
Parenting 101
10 Ways to Turbo Charge Your Immune System
By Sandra Gordon
March/April 2008
Q: My child seems to catch every little cold that comes along.
Is there something I can do to help boost his immunity?
You can take control. True, the world is filled with nasty viruses,
bacteria and carcinogens just waiting to do you in. That’s
especially true if you’ve got germ magnets, otherwise known
as kids. Babies put dropped pacifiers in their mouths. Toddlers
share sippy cups and juice boxes with each other.
Preschoolers
use their hands instead of a tissue and cough with their mouths
wide open. And children of all ages seem to attract bad bugs everywhere
they go, many of which land on Mom. At the very least, these bad
bugs can cause temporary sickness and misery. Worse, they can make
you more vulnerable to killer conditions like cancer. The good
news? You don’t have to take it. Here, simple
ways to mobilize your immune system’s illness-fighting forces-the
T cells, natural killer cells and antibodies that declare war on
the enemy and attack. Just follow these easy steps, and you’ll
increase your body’s natural defenses against colds, flu
and the chronic conditions we dread.
Don’t get caught dirty handed
Be sure to wash your hands
before eating and after using the bathroom, changing a diaper and
touching raw meat, poultry, fish or eggs. Hand washing is one of
the most effective ways to prevent microbes that cause colds, flu
and foodborne illness from entering your body. And don’t
worry about buying special anti-bacterial soap. Plain soap will
do.
Take a breather
Evidence suggests that unmanaged stress sets off
a chain of hormonal events that can decrease the activity of natural
killer cells, says Gailen Marshall, M.D., Ph.D., director of the
division of allergy and immunology at the University of Texas-Houston
Medical School. Runaway stress can also make you susceptible to
colds and aggravate chronic conditions such as asthma and allergies. “Recognize
your limitations and give yourself permission to have time just
for you,” she advises. Schedule in at least 20 minutes of
daily down time, and find a hobby that lets you have fun.
Get some shut eye
Studies suggest that sleep deprivation causes
sluggish production of natural killer cells, a type of white blood
cell that can obliterate certain microbes and cancer cells. While
more researcher is needed, your best bet is to aim for a solid
eight hours of sleep each night, says Merrill Mitler, Ph.D., a
professor of neural pharmacology at Scripps Research Institute
in La Jolla, California. If that’s not possible, nap if you
can, and be sure to catch up on lost sleep on the weekends.
Don’t be a fat phobic
A diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids
(found in fatty fish like salmon) may help reduce your body’s
production of eicosanoids from omega-6 fatty acids, hormone-like
substances that can over-stimulate your immune system, says Artemis
Simopoulos, M.D., coauthor of The Omega Plan. That might explain
why high levels of eicosanoids are associated with autoimmune conditions
such as rheumatoid arthritis, diverticulitis, multiple sclerosis
and lupus, which occur when an overalert immune system attacks
the body’s own cells as a “foreign invader.” To
up your diet’s omega-3 intake, eat fish two or three times
a week, Dr. Simopoulos recommends.
Go beyond broccoli
Eat your sweet potatoes, spinach, apples, oranges – the
whole cornucopia. According to the American Institute for Cancer
Research, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables (at least five servings
a day) can reduce your cancer risk by 20 percent. A hefty dose
of this “plant power” comes from cancer-fighting antioxidants.
These nutrients help neutralize free radicals, unstable oxygen
molecules produced by your body that can damage cell DNA and lead
to cancer. The disease busters in plant foods tend to work best
as a team, so aim for variety.
Give yourself a shot against illness
Talk to your doctor about
getting a flu shot (which is 70 to 90 percent effective at preventing
the illness in healthy people) between September to mid-November – especially
if you have a chronic condition like asthma, diabetes or heart
disease, you’re pregnant or age 50 or older. One caveat:
The flu shot isn’t recommended if you’re allergic to
eggs or have a history of Guillain-Barre syndrome, according to
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.
Exercise your options
Doing moderate
workouts (like walking or jogging) for at least 30 minutes five
or more times a week can increase the circulation of immune-boosting
natural killer cells in your body, even when you’re at rest,
according to Susanna Cunningham-Rundles, Ph.D., Director of the
Immunology Research Laboratory at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital
in New York City. But overdosing may work against you. The stress
of intense exercise (approximately 75 minutes or more at a strenuous
pace, or anything that makes you feel as if you’re pushing
yourself too hard) may stimulate stress hormones like cortisol,
which some studies suggest can suppress natural killer cells. The
upshot? If you’re
a long-distance runner or serious athlete, you may be at increased
risk for colds and flu. Take other stay-healthy steps, like getting
plenty of sleep, eating a well-balanced diet and asking your doctor
about a flu shot, recommends Cunningham-Rundles.
Guard against weight gain
Research shows that obesity may alter
your immune system response. Add to that the many health risks
associated with being overweight (including heart disease, diabetes
and sleep apnea), and avoiding the 20- to 30-pound gain that many
adults pack on as they age becomes an important way to safeguard
your well-being, says Madelyn H. Fernstrom, Ph.D., Director of
the Weight Management Center at the University of Pittsburgh Medical
Center. The number you don’t want to hit: a body mass index
(BMI) of 25 or higher, which is considered overweight. To determine
your BMI, log onto http://nhlbisupport.com/bmi/bmicalc.htm,
the Web site for the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
Get more zinc
Most Americans fall short of the daily recommendation
for zinc (12 milligrams) by about 20 percent. Besides being a free-radical-fighting
antioxidant, zinc enhances the quality and number of your body’s
T cells, major players in the immune system that combat viruses
and bacteria. Getting enough may increase your resistance to infections
such as diarrhea and pneumonia, says Sunil Sazawal, Ph.D., an associate
scientist in the department of International Health at Johns Hopkins
University in Baltimore. Fill your quota by adding zinc-rich foods
like lean meat, fish, poultry, beans and nuts to your diet.
Don’t go it alone
Can you name someone who’d help
you in a pinch? Do you have a confidante? Answering yes puts you
at lower risk for illness, particularly heart disease, says Marty
Sullivan, M.D., codirector of the Integrative Medicine Initiative
at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina. Studies
show that people who have a diverse social network (including friends,
family, coworkers, etc.) have greater resistance to colds.
Sandra Gordon is a journalist specializing
in health and is a frequent contributor to many national magazines,
including Ladies’ Home
Journal, Prevention, Parents, American Baby, Fitness and Child.
She is also the author of Consumer Reports Best Baby Products,
2007.
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