In the last few issues of Natural News we’ve looked at how simple diet and lifestyle changes can help boost your immunity during the long, cold winter months. This month we’ll explore how rinsing rather than soaking vegetables, hiding the remote control, partying, holding hands and downloading music can make a big difference to your immunity.

Rinse, don’t soak

Rinsing rather than soaking fresh fruits and vegetables is an effective way to remove immune-depressing pesticide residues.

 

Pesticides are chemicals used to protect crops from bugs, fungi, rodents and bacteria. If you use pesticides to rid your house of rodents or in the garden to remove weeds or insect blight then you too can be exposed to their dangerous effects. Pesticides may also be found in some plastics, household products and industrial chemicals. Animal and lab research suggests that these substances – which are potent, extremely toxic chemicals – can damage your health, especially in high doses or with extended exposure, and may also degrade immune function. Other studies have found that people who work with pesticides may have weakened defences.

 

Although you are exposed to pesticides every day, thankfully there are things you can do to protect yourself:

• Rinse and gently scrub, but don’t soak, fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Trim the fat from meats or ideally avoid meat altogether.  Some pesticides collect in animal fat.
• Peel fruits and vegetables before using them. Remove and discard the outer leaves of cabbages and other greens. If you buy organic, you need only scrub the skins.
• Eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, as specific pesticides are used for specific crops. This way you’ll avoid eating too much of one specific pesticide.
• Use home, lawn and garden pesticides sparingly or alternatives where possible.
• Consider buying organic produce when it’s available and affordable. Not only is organic produce pesticide free but it can be more nutrient rich which can give your immune system a boost.  If you think organic produce is too expensive, consider buying just one item a week to get you into the habit of looking at it as an investment for your health. Specifically look for organically grown peaches, peppers, strawberries, apples, cherries, celery, apricots, green beans, grapes and cucumbers as according to the US Food and Drug Administration the non-organic forms of these foods consistently contain the highest concentration of pesticide residues.

Hide the remote

Unplug your TV, hide the remote control and break your square-eyed habit. Cutting down on the amount of TV you watch will give your brain and your immune system a significant boost.

 

Research has shown that over-indulgence in watching TV leads to an increased risk of obesity and heart disease caused by lack of exercise. Other risks include poor concentration – as the brain cells governing attention span are impaired – and learning problems, as a result of poor intellectual stimulation.

 

It can work the other way too. Some types of TV programmes – as well as video games – over-stimulate the senses and can upset sleep patterns. Meanwhile, the light from TV and computer screens can suppress the key hormone melatonin, raising the risk of cell DNA mutations that can cause cancer.

 

There’s no need to stop watching the TV altogether; just get out of the habit of switching it on the minute you get home or whenever you are bored. Sit down with the viewing guide and pick out the shows you want to watch that week. Watch only those shows, and when they’re over, turn the TV off and keep it off. If the shows you watch regularly are cancelled, don’t replace them with new shows. Instead, decrease the time you spend in front of the TV and do something active instead. Read a book, go for a walk, ride a bike, or take part in some other kind of healthy physical activity for at least an hour before you turn on the tube.

 

And try getting rid of your remote. It’s impressive how much less television you’ll watch if you have to get up every time you want to change channels or adjust the volume. In addition, it eliminates all those wasted hours you spend channel surfing.

 

Get out and mingle

Your immune system likes it when you spend time with your friends. Studies suggest that having friends helps people live longer. Research in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health indicates that socialising with friends is beneficial. Not only can good friends encourage you to take care of your health but their presence can actually help you live longer, according to this research. Australian scientists have shown that having friends around in old age can increase life expectancy, and that friends may encourage people to look after their health, helping reduce feelings of depression and anxiety at difficult times.

 

There is a large amount of data showing the value of nurturing, social support and camaraderie. In one study, researchers exposed people to a cold virus and then monitored how many contacts those people had with friends, family, co-workers, and members of church and community groups. The more social contacts people had – and the more diverse the contacts – the less likely they were to catch the cold.

