3 Immune Boosting Secrets To Help Manage Your Weight and Your Health

An unstable immune system can have a significant impact both on your health and your weight. An immune system that is constantly overworked and activated, never being allowed to rest, will inevitably result in long-term inflammation and an over production of stress hormones, and if you're trying to lose weight and improve your health, these factors can hinder that process and could actually result in you gaining weight and seeing a decline in your health. Likewise, a suppressed immune system can allow bacterial and viral infections to take hold in a person's body, which will also be a major stress on the body and can potentially lead to weight gain, in addition to long-term health problems, if not addressed quickly.
In this article I'll be focusing on the latter, suppressed immune activity, and what can be done to give it a helping hand.
During the winter months our bodies are more susceptible to colds and the flu as a result of cold temperatures, which dampen our immune activity and decrease the number of immune cells. By eating a careful selection of herb, spices, and foods, we can help reverse this immune dampening effect and bring about stronger immune activity in our body.
1. Ginger and cinnamon to warm the circulation
When our bodies our exposed to prolonged periods of cold, as a protective measure to keep our vital organs, the brain and it's functions alive, our bodies will restrict the flow of blood to the extremities, in an effort to help conserve body heat for our vital organs and the brain. Unfortunately, this restriction also reduces the supply of white blood cells (which are the cells of our immune system), leaving us somewhat defenceless against bacteria and viral attack. Including fresh root ginger and cinnamon daily into the diet will help offset this effect. E.g. adding ginger to curry dish or a smoothie, sprinkling cinnamon on fruit salad, etc. The reason why this is beneficial is because ginger and cinnamon stimulate blood circulation, thus having a warming effect on the body and halting the need for it to restrict the flow of blood.
2. Oily fish and vitamin D
In the winter months are vitamin D levels decline (as vitamin D is synthesised in the skin in the presence of sunlight, which there is less of during winter) and vitamin D is required in order to mount a sufficient immune response. Oily fish is the richest source of vitamin D and will help maintain vitamin D levels. The inclusion of good quality oily fish three times a week should include salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines and herring.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9354558