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| When I found out I was HIV-positive, suddenly the words "immune system" took on a new sense of relevance and urgency in my life. I decided right away on a path of natural means to keep my immune system strong. I did some research and decided that acupuncture appealed to me as a place to start. When I first went to see my accupuncturist, we talked in depth about all aspects of my health history. Chronic allergies and various gastrointestinal problems were conditions I had been tolerating for years. I never thought about these in relation to my immune system before, but I soon discovered the important connection. I thought I already ate a pretty healthy diet, and I exercised regularly, but my symptoms were a signal that not everything was up to snuff. My acupuncturist encouraged me to make diet changes a major part of my healing program. I started eating as if my life depended on it. Within about two months, my digestive problems had improved at least 90 percent, my allergies were gone, and I felt more energetic than ever. |
| Enhancing Your Immune System the Natural Way ... With Food By Gary Rosard |
| Immune Systems Under Siege Our immune systems face a daily onslaught of stresses. In an otherwise healthy person, common signs of a weakened immune system include frequent colds, as well as chronic allergies. Allergic reactions occur when the body perceives allergens (such as pollen, dust, molds) as poisons so it secretes histamine, creating familiar allergy symptoms. They're not really poisons, but if your immune system is already compromised, your body reacts as if they were. Allergy suffering has greatly increased in the past 30 years, yet the allergens haven't really changed -- trees, grasses, pets, dust and molds have always been around. But our environment has changed. I think one of the most devastating changes is in our food supply. Livestock have been increasingly treated with antibiotics and growth hormones. They are fed with heavily sprayed feed. Our diets are more heavily dependent on processed convenience foods full of additives and dyes, and new synthetic foods with hydrogenated or artificial fats and artificial sweeteners. These are all substances that the body doesn't recognize as nourishment, but rather as toxins that have to be eliminated. The immune system is busy dealing with these foreign substances, and may not have the reserves for the common allergens, germs and viruses. A poor diet and poor quality foods also create a digestive system that gets out of balance, resulting in partially digested proteins being absorbed into the body fluids, and causing the immune system to overreact, using valuable energy that could be used elsewhere in its fight against HIV. A compromised digestive system may lead to poor absorption of important vitamins and minerals, as well as food allergies. If you are HIV-positive, you really don't want to waste your immune system's energy dealing with common allergens or problem foods. A healthy diet is really the foundation of long term health maintenance and a strong immune system. It helps with medication tolerance, maintenance of body weight and muscle mass, and overall energy and quality of life. An optimal diet will reduce the risk of disease and strengthen the body's defenses and natural healing power. It will help you to reduce the other daily stresses to your system, and even positively affect your moods and sense of wellbeing. So here's what you need to know to get started. |
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