Healthy approach to your Immune support.
Lately I have noticed an increased in peoples concern about their immune system and the number one question is, what herb can I recommend that will help them protect their immune system from viruses and pathogens. I’ve always been told to eat healthy, have lots of rest and exercise to strengthen your immunity, which in its sense is great advice, but nowadays, having to battle the Corona Virus and all the new variants, I believe we should step it up a few notches. We must also be mindful and work towards protecting ourselves and everyone around us.
Even though more than half of the population is fully vaccinated we still can’t let our guard down, we should still be keeping our distance, washing our hands frequently and continue to wear our masks. These are the first step in safeguarding our immune system. Herbalism focuses on the main stressors and habits that can affect our immune system, for instance, it can be the result of a stressful period in life, excessive alcohol consumption, lack of sleep, poor nutrition, or even our age.
You see, our Immune system is made up of two parts 1. The Innate Immune System 2. The Adaptative Immune system. The Innate Immune System which we were all born with are usually the first line of defense against invading pathogens. This system includes our skin, the gastrointestinal tract, the respiratory tract, nasopharynx, cilia, and other body hair. Defense mechanisms such as secretions, mucus, bile, gastric acid saliva, tears and sweat and General Immune responses. The Adaptative Immunity occurs after exposure to an antigen either from a pathogen or a vaccine. For example, a person who recovers from measles is protected for life against measles by the adaptive immune system, although not against other common viruses.
With all that we are experiencing today with the Corona Virus and the new variants, it is a must that we strengthen our immune system, to lessen the chances of infection especially if you haven’t been vaccinated. As we all age the functions of immune system weakens which makes us prone to infection and inflammation. We can avoid this by constantly boosting our system using herbs, supplements, vegetables, fruits, healthy fats and daily exercise. Avoid excessive alcohol and get enough rest. If you feel fatigued, have frequent colds, high stress levels and wounds taking a longer time to heal, these are all signs of a weaken Immune system and when this occurs, we are now putting our body at risk to be invaded by harmful viruses and bacteria.
The human body could heal itself by integrating plant base medicine into our daily lives. There are several herbs that we can use to strengthen our immune system some of them you can even find in your back yard such as Dandelion Root, Stinging Nettle and Echinacea. For dry herbs such as Turmeric, ginger, Neem, Ashwagandha and Elderberry, you can purchase from your local health food store. There are also many capsules, tinctures, and supplements that you can purchase that is made with some of the same herbs mentioned above. You can choose to purchase hot or cold herbal loose tea blends already blended to your taste. Whatever method of protection you choose I guarantee will pay off