Ways to Boost Your Immune System

Ways to Boost Your Immune System

With the cold and flu season just getting started and the busy holiday season right around the corner, we often get distracted and forget to take care of our health and safeguard our immune system. Here are few a simple things we can do to protect ourselves and prepare our body so it’s strong enough to repel invaders all winter long.

Visit your chiropractor:

Our immune system is controlled by our nervous system that is protected by our spine and skull. By keeping our nervous system functioning properly, this allows our immune system to work freely to combat any bacteria or virus that try to cause illness. The best remedy is to visit our chiropractor twice a month as a preventative measure to keep us staying healthy. If we are currently ill or someone in the house is sick, get adjusted weekly to help stimulate the immune system.

 

Avoid junk food: 

Sugar and processed foods are not good for us to begin with and especially while trying to fight off illness or prevent it. Sugar is a poison to our bodies that dramatically decreases immune function. Processed foods are not very nutrient rich due to their heavy processing so they do nothing to help boost our immune system. Eating fresh fruits, vegetables and meats offer the greatest amount of vitamins and minerals that are readily absorbable because they haven’t been processed out of them.

Sleep: 

Sleep is so important to a strong immune system, among other vital functions. Our bodies restore and repair themselves while we sleep. When we get minimal sleep our bodies only get the job half-done, leaving systems vulnerable to infection and malfunction. It is best to get at least 7 hours of sleep each night to keep our immune system strong.

 

Supplements can add that little extra protection:

Olive leaf extract: 

For those of us who have higher levels of stress that weakens our immune system or that are more susceptible to colds and viruses, olive leaf extract is great for long-term use as a preventative agent. As an added benefit it also has the ability to lower blood pressure and protect our blood vessels from damage.

Dosage: for general health maintenance take one or two 500 mg capsules twice daily with meals. For a current common cold take two 500 mg capsules four times per day with meals.

Side effects: Olive leaf extract has not been studied for use while pregnant or nursing. Don’t exceed amounts that are commonly found in food.

Oregano oil:

This herbal oil is a powerful antimicrobial that can help us fight off infections like sinus infections and colds. Oregano oil also has antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties. Because of its powerful effects, oregano oil is only meant for short-term use of no more than 10 days.

Dosage: for sinus congestion add 2-3 drops to a pot of steaming water and inhale the steam for 10-15 minutes, twice per day. Capsule form is also available to take 500 mg four times per day.

Side effects: Stomach upset has been experienced when ingesting the oil. Those who are allergic to plants from the Lamiaceae family (mint, lavender, sage and basil) should avoid oregano oil. It is not advisable for infants, children, pregnant or nursing mothers to use topically or orally.

If you are taking prescription medications, do not start oregano oil without consulting with your doctor or an integrative physician first.

Vitamin C: 

Our bodies use antioxidant vitamins every day to boost our immune system and ward off unwelcome invaders. One of the most important antioxidants is vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid. It can be found in citrus fruits, kiwi, berries, bell peppers, melons, kale, broccoli and the list goes on. This antioxidant vitamin attacks viruses and bacteria until they’re dead. Vitamin C also plays an important role in our connective tissues.

Dosage: for preventative health measures take 1000 mg two times per day. For a current cold take up to 2500 mg two times per day.

Side effects: Stomach upset and diarrhea can occur with too much vitamin C.

Echinacea:

Echinacea stimulates our immune system to prevent and treat upper respiratory infections. It increases our white blood cells that attack any invaders and raises our body temperature to make their environment (our bodies) uninhabitable. Echinacea should be taken at the onset of any viral symptoms until 48 hours after they disappear.