Another 2005 study adds further weight to the theory that social support networks may strengthen the immune system. This study found that social isolation and loneliness can actually impair the immune system. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University found that lonely and socially isolated first-year students mounted a weaker immune response than other students.

 

The same study also showed that it’s not the number of friends you have that impact on immunity the most, but the quality of those friendships. You can have very few friends but not feel lonely. Alternatively, you can have many friends yet still feel lonely. It seems that feelings of loneliness impair the immune system’s response, while having fewer friends does not as clearly affect the immune system.

All this research contributes to a growing body of evidence that meaningful relationships and social support can enhance the functioning of the immune system. So whether you have one good friend or fifty, spend more time with them.

 

Hold hands

Hold hands with someone you love. Give or get a hug from a friend or treat yourself to a regular massage. Your immune system will thank you for it. Touch is important for boosting immunity too. It seems that giving or getting hugs or other forms of touch can boost the activity of the natural killer cells that seek out and destroy cancer cells or cells that have been invaded by viruses. Your skin is the largest sense organ of your body and stimulation of the skin is an important part of healthy immune system function. Unfortunately, many of us are too busy for hugs and become touch starved.

 

Studies show that appropriate touch in childhood benefits growth, development and immune function. In a series of animal experiments, those frequently given touch digested their food better, developed more rapidly, learned more efficiently and showed greater stability when presented with stressful situations. Animals that are touched or handled extensively in infancy also show more developed immune systems than animals who have received less touch. They suffer fewer infections and have a lower mortality rate than their lesser-touched counterparts.

 

Is it possible to enhance your own immunity with a regular massage, and the immunity of your partner, friends and/or children by touching or hugging them more? All the evidence suggests that touch does positively benefit numerous aspects of human health and immunity is definitely one of them.

 

Compose yourself

If you haven’t got one already, invest in an Ipod or similar MP3 player and download and listen to your favourite music as much as you can.

 

Music’s ability to alter mood and emotional state has long been known anecdotally, and more recently has been scientifically documented. Likewise, it’s well recognized that mental and emotional states can alter autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity and balance. The ANS, in turn, can modulate virtually every aspect of immune function. The interaction between feeling states, immunity and autonomic function has been highlighted by a number of studies showing that negative emotions such as anger and hostility stimulate sympathetic activity, increase the cortisol/DHEA ratio and suppress the immune system, while positive emotional states such as appreciation, love and laughter enhance parasympathetic activity, increase physiological well-being, reduce the cortisol/DHEA ratio and boost immunity.

 

In short, listening to music can boost your immunity, but it has to be music you love. Something that calms one person might stress another person out. Whether it’s Beethoven or Britney, the secret lies in finding music that soothes your soul. Scientists at Montreal’s McGill University found that listening to music that sent shivers down the spine or that gave people goose bumps stimulated the same feel-good parts of the brain that are activated by food and sex.

 

Music therapy is now an established health service similar to occupational therapy and physical therapy. It is used to treat patients with a variety of disorders, including cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, strokes, autism, immune deficiencies and chronic pain. The American Music Therapy Association adds that the benefits of music therapy also include anxiety and stress reduction, pain management and positive changes in mood. These can lead to improved respiration, lower blood pressure, lowered heart rate and a reduced need for pain medication.

 

But even better than listening to music, is actually making or composing it yourself. Research has found that found that people who took part in an amateur group-drumming session had greatly enhanced natural killer-cell activity afterward.

 

In the last two issues we’ve looked at the way specific diet and lifestyle choices can boost your immunity in the cold winter months, when the chances of going down with a cold, flu or infection increase significantly. This month we’ll take a look at how taking your sunglasses off, keeping your feet warm, giving your skin a brush and avoiding passive smoking can all boost your immunity.

Take your sunglasses off

Even on cloudy days when the sun seems hidden, a daily dose of natural daylight provides you with a mood-boosting shot of vitamin D, an essential vitamin for healthy bones, a strong and hardy immune system and a good night’s sleep.

