Strenthening the Immune system

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Subject: immune system Category: Health > Alternative Asked by: anonymous777-ga List Price: $70.00

Posted: 26 May 2003 06:55 PDT Expires: 25 Jun 2003 06:55 PDT Question ID: 208861

are there any blood tests or blood work that i can do to test my immune system?? can u list all the important things that i coulsd get done to see if my immune system is working proper and well?? is there anything i can do to improve my immune system??

Answer

Subject: Re: immune system Answered By: websearcher-ga on 26 May 2003 10:23 PDT

Hi anonymous777: Thanks for the interesting question. I also share a keen interest in

the immune system and its care.

Your first question revolves around what blood tests can be done to

test your immune system. There are many, many blood tests that are can

be done to monitor and assess how someone's immune system is

performing. Just a few examples are:

* Rheumatoid factor (RF, Latex) "This measures whether a certain amount of abnormal antibody called

rheumatoid factor is in the blood. The majority of people with

rheumatoid arthritis (a common disease of inflamed joints that can

cause joint alignment problems and loss of function) have a large

amount of rheumatoid factor in their blood."

* Antinuclear antibody tests (ANA) "These detect a group of autoantibodies that are found in most people

with lupus and scleroderma and in a few people with rheumatoid

arthritis. These autoantibodies react with antigens in the nuclei of

cells. The antibodies suggest that an autoimmune illness may be

present, although many people test positive and have little evidence

of serious disease."

* Complement tests "These tests measure the amount of complement proteins circulating in

the blood. Complement tests involve the reaction of antibodies with

antigens. These tests usually are reserved for diagnosing or

monitoring people with active lupus. Those people with lupus

frequently have lower-than-normal amounts of complement, especially if

the kidneys are affected."

* Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) tissue typing tests "These tests detect the presence of certain "genetic markers" or

traits in the blood. For example, B-27 is a genetic marker that nearly

always is present in people with ankylosing spondylitis (a disease

involving inflammation of the spine and sacroiliac joint) and Reiter's

syndrome (a disease involving inflammation of the urethra, eyes, and

joints). This test also is positive in five to 10 percent of the

healthy population."

The above tests were all taken from the webpage: Immunological blood tests URL: http://www.orthop.washington.edu/arthritis/living/labtests/03 When your immune system requires testing, they often do what is called

an "immune panel", or a series of blood tests including tests for:

* Antinuclear Antibody * Rhuematoid Factor * Lupus Anticoagulant * Anticardiolipin Antibodies * Antithyroid Antibodies From: Immunological Test URL: http://www.drputman.com/services/s_immunological.html A larger array of tests can be found at: Immunology Tests URL: http://www.witshealth.co.za/cls/immunology.pdf If you look in the middle column, you can see what exactly is being

tested (blood, urine, etc.). The rightmost column gives a brief

description of the purpose of the test.

Another interesting page with a large list of available immunology

tests (and sample results) is:

Immunological Tests URL: http://www.rialto.com/anita/immuno.htm The second part of your question deals with what other tests or things

you might be able to do to ensure that your immune system is

functioning properly. Knowing about the tests detailed above (and in

the pages linked) is an excellent start. However, I believe that

possessing knowledge about a subject (including aspects of your

health) is the best way to conquer/control it. The following site

(from www.howstuffworks.com) is the best layman's description of the

immune system I could find. (I *highly* recommend this site for

information about a wide variety of subjects.)

How Your Immune System Works URL: http://science.howstuffworks.com/immune-system.htm Read through all the pages in this area - they each provide valuable

knowledge.

The last part of your question asks about what you can do to improve

your immune system. There are dozens of recommended methodologies out

there - the following are just a few I was able to find:

Dietary Measures **************** * Eat immune boosting foods such as raw fruits and vegetables, raw

garlic and onion, raw vegetable juices, raw fenugreek, chili, ginger,

free range eggs, oily fish (salmon, sardines, tuna), avocadoes, fresh

wheat-germ, flaxseed (ground freshly and cold compressed oil), barley

grass (juice or sprouted seeds), wheat-grass juice, freshly sprouted

seeds and beans, cold pressed seed and vegetable oils, fresh seafood,

legumes, raw nuts and seeds.

* Sea-weeds such as kelp, dulse, agar-agar, nori, arame, kombu, wakame

and hijiki are excellent for improved function.

* Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussel

sprouts, and kohlrabi contain phyto-nutrients that protect against

infections and cancer. Foods containing plant hormones (known as

phyto-estrogens) such as isoflavones and lignans, are soybeans, and

their products, alfalfa and flaxseed.

* Ensure adequate intake of the most important minerals for the immune

system--magnesium 400 mg daily, zinc chelate 20 mg daily, and selenium

200 mcg daily. These minerals are needed for immune function and are

anti-inflammatory. (li)Avoid mucous producing foods--animal milks,

cheese, ice-cream, cream, preserved meats, processed foods are the

biggest culprits.