Dosage: Many commercial preparations are available containing components derived from different parts of the plant as well as from different species and varieties. Recommended dosing (all administered 3 times daily) include the following: 300 mg dry powdered extract (standardized to 3.5% echinacoside), 0.25 to 1.25 mL liquid extract (1:1 in 45% alcohol), 1 to 2 mL tincture (1:5 in 45% alcohol), 2 to 3 mL expressed juice of E. purpurea , and 0.5 to 1 g dried root or tea. If in doubt, follow the directions on the label, each brand and formula may have different dosing guidelines. Echinacea use for more than 8 weeks at a time should be avoided because of the potential for immune suppression by over stimulating it.

Side effects: Echinacea should not be taken by individuals with multiple sclerosis, AIDS, tuberculosis, leukemia, and autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, or while on immunosuppressive drugs. It should be avoided if you have asthma or are allergic to plants in the daisy family (ragweed, chrysanthemums, and marigolds).

Fish oil:

Consumption of Omega-3 fatty acid rich fish oil enhances the immune system by stimulating our white blood cells as well as decreasing inflammation. Fish oil can be obtained from either eating fish or taking supplements. Fish that are high in Omega-3 fatty acids are mackerel, tuna, salmon, sturgeon, mullet, bluefish, anchovy, sardines, herring, trout and menhaden. They provide 1 gram of Omega-3s per every 3.5 ounces of fish. Vegetarian sources of Omega-3’s include flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, soybeans and other cruciferous greens.

Dosage: We should take 1-3 grams of Omega-3s per day from any of the sources but make sure to monitor fish consumption for mercury toxicity.

Side effects: Taking too much fish oil can result in bruising or bleeding. It should be avoided if you have reason to believe you have problems with bleeding or bruising.

Vitamin D: 

Vitamin D is produced by our skin in response to absorbing sunlight. Thus, our vitamin D levels decrease in the fall and winter. Studies have shown that there is a link between low vitamin D levels and an increased risk of influenza. Most influenza epidemics happen in the winter when most of us are low in vitamin D. Taking vitamin D can reduce the chances of getting influenza and reduce duration when infected.

Dosage: children should take 1000 IU per day and adults should take 3000-5000 IU per day during the fall and winter months. It is also a good idea to have your primary care doctor check your vitamin D levels, as you should not exceed 10,000 IU a day.

Side effects: Vitamin D should be avoided if you have kidney disease or an elevated level of calcium in your blood.

Probiotics:

A strong immune system relies heavily on a healthy, well-functioning digestive tract since it contains 80% of our body’s immune system. The majority of the bacteria and viruses that attack our bodies have entered through the digestive system. It doesn’t seem like a large area as compared to our skin, but if stretched out, the surface area is roughly equal to the size of a football field. That is a huge area to protect and probiotics keep our good bacteria strong and ready to fend off any invaders.

Dosage: Look for a probiotic that has 20-25 billion organisms that include Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium bifidum and Lactobacillus rhamnosus. Start by taking one per day with a meal and work up to three per day, one at each meal.

Side effects: Talk with your healthcare provider if you have short bowel syndrome.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This information may not fit your specific health circumstances. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified health care provider because of something you have read. You should always speak with your doctor or health care professional before you start, stop, or change any prescribed part of your health care plan or treatment and to determine what course of therapy is right for you.

Was your Thanksgiving Turkey on Drugs??? The truth about Ractopamine

According to a 2012 survey by the National Turkey Federation, the average American eats 16 pounds of turkey each year. In just one week, 88% of us will eat turkey on Thanksgiving. These facts bring me to a very important topic…..DRUGS!

If you care about the drugs that make it into the U.S. food supply, or about what happens to the animals that supply us with meat, you should definitely care about ractopamine (marketed as Paylean for pigs, Optaflexx for cattle and Topmax for turkeys). As of now, about 160 nations have banned or restricted the use of this controversial drug during various animal productions (and therefore many countries WILL NOT except U.S. meat), but the U.S. still uses this regularly in up to 80% of American-grown pigs, cattle and (you guessed it) TURKEY!

Ractopamine was approved in 2000, as a feed additive to promote growth and leanness in animals raised for their meat. Pharmacologically, it is a beta-adrenergic agonist, a widely used drug class used to treat asthma. Some well-documented adverse reactions to beta-agonist drugs include, increased heart rate, insomnia, headaches, and tremors.

