Author: Sandra Green

Emergen-C is an over-the-counter dietary supplement manufactured by Alacer Corp., which was founded in 1972. Alacer Corp. began the Emergen-C product line in 1978, marketing it as a supplement to support a healthy immune system. Although you can take Emergen-C on a daily basis, you may wish to limit the supplement if you are exceeding the recommended allowance of certain nutrients in your diet. Before using any type of supplement for any reason, consult your doctor.

The original Emergen-C supplement’s main ingredient is a very high dose of vitamin C. Each serving contains 1,000 mg of vitamin C. B vitamins are also included in the supplement as a way to support metabolic function. Electrolytes found in each serving of Emergen-C are chromium, sodium, calcium and magnesium.

The manufacturer recommends you take Emergen-C two to four times daily. Instead of a concentrated formula, a liquid version, advertised as a power shot, is available. The manufacturer recommends you take two to four of these shots each day. Not all products from Emergen-C are recommended for consumption multiple times throughout the day.

For instance, the Emergen-C Multi-Vitamin Plus packaging instructs users to take the supplement once a day with 4 oz. to 6 oz. of water. The joint health formula containing 1,000 mg of Methylsulfonylmethane or MSM and 1,000 mg of vitamin C should be taken no more than twice daily. Children ages 2 and 3 use half a pack of the kid’s formula, while children ages 4 and older should take one packet daily.

According to the Mayo Clinic, the recommended upper limit allowance of vitamin C for adults is 2,000 mg each day. Taking four packets of Emergen-C exceeds this amount and may produce side effects such as diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal discomfort, heartburn, headache, kidney stones and difficulty sleeping.

The immune system is responsible for keeping the body healthy and protecting against sicknesses and infections. When someone has a poor immune system, due to a disease such as AIDS or cancer, they are more likely to get sick easily. Some people naturally have weaker immune systems, while others work in an environment that is full of germs, such as a school or daycare. Regardless of what you do for a living, you can help to build your immune system and protect your body by eating the right foods.

Olive Oil- Olive oil helps to build the immune system because it’s full of monounsaturated fats. According to the Cleveland Clinic, these types of fats help to strengthen the immune system, while other types of fats like that saturated fat in margarine may actually be harmful. Use olive oil in salad dressings and when cooking fish or chicken. You can also drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil onto sautéed vegetables to make them healthier and taste richer. Though olive oil is healthy for the immune system, it’s also high in calories so it’s important not to overdo it. One to 2 tbsp. of olive oil in foods each day is sufficient for strengthening the immune system.

Oranges- According to Dr. Bill Sears, a professor at the University of California at Irvine, oranges are truly one of the best foods to eat when you start to feel sick and want to speed up your recovery. This is because they are rich in vitamin C, with about 75 mg per medium orange, states Dr. Sears. His website states that vitamin C stimulates the production of white blood cells, which prevent viruses from harming the body and fight off infections. Oranges also contain vitamin A, another antioxidant with immune-boosting capabilities.

Turkey- Instead of only eating turkey at Thanksgiving time, eating it year-round may help to build up the immune system. Both white and dark meat turkey are rich in the mineral zinc. Dr. Bill Sears states that zinc increases the number of T-cells, which fight infections in the body. He recommends consuming 15 to 25 mg of zinc a day for a strong immune system and states that 3 oz. of dark meat turkey has 3.8 mg, while white meat turkey has just slightly less.

Broccoli- Broccoli is another healthy food for boosting the immune system. It’s full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, which prevent free radical damage to the body. The Cleveland Clinic states that pollution, excess exposure to sunlight and cigarette smoke all damage the immune system by releasing free radicals. Yet eating vegetables such as broccoli helps to negate that damage and keep the immune system strong. Broccoli can be steamed, sautéed, grilled or even eaten raw with dressing for taste.

The immune system is defined by the National Cancer Institute as a complex system of cells, organs and tissues that protect the body from bacteria, viruses and micro-organisms that try to invade it. Scientists and researchers have known for years that there is a connection between stress and the immune system. A report in the November 1990 edition of Psychological Bulletin, states that stress suppresses immune system function and that, over time, the immune system does not adapt but instead continues to wear away.

What was intended to protect the body, begins to harm it when unregulated. The effect of stress on the immune system has been linked to cancer, AIDS and other autoimmune disorders. The way stress affects the immune system is complicated but explained well by Harrison Wein, Ph. D, in the National Institutes of Health newsletter, “Word on Health.” In the article, “Stress and Disease: New Perspectives,” Dr. Wein states that stress produces a hormone in the body called cortisol. The brain recognizes cortisol as the “fight or flight” hormone, and when it is produced, other body functions are halted until the stressful situation has passed.

