Immune Boosting Basics

Herbs excel at prevention. That's not to say that they aren't the perfect answer to many existing health conditions. But ultimately, our aim is to get to the point where we don't need 'treatments'. Instead we will be spending our energy on building and enhancing whichever system in the body is mostly affected by disease.

It is possible to simply not get ill. However, if you don't do something special, conscientious self-care that's better than average, you're likely to keep on getting ill just like everyone else.

Just as there are things in life that sap our immune system's vigour and capacity, there are also things that give it a break, or even actively nurture it. So in the simplest sense, the strategy for strengthening the immune system is to increase the positive influences in our life as much as possible, while at the same time reducing the negative's as much as possible.

As an overview, this means increasing our intake of fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes. Getting plenty of fresh, clean water, rest, relaxation, and quality sleep. Doing moderate exercise, and experiencing as much joy, happiness and self expression as you can manage. It would mean reducing mental stress, consumption of simple sugars, alcohol, saturated and other harmful fats, and cutting out smoking and drug use.

That's a lot of things to do, and it may seem overwhelming if all those areas need work right now. But the nice thing about this strategy of increasing the positive and reducing the negative is that it's a process.

One negative influence removed from your life makes a difference. It's simply one less burden on your immune system. One addition on the plus side gives greater impetus to your own innate healing power. Do what you can, and appreciate yourself for the changes you make.

There are at least six major immune boosting and cancer prevention tools that are both easy to adopt and accessible to virtually everyone. These six health promoters are: diet, culinary herbs, exercise, stress reduction techniques, social support and intimacy.

Immune Booster # 1: Diet
There are two areas on which you can focus. The first is a positive strategy: increasing your daily intake of anti-oxidants and minerals that promote immunity and support the cancer-fighting mechanisms of the body. The second is to follow a low-fat diet.

Vitamins A, C and E are antioxidants: they slow down the aging process and protect the body from cancer, heart disease and pollution.

Immune Booster # 2: Culinary herbs
A wide array of herbs are proving to have powerful immune boosting and cancer-prevention properties. The most prominent of these are garlic, cumin, turmeric, Japanese green tea, licorice, cinnamon, mint and chamomile.

Immune Booster # 3: Exercise
Moderate exercise stimulates the production of a variety of immune cells and enhances the overall function of the immune system. As little as 30 minutes of walking per day, three to five times per week, is enough to boost cardiovascular fitness and immunity.

Immune Booster # 4: Stress reduction techniques
Stress affects immunity in a number of ways, but primarily through the endocrine system by causing the secretion of immune depressing hormones. Dealing with stress effectively is therefore essential in the maintenance of a healthy immune system. Among the best ways of doing that is exercise, meditation, and relaxation techniques.

Immune Booster # 5: Social support
There is no denying that humans are social creatures, but we are only beginning to learn that social life is essential to our health, as well as our happiness. This is especially the case in times of a health crisis.

Immune Booster # 6: Intimacy
Call it "dying of a broken heart," the research consistently shows that the loss of a loved one is associated with depressed immune response and premature death.

When following this strategy of increasing the positives and decreasing the negatives, don't expect to experience a necessarily dramatic result. One of the ironies of taking good care of yourself is what we call the "no-result" result. We are not accustomed to measuring our success by what doesn't happen. We want to see something happening, even if it means being very ill and getting heroically "cured."

A shift in thinking is needed here: No news is good news. There are countless all-too-common health catastrophes whose absence in your life will confirm your success.