 

Make sure you get at least 20–30 minutes of natural daylight every day, preferably without your sunglasses, glasses or contact lenses in, because you get most of your vitamin D from sunlight through your eyes. If you are away somewhere where it is very warm, then go out and get the sun exposure (without sunscreen) in the cooler part of the day. And when you’re outside remember to breathe deeply. This helps the lymphatic system to move your protective immune cells around the body.

 

Good dietary sources of vitamin D are eggs and oily fish such as salmon, sardines, trout, and tuna. But by far, the best source of vitamin D is through sun exposure. When your skin is exposed to ultraviolet light, your body starts to manufacture vitamin D.

 

Of course, the idea of sun exposure runs against the current popular anti-ageing theory that you should completely avoid sunlight to reduce your risk of premature wrinkling of the skin and skin caner. But sun exposure is not only good, it’s essential. As mentioned in a previous issue of Natural News it is now known to be an important factor in prevention of breast cancer and also heart disease.  But sun exposure is also important for children. In parts of Northern England rickets has reappeared because children aren’t playing outside in the sunshine enough. Rickets is caused by vitamin D deficiency.

 

Keep your feet warm

To give yourself the best chance of keeping healthy when it’s cold, wrap up before you go out, remembering to keep your hands, head, nose and –  especially – your feet warm and cosy.

 

Folklore suggests that chilling the surface of the body through wet clothes, feet and hair causes common cold or flu symptoms to develop. But past research has dismissed the relationship between chilling and viral infection as having no scientific basis. In 2005, however, researchers from Cardiff University – with the aid of bowls of ice water and people’s feet – appear to have shown that this is one piece of folklore that may indeed be true: being chilly really can encourage a cold to develop.

 

We get more winter illnesses in Britain than in any other country in Europe. The reason for this may be that we under-dress. Researchers visiting European cities found that when the temperature drops, people put on hats, scarves, gloves and anoraks. We don’t. We stand around shivering waiting for buses and trains, and that is really bad news. When you shiver, your core temperature has dropped so much that your body believes it’s an emergency. The blood gets much thicker, which causes heart attacks and strokes, and the immune system is weakened, so you pick up bugs more easily.

 

It’s important to point out that although exposure to cold and damp weather may hamper the immune function of the respiratory system, if there is no exposure to a virus, then it’s virtually impossible to get a cold. However, if you are cold and damp and come into contact with a virus, your risk of catching an infection is higher. So to give yourself the best chance of keeping healthy when it’s cold outside, wrap up warm. And put on a couple of extra socks. According to the Common Cold Research Centre, cold feet lower the effectiveness of the immune system and enable viruses to flourish. It might also be a good idea to wear a pair of socks to bed, as research also shows that warm feet increase your chances of a good night’s sleep.

 

Give your skin a brush

Dry skin brushing is another way to stimulate your lymphatic system and boost your immunity.

 

Your lymphatic system is a network of tiny fluid vessels throughout your body that transport toxins, bacteria, viruses and dead cells to lymph nodes. It’s the job of your lymph nodes to break down, deactivate and purify these waste products so they are more easily handled by the organs of elimination, the liver and kidneys. A milky white fluid called lymph carries impurities and waste away from the tissues, and passes through gland-like structures spaced throughout the lymphatic system that act as filtering valves. The lymph does not circulate in the same way as the blood does, so its movement depends largely on the squeezing effect of muscle contractions. That’s why exercise is so great for stimulating lymph flow.

 

When your lymph isn’t circulating efficiently, you’re more likely to succumb to infection and feel unwell. You’re also more likely to have dark circles under your eyes, puffiness and a pale complexion (all signs of a sluggish lymphatic system). Exercise is the most effective way to stimulate the passage of lymph through the nodes, but it can also be stimulated through dry skin brushing.

 

The skin is your body’s largest organ and when it functions efficiently, it eliminates two pounds of waste products daily, so its ability to excrete toxins is crucial. When the skin ceases to function properly, an increased burden is placed on the lymphatic system and other excretory organs. Dry skin brushing removes the top layer of skin, which helps the skin excrete toxins and other acids in the body.

 

The technique for dry skin brushing is simple. With a long-handled, firm, natural bristle bath brush, beginning at the soles of the feet and working your way up the legs, torso, back, hands and arms (in a circular motion and always toward the heart), brush away the dry, top layer of dead skin.

