Browse Immune System and Immunity Enhancement

Can we all get over our fixation on cholesterol? I mean, now that it’s clear that cholesterol isn’t what’s causing heart disease? But, but, but, if cholesterol is building up in my arteries, doesn’t that mean cholesterol’s the problem? Actually, no. Your cholesterol is simply trying to patch ...Can we all get over our fixation on cholesterol? I mean, now that it’s clear that cholesterol isn’t what’s causing heart disease? But, but, but, if cholesterol is building up in my arteries, doesn’t that mean cholesterol’s the problem?

Perhaps you read about the death of John Jackson, of West Midands, England. The 40-year-old Mr. Jackson, unable to work because of advanced liver cirrhosis, the result of years of heavy drinking, is said to have died from eating mints. How could mints, specifically Hero Instant Energy Mints, kill him? Well, sayeth the poobahs, it was all the caffeine in the mints–82mg per mint.

The immune system is kind of a mystery. We don't hear much about where any of our immune system parts are, what they do, how they do whatever it is they do, etc. Well, maybe you've heard of lymph glands. Perhaps a huge lump showed up on the side of your neck–which, you decide, can only mean cancer. So, off you hie to see the doc, who tells you an allergy caused your tender-to-the-touch lump. You breathe a sigh of relief and get on with life, happy that it wasn't more serious.

Muscle problems tend to accompany endocrine issues, especially adrenal glands that can’t or won’t keep up. Of course, they also tend to accompany life as a jock or a do-it-yourselfer. But with endocrine people, muscles act up without a cause. As the song says, that’s life. Our muscles get inflamed and “knotted up,” worse on some days than others.

Ever notice how you get a pain in your neck when you keep talking about your boss being a “pain in the neck”? This isn’t a coincidence. This is the mind-body connection in action. So if our thoughts can create pain, can our thoughts eliminate it? Absolutely. One of the most powerful tools I have in my radical self-care toolbox is guided imagery. Guided imagery uses your imagination to reach a relaxed, focused or other state of being. This state can promote stress reduction, healing and even life transformation. That is guided imagery.

I tell you true, this Ebola thing is a mess, and the reactions to it are not promising. Medicine has nothing to offer, so they’re in a panic. Which means the media is beating a very loud drum about death and mayhem marching in shortly. Meanwhile, the President has sent soldiers, trained to defeat the enemy with guns and tanks, into Ebola-stricken lands where, apparently, they’re expected to win the war against a virus. Sayeth the brass, “Training? We don’t need nostinkin’ training!”

Enough with the fluoride already! Communities began adding fluoride to our drinking water based on “scientific” studies–which turned out to be bogus–claiming fluoride would protect our teeth from cavities. Based on the same “science,” companies put the stuff in toothpaste. Fact is, fluoride ...Enough with the fluoride already! Communities began adding fluoride to our drinking water based on “scientific” studies–which turned out to be bogus–claiming fluoride would protect our teeth from cavities. Based on the same “science,” companies put the stuff in toothpaste.

Have you ever met people committed to the idea that babies arrive as blank slates. Beyond body parts, a lot of noise at one end and foul deeds at the other, babies, they believe, have nothing. No personality. No talents. No will. No inbred likes or dislikes. Just pure nothingness, a blank slate. Babies, all babies they believe, can be whatever you want them to be. You simply take the blank slate and fill it in as you choose.

Did’ja ever get the feeling you’re in Wonderland looking for Alice? Where two plus two doesn’t equal four any more, and too much of what you see offers only puzzlement? For instance, our powers that be outlawed mercury thermometers. Better you shouldn’t know your temperature than risk breaking ...Did’ja ever get the feeling you’re in Wonderland looking for Alice? Where two plus two doesn’t equal four any more, and too much of what you see offers only puzzlement?