Why the red flags about this being in our animal feed??

First off, the label on ractopamine clearly raises safety questions…. “WARNING: The active ingredient in Topmax, ractopamine hydrochloride, is a beta-adrenergic agonist. Individuals with cardiovascular disease should exercise special caution to avoid exposure. Not for use in humans. Keep out of the reach of children. The Topmax 9 formulation (Type A Medicated Article) poses a low dust potential under usual conditions of handling and mixing. When mixing and handling Topmax, use protective clothing, impervious gloves, protective eye wear, and a NIOSH-approved dust mask. Operators should wash thoroughly with soap and water after handling. If accidental eye contact occurs, immediately rinse eyes thoroughly with water. If irritation persists, seek medical attention. The material safety data sheet contains more detailed occupational safety information. To report adverse effects, access medical information, or obtain additional product information, call 1-800-428-4441.”

Another very concerning fact is that ractopamine is given to the animals until slaughter. It is actually pumping through their systems as they arrive on the killing floor (and therefore is able to be detected in variable amounts in our meat that is sold in our supermarkets for consumption!!).

The numerous reports (dating back almost a decade) citing the LACK OF SAFETY of ractopamine are not hard to come by.

• 2009, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) termed ractopamine a “cardiac stimulator”. They stated that Ractopamine residues “represent a genuine risk to consumers.”
• Medical journals, cite ractopamine to have “long plasma half-lives, and relatively slow rates of elimination.” This refers to the body’s cleansing through the function of kidneys and liver in addition to excretion functions to eliminate a substance from the body.
• One report from  Ottawa’s Bureau of Veterinary Drugs says that animals fed ractopamine developed a collection of birth defects including enlarged hearts, cleft palate, protruding tongue, short limbs, missing digits, and open eyelids.

By now you may already have guessed the even more disturbing news…..The FDA is well aware of ractopamine’s downside! In 2003, three years after its approval for use in U.S. pigs, the FDA wrote a 14 page warning letter to ractopamine manufacturer, Elanco, accusing them of withholding information about ractopamine’s “safety and effectiveness” and “adverse animal drug experiences”. Some of the experiences that angry pig farmers were reporting to Elanco include, “dying animals,” “downer pigs,” animals “down and shaking,” “hyperactivity” and “vomiting after eating feed.”

So how did this ever get approved to be used for other animals, after the obvious problems in pigs?! Aapparently with skilled lobbying, claiming that ractopamine, like antibiotics, is “green” and can help lower the carbon footprint.

As for the meat quality of these ractopamine Turkeys? You can read for yourself what the manufacturer of this drug, Elanco, has reported in their 2008 summary (the year before it began being fed to turkeys that show up in our grocery stores).

 

They actually state that turkey meat produced with ractopamine has “alterations” in muscle such as a “mononuclear cell infiltrate and myofiber degeneration,” There was “an increase in the incidence of cysts,” and differences, some “significant,” in the weight of organs like hearts, kidneys and livers. Concerning?! It should be!!

NOW WHAT??!!

Hopefully all of this disturbing information motivates you to think about the food you and your family eat! If it does, rest assured that it is EASY (and worth the extra dollar per pound you will likely spend) to find a local farmer that can supply your family with healthy, humanely raised animal products.

You can avoid ractopamine this Thanksgiving and beyond, (this drug can be found in supermarket deli cuts year round as well), by choosing a certified organic turkey. Ractopamine, along with antibiotics and GMOs, is PROHIBITED in organic farming.

There are lots of resources to help you in your quest. http://www.localharvest.org allows you to plug in your zipcode and easily locate an organic supplier near you or you can also head to a specialty grocer such as Whole Foods, New Seasons or the Natural Grocery.

P.S. If you’re ordering an organic turkey make sure you put your order in now, as supply often goes fast and it may be hard to find the day or two before a holiday.

