Immune System Support and Aging
Old age isn't so bad...when you consider the alternative. Right. In youth-oriented societies, the alternative is plastic surgery and, for men, finding trophy girlfriends. Relax. You can still date (Sherry Halperin humorously explores this in RESCUE ME, HE'S WEARING A MOOSE HAT AND FORTY OTHER DATES AFTER FIFTY) and exercise and eat right to look good. Some of our not-so-bad alternatives to putting on your mom's granny dress:
- Cinnamon will spice up your immune system and keep your heart healthy.
- Vitamin C and E--'nuff said.
- Acidophilus, so varicose veins and the portrayal of older women on TV don't turn your stomach.
- Luo Han Kuo from China, where they respect aging -- you're adventurous enough to try new things, right?
- Beta-carotene so you can eliminate free radicals like the ex-hippie you dated last night.
Old age isn't so bad...when nutrition smarts come with it. Immune system vitamins will keep you glowing and growing!
Luo Han Kuo and the Immune System
Luo Han Kuo. You can't remember -- is that a Cantonese dish or a North Korean Dictator? When you're ill it's difficult to think. Maybe you need a shot of ginkgo biloba with you Luo Han Kuo, a supplement made from a sweet fruit found in China. The immune system cannot live by zinc, echinacea, Vitamin E and vitamin C alone. Luo Han Kuo helps your intestines stay healthy with increased bacteria. Ugh -- no one likes to think about bacteria, just like no one likes to think about dictators, but bacteria are a step up above tyrants. Bacteria, like acidophilus, can actually promote immune system health. It's important to remember that many herbal immune system supplements haven't been proven yet, so use caution when taking a new one. In the meantime, enjoy your moo goo gai pan, cook healthier, and get better!
AIDS and Vitamin C
AIDS. We wear red ribbons, we watch celebrity announcements...and now you even have AIDS, or you love someone who does. What do you do? It's difficult to tell someone with a deadly disease to eat well, but you can't stop taking immune system boosters such as zinc, vitamin E, cinnamon, echinacea with goldenseal (this is one time when you'll try everything despite the warnings), acidophilus, fish oil and selenium. Don't forget the C -- C for courage, C for compassion, C for cheerfulness, and C for vitamin C. You can now ingest larger doses of vitamin C than normal simply because the vitamin gets drained faster from your system. The ascorbate "burn" (vitamin C is ascorbic acid) from AIDS wipes out the body's natural supply -- humans can't manufacture vitamin C in their own bodies in large doses anyway. Most AIDS patients take liquid vitamin C, according to Dr. Robert Cathcert, but ask your doctor. You may have diarrhea and stomach problems at higher doses, so take a mixture of calcium, magnesium and potassium ascorbate too. Or advise your loved one to take it. The Vitamin C is worth it -- ascorbic acid inhibits the virus! What do you do when you have AIDS or love someone who does? You lay in a supply of vitamin C and plenty of hope.
Vitamin C Drops Keep Falling On My Head
You hate taking chewable vitamin C because it reminds you too much of grade school. You would take chewable C if you could sneak your kids' Flintstones vitamins. But your immune system isn't worth the ridicule. So you give your kids chewable echinacea with goldenseal, blackberry flavor, and Vitamin C to keep away colds and flu. Relax --you're not missing out on immune system support if you don't take chewable vitamin C. However, you hate traditional vitamin C capsules, and you don't own your own personal orange grove. Flintstones addiction is looking better all the time. We recommend vitamin C (and vitamin E) liquid drops--you can combine them with your orange juice. Liquid absorbs as fast as Dino leaping on Fred. We also like vitamin C powder that you can mix with your favorite juice. Chewable tablets, including vitamin C, echinacea, and zinc, usually contain sugar, so we recommend the organic sugarless kind with natural flavors for your kids, and no chewables for you. Awww. You were looking forward to sampling a Wilma and a Barney again.