Immune system is the first line of defense to your body which is responsible for protecting body against foreign material like bacteria and virus. Immune system is the network of different cells, tissues, and organs in the body which fend off many illnesses including flu. How your immune system does prevent flu? Immune system works by blocking foreign materials from getting into body. It searches for these foreign proteins and destroys them in an effective way so that they wo

Every day of every year, people across the fruited plain engage in do-it-yourself brain damage. Sadly, they have no idea. How can this be? I’m glad you asked. First, some background: Along the bottom of the brain is a small, sort of pancake-shaped thingy called the hypothalamus. And although ...Every day of every year, people across the fruited plain engage in do-it-yourself brain damage. Sadly, they have no idea. How can this be? I’m glad you asked.

The latest Big Thing in medicine is “Standard of Care.” It has a nice ring to it, don’t you think? The name alone makes you believe that no matter what doctor you go to, there’s a Standard of Care ensuring a quality outcome. What a comforting thought. Clever name, that. The sad truth is ...The latest Big Thing in medicine is “Standard of Care.” It has a nice ring to it, don’t you think? The name alone makes you believe that no matter what doctor you go to, there’s a Standard of Care ensuring a quality outcome. What a comforting thought.

Busting The Myth On The 5-Second Rule Did you know that most mascara contains chemicals associated with developmental and reproductive toxicity? Or that the parabens in your shampoo are linked to cancer? Did you know that the Teflon on your non-stick pan can disrupt your immune system? Did you know that the canned tomatoes you put in your chili tonight are laced with endocrine disrupting bisphenol A? Scary but true.

Figuring out what we need to do for good health can get pretty complicated, but here are a few, easy-to-implement tips that pay big dividends for not so much effort. • If you’re still trying to lose the Freshman Fifteen after all these years, you’re more likely to get the job done if you start the day with a high-fat breakfast. Scramble eggs in plenty of butter, for instance. Maybe add a small steak. Top it off with a few cups of coffee, and you’re good to go. The fat tells your body all’s well with the world, and it doesn’t have to hoard fat ‘just in case.’ Well, who knew?

A while back, Dr. Steve Nissen, president of the American College of Cardiology, along with ten other prominent physicians, offered an outstanding proposal that would immeasurably improve medical care in this country. And what is this great idea? Take control of medicine back from Big Pharma, who have all but destroyed it, and let doctors practice medicine with excellence. See, a most admirable idea. So excellent an idea, in fact, that it doesn’t stand a chance. Zip, zero, nada, as they say.

Chances that you have endocrine problems are fifty-fifty. It could well be that’s why you feel lower than a snake’s belly. How can that be? How do endocrine problems happen? Let me count the ways. First, let’s look at the pituitary, the master of the endocrine system. The Pituitary Society says 20% of us have pituitary tumors, most of which, thankfully, are benign. As if that’s not bad enough, study in Europe says 25% of us have pituitary tumors.

I’ve been dealing with an underperforming pituitary gland most of my life–possibly from a seemingly minor head injury when a drunk driver hit my parent’s car during my eleventh month. However it happened, the deal is this: When the pituitary ain’t happy, ain’t ...I’ve been dealing with an underperforming pituitary gland most of my life–possibly from a seemingly minor head injury when a drunk driver hit my parent’s car during my eleventh month.

Feeling something like the gut might affect most of the functions of our human body. One must know that this gut feeling is relatively linked to our mood, body-weight and overall well beingness. According to scientific research, it is stated that this gut feeling is majorly connected to our brain with the help of an extensive network of neurons and hormones that keeps on providing feedback about the hunger, high stress or healthy digestion.rnSometimes these digestive disturba

Babies show the world what selfish looks like. On a whim, they set up a wail loud enough to wake the dead–or at least it sounds that way at 2:00 a.m. No matter that others may be tired or sick or have to go to work. Babies want what they want when they want it. So stop sniveling. Some ...Babies show the world what selfish looks like. On a whim, they set up a wail loud enough to wake the dead–or at least it sounds that way at 2:00 a.m. No matter that others may be tired or sick or have to go to work. Babies want what they want when they want it. So stop sniveling.

Here’s the scene: You go to the doctor dragging your patooty behind you. Your body got fat, but your hair got thin. Overwhelmed by a whole new definition of tired, you find yourself doing beached whale impressions while life goes to pot. Well, who could cope anyway? For all you know, your brain ...Here’s the scene: You go to the doctor dragging your patooty behind you.

