GUARD YOUR IMMUNITY,ITS YOUR LIFELINE ! On the average, the typical person tries to protect his health by taking certain precautions that are geared towards warding off diseases. These include regularly washing the hands before any meal, after using the bathroom or when he thinks he has come into contact with suspicious objects that may harbour germs. Also, many people try to guard against common infections by taking Vitamin C-rich foods, wearing appropriate clothes for the season, and generally keeping their environment clean. All these are commendable efforts and they go on to show how serious we are about maintaining a healthy life. But then, despite all these, physicians are still of the view that we sometimes leave our flanks open to attack by diseases, even when we don’t mean to. How guilty are we of this? POLLUTED AIR With the devil-may-care attitude of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria – or whatever it has transformed to now – there’s hardly any family that doesn’t make alternative provision for electricity supply. This may be in form of paraffin lantern that gently but surely bellows out air-polluting fumes which the entire family takes in each time they draw a breath. The fume produced by generators is in a class of its own. According to an epidemiologist, Dr. Isa Araoye, these fumes are as carcinogenic as they can suppress the cells that are essential to the immune system. Another expert, a professor of reproductive endocrinology, Oladapo Ashiru, warns that polluted air can wreak havoc on both the male and female reproductive systems, resulting in damaged sperm cells or female eggs; while it can also cause excess inflammation in the body. Experts say ordinarily, inflammation is your body’s way of defending itself from harmful bacteria. And the familiar signs of normal inflammation include heat, pain, redness, and swelling. Problem only starts when these symptoms of inflammation don’t recede as at when due. “Then your body is telling you that the ‘on’ switch to your immune system is stuck and you need to see the physician,” the experts warn. Araoye says inflammation can operate in stealth mode for years, such that when symptoms finally become apparent, it’s usually in the form of diabetes, osteoarthritis or other inflammation-related diseases! You want to guard against such by living in clean environment. - WRONG BEAUTY PRODUCT In these days of obsession with youthfulness, both male and female indulge in cosmetics use. And since the beauty industry has also evolved over the years, with advanced beauty products that promise eternal youthfulness, scientists have continued to sound the alarm that most of the so-called active ingredients in these cosmetics — including lipsticks, perfumes/body sprays, hair gloss and anti-wrinkle creams, among others — may do more harm than good because they are artificial substances. Our immune system is not designed to break down these artificial ingredients; the toxic elements in them can bypass our internal defenses and do extensive damage that may be too late to tackle by the time they manifest as diseases or disorders. So, go natural as much as possible, it’s not likely to hurt! JUNK FOOD CONSUMPTION I don’t think anyone is still in doubt about what junk foods can do to health, apart from broadening your waistline. Nutritionists conclude that one of the numerous reasons to keep your fingers off junk foods is because they could hardly be called foods, as they have been denatured in the process of preparation. They are filled with trans fats that clog the arteries; and, worse still, their sugar content is unwieldy. To boost your immunity, therefore, endeavour to eat foods that retain much of their nutrients even after cooking. And whenever you crave junks, be moderate about it and don’t let it be a regular affair. EATING TOO MUCH PROTEIN According to a consultant gerontologist, Dr. Ahmed Ibrahim, excessive protein — especially from animals — causes the body to produce certain hormones that are known to speed ageing and hamper the immune system. He advises that animal protein such as meat and dairy should form a small part of our daily diet because they contain saturated fats. Instead, he urges, whenever we can, we should go meatless sometimes. EAT GOOD FAT While it is good to avoid trans fats and saturated fats, nutritionists say we should eat healthy fats — from fish, avocados, and nuts — regularly. This is because these foods have anti-inflammatory properties that help regulate the immune system. For instance, nutritionists say fish is low in calories and packed with goodness, hence it is regarded as perfect healthy diet food. Oily fish such as mackerel, herring, and sardines (Titus) contain Omega-3 fatty acids, which is a type of polyunsaturated fat that can help to reduce total blood cholesterol. “Omega-3 in the diet protects the heart and circulation and may reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers,” experts say. AVOID LONELINESS The adage that “two is a company”; or, “two heads are better than one,” stands true any day. Psychologists are of the view that loneliness can make us susceptible to stress, which in turn affects our immune response. Experts say psychological stress occasioned by loneliness can suppress the immunity normally provided by the cells. Life’s challenges such as trauma and loss affect the immune system of a lonely person much more than they would if there were shoulders to lean on, or if there’s someone with whom one can share an emotional burden. The solution? Stop being a lone ranger, learn to trust, and enter into useful relationship if you are not in one already. Remember, a problem shared is a problem solved!
Posted on: Mon, 03 Feb 2014 05:29:45 +0000
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