Your 'Star Wars' Defense
against Cold and Flu Season!
By Ben Greenfield, MS, CPT, CISSN
Like many people, at the
beginning of winter I am looking to protect myself and my family against the
flu and other viruses. There was certainly the option of vaccination, but the
slightly murky research on the true side effects made me wary. There was also
the option of stocking up on anti-bacterials and antibiotics and simply living
"inside a bubble", only venturing into public when absolutely
necessary. But this was an unlikely prospect for my job as a nutritionist and
fitness coach and for my family's happiness and social life.
The alternative was to begin building as big a barrier as possible to the flu.
In other words, if the body's natural immune system were strong enough to be
able to withstand the onslaught of dangerous microbes, pathogens and viruses,
then perhaps a vaccination or social isolation would not be necessary. This is
an idea that seems to make good sense, since each of us was born with an immune
system.
The Immune System: Your
"Star Wars" Defense
The immune system is actually quite amazing and acts like a well-trained army.
All the battalions of your immune system must be present and playing their part
properly in order to achieve victory. These battalions include T-cells, which
directly attack invading molecules; B-cells, which identify and respond to
future threats; other cells which clean the debris at the battle sites; and
even signaling molecules that can recognize a foreign invader and alert other
immune system brigades to heal the area of damage and remove the invader from
your body. All these "soldiers" circulate through your bloodstream
and spread throughout your tissues to guard potential entry sites of infection.
The Inflammatory Response: Your
Body's Protective Wall
When all these battalions arrive at the site of infection they promote what is
called an "inflammatory response". Think of this response as one way
your body builds a protective wall around an infected area. For example, if you
have ever had poison ivy or gotten a rash from eating a food to which you are
allergic, you may have noticed redness and swelling surrounding the affected
area. This redness and swelling is protection to keep the infection from
spreading to surrounding tissue. In the same way, your immune system receives
crucial assistance from the inflammatory response.
The Gastrointestinal Tract:
More Protection for You
In addition to the importance of inflammation in supporting the proper function
of the immune system, your gastrointestinal tract is another very important
component of protection against the flu. Of all the potential entry sites
between the inside of your body and the outside environment, your
gastrointestinal tract is the largest, and must somehow keep out dangerous
invaders, while still letting in the nutrients and food components your body
needs to survive. If the cells of the gastrointestinal tract are healthy and
properly functioning, then the body is perfectly primed to allow this process
to occur.
Essential Fatty Acids: The
Natural Solution
What if you were to discover
that a natural oil exists that A) supplies your body with those immune system
instruments and B) provides the building blocks for a healthy gastrointestinal
tract? If you're anything like me, you'll try to get those compounds into your
body as quickly and effectively as possible so that you can naturally build up
your immune system. Fortunately, these compounds not only exist, but are also
affordable and easy to find. They are known as Essential Fatty Acids (EFA's),
and are readily available to you in healthy, dense and highly absorbable forms
like flax seed oil.
As a matter of fact, a study found that children taking just a half teaspoon of
flax seed oil a day experienced fewer and less severe respiratory infections
and fewer days of being absent from school. This is because one of the fatty
acids in flax seed oil, omega 3, actually increases the activity of the part of
the immune system that eats up bacteria and promotes healthy inflammation. At
the same time, other essential fatty acids in flax seed oil, such as omega 6,
can prevent too much inflammation and protect the body against damage from
over-reactions to infection.
Essential Fatty Acids: Only the
BEST Will Do
Flax seed oil promotes good health and a well-functioning immune system. It
naturally contains the right ratios of omega 3's and omega 6's. In addition,
flax seed oil is beneficial for heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease,
arthritis and a variety of other health conditions. But do not assume that all
flax seed oils are created equal! IMPaX WORLD's EnerEFA uses certified organic
flax seed & evening primrose oils. Only the highest quality seeds are
selected for extraction. IMPaX uses the superior "expeller-press"
method of extraction. Extraction is done in a closed temperature controlled
environment to eliminate damage from heat, light and oxygen.
EnerEFA: Protection for My
Family
Armed with this valuable information about essential fatty acids, both my wife
and I
Take 2-4 capsules of EnerEFA
daily. In addition, we break open 1 capsule and add the oil to our children's
food or rub in on the bottom of their feet at night.
Believe it or not,
kids have immune systems too!
I am grateful to be able to say
that despite daily trips to gyms, malls, stores and social events, none of my
family members has been compromised by any form of the flu this winter. Thanks
to IMPaX WORLD, our immune systems are strong and well-equipped to handle the
constant attack on our bodies. YOUR immune system can operate with the same
efficiency. Try EnerEFA. It works!
Ben Greenfield, MS, CPT, CISSN
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