in this way. They engulf them and eradicate them. It is an innate response.

Adaptive immune system response happens when specific antigens show up. The immune system produces antibodies to react to intruders.

Spirulina and Immune System

According to Spirulina in Human Nutrition and Health, the authors show that Spirulina increases phagocytic activity. Remember, as I compared phagocytes with ruthless guards? Active ingredients in Spirulina strengthen the immune system and her little soldiers, such as phagocytes.

Results provided in the book Spirulina in Human Nutrition and Health suggest that whole Spirulina enhances macrophage functions, such as phagocytosis and production of chemokines and cytokines. This effect may be attributable at least partially to the polysaccharide fraction.

Spirulina provides increased protection from invading pathogens ( Andrea T. Birchers and other. Spirulina and immunity, 188).

Lab tests done with animals show that Spirulina can stimulate various immune system functions.

These features are phagocytosis, the production of cytokines, chemokines, and other inflammatory mediators.

Spirulina can stimulate NK cell activity, B cell antibody production, T cell proliferation, and possibly cytokine secretion.

Researchers describe the Spirulina as algae that possess immunomodulatory activities. Spirulina enhances immune responses while dampening immune system hyperactivity.

The Short Explanation of Terms

Phagocytosis

Phagocytosis is a process when phagocytes engulf pathogens, bacteria, tiny mineral particles, and debris from other cells. After the process, the waste is expelled.

Phagocytes

Phagocytes are cells within the body. Phagocytes can engulf and, after absorption, expel bacteria, pathogens, mineral particles, and debris from small cells.

Macrophages

Macrophages are large, white blood cells. Macrophages engulf foreign substances, cell debris, microbes, cancer cells, and some other material that does not have the same kind of proteins that the healthy body has.

These cells are competent. Imagine how they recognize strangers. It is like from Agent 007 Bond movies. You must be intelligent, brave, and intelligent to discover who is your friend or enemy.

Cytokines

Cytokines are substances secreted by immune system cells. The behavior of cells depends on them, for example, such as the interaction and communication between cells. Cytokines are proteins.

Chemokines

Chemokines are part of the cytokines family. Chemokines are small proteins. They are vital for cells migration through venues of blood. Chemokines have a gradient that lets cells know about directions to move in the case of emergencies such as inflammation or invaders.

NK Cells

NK cells are killer cells. NK cells quickly respond when intruders such as viral-infected cells show up. Natural killer cells are unique. NK cells were able to detect stressed cells in the absence of antibodies. NK does not require activation. They kill intruders who do not have specific markers.

Cells of the immune system have unique markers which distinguish them from intruders. NK cells recognize intruders who are without tags.

Our bodies remind the little world where friends and neighbors, foes, and strangers interact in various ways.

Antibodies

Antibodies are proteins. The immune system produces antibodies. Additionally, the antibody is also known as immunoglobulin. When invaders, also called antigens, invade the foreign body, the immune system reacts to produce antibodies.

B Cells

B cells are lymphocytes, white blood cells. Some of the B cells produce antibodies that bind to antigens. Some of the B cells secrete cytokines. Remember? Cytokines participate in the intercommunication between cells.

T Cells

T cells are white blood cells. T cells scan the body for intruders. Homeland security, yes? T cells activate other immune cells, which engulf invaders. T cells remember the type of intruder that they met years ago. It is pretty fascinating.

Conclusion

As you see, the immune system is responsible for our well-being. We can help ourselves lead healthy lives by providing the best supplements and nutrition to our miraculous bodies. Spirulina and the immune system have relationships. The immune system can benefit from Spirulina.

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