Echinacea and the Immune System
In the TV series "Roswell" that your kids may have watched as teenagers, the heroine, Liz Parker, takes echinacea, which her father mistakes for illegal drugs. Just say no. Dads aren't always in tune with your life, and your dad has the worst immune system of anyone you know. He'd sooner try medical marijuana than he would echinacea, noting that years ago UC Berkeley (Berserkely) was skeptical of the herbal supplement. You're a little foggy on what echinacea does as well--although you know it's not like cannabis, which can make you foggy. Echinacea commonly comes from the purple coneflower in the US and became a popular cold remedy in the 1800s after the Native Americans had been using it for years. Coincidentally, a Native American shaman played a key role in "Roswell." Now, echinacea with goldenseal is a popular immune system booster. Your dad may not understand you, but you and echinacea are in good company. Echinacea's effects are still a source of dispute in the herbal community--especially when it comes to supplements. Not all capsules are created equal. Some hints to avoid one of those "anti drug" talks:
- Buy from a reputable manufacturer, not your cousin in Wichita who your dad never liked anyway.
- Take echinacea when the seasons change, even if you live in California, but don't ingest it every day.
- Consider taking the pure herbal extract instead of capsules.
- Stick with a regimen of immune system supplements such as vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, cinnamon, omega 3, and acidophilus.
- Buy your dad the supplements, but don't force him to take them. Some old dogs can't change. As long as your dad doesn't give you the "just say no" speech, you're fine to take echinacea. Although you're not sure what he'll say about the alien love triangle you're involved in a la "Roswell."
Cinnamon and the Immune System
You bake with it. You love it in your latte. But too much cinnamon sugar and you worry you'll put on pounds. Why not try a cinnamon supplement instead? You know about the benefits of echinacea, vitamin E, vitamin C and zinc, especially when it comes to immune system health. But have you heard that cinnamon supplements can boost your immune system, not to mention your heart health? Cinnamon is supposed to support sugar and fat metabolism--you were worried about laying it on your latte at Starbucks! However, dumping out the spice rack in your coffee isn't always an option. Cinnamon can stimulate the immune system--a slow metabolism can lead to more problems than just having a latte a week. So indulge your cinnamon cravings--we suggest a cinnamon complex formula. And cinnamon buns. Are we on our way to a cinnamon cure?
Vitamin C and the Immune System
Vitamin C. You have to have vitamin C. Just hype from the citrus growers, right? Vitamin C can't possibly do everything it's supposed to do. Isn't zinc the superfood? It promotes the immune system, not to mention sexual health. Sorry to say, plain old reliable vitamin C is the ultimate immune system booster -- Dr. Linus Pauling brought vitamin C to the forefront and made Tropicana happy. But long before Dr. Pauling, British sailors ate limes (hence the word "Limey") and oranges to prevent all kinds of scurvy sea diseases in a hygiene-challenged dangerous job. So vitamin C inspires a whole generation of immune system vitamins, including echinacea, zinc, vitamin E, and cinnamon, as well as selenium, beta-carotene, lycopene and luo han kuo. C-C-Cheers for vitamin C!
Too Much Vitamin C?
Your mother called you today and said that she heard too much vitamin C and too much vitamin E are bad for your health. Too much sugar, you say, will harm you. Not too many vitamins. Vitamin dosage varies from person to person, and too much immunity...no such thing! Bring on the zinc, selenium, and echinacea with a generous sprinkling of cinnamon. In 2000, an upper limit of 2,000 mg per day had everyone and your mother afraid of stomach cramps, an increased risk of cancer, diarrhea, and other good stuff. Plus, people with too much iron (hemochromatosis) said, "No, ve don't want to pump up." In 2001, Dr. Dean Ornish recommended taking 1,000 mg a day, but on the other side of the coin, some sources advise that when you're exposed to significant stress (like a move...to Iraq), 20,000 mg dosages aren't out of the question. You are an individual, completely separate from your mother, aunt, father, or anyone else. You decide how much vitamin C to take, especially if you're sick--you may need to take 1,000 to 6,000 mg a day to restore your immune support system in several doses, since your body can't absorb more than 1,000 mg in a single dose. Current wisdom holds that it's a good idea to include the other immune system boosters, or to take vitamin C as part of an immune system antioxidant formula with flavonoids and vitamin E. You can get too much sugar, and sometimes, you can get too much advice. Tell your mom to relax--that nauseated feeling could be from worry over the latest "new shocking health study."