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Boosting your immune system before finals

Kat_the_Amazon said: "[I]I saw this in my university's weekly newspaper- Tiger Weekly. I thought i gave some pretty good advice, albeit things we already know. It never hurts to have a reminder! :D [/I] Boosting your immune system before finals By Keeley Kristen So you’re back from your long-awaited and much-needed break, complete with rest and relaxation. And then the pressure hits: There are only a few weeks of school left and suddenly you are bogged down with more than you can handle. And then you start feeling a little under the weather … weak and sluggish. Sleepy. This is your body’s way of telling you that your immune system is low and needs some fuel. Your immune system is a network of chemicals, microorganisms and cells. To use military terms, it has radar and special intelligence forces capable of detecting the smallest intruder and taking appropriate measures to handle the intrusion. In the case of an unfriendly intrusion, your body’s first line of defense is the skin and mucous membranes. If the invaders get past these, your body’s destroyer cells kick in and attack. And if that doesn’t work, in come the white blood cells to clean house. And all of that is just under ideal conditions. “Unfortunately, your immune system doesn’t always work efficiently or flawlessly. For example, when your immune system identifies pollen as an enemy, it releases histamines, producing hay fever. When you wear out your fighting cells with too much stress, you can come down with the flu,” according to Paula Wart of Wellsource.com. While there are many habits that we posses that allow the weakening of our immune system, there are four specific habits that take the cake. Certain foods and environmental influences work to keep our defenses from doing a good job. For example, overdosing on sugar is not so much of a good thing. Taking in 8 tbsp. (equivalent to one 12-ounce can of soda) can reduce the ability of white blood cells to kill germs by a whopping forty percent. Keep that in mind next time you suck down the Cokes to keep you awake. You should also consider your level of alcohol intake. I won’t preach to you because you should already know any harmful effects, but I will say that excessive intake harms your immune system in two ways: 1. by producing a nutritional deficiency, thereby depriving the body of immune-boosting nutrients; 2. by reducing the ability of white blood cells to kill germs. Damage to the immune system increases in proportion to the quantity of alcohol consumed. Amounts that are enough to cause intoxication are also enough to suppress your immunity. Too much fat in your diet can also lead to a weak immune system by affecting the white blood cells’ ability to multiply, produce antibodies and rush to the site of an infection. And lastly, there are food allergens. Oftentimes the immune attackers recognize a harmless substance (like milk) to be a foreign invader and attack it. After many encounters with food allergens, the intestinal lining becomes damaged and begins enabling invaders into the bloodstream. So know if you’re allergic to any specific foods, steer clear of them. On the other hand, there are some steps you can take to boost your immune system and keep yourself well rested and healthy through the rest of the grueling semester. I know it’s difficult to do, but set aside time to sleep. Most of us need seven to nine hours of sleep – damn near impossible to get when you are in school and working two jobs, I know – but don’t rely on the usual 2 – 3 hours. Plan your day if you have to. Do you really need that extra hour at the gym or that extra tanning session? Trust me, the more sleep you can get, the more your body will love you. Naps are good. They are your friend. Exercise is equally as important. I’m not trying to say you need to be in a gym sweating your ass off, but instead of taking the elevator or driving that short distance to the store, try using the stairs or walking. I know you walk enough on campus, so a few extra steps won’t hurt. Try being physically active for at least 30 minutes a day. Hey, we all love sex and last time I checked, it classified as cardio. Pay attention to what you eat. Fruits and vegetables should be included in your diet each day. You want vitamins A, C and E and should be eating leafy veggies and foods high in antioxidants (broccoli, cabbage, bell peppers, kale, spinach, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, kiwi, strawberries, purple grapes, mangoes, etc.). You also want to eat lots of fortified whole-wheat breads and cereals, legumes, low-fat red meat, nuts, eggs, poultry, and seafood for protein, zinc and iron. Also look into using herbs like Echinacea, garlic, ginseng and ginger, which are said to be natural immune system boosters. And the last thing you can do to help yourself is to try to be happy. Find ways to release your mind of stress for a small amount of time each day. Practice yoga or mediation, talk with friends, take your pet for a walk, focus on a hobby, play music – whatever does it for you. Heck, turn on Comedy Central and laugh for half an hour. They do say that laughter is the best medicine."