You think I’m joking right? “Find happiness after diagnosis.” “I’ve just been told I’ll be shooting myself up every day.” “I’ve been told this isn’t curable.” “There is no happiness in that, so stop pulling my leg.” “How is happiness even possible?”

Our most well-known endocrine gland is the thyroid. Not nearly as well known is the fact that half the population has thyroid problems, mostly undiagnosed or mistreated. The thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland located by your Adam’s apple, controls metabolism and affects everything else. You may know about the weight problems, hair loss, brain fog, depression, extreme fatigue, etc. that accompany an underperforming thyroid gland. Some of you have experienced the living on the edge sensation of an overactive thyroid.

Have you been reading about phthalate? (Phthal as in thal, rhymes with Hal.) Yikes! Talk about your basic poison! This stuff is murder! Phthalate is a toxic “softener” added to plastics, cosmetics and everything else they can lay their hands on. For starters, it throws the endocrine system–thyroid, adrenals, immune system, etc.–into a total tizzy because it pours bogus estrogen into our bodies. Besides whacking the endo system, bogus estrogen causes inflammation, a major cause of dread diseases. And as with so many things, kids get hit the worse.

So there you are in the middle of one of life’s train-wrecks–dazed, wounded, wondering what shoe–or bomb–will drop next, and up walks Job’s comforter. You may remember Job from the Bible. A rich, powerful man, a great father and good in every way was Job ...So there you are in the middle of one of life’s train-wrecks–dazed, wounded, wondering what shoe–or bomb–will drop next, and up walks Job’s comforter.

Are you ready for more advice on how to reduce stress this holiday season? Yeah, I didn't think so. Well don’t worry - this is not going to be another cheery, oh just breath through it, article about surviving the holidays. We all know there is stress, too many gifts to buy, too much alcohol, too much food and too much family induced anxiety this time of year. Unless you go live in a cave, you aren’t going to avoid this. So stop trying. Speaking of which, maybe I’ll just book a vacation to the Mayan ruins for the month of December. Hold on a minute . . .

All proteins are not created equal. For instance, animal protein provides more health benefits than plant protein. To make the imbalance larger, a lot of plant protein comes from soy. Besides not having the oomph of animal protein, soy is really hard on the body. It beats up your thyroid, absorbs needed minerals from your body, causes kidney stones, throws your hormones out of whack with bogus estrogen, and on, and on. And most soy is genetically-modified. While we won’t know the results of this medical experiment for years, ominous signs about damaging our DNA are everywhere.

Conventional wisdom says coffee’s bad. Doctors agree. Magazines second the motion. You can hardly find a kind word about coffee. Which is just a tad bizarre because coffee is a health drink. Since nearly 90% of the U. S. population drinks the stuff, this comes under the heading of good ...Conventional wisdom says coffee’s bad. Doctors agree. Magazines second the motion. You can hardly find a kind word about coffee. Which is just a tad bizarre because coffee is a health drink. Since nearly 90% of the U. S. population drinks the stuff, this comes under the heading of good news.

Or, for that matter, does God understand what’s going on in the life of a road warrior sales person? Or life on a clanging, banging, push, push, push assembly line? Or on an oil rig? As part of a building crew? To tell the truth, the God of our Sunday School days kind of comes across as a part ...Or, for that matter, does God understand what’s going on in the life of a road warrior sales person? Or life on a clanging, banging, push, push, push assembly line? Or on an oil rig? As part of a building crew?

My mom lived with Parkinson’s Disease the last seventeen ears of her life, Let me tell you for sure and for certain that Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is more like scaling Everest than walking in the park. It’s uphill all the way, with no certainty about the about the twists and turns you’ll ...My mom lived with Parkinson’s Disease the last seventeen ears of her life, Let me tell you for sure and for certain that Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is more like scaling Everest than walking in the park.

