Supporting the Immunity

JERSEY FOODSTATE NEWSLETTER SERIES

SUPPORTING THE IMMUNITY

Immune Support

The objective of supporting a compromised immune system is to provide additional nutrients and other substances that form the basis of re-forming our dietary intake to target specific health building factors into a re-formed lifestyle.

What are these factors?

Before considering these new health-building factors, perhaps it is appropriate to reflect upon why our immune system is compromised. The answer is as complex as it is simple, there are many lifestyle aspects to consider, complex in so much as the contributing factors include stresses, emotions, diet, and unresolved difficulties - the list can go on. Simple, in as much as a lifestyle imbalance has occurred.
One of the re-balancing considerations in strengthening our immune system is to readdress our attention to the foods and beverages we consume. Most of the functions our immune system performs are conducted without our conscious mind being involved. It is rather like a computer as an analogy, for most of us we use the keyboard to conduct the tasks we wish to undertake, but are not necessarily conversant with how the keyboard instructions are carried into an end result. So is the difference between the conscious and sub-conscious mind we make choices at these two levels.

Food and Beverage Choices

When selecting foodstuffs (food and beverages) we are deciding to consume nutritional foodstuffs, stimulant foodstuffs and intellectual foodstuffs. What do these terms indicate, a brief introduction to these consuming dilemmas is offered.

Nutritional foodstuffs

Essentially these are vibrant and dynamic nutrient rich foodstuffs consumed in a natural form for the body to absorb. These are organically grown ripe fresh fruit and vegetables. With this class of foods the body expends much less energy processing and utilizing these wonderful foodstuffs.  This results in a substantial health benefit for the immune system to conduct its functions, of cleansing, removing waste products, repair and the promotion of healthy harmonious growth. Foods in their natural form grown according to nature’s laws or their extracted juices provide the optimum opportunities for our positive health.
Animal products or by their products (milk, cheese, eggs and other dairy products) do provide us with health benefits. These foods do require more of our energy to extract and utilize the beneficial materials. It is sensible for us to reflect upon the difference between organically reared and commercially reared animal products and indirectly their by- products. It is necessary for us to be aware that the commercially reared animal and animal by products do contain many synthetic additives and "improvers" that we plainly do not require for good positive health.

Stimulant Foodstuffs

These are foods that, as the title implies, stimulate us. It is of course good when we consume healthy stimulating foodstuffs, Often people get stimulated to the clean and cleansing feeling experienced by fresh juices and healthy foods.
However we also have to be aware that many foods are stimulating to us in a negative way.
Many of the processed and manufactured foods contain substances that are not helpful to strengthening our immune system. These are the highly sugared artificially sweet substances that are so appealing. Fried foods stimulate us; coffee, carbonated artificially sweetened soft drinks, bakery products manufactured with refined flour, confectionery. And a host of other convenience and manufactured foods containing artificial additives, the list goes on and on of the food scientist’s achievements which tempt us.
There is no need to dwell on this class of foods, suffice it to outline that these foodstuffs are not in a natural form for our body to utilize some of the nutrients without expending a lot of energy extracting that which is beneficial.
It is also necessary for us to be aware that with many commercially reared animal and animal by products there is a stimulating effect from the additives and other chemicals used in their preparation. A good question to consider for us to answer is do our bodies benefit from the vast array of additional chemicals?

Intellectual Foodstuffs

This is a most interesting class of foodstuffs that are essentially produced according to modern food processing refining and other unnatural manufacturing methods. Marketing departments within companies quite often develop theses foodstuffs to create a market. Do these foodstuffs contribute any additional health benefits that the foodstuff in its natural from unprocessed could deliver, rarely? If at all. Perhaps if we ask ourselves does it seem sensible to take a natural ally grown food and process it, refine it (this means stripping away some of its naturally associated beneficial food components and then add artificial chemicals to it. This creation and processing of these artificially introduced for profit foodstuffs are designed to appeal to our intellect.
We have seen the enticing advertisements for these "healthy" manufactured foods this one does this and this one does that.
How on earth did our forefathers survive without these foods that appeal to our intellect.  Many of the modern day disease conditions and illnesses that are resulting from weakened immune systems were not seen in such profusion when naturally grown whole seasonal foods were consumed.
It is of course proper to recognise that years ago there were diseases of the immune system, however never in our history has immune system been so exposed to altered and chemically produced and refined foods. Further never in our history has food been so processed refined and altered with chemicals.