 

Daily dry skin brushing for 2–4 minutes is easy to fit into your morning grooming regime. It’s a great opportunity to remove dead skin cells, help remove toxins excreted by the skin, and boost your immunity by improving blood and lymphatic circulation.

 

Don’t let smoke get into your eyes

If you smoke, you need to quit – and if you don’t smoke, avoid smoky areas. Everyone is aware of the potential catastrophic impact on health of smoking. It is better not to start at all, but the sooner a smoker quits the better.

 

Because the damage caused by smoking is cumulative, the longer a person smokes the greater the risk of developing a smoking-related disease, such as lung cancer or heart disease. Quitting not only saves money, but also has added health benefits. Within one year of quitting, the risk of a heart attack falls to about half that of a smoker, and within ten years, the risk of lung cancer falls to about half that of a smoker. In Britain, about 120,000 people a year die through smoking – that’s more than 300 every day.

 

If you don’t smoke, the dangers of passive smoking, or spending time in areas where people smoke, are also well documented. Passive smokers also have an increased risk of lung cancer and poor health, so protect your immunity, health and well-being and stay away from smoky areas.

 

If there’s a smoker in your house, do one of two things: try to get them to quit or have them smoke outside the house. If you are continually exposed to second-hand smoke take additional vitamin C in supplement form as smoke causes excessive amounts of immune-boosting vitamin C to be eliminated from your body. Your health depends on it. (see Vitamin C Plus on the Resources Page).

In the last couple of issues of Natural News I’ve been suggesting ways to boost your immunity thought diet and lifestyle choices. Last month we looked at the benefits of a good night’s sleep and regular exercise and this month you’ll learn how your morning shower, deep breathing and fresh air can all boost your immunity.

Take a cold shower

 

You may not feel like it when it’s cold and dark outside but turning the water to cold for a minute or so at the end of your morning shower stimulates lymphatic circulation that transports immune cells around your body.

 

Even though it may sound like a masochistic act, taking cold showers to reap health benefits isn’t a new concept. It’s been used as a means of therapy for thousands of years. The ancient art of yoga, which began an estimated four to eight thousand years ago, teaches its students that taking cold water showers will help strengthen their immune system against colds and flu. The theory is that coldness can help bring blood to the capillaries, therefore increasing circulation throughout the body. It also encourages muscles to contract so that toxins and poisonous waste can be eliminated more efficiently, painful inflammations are reduced and the mucous membranes are strengthened, which in turn helps keep hay fever, allergies, colds and coughs at bay. Some experts believe that many health problems can be reduced or even eliminated over time by providing proper circulation of the blood to the affected area using cold shower therapy.

 

There is no doubt that an invigorating way to enhance cleansing and to boost your circulation and immune system is to take a cold shower every day. Caution, however, is advised, especially if you are underweight or have a heart condition, as cold showers can put unnecessary stress on your heart. It’s much safer and much more pleasant to have a warm shower first and then, just as you have finishing soaping yourself or washing your hair and are ready to get out of the shower, to give yourself a cold shower burst for a minute. Make sure the bathroom is heated. Never get out of a cold shower into a cold room.

 

 

Take a breather

 

Deep breathing – from your belly not your lungs – is not only relaxing; it can also raise your immunity.

 

Research on the link between oxygen deficiency and disease has been carried out for several decades. Oxygen plays a key role in our immune function. It is the source of the ammunition used by natural killer cells against viruses and tumours. Breathing serves as the pump for the lymphatic system, just as the heart serves as the pump for the circulatory system. Your cells must have oxygen to survive from moment to moment. To thrive, they rely on a complex exchange between the circulatory system and the lymphatic system. Blood flow carries nutrients and ample amounts of oxygen into the capillaries, while a healthy lymphatic system carries away destructive toxins. Proper breathing is the moderator of this exchange.