Liver disease is on the warpath–from sea to shining sea and around the world. If you have endocrine problems, the liver tsunami probably hit you. Perhaps your endo problems whacked the liver. Or maybe vice versa. It’s kind of like a tag team of misery. And since liver problems put a world of hurt on your immune system, I thought I’d let you know some of the symptoms of a liver in trouble.

A sound sleep at night improves growth, strength, vigour and complexion of the body.There is a direct relationship between a good night rest and the ability of the body to function effectively throughout the day. Lack of sleep is linked to chronic medical conditions such as hypertension, diabetes and problems of the heart. All these conditions can decrease longevity. A man spends around one-third of his life in sleep. The duration of sleep varies according to the age. While a

There’s a huge soy bandwagon roaring down the tracks. It’s everywhere; 60% of prepared foods contain soy. Even some vitamins, too. Can we talk about this? Of course it’s everywhere; it’s the cheapest and easiest crop to grow. Farmers make some money. Food manufacturers ...There’s a huge soy bandwagon roaring down the tracks. It’s everywhere; 60% of prepared foods contain soy. Even some vitamins, too. Can we talk about this?

Well, now, you probably think I’m talking about the odor, but no. Powerful as it is, the smell of garlic can’t hold a candle to all the wonders this homely herb can do. And garlic’s no newcomer on the block. Back in 3748 B.C., Egyptian slaves went on strike when they didn’t get their ration of garlic–which they believed gave them courage and strength. About 2500 years ago, Hippocrates recommended garlic for infections, wounds, cancer, leprosy and digestive disorders. The Talmud says good things about garlic as well.

In 2009, Ronald Ball bought a can of Mountain Dew from the vending machine at work. One swig, and Good Old Ron was throwing up all over the place, sicker than the proverbial dog. Upon breaking the can open and pouring out its contents for a look-see, what to his wondering eyes did appear but a rat. Well, some reports said it was a mouse, but either way, Yikes! Being a good citizen, he immediately called PepsiCo, maker of Mountain Dew to warn them they might have a problem in their cannery.

When it comes to our bodies, everything affects everything because everything's connected. And our endocrine system sits smack dab in the middle of all this connecting that's going on. Here's a quick look at the parts of the endocrine system and what they do (24/7, I might add):

So, let’s talk about salt. Poor salt! It pours out its very life to benefit mankind and gets only disdain in return. Well, maybe that’s a little over the top, but salt doesn’t deserve the bad rap it gets. It’s not manna from heaven, but it’s good stuff. Essential to life stuff. Here’s something ...So, let’s talk about salt. Poor salt! It pours out its very life to benefit mankind and gets only disdain in return. Well, maybe that’s a little over the top, but salt doesn’t deserve the bad rap it gets. It’s not manna from heaven, but it’s good stuff. Essential to life stuff.

Flu season is right around the corner, and those over the age of 65 have a higher chance of catching it than other age groups. For this reason, many seniors opt to get the flu shot, but if you’re like the many older adults who are on cholesterol-lowering statins, it may be ineffective. Two recent studies have just come to light, revealing that individuals who take statins to lower their cholesterol are not protected against the flu, even if they have received the flu shot. W

We’ve all heard the old saying that goes, "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade." Now there’s a thought. We surely have to do something with the lemons as they come along. Sucking on lemons takes the enamel right off your teeth, so we don’t want to do that. Letting them ...We’ve all heard the old saying that goes, "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade." Now there’s a thought. We surely have to do something with the lemons as they come along.

Prescription drugs are dangerous, a leading cause of death year in and year out. Some drugs slay you in one fell swoop, but most just nibble your health away. To give you examples, I went to a health site that lists drug side effects. Since I write about the endocrine system, I looked at http://ehealthme.com/symptom/thyroid+disorder for information about prescription meds that stomp on the thyroid.

Pity the poor novice who innocently walks into a ‘with it’ church to worship. They expect to hear a little music, perhaps a reading from the Bible and somebody talking about God. But in the ‘Church of What’s Happnin’ Now,’ these stunned, would-be ...Pity the poor novice who innocently walks into a ‘with it’ church to worship. They expect to hear a little music, perhaps a reading from the Bible and somebody talking about God.

