Aging Immune systems
Have you noticed that certain things happen as you age? Maybe you are tire more easily and need more sleep, or don’t have as much endurance as you once had. Do you get sick more often? Does it take you longer to get over a cold or the flu? Older bodies get hit harder with viruses and bacterial infections than they once did. As we age, our immune systems get tired. They don’t respond as quickly and completely, leaving us more susceptible to illness.
How does your immune system work?
Your immune system is made up of cells, tissues, organs and fluids that act together to keep you healthy. White blood cells are the primary warriors within the system. There are many active cells types, but there are two main cell types called phagocytes and lymphocytes. Phagocytes attack and kill invaders like viruses and bacteria. B-Lymphocytes tag invaders for destruction, and remember what the invaders look like so that then next time the body is presented with the same virus, T-Lymphocytes can act immediately, and you won’t get sick. B-lymphocytes also neutralize toxins and mark abnormal cells, like cancer cells, for death. This process usually keeps you healthy. However, as we age, the system doesn’t work as well.
Characteristics of an aging immune system
• Slower response.
• Decreased function Increases risk of illness.
• Flu shots and vaccines don’t work as well because your immune system is not as strong.
• Your immune system’s ability to find and tag sick cells declines, increasing your risk of cancer.
• Slower recovery from illness and injury because you have fewer immune cells to aide in healing.
• Autoimmune disorders. This is a defect in the immune system that causes it to attack your own healthy cells.
Keeping your immune system strong
Wash your hands!
There is no better way to protect yourself from germs than to wash your hands! And it’s free. So lather up several times a day, even if you don’t think your hands are dirty.
Clean up your intake
Our air, food and water absorb the environment, and so do we. Depending on your location, the tap water can be full of things we don’t want. Our air can be full of pollutants, and our food as well. Try filtering your water. It makes it taste better, and removes unwanted components. Eat organic foods whenever possible. They lack dangerous pesticides and other harmful chemicals. Check out the “Dirty Dozen” here https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty_dozen_list.php. You can’t do much about the air outside, but you can have clean in air in your home. An in-home filtration system can clear your air, or you can have lots of plants around to filter and clean the air.
Get enough sleep.
Good quality sleep is essential for a healthy immune system. If you aren’t getting enough rejuvenating sleep, see your holistic health care practitioner to help you find a natural remedy. Often times, a little melatonin will do the trick. But don’t go it alone. Get some professional advice to speed you on your way to good sleep.
Supplements
There are many excellent supplements to enhance the function of your immune system. A tried and true that everyone knows is vitamin C. 1000 mg a day is a good general dose for a little immune system boost. Much higher doses are appropriate when you have a cold or flu. Seek advice from your holistic practitioner about that. Mushrooms have been shown to have excellent benefits for the immune system. There are several types out there, but Turkey Tail is my favorite, and has been studied extensively. Two grams a day is a typical dose. Vitamin D is an essential nutrient for a healthy immune system, though it is often forgotten. A very high percentage of the population is deficient in vitamin D, even here is sunny Florida! Effective doses of vitamin D can vary widely. Get tested and keep your levels in the optimal range. Your natural health practitioner can help you with this.
Probiotics
Recent research has shown that at least 70 percent of your immune system is located in your intestines. So keep them strong and healthy by eating lots of fruit and vegetables, and taking a broad spectrum, high quality probiotic. Probiotics feed the good bacteria in your gut and help to protect you from foreign invaders. It’s important to get the right strains of quality probiotics. See your natural health practitioner to ensure that you get the right strains and strength for you.
Intravenous Nutrient therapy to enhance your immune system
As we age, we are not as good at digesting food as we once were. Our digestion is slower and less complete, so we get less nutrients from our foods, and less benefit from oral supplements. Intravenous nutrient therapy can dramatically increase nutrient levels and improve the functionality of your immune system. There are several nutrient IV options to optimize your health and recharge your immune system. Intravenous nutrient therapy is nutrient delivery by way of a small needle inserted into the vein for direct delivery of nutrients that pack a substantial punch!
Vitamin C
Intravenous vitamin C can increase your circulating vitamin C levels by 70 to 100 times the amount that oral vitamin C can. In times of compromised health, this is a great option. Low doses of intravenous vitamin C can help to keep your immune system robust.
Intravenous Glutathione
Glutathione is the master detoxifier and antioxidant in the body. Every single cell uses glutathione, but it is most active in the liver, where the majority of detoxifying takes place. Remember that the big players in your immune system are white blood cells. Detoxifying protects your body from the assaults of daily living. Glutathione supports every cell in your body and is exceedingly beneficial to your immune system. Unfortunately, oral glutathione just doesn’t work. It gets broken down by the digestive process before it gets into your blood. So intravenous is the only way to get it.
Myers Cocktail
No, it’s not available at the tiki bar! A Myers cocktail is a combination of vitamins and minerals that helps to support the cellular activity of your body. This combination just helps everything work better. In the best case scenario, only about 40 percent of supplements are absorbed by the body. The Myers cocktail gives you 100 percent absorption because it is delivered straight to your blood stream via intravenous infusion. It’s beneficial to everyone, no matter who you are.
There are numerous options and benefits of intravenous nutrient therapy. Most conditions can benefit from nutrient IV therapy. Contact Root Causes to find out how Nutrient IV therapy can benefit you!
12734 Kenwood Lane. Ft Myers, FL 33907
239-425-2900 | www.rtcausesmd.com