Immune system | Silver Magazine

Your Guide to Complete Seasonal Allergy Relief

While budding trees and blooming flowers are beautiful, they can also trigger seasonal symptoms, including runny nose, itching, coughing, and sneezing (oh – the sneezing!). There are over-the-counter solutions, but they may cause side effects like drowsiness, dry mouth, and fatigue – and the symptoms still come back in full force – but there is an alternative solution that addresses these issues! Treat General Allergy Symptoms PLUS Get to The Root of The Issue So, what causes hay fever? Lifestyle factors such as reduced contact with nature, compromised gut flora, environmental pollution, and high stress levels can all contribute to the root of the problem: an unbalanced, over-reactive immune system. When the immune system is out of balance, it triggers excessive histamine production as a response to pollen exposure, even when there is no real “threat” to the body. This results in extreme allergy symptoms, leaving sufferers feeling fatigued, inflamed, and

Staff April 25, 2024

Deepen Your Immunity

PROTECT YOUR HEALTH: PLANT MEDICINES FOR YOUR STRONGEST IMMUNITY We often step up our health regimens when cold and flu season approaches. It’s important to understand how your immune system works and that it is crucial to support a strong immune system to help protect your health. Certain plant medicines known as adaptogens offer powerful support in fortifying critical immune responses against illness and infection by proactively strengthening your innate immunity – your first line of immune defense! ADAPTOGENS – FOR YOUR STRONGEST IMMUNITY You can protect your health – and your family’s – by boosting the body’s innate ability to fight off illness. The key here is balance! When an immune system is overactive, there are greater inflammatory reactions (e.g., severe allergies, autoimmune conditions). If it is underactive, one is more susceptible to infections. A balanced immune system is your strongest immune system, one that responds appropriately, efficiently, and

Staff February 14, 2024

Health

The 101 on your immune system

Your immune system defends you from constant threats. Look after it so it can look after you. Part One: How your immune system works THE ABC’S OF IMMUNITY We don’t realize it as we go about our day, but our immune system is engaged in a constant life-or-death drama, fighting threats too small to see and winning most of them most of the time. In this era of the COVID-19 pandemic, it helps to get a big-picture view of the immune system. Without it, we would all be sick, dying, or dead. In the article How the Immune System Works, in Medical News Today (2018), Tim Newman explains that “without an immune system, our bodies would be open to attack from bacteria, viruses, parasites, and more. It keeps us healthy as we drift through a sea of pathogens. This vast network of cells and tissues is constantly on the lookout

David Holt December 1, 2021

Health

What do to before & during a bout of cold or flu

Three things are certain in life: Death, taxes and the flu. Both the common cold and the flu are viral infections that can’t be cured by medication, though symptoms can be mitigated. As with many of life’s problems, time and rest is the greatest healer. It comes for us all eventually, but the best way to stave off a viral infection is to keep in tip-top shape. Support The immune system is a complicat- ed network of reactions that, to this day, is not completely understood. Taking care of your whole body can give it the best chance to do its job. Keep your healthy lifestyle choices consistent. Avoid smoking, eat a balanced diet, make time for a good night’s sleep and exercise regularly. Even a half hour walk every day can make a world of difference to your body. Multivitamins: Especially if you follow a restrictive diet, a good quality

Simone Waters November 8, 2021

Health

How to keep your immune system strong

Our immune system is one big puzzle, each piece working with the others to create a strong immune defence to keep invaders out. Support the four pillars of immune health—nutrition, exercise, mindfulness and sleep—to boost your immune system. NUTRITION Nutritional imbalances have been linked to decreased immunity and increased risk of illness. To help the body identify, break down and dispose of invading bugs, our immune system relies on a diverse collection of nutrients. Macronutrients such as protein, carbohydrates and fat help our system build antibodies, which function to identify and remove viruses and bacteria. To perform to its fullest, the immune system also requires micronutrients like folic acid, vitamins A, C, E, B6 and minerals including copper, zinc, selenium and iron. It’s best to get your nutrients from a rounded diet of whole foods, but lifestyle and dieting habits can often result in nutritional imbalances. Consider adjusting your supplement routine during cold

Michelle W. Book February 17, 2021

Health

The power of your immune system

The immune system strives to protect us from infections and to stop tumours in their tracks. Its job, simply put, is to keep us alive. You can look at the immune system as a gift from nature. It works hard to fend off all types of insults to our system. But it’s a two-way deal. If we want all the benefits of a high-functioning immune system, we need to look after it so it can look after us. To help our immune system, we need to eat right and exercise smart. We also need to identify and ignore some myths. Our bodies need fuel and our immune system is no different. IRON deficiency is the most common deficiency in the world. More than 20% of the world’s population has an iron deficiency—and women are more likely to be affected than men, according to Statistics Canada. Iron deficiency leads to less cell-mediated immunity,

David Whittaker January 27, 2021

Health

Top 8 Hormones for longevity

Maintaining the proper balance of these eight hormone help you fight aging and feel younger longer. Do you have lifeless hair, dull skin, and weak nails? These are all signs of aging. If you want to turn back the clock, I suggest starting your anti-aging regimen with an inside look at your hormones. They affect everything from immune response and inflammation to cellular growth and tissuerepair. Let’s address each of the top eight hormones that impact our appearance and discuss methods you can use to achieve the healthy balance necessary for radiant, youthful- looking skin. The countdown begins: EIGHT: Testosterone Excessive testosterone, in women or men, may result in acne on the face, chest or back. With age, women tend to experience an increase in androgen (a male sex hormone) levels and a decline in estrogen. Men tend to experience the opposite—an increase in estrogen and a decline in testosterone, which causes the skin to dry out. If a testosterone deficiency is suspected, herbs such as tribulus terresteris, stress management and weight-bearing exercises may help to restore optimal levels for both men and women. You can also ask your health practitioner about bioidentical testosterone cream. SEVEN: DHEA Dry skin is a problem that

Dr. Natasha Turner October 26, 2020

Fitness

Strengthening your immune system

Immunity, or lack of it, starts at the cellular level. The immune system involves your skin, intestines, nasal mucosa, blood, lymph nodes, white blood cells, stem cells, b-cells and many other organs and tissues. Factors that impair immune function include nutrient deficiencies, contaminated air, water and food, unhealthy lifestyles and exposure to harmful microbes. The immune system is the body’s chief defense system, designed to protect the body against germs, viruses, bacteria and other invaders. A weakened immune system leaves the body vulnerable to virtually every type of illness and disease, especially when you move between climates, countries and time zones. The shift from late summer to autumn is always marked in the health calendar by the arrival of a new generation of viruses accompanied by wide- spread coughs and colds. Your immune system essentials Echinacea This popular herb works by increasing the numbers and activity of white blood cells.

Dr. Joyce Johnson, ND October 5, 2020

Health

Sea cucumbers, nature’s powerful gift to support our health

Sponsored post Nature has always been there providing us with everything we need to support our health; all we have to do is recognize and embrace its gifts. Sea cucumber, a marine animal in the phylum Echinodermata, is one such gift. There are over 1,250 species of this ancient animal. A species known as Cucumaria Frondosa has been studied extensively for its powerful nutrient profile. The rigid waters of the North Atlantic off the coast of Nova Scotia preserve higher nutrient levels than those found in warmer climates. As we age, it becomes more imperative to support our immune system and mitigate inflammation for optimal health and longevity. C. Frondosa has been recognized for its high antioxidant capacity. It’s a good source of zinc and protein for immune building and function; it is also a good source of vitamins B and C to help reduce stress and repair the adrenal

Marina Silverio September 4, 2020