1. Today's first tip is you should breathe. Well, that sounds pretty obvious, but there's breathing and then there's breathing. Most people, especially those in less than tip-top health, take shallow breaths. And that's part of why they're dragging their patooty day after day. With every breath, their bodies ask, "Is that it? That's all you've got?" People can miss the message, though, because shouting takes energy, so it's more like easy-to-miss quiet pleading.

It interferes with thyroid function. It gets estrogen and testosterone out of whack. It puts a hurt on your immune system by messing with your thymus gland. It increases your chances of becoming resistant to antibiotics. It sets your kids up for asthma and infections. And it’s probably in your house right now. It’s triclosin–the health scourge that almost nobody’s heard about. And it’s everywhere.

The incidence of thyroid disease doubled in the last thirty-or-so years. Auto-immune diseases, which relate to the endocrine system, are skyrocketing. So, too, are diseases of the brain, such as autism, Parkinson’s Disease and Alzheimer Disease. A significant part of the problem is the dangers ...The incidence of thyroid disease doubled in the last thirty-or-so years. Auto-immune diseases, which relate to the endocrine system, are skyrocketing. So, too, are diseases of the brain, such as autism, Parkinson’s Disease and Alzheimer Disease.

Thyroid, Metabolism and All That Jazz Kelly asks, “How can my husband jumpstart his metabolism to lose weight? His TSH is ‘in normal limits’ at 1.1 and his Free T3 is low at 2.3, but his doctor won’t treat him since his TSH is normal.” Well, Kelly, before I launch, let me explain your question to those fortunate enough not to be battling thyroid problems or tests.

With the holidays comes flu season. Because of this, the foods you choose this month can make or break your merrymaking. See, what you eat can impact your immune system health dramatically. As you’ll soon discover, how you feast this holiday may determine whether you spend a week on the couch fighting the flu . . . or celebrating. But don’t worry –we’ve got you covered. By getting extra helpings of the 5 immune-supporting foods I mention here, you’ll be giving your

Cervantes said, "Faint heart ne'er won fair lady." As a matter of fact, a faint heart never won much of anything. But put a little determination and will into that heart, and it can shoot the moon. What you hear, though, is that parents should prefer the faint heart, that is, the passive heart. ...Cervantes said, "Faint heart ne'er won fair lady." As a matter of fact, a faint heart never won much of anything. But put a little determination and will into that heart, and it can shoot the moon.

Strengthening your immune system means taking action on your lifestyle (changing your diet, preserving your sleep, practicing physical activity, etc.). You can also use some natural products. Vitamins, trace elements, essential oils: Santé Magazine takes stock of how to get immunized and prepare for the onset of cold, winter and the diseases that go with it. The singularity of winter Start by improving your lifestyle Vitamins, allies of immunity Selenium and zinc, two ess

Quite a few of you responded to the 2014 “What Should Bette Write About” Contest saying you wanted me to continue to write about how the endocrine system works. Well, murder mysteries never go out of style, and neither do the mysteries of the endocrine system. According to studies, 50% of us have endocrine problems of some sort--rarely diagnosed, even more rarely successfully treated, meaning we’re on our own. We can either stay in our misery or learn how to get out of the ditch.

There are hundreds of brands out in the market which is proudly selling products like chai masala yet while surfing the internet to look for an authentic one, I found Ammiji’s Chai Masala. These three words paint an image in my mind like a cup of tea prepared with the love of a mother. And that’s when I decided to try this eye-catching product all because of its name. Now that I was keen on it, I ordered it from Masala Monk halting my search for a great chai masala for a whi

In The Blank Slate Myth, I talked about parents who see newbo babies as blank slates, an invitation to push, pull and otherwise shape their kids to fit their parental fancies. Well, good luck with that. And parents aren't the only blank-slate believers. Hoo boy! Medicine comes chock-a-block full of blank-slate types. That's what they know, and that's what they do. And if things don't work out, well it's your fault, not theirs. Prominent in the blank-slate parade are dietitians.