Boosting your immune system

Our immune systems are the soldiers, as it were, of our bodies.  It is our own, inner doctor!  When our immune system is working at an optimum level, we will rarely, if ever, become ill.  Our bodies consist of hundreds of bacteria and viruses; all doing its job to help to maintain an internal balance in the body.  The job of the immune system is to fight of any foreign, harmful bacteria and viruses.

Another inner doctor that the body have, but many people don’t, anymore, is the tonsils and gallbladder.  The tonsils form part of the immune system’s defence against harmful viruses and bacteria.  When the tonsils are inflamed and/or swollen, it is a sign / message from the body that there is too much toxicity in the body.  Unfortunately, many parents and doctors alike, are quick to have the tonsils removed, instead of first diagnosing the real problem – and fixing it!  Don’t get me wrong; sometimes it has to be taken out, but speaking to many health practitioners, they all feel that one should first establish the why, then make some changes (often it is the diet), before taking it out.

The gallbladder works hand-in-hand with the liver.  Your liver is the organ that must digest acidic foods and drinks in the body.  Just like the gallbladder it produces bile that contains cholesterol and bile acids; needed to breakdown fat.  The gallbladder stores this bile / gall, which is needed to complete the process of digestion of fats in the body.  Gallstones form either because of chronic inflammation and/or cholesterol.  By changing one’s diet, you can, if the gallstones are not big, get rid of it.  There is also medication that can be described.  However, when the stones become too big, it can block the intestines and thus the gallbladder has to be removed.

So, you might wonder, what has all of the above got to do with your immune system?  Plenty!  Your body and internal organs, have been made to work in unison, in balance.  When one or more are “out of tune,” then the whole body suffers and your immune system becomes weak.  Believe it or not, but when one of the above-mentioned organs are not functioning the way it should, or is missing due to being removed, then an imbalance occurs, unless you change your diet.

Keeping your immune system strong by making sure to eat a balanced diet, with minimum intake of alcohol, sugar, processed / junk foods, red meat and fatty foods, will help you not only be healthier, but your organs will not be under so much strain.  If you do eat / drink “junk” food, keep it to a minimum – not more than once / twice a month; at most.

It is also good to add a good multi-vitamin supplement, as well as vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, and a combo of calcium and magnesium, to your diet.  Vitamin C, together with zinc, plays a huge role in building a strong immune system and should be taken daily (buffered if you have a sensitive stomach).  Vitamin D is important for everyone that doesn’t go out in the sun much, for the elderly and those living in cold climates.   The combination of calcium and magnesium is important to maintain and build bones, as well as keep muscle cramps at bay.  There are many brands on the market.  Biogen, Solal, Solgar, Vital and NRF, are all very good brands.  Just make sure to always ask your health practitioner or pharmacist if you are unsure which one is best.  

Lastly, and I am sure this is a question on your mind, what do you do if one or both of the above organs were removed?  For starters, I would still delve into the reason why the organ stopped functioning.  Was it an allergy that caused the tonsils to swell up?  Was it something I ate, not realizing I am intolerant / allergic?  Once this has been established, then it is easier to avoid the reason all together and make changes.  The same goes for the gallbladder.  More often than not, it is the fatty foods, the fried foods, the junk / processed foods and drinking alcohol, that cause the gallbladder and liver, to stop functioning at optimum levels.  It is one thing to eat pizza, for example, once a month, and quite another to eat it every other day.  The same goes for alcohol – one small glass / half a glass of wine, with a meal, is ok, but 2 huge glasses?  Another story all-together!

Just an important note here:  according to many health practitioners, people who had their gallbladders removed, should avoid fatty foods and alcohol…a bummer, I can hear you say!  But remember, now that the gallbladder has been removed, there is nothing to aid the liver in digesting the fats in your body…and this can spell trouble for your cholesterol levels, cardio-vascular system and overall health. Remember this:  it is not just what you eat and drink, that plays a role in your body’s health and maintaining a strong immune system.  It is the amount of what you eat and drink, that determines at what level your body’s “internal doctors” and immune system work.