* Drink 8 to 10 glasses of distilled water daily. * Ensure adequate vitamin C intake by eating citrus fruits, red and

green peppers, kiwi, tomatoes, and take a supplement of approximately

1000-2000 mg.

* Take olive leaf extract. A good dose to maintain is 500mg twice

daily. It is recommended that you take brands that contain at least 10

percent of the active ingredient, oleuropein.

* Take "immune boosters" such as: * Beta-carotene /Vita. A: 20000 IU per day * Vita. C: 3000 mg per day * Vita. E: 100 IU per day * Zinc: 50mg per day * Selenium: trace amounts * Sulfur: trace amounts * NAC: 200-400mg 2-3 times a day * Echinacea/Goldenseal root: 250-500mg 3 times a day * Pine Bark/Grape Seed Extracts: 2-3 caps per day * HMB: 3 grams per day * Glutamine: 10grams three times per day ( before and after training,

before bed)

* "When your diet is deficient nutritionally, your defenses go down,

permitting proliferation of virus germs and the risk of illness. You

don't even have to be grossly undernourished. A few minor deficiencies

can break down the immune system," said R.K. Chandra, M.D., professor

of pediatric research at the Memorial University of Newfoundland.

"It's not that certain nutrients affect the immune system, said

Petro, Ph.D., a nutritionist at Purdue University. "It's that every

nutrient affects the immune system."

Exercise ******** * Make regular exercise a part of your daily regimen. Exercise can do

wonders for a poorly functioning immune system and promote health in

various other ways.

* The optimal duration time of exercise is crucial for muscular,

strength, and recuperative gains. It is a known fact that muscle

stimulation is best achieved through a workout that is of high

intensity and brief duration. When you train too long, you tax your

nervous system, weaken your immune system, and diminish your chances

of muscle growth. I would definitely shoot for an intense workout

lasting no more than 50-70 minutes, max.

* Another factor that helps maintain immune system strength is regular

exercise. A daily walk---or a minimum of 20 minutes of exercise----can

help keep you young. For example, exercise burns up hormones like

noradrenalin, released during everyday stress. If these hormones

accumulate in your body, they can be harmful. Exercise invigorates

your circulatory system, improves your iron utilization and boosts

your immune system.

Sleep ***** Too many people neglect the much-needed rest they need to function

optimally. Not only does the right amount of sleep re-energize you,

but also it is your body's time to build and repair. If we do not get

the adequate amounts of sleep, we are never going to be running on a

full tank.

Repeated neglect of proper sleep can lead to many problems including a

suppressed Immune system. Make sure you get 6-8 hours of sleep a day.

If you don't, try to take a mid-day nap. Even if you are eating right

and taking all of the immune-boosting supplements, it will not matter

if you are not getting enough sleep.

State of Mind ************* * High stressed and emotionally depresses people tend to get sick a

lot. Remember that the quality of you thoughts can determine your

biochemical status. If you are too stressed and worry too much, your

body will produce more cortisol than normal. Extra cortisol will lower

the efficiency of the thymus gland and in turn lower your immune

system. When this occurs you are very easily able to get sick. Your

solution is to take a step back when you are feeling over stressed or

anxious and rewire your thoughts in a different direction. You must

get away from the situation for a while and re-gather your well being.

When I get super nervous or stressed over something, my mom always

tells me, "Nothing is worth getting sick over!"

* ...we need to reduce the amount of stress in our lives as much as

possible. A study by the American Academy of Science revealed that as

much as 80 percent of all illness can be directly tied to stress,

because it breaks down the defenses of the immune system and opens the

doorway to a host of injurious invaders. The National Institute on

Aging has released a list containing several ways people can reduce

stress in their lives and strengthen their immune systems, thereby

improving their longevity and chance of staying healthy.

Things to Avoid *************** * tobacco, smoking and alcohol. * A basic list of things to avoid includes physiological,

psychological, and emotional stress; poor physical and aerobic

conditioning; lack of sleep, rest, and relaxation; and an especially

poor diet.

All of the above methods were gleaned from the following excellent

websites:

TIPS ON IMPROVING IMMUNE FUNCTION: URL: http://www.kliescolon.com/immune.htm Improving Your Immune System URL: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/zaino7.htm Immune System URL: http://www.theherbsplace.com/immune.html Prevention: The Best Medicine URL: http://www.fosterchiro.com/nutritionhealth.htm I hope this information helps with your research. If you need any clarification of the information I have provided,

please ask using the clarification feature and provide me with

additional details as to what you are looking for. As well, please

allow me to provide you with clarification(s) *before* you rate this

answer.

Thank you. websearcher-ga Search Strategy (on Google): immunological tests immunological tests standard immunology "standard tests" immunology "blood tests" "immune system" "things to avoid" "immune system" avoid "immune system" care "immune system" maintain