Tag: lifestyle

Immune System Functions and Autoimmunity

February 8, 2021

Our bodies are made to combat germs and protect itself from harm. We have a built in defense system against illness and other harmful things seeking to damage our health. We are continually exposed to organisms that are inhaled, swallowed or inhabit our skin and mucous membranes. Whether or not these organisms lead to disease is decided by the strength and integrity this defense mechanism: the immune system.

Most of the time we don’t even notice when our immune system is working. But when it has become compromised we are at a greater risk of developing infections and other health conditions…and that’s when we notice it!

Strengthening our immune system doesn’t happen over night. It requires patience and diet and lifestyle changes. Are you ready for the change?

Perhaps, before you can make this big decision, we should take a little look at just WHAT the immune system does for the body…

Functions of the Immune System

The immune system is a network of organs, white blood cells and proteins that protect the body from viruses and bacteria or any foreign substance. The immune system’s job is to: 1. Neutralize and remove pathogens like bacteria, viruses, parasites or fungi that enter the body, and 2. Recognize and neutralize harmful substances from the environment, and fight against the body’s own cells that have changes due to illness.

This body system really is amazing! Did you know that the human immune system is constantly adapting and learning so that the body can fight bacteria or viruses that change over time? There are two parts of the immune system:

  • Our innate immune system: this works as a general defense against pathogens.
  • Our adaptive immune system: this targets very specific pathogens that the body has already had contact with.

These two systems complement each other and work to effectively react to pathogens and other harmful substances, protecting our health and defending the rest of our bodily functions against enemy invaders.

Now it could be said that there is a lot of pressure on the immune system to do its job. Which is why it needs our help, as well. It must be able to tell the difference between “self” and “non-self” cells.

  • “Non-self” substances are called antigens. These include the proteins on the surfaces of bacteria, fungi and viruses. The immune system detects the presence of antigens and works to defend the body against them.
  • “Self” substances are proteins on the surface of our own cells. When functioning properly and normally, the immune system has already learned at an earlier stage to identify these cell proteins as it’s own. However, there are times when it identifies its own body as “non-self”, and fights it. This is called an autoimmune reaction.

 

Autoimmune Disorders

Even though millions of Americans suffer from some form of autoimmunity, many without knowing it, we still have many questions about it. Questions that deserve some answers:

What is autoimmunity? Autoimmune diseases cause your immune system to attack your own body’s cells and tissues in response to an unknown trigger. Examples of autoimmune diseases include rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes.

How does our immune system get confused? There are many theories about this, many of which are being tested, but we do know that foreign cells may get into the body through the intestines. Some foods cause inflammation and create gaps in our intestinal lining, allowing the foreign cells to leak through. This is called leaky gut syndrome. This may also be why people with autoimmune disorders can fluctuate between periods of remission and flare-ups with worsening conditions.

Does nutrition play a role, and can it help with flare ups? We already got a little bit of this question answered above, but let’s dive in a little deeper and examine it more. Think of your digestive tract as your first line of defense against autoimmune illness, or any illness for that matter. From entry to exit, the lining of your digestive tract is continuous with the skin that covers your body. This actually makes your digestive tract lining similar to your skin in a sense. It acts as a barrier that protects your blood and inner tissues against harmful substances. If you are suffering from an autoimmune condition, your digestive tract is probably not as healthy as it can be.

While there are many different foods that can contribute to autoimmune flare ups and problems, here are THREE of the biggest ones:

Sugar

-A diet full of sugar, especially processed sugar, is NEVER good. It sabotages the immune system’s ability to combat illness, disease, and other threats to the body. Over consuming sugar leads to chronic inflammation, a big danger to anyone with autoimmune. This causes the body’s immune system to turn on, attacking healthy cells.

Dairy

– It’s sad but true. It may be time to leave the dairy behind. For those with autoimmune, dairy can cause several problems and flare ups. The casein protein found in milk can cause inflammation in the body, which leads to a weakened immune system and an autoimmune flare up. These proteins can also mimic your body’s cells, like the pancreas. When the body mistakenly attacks the pancreas, a person may develop autoimmune type 1 diabetes.

Gluten

-Gluten these days is rarely anyone’s friend, but it is a special enemy of those with autoimmune. Gluten can be dangerous, not just for those with celiac, but also for those suffering from many autoimmune diseases. If a person already has an autoimmune condition, then the body has trouble processing gluten naturally. Consuming gluten puts stress on the immune system that can result in flare ups.

 

Solutions?

I know this may require you to remove some of your favorite foods, and it’s hard, but there are also steps you can take to improve your digestion and autoimmune condition.

Hydrate…with water. Flushing out toxins and supporting cellular energy will go a long way to improving autoimmunity.

Next, go easy on your digestion. Stay away from those foods that cause inflammation, and maybe try fixing certain foods in a different way to make it easier to digest. For example, some veggies just go down better when lightly steamed. You can also add in some probiotics or digestive enzymes.