Most Important Benefits of Chiropractic Treatment

Most Important Benefits of Chiropractic Treatment

There are many hidden health benefits to regular chiropractic treatment. Many people see chiropractors as just spine doctors. But our chiropractor views us as whole people and not just the sum of our parts, making their treatment beneficial to our entire body. Chiropractors will work with us to ensure optimal health and wellbeing throughout.

Increase Immune System Function 

One of the most important benefits of chiropractic care is increasing the function of our immune system. Our immune system is controlled by our nervous system that is directly stimulated by chiropractic treatment. Once the stress on our nervous system is relieved, our immune system can function properly and provide protection to our whole body. Research shows that people who seek regular chiropractic treatment get fewer, less severe, and shorter colds.

Decrease Pain

When a chiropractor examines our body for joint restrictions or muscle imbalances, these areas can be painful. Once these areas are located, our chiropractor can adjust them to relieve the stress on our nervous system that is sending signals that are causing us pain. They can also give us stretches and exercises to correct and strengthen the muscle imbalances that support our joints. Chiropractic treatment is not only great for getting us out of pain and restoring function to our body, it is a great tool for preventative healthcare and educating us on how to avoid future episodes of pain.

Increase Flexibility and Balance

By decreasing our pain and restoring function to our joints, we are able to return to our normal activities of daily living, but we may not be as flexible as we were pre-injury. This is because during our injury the pain, swelling and stiffness limited our mobility, which decreased our flexibility. Chiropractic adjustments or manipulations can restore range of motion and improve flexibility, balance and coordination. Along with the stretches and exercises that were given to help decrease our pain, our chiropractor can also give us exercises to maintain and increase our flexibility and balance.

Decrease Medicinal Dependency 

Pain relievers, anti-inflammatories and other medicinal drugs can be decreased or avoided with the help of chiropractic treatment for our musculoskeletal injuries. Many of these medications can have harmful side effects and cause other health concerns and they don’t address the underlying cause of the pain. Often times the pain will return once the medication runs out, causing us to refill our prescriptions again and again. Chiropractors treat the musculoskeletal root cause of the pain without adding harmful chemicals to our bodies. The fewer drugs we consume, the better off our body and health will be in the long run.

Decrease Adverse Effects of Stress 

There are three different kinds of stress: physical, chemical, and emotional. Physical stress includes loud noise, harsh weather, physical injuries and lack of sleep. Chemical stress can be poor diet, drugs, alcohol and genetically modified foods. Emotional stress can be more difficult to define and multifaceted. It can be the emotions you feel from physical and chemical stress or it can be time deadlines, personal relationships, and finances. No matter what the stressor is, it wreaks havoc on our bodies and our body’s ability to respond to such situations. Chronic stress can effect muscle tension and cause nerve irritation. Chiropractic adjustments can relieve those irritations and allow better nerve function to be able to respond and manage stress when it does occur. Additionally, chiropractors can help develop personal coping mechanisms to help reduce emotional stress.

Cost Effective Healthcare 

Yes, we will see our chiropractor more frequently than our medical doctor during an acute injury, but research shows that we will see an average of 40% annual savings in our healthcare costs.

Improve Quality of Life 

With regular chiropractic care we are sick less often, no longer in pain, more flexible and active, taking less harmful medications, less stressed and saving money on our healthcare. Any one of these can improve our quality of life and even more so when combined.

Organic vs. Conventional

CLEAN 15 (Lowest in Pesticides)

Asparagus                  Eggplant                      Onion                          Sweet Potatoes

Avocado                     Grapefruit                     Papaya                        Mushrooms

Cabbage                     Kiwi                              Pineapple                   Sweet peas (frozen)

Cantaloupe                Mango              `          Corn

DIRTY DOZEN (Buy these organic)

Apples                         Cucumbers                   Peaches                     Sweet Bell Peppers

Celery                          Grapes                           Potatoes                     Collards & Kale

Cherries                      Hot peppers                  Spinach                      Summer Squash & Zucchini

Tomatoes                   Nectarines                    Strawberries

There is much confusion surrounding the benefits of eating a diet that has been produced organically, but the truth about organic vs. conventional foods really comes down to the health of not only the human race, but also the earth itself.