 

Many of us breathe too fast and too rapidly during the day. This fast, shallow breathing expels carbon dioxide too quickly and takes in too little oxygen. However, when breathing is slow, deep and full – and is carried out from the abdomen (belly) and not the lungs – extra oxygen is drawn into the bloodstream. Your diaphragm is a thick, flat muscle just below your ribcage and above your abdomen. By using your diaphragm when you breathe in, you help your lungs expand so that they take in more air. Increased oxygenation boosts circulation and encourages the healthy functioning of your entire immune system.

 

To check that you are breathing correctly, put your hand on your navel; as you breathe in, your stomach should move out. If it doesn’t you’re using your upper chest instead of your diaphragm. Another sign indicating that you might be breathing incorrectly is that you often sigh or yawn. You may also feel as if you often can’t catch your breath or fill your lungs fully.

 

Try this ‘breathing from your diaphragm’ exercise

 

1. Relax your shoulders

2. Put one hand on your abdomen

3. Push your abdominal muscles out

4. Breathe in through your nose

4. Suck in your abdominal muscles

5. Breathe out with pursed lips (you should feel your abdomen go down)

6. Repeat three times and rest for two minutes

7. Repeat this exercise several times a day

 

Aerobic exercise is one way to increase your intake of oxygen and improve its circulation, but immune-boosting benefits may also be obtained from breathing exercises that teach you to breathe more fully.

 

The following exercises will help you take control of your breathing. They don’t require a lot of time, but they work best if you commit to practising them for a few minutes every day. Over time, you will find that you are breathing more deeply throughout the day and reaping all the immune-boosting benefits. With practice, you can break the cycle of bad breathing.

 

– Pursed-lip breathing

 

1. Inhale slowly through your nose until your lungs fill up with air

2. Purse your lips as if you were going to whistle or kiss someone

3. Breathe out slowly while keeping your lips pursed

4. Take twice as long to breathe out as you do to breathe in

5. Do not force your lungs to empty

6. Repeat 5–6 times

 

Pursed-lip breathing will help you get more air into your lungs, encourage you to breathe more steadily, and control any shortness of breath.

 

– ‘Hold your breath’ exercise

 

1. Breathe in

2. Try to hold your breath for ten seconds

3. Breathe out with pursed lips as above

4. Repeat 3 times

 

Holding your breath extends the time for your lungs to exchange oxygen for carbon dioxide, helping your body take in more oxygen.

 

– ‘Three-part breathing’ exercise

 

1. With your mouth closed, exhale deeply through your nose. Imagine that you are pouring the breath out of a jug, starting at the top of your chest and moving down through your mid-torso and into your diaphragm.

2. Pause for two counts at the bottom of the breath, and then inhale through your nose. Refill the ‘jug’ slowly, counting to five (or seven if you can make it). Start at the bottom, expanding your diaphragm and belly, then your mid-torso, and lastly the top of your chest and lungs.

3. Pause for two counts and exhale as before. Then repeat the exercise 3 times.

 

This yoga technique is very useful during times of stress, or at any time you need to relax.

 

 

Fresh air, anyone?

 

Most of us spend 90 per cent of our lives indoors inhaling dubiously filtered air and other people’s germs, so take any opportunity you can to get some fresh air.

 

A regular dose of fresh air can help make your body less vulnerable to cold and flu viruses. This is especially true during cold weather when not only does central heating dehydrate you, but also the tendency to stay indoors results in more germs circulating in crowded, dry rooms.

 

So, as also mentioned in the avoid winter weight gain feature in this issue, even if it’s cold outside, wrap up warm and get some energising fresh air. Go for a walk, even if you have to put your umbrella up and stroll in the rain. It’s probably best to stay away from polluted areas and to seek out areas where traffic is lighter and where there are signs of nature as the air is likely to be much fresher. Head to countryside, seaside or the mountains if you can and if you live or work in the city seek out local parks and gardens. Put some distance between yourself and the congested, contaminated environs of industrial areas. Without an abundance of fresh, pure air, the essential interchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the lungs cannot take place.

 

Wherever it is you choose to escape, remember you can derive health-giving and even life-giving benefits from time spent in the pure fresh air, amid the trees, flowers and plants. So put your walking shoes on and get some fresh air.