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Why Our Immune Systems Let Us Get Sick
We are surrounded every day by pathogens that can infect us but our immune system usually takes care of them without our being conscious of it. However, when one does manage to break through our natural defenses, all we want to do is get rid of it, never realizing why our natural defenses let us down temporarily. The problem actually lies in the digestive system. All natural health experts agree that a majority of the human immune system is produced in the digestive system, although estimates vary from 40% to over 70%. The exact percentage doesn't matter. The point is that a digestive system that isn't in near perfect condition is prone to infection. From mouth to butt, including sinuses and breathing passages, our digestive system is lined with an absorbent mucus type layer. Some characteristics of this layer vary according to the function and location in the body, but the essential characteristics remain the same. When this absorbent layer is compromised due to inadequate nutrition, exposure to chemicals and abused by junk food and/or hard to process foods such as refined, packaged food and drink, this layer becomes susceptible to infection and causes a weakened immune system. Your immune system can only function as well as the tools you give it to work with. Refined foods and oils, foods laced with preservatives and chemicals, and foods low in nutrition all wear the mucoid layer down and impair its ability to deal with pathogens. This is also why many people develop chronic problems such as sinus infection, yeast infection, asthma and the list goes on. When this mucoid layer is in poor health, it opens the door to all kinds of health problems. You can only get sick when your immune system is weak. A strong immune system will fight off any natural invaders that come along. Taking natural immune system boosters may help you some but if you already have the bug, it is a little late to expect much. The best you will likely do is ease symptoms such as taking products to ease sinus pressure, eliminate mucus, relieve headache and upset stomach, etc. There are some simple things you can do immediately to build your immune system strength. Vitamin A is essential for a healthy mucoid layer and adding zinc will help them both to absorb. In third world countries where starvation and disease is rampant, people are always found to be critically short of vitamin A. EFAs (essential fatty acids) are also very important and most people don't get enough in their diet. Add a high quality multi-vitamin/mineral complex or better yet, take one of the superfoods such as spirulina. You can find it online much cheaper than at a health food store. There is one more thing that is very important, depending what area your foods come from, that can cause certain nutrients to be deficient. For example, cows fed only grain such as corn, will be short in some of the nutrients that naturally grass fed animals will have in their meat. This also applies to fruit and vegetables. The soil in certain areas is often low in some essential minerals. You may need more of these specific nutrients to build up your immune system to the proper levels. One example is selenium - a mineral that is deficient in the soil of many areas. If it is deficient in the soil it will also be low in the plants of that area, as well as the people who eat plants and animals from that area. Recent research shows slenium is a potent anti-oxidant and a powerful cancer fighter. The form of selenium best absorbed by the body is considered to be a form called selenomethionine. Many supplements are sold in different forms and some forms are not absorbed well by the body. Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com Natural health author and researcher for 30 years. Have written books on natural health including one focused on mens health issues and one on womens health issues. http:www.womens-alternative-health.com www.mens-alternative-health.com |
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