Conventional food is actually relatively new in the history of farming. It was not until the twentieth century that chemical fertilizers, fungicides, herbicides and pesticides began to be used in natural food production. Prior to that time, all farming was organic! Thankfully, today we are choosing to revert back to more traditional methods.

Since there are no chemicals used in organics, the food products are naturally better for humans to consume. These chemicals are added to conventional foods in order to prevent crop damage caused by insects and bugs, and also to help the produce last longer. Unfortunately, these various herbicides and pesticides have entered the water supply as well as the food chain, and have been found to cause some nasty diseases and health conditions. A gradual buildup of poisons in the body can add weight, cause headaches and/or a lack of energy and result in digestive problems, to name only a few of the many health issues that have been linked to some conventional foods.

More importantly, these chemicals introduce free radicals into the blood stream. Free radicals are cell destroying atoms that can occur naturally through chemical reactions in the body. They are also introduced through pollution and a variety of environmental factors. The body can protect itself to a point, but it can also become overwhelmed, especially now that they are being brought into the system through food consumption.

Free radicals attack healthy cells and can cause premature aging, as well as cancer and other serious conditions. Therefore, switching from conventional methods to more organic food production is highly recommended in order to reduce the risk of bringing extra toxins into your body.

Buying local, organic food can benefit you in other ways as well. Most supermarkets are filled with fruits and vegetables that have been made in other countries, which are often lacking nutritionally. Vitamins and minerals gradually decrease in fresh foods, so the quicker it reaches your plate, the greater the health benefits will be.

Eating food that is not made locally means that not only will they have added chemicals and preservatives to help them look nice on the outside; but the vitamin content will be present in much lower levels as well. A good rule of thumb is to try and locate suppliers within twenty miles of your home. It is not only healthy; you will also be supporting local businesses and farms.

The soil in which organic food is grown in is also affected adversely by conventional farming methods. The chemicals seep into the ground and kill off important bacteria and fungi, which are essential to the health of the land. It is through the soil that plants obtain their minerals, so if they are grown in poor or dead soil, their nutritional quality is compromised. Less microbial activity in the soil will not give the plants enough minerals to grow as well as they could, and the end result is foods that contain fewer vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Make it a point to seek out locally produced organic foods the next time you go shopping. The practice of “local” and “organic” shopping will ensure that the foods you consume will have the highest nutritional quality and least amount of toxins, as well as help support positive environmental factors (less pollution, less water consumption and better soil quality!).

P.S. A few labeling facts to help guide you and your family as you navigate the “organic” labels…

•  Organic produce will always have a “PLU” number that begins with a 9!!
• The Organic labeling system, is governed by strict government standards. An example of some criteria that must be met in order to earn the organic label include: the products are made without the use of toxic pesticides and synthetic nitrogen fertilizers, antibiotics, synthetic hormones, genetic engineering or other excluded practices, irradiation or sewage sludge! 

 

Products certified with 95% or more organic ingredients may use this USDA seal.

• “100 percent organic.”  To use this phrase, products must be either completely organic or made of all organic ingredients.
• “Organic.”  Products must be at least 95 percent organic to use this term.
•  “Made with organic ingredients.”  Products that contain at least 70% organic ingredients. (Can’t use the USDA seal).
• “Natural or Free Range or Hormone Free.”  These terms are all allowed on product labels, but are very different than “organic.”
  

Be mindful when feeding yourself and your family and remember that there are plenty of ways to support local and organic within your community (delivery services, crop shares or local farms, to name a few)!

Contact Haley@cooper-chiro.com for more information about her functional nutrition services or to learn more about going organic!