Finally, try some gentle exercise to reduce stress. This is a hard one to pull off, but so important. High stress leads to inflammation and other emotional problems that can cause autoimmune flare ups and other problems. So it makes sense, then, that lowering stress can make for a better and healthier you…and a stronger immune system!

From Resolution to Habit

January 1, 2020

Time For Change Clockface

 

Making New Years resolutions is the thing to do, right? Make a long or short list of things you want to do better in the coming year and hope for the best. But what is the point? We start out strong enough, but after about a week we slow down and before the end of the month we have dropped it completely. In theory, they are a good idea. Trying to improve your health or lifestyle. But if they don’t last, or stress us out, should we be making resolutions?

I don’t think there is anything wrong with the idea…just the execution of it. We tend to get over zealous and bite off more than we can chew, then choke on it. This year, let’s try a different approach. Let’s start by taking smaller bites and steps and working our way up. Remember the saying, “slow and steady wins the race.” That turtle knew what he was doing, and I think we can take some lessons from him. We tend to want to get things done big and fast! And, while there is admiration in that, it’s not always practical…or the best and most assured way of accomplishing your goals.

Here are some of the most popular New Years Resolutions that people make, and some ideas on how to accomplish them. BUT…here’s the catch! DON’T pick as many as you want to do!! JUST PICK ONE! Start out with the one you want to accomplish the most, start out small and slowly build up until it has become a habit…then you can move on to another one.

1. Limit Toxins

We know there are a lot of toxins in our every day lives, and not just from the food we eat, but from the products we use and the things we are around. Start by picking ONE toxic thing to get rid of or replace. Things like makeup, soap and beauty products, cleaning supplies and scented candles are all good places to start cleaning up the toxins in your daily life.

2. Limit Technology

This one is tricky. Our cellphones, computers and TV can tend to rule our lives. We spend the majority of our day starting at a screen, watching entertainment, chatting with someone, looking up something or just scrolling through Pinterest or social media. But we also work on them…SO…set up a reasonable amount of time to be on your devices each day, and don’t deviate from it. Limit distractions that would cause you to take longer in your work. Don’t keep your phone with you all the time. When you are with spending time with family and friends, put it away, and show them that they are more important to you than anything you can find on a screen. And try and keep your phone out of your bedroom at night. Turn off all your devices about an hour before retiring and place your cellphone in the next room.

3. Drink More Water

We ALL need to drink more water. But sometimes it is hard…we don’t feel like it, we forget, or we just don’t like the taste of it right now. Here is a way I have found to get more water in your body…without necessarily realizing it: Do you have a water bottle? Good. Keep it full, and keep it nearby. While you are working, watching a movie, listening to something, or out and about. When you get bored, or start thinking about what you are working on, instead of waling to the kitchen to munch on a snack…reach for your water bottle. It empties faster than you might think when you start doing it by habit.

4. Eat Less Junk Food

Let’s face it…the American diet is mostly junk food: Sugar, Soda, Dye, Processed Foods, MSG, GMOs, etc. But, we can make better choices and start eliminating those nasty foods…it will just take some time and a lot of determination. You can start by slowly eliminating one thing a week/month. (Now, this will mean you have to start reading labels.)

5. Exercise More

This is not as hard as you might think. You don’t have to go all out at the beginning. Start one day at a time, adding a day each week. And it could be as simple as taking a walk around your neighborhood, slowly building up the intensity.

6. Spend More Time Outside

Again, this is more simple than you might think. Taking a walk once a day, having your daily devotions outside, sitting outside and watching the sunset with your family, going to the park (you can even take your work or a project with you, if you are able).

7. Eat Healthier

We all say we should get more fruits, vegetables, protein, supplements, vitamins and minerals. If you decide to take some junk food out of your diet it becomes easier to add in these types of foods and eat a healthier diet.

8. Spend More Time with Family

It is easy to allow other things to get in the way of spending time with family. Don’t schedule activities every day of the week. Pick a day to be family night. Play some games, watch a movie, work on a project together.

9. Be More Productive

You have to prioritize. Make a list of the things you wish to accomplish during the week (starting with the highest priority), limit distractions. Then start going down the list each day. If a lower priority task does not get accomplished when you wish, it’s OK. Keep working on it. And you soon get into a groove for completing the tasks that are most important. It may mean giving up something on your “want list” in order to get a job done. We have time for, and accomplish the things we want most…and when we focus on what we are doing.

10. Be More Positive

We can all be a Negative Nancy in our world today. There is a lot of things to think negatively about. But what we don’t always see are the thousands of things to be thankful for each and every day. Did you know there are several things to be thankful for each day? And I am only asking you to think of ONE. Each day, look for one thing you can be thankful for, write it on a piece of paper and place it in a jar. Then, at the end of the year, you can open it up and read about all the good things God gave you each day of the year!

 

New Years resolutions ARE attainable, we just have to look for a different way of accomplishing our goals. And if you stumble or miss some days/steps along the way…just pick yourself up and keep moving forward. That is the key: the direction, not the speed. So DON’T GIVE UP!

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!