This is the body’s way of taking care of an immediate emergency. The immune system also receives signals to slow down while cortisol does its job. But with chronic stress, however, the immune system stays in low gear, leaving the body vulnerable to infection and disease. Common illnesses brought on or worsened by stress are cardiovascular disease, digestive problems, skin conditions and poor memory function.

According to Dr. Wein, you can also have too little stress in the body as well. If that happens, there is no system that puts the immune system in check. When left to do what it wants, the immune system often begins attacking healthy invaders, and when that happens, you can develop inflammatory diseases like arthritis or tendinitis. The general population, however, does not have to worry about too little stress.

While you cannot avoid all of the stresses that come your way, you can learn how to control your reaction. Learning to deal with stress in a healthy manner will minimize the negative affects it has on the immune system. The Mayo Clinic recommends meditation, exercise, counseling and good interpersonal relationships as constructive ways to handle life’s daily challenges.

Each winter the influenza virus wreaks havoc on our ability to work and play. Symptoms of the flu include fever, fatigue, muscle aches, headache, runny nose, cough and stomach symptoms like nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Sometimes a flu virus can come on slowly or it can hit suddenly without much notice. Each year this leads people to wonder how they can prevent themselves and their family from getting the flu. Naturopathic prevention and treatment of the flu virus includes vitamins and minerals, botanical medicine and lifestyle recommendations.

Research demonstrates that elderberry extract has particular immune-modulating and antioxidant properties that neutralize the activity of viruses so they can no longer enter the cell and replicate. The berries also contain vitamins A and C, and the flavonoids quercetin, anthocyanin and rutin, all of which boost immune function.

One small study found an elderberry extract called Sambucol could shorten the duration of flu symptoms after a person gets sick by about 3 days. That would be similar to prescription antiviral medications like Tamiflu or Relenza, which have been proven effective in much larger studies and approved by the FDA to shorten the duration of the flu.

Even though elderberry has been used in traditional medicine for centuries especially to treat wounds, studies into its medicinal effects have only recently begun. Scientists have determined that elderberry is useful for managing allergies, for improving respiratory health and for treating the flu.

Elderberry also has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. While most species of the elderberry plant family contain toxic cyanide-based compounds, S. nigra is considered non-toxic. Even then it is recommended that the plant be cooked before it is used in food preparation.

Cantaloupe is a delicious fruit that has a wide variety of associated health benefits, including improved immune system strength, healthy skin and eyes, reduced chances of cancer, healthy lungs, and decreased stress levels, as well as the prevention of arthritis and boosted management of diabetes. These attributes are mainly due to the high levels of vitamins and minerals that naturally occur in this popular melon.

Cantaloupes are one of the most popular forms of melon in the USA and are grown widely in California as well as throughout Europe, although the original source of cantaloupe were actually in Africa, Iran, and India. It is less commonly grown and consumed in those areas in modern times. The North American variety is actually closely related to muskmelon, but it has adopted the European name of cantaloupe for all intents and purposes. It is a member of the Cucurbitacaea family and can be grown anywhere from 500g to 5kg (1-10 pounds).

Cantaloupe is a popular breakfast food, and is also good as an appetizer or element in fruit salads. Its mild, enjoyable taste increases as the fruit ripens, so many people wait until the flesh is soft and juicy before eating cantaloupes. The nutritive benefits of cantaloupe are derived from the high levels of vitamin-C, vitamin-A, vitamin-B6, potassium, Niacin, dietary fiber, and folic acid.

Cantaloupes not only have the beta-carotene and phytochemicals working in its favor against free radicals, but also a healthy dose of vitamin-C. Vitamin C similarly scavenges disease-causing free radicals and act as an important line of defense for a healthy immune system. Also, vitamin-C stimulates the production of white blood cells, which seek out and destroy dangerous bacteria, viruses, and other toxic substances of foreign bodies that may have found their way into our bloodstream. Cantaloupes are extremely powerful boosters for the immune system for these reasons and more.

Cantaloupe is rich in carotenes and antioxidants that boost the immune system and prevent infections. Cantaloupes contain a good dose of vitamin-C which scavenges disease-causing free radicals and act as an important line of defense for a healthy immune system. It also stimulates the production of white blood cells, which destroy viruses and bacteria.