Prevention:
The best medicine microscopic wars rage constantly within
your body but you are normally not aware that these incessant
battles against infection are being fought. The attackers
are tiny but can be plentiful and lethal. Some are so
small that 230 million of them could fit on the period
at the end of this sentence. Ideally, your immune system
will automatically provide legions of defenders, a wonderful
network of organs and specialized cells that are constantly
vigilant, fighting to keep you healthy. But sometimes
your defenders are caught in a weakened state, and you
develop a cold, the flu, or a more serious infection.
We agree with the saying, "Prevention is the best
medicine." We promote optimal support of the body's
innate and miraculous infection-fighting ability now,
which may help reduce our dependence on antibiotics later.
We
advocate maximizing the state of immune system readiness
and functionality and minimizing periods of immune weakness.
What
factors may contribute to the weakening of your immune
system? A basic list of things to avoid includes physiological,
psychological, and emotional stress; poor physical and
aerobic conditioning; lack of sleep, rest, and relaxation;
and an especially poor diet.
While
all of these factors are important, our discussion below
will focus on proper nourishment.
The Value of Proper Nourishment
When your nutritional stores become depleted, your immune
system may become less able to provide defense against
foreign invaders.
A
study reported in the journal, Lancet (Vol. 340, 1992),
illustrates the importance of proper vitamin and mineral
nourishment for optimizing immune system activity in the
elderly. Ninety-six individuals over the age of 65 were
evaluated after nutritional supplementation with a multiple
vitamin/mineral formula or placebo. The study showed that
the group who took the supplements had half the number
of days sick from colds, flus, and other infection-related
illnesses.
Vitamin C and the Immune System
Although many nutrients are necessary for a healthy immune
system, vitamin C is perhaps the most common nutrient
we associate with supporting immunity. Prompted by the
publishing of Dr. Linus Pauling's book, Vitamin C and
the Common Cold, in 1970, many people have sworn by megadoses
of vitamin C as one of the best ways to reduce the chances
of getting sick.
Although
more research is needed to clearly establish the properties
of vitamin C, some studies demonstrate that vitamin C
increases the activity of specific white blood cells,
the cells involved in fighting infection. It has been
observed that white blood cell movement, as well as their
ability to destroy bacteria, is stimulated in the presence
of vitamin C. It has also been noted that some viral growth
may be inhibited when vitamin C is present. Some scientific
data suggest that vitamin C may reduce the incidence of
the common cold, and that it may shorten the duration
of colds and lessen the severity of symptoms.
A recent study revealed the positive effect of vitamin
C on a very specific and important type of white blood
cell of the immune system, the natural killer (NK) cell.
The study indicated that vitamin C may cause an increase
in NK cell activity. When NK cell activity increases,
your immune system may become more capable of fighting
infections.
Are all vitamin C supplements the same? Some nutritional
experts suggest that vitamin C supplements made up of
a blend of mineral ascorbates that are neutral pH and
vitamin C metabolites may be a better form of vitamin
C for many people.
How much vitamin C is recommended? The current RDA for
vitamin C is 60 mg per day, the minimum amount needed
to guard against the vitamin C deficiency disease, scurvy.
Our ancestral diet contained 400 to 2,000 mg per day.
According
to the late, two-time Nobel Prize winner and noted vitamin
C researcher, Dr. Linus Pauling, this may still fall short
of providing optimal support for immune system readiness
and functionality. He personally took 4,500 mg of vitamin
C each day, and recommended 10,000 to 12,000 mg daily
for those with serious immune challenge or weakness.
Other researchers concur by suggesting that, at times
of infection, vitamin C requirements may increase significantly.
Does
vitamin C work alone? While vitamin C is one of the most
commonly known vitamins, there are many other nutrients
that are needed for good health. We recommend a variety
of nutritional formulas. Ask us about them today.
Healthy ways to protect yourself
Eat
a nutrient rich, balanced diet consisting of high fiber,
complex carbohydrates, and moderate protein in the form
of fresh, whole, unprocessed foods
Implement stress control measures and strive to achieve
a healthy psychological state
Get plenty of rest and relaxation
Exercise regularly
Take
a vitamin C supplement containing a blend of vitamin C
and its metabolites
References
1. Raeburn P. Deadly post-antibiotic era seen. Orange
County Register February 10, 1994. 2. Begley S. The end
of antibiotics. Newsweek March 28, 1994:47-51. 3. Jaret
P. Our immune system, the wars within. National Geographic
June, 1986;169;6:702-35. 4. Chandra RJ. Effect of vitamin
and trace element supplementation on immune responses
and infection in elderly subjects. Lancet November 2,
1992;340:1124-7. 5. Pauling L. Vitamin C and the Common
Cold. San Francisco: W.H. Freeman Co. 6. Vojdani A, Ghoneum
M. In vivo enhancement of human NK activity by vitamin
C. FASEB February, 1992;6;4:A12313. 7. Hemila H. Vitamin
C and lowering blood pressure: need for intervention trials.
J Hypertens 1991;9;11:1076-7. 8. Pauling L. Linus Pauling
on vitamin C against colds, cancer and AIDS. Good Medicine
Summer, 1993:8-10.
MET126 Rev. 5/98 ©1994 Advanced Nutrition Publications,
Inc., rev. 1998