This brief introduction to differing classes of foodstuffs can help provide a foundation to future healthy foodstuff choices. Through our selection of foods we do contribute positively to building up our immune system to combat dis-ease and work to re-establish our good health.
Our precious immune system requires both the physical materials and conditions to perform its function properly.
We have considered some of these physical requirements in so much as foods and broadly beverages, however it is appropriate to spend a little further thought as to the role and function of water and our health.

Water

Water is a key factor in maintaining the energy and efficiency of the human organism.  Its place in nutritional science is shamefully underdeveloped, particularly in the English-speaking world.

From the ordinary chemical point of view, water should be as pure as possible. The modern pollutants - pesticide residues, organic compounds, hormones, and water processing chemicals - are all highly undesirable, quite obviously, however not all are removed by the standard water purification process. The ingestion of these substances adds to the burden within the immune system.

Natural approach to digestion

From the time of Hippocrates, the father of medicine, significant thinkers and writers have proffered the view that Nature Alone Cures. This is not to imply that we should ignore the benefits of modern allopathic medicine, of course. But the rise of interest in complementary therapies demonstrates clearly that there needs to be an integrated approach to good health.
The messages in the media, the latest headlines, invite us to consider this or that diet. Most of these diets are faddish or specific to particular issues, but they are not based on the principles of nature cure. The fundamental axiom of Nature Cure is that Nature alone cures. It is a sad fact that over the last 60 or 70 years, in tandem with our modern life-style, the nutrients in our food have been so altered that Nature is unable to achieve fully its healing objective. This healing objective is founded in the principle that each cell will always try to heal itself, given the opportunity and appropriate materials. The opportunity comes from our approach to balance within our daily life: adequate nutrition, harmonious daily work, exercise, rest, and an optimistic outlook.
This dietary review essentially considers the nutritional aspects. However, many people find that the introduction an initial gentle GUT cleansing and dietary re-form programs benefits other aspects of daily life.
Sub-clinical Malnutrition
The phrase ’sub-clinical malnutrition’ refers to the nutrient deficiencies of many modern foodstuffs. It is the plant kingdom that ultimately provides the nutrition we need for good health, and it is a fact that compared with just sixty years ago the fruits, grains and other vegetable substances we consume today are significantly lower in nutrients. Thus, while we are not totally incapacitated by these deficiencies, we may well not be experiencing radiant health.
The reason for this is that all the commercial pressures - including government policies presented to the farming community, promoting inorganic fertilisers and other agents to produce greater quantities of food - have resulted in debased food quality. Our soil has been significantly depleted of essential trace minerals. Plants grown in it are therefore depleted.
If we accept that depleted soil results in depleted plant materials, then it follows that animals that also eat such plants do not get adequate nutrition either. It becomes very obvious that currently most commercial plant and animal materials have compromised nutrient profiles due to the status of the soil they are grown in. The result, unsurprisingly, is compromised health.
When we understand that minerals and trace elements essential to our physical and mental well-being are just unavailable in most foods – and that they are further depleted by modern methods of food processing - we realise why it is important for us both to improve our diet and to consider supplementation. Some minerals necessary for the immune system and our good health are so depleted from the soil that supplementation becomes important – and in particular, the form of that supplementation.
We can consider a period of gentle cleansing and detoxification rather in the same way that we prepare a garden for new plants. We remove the weeds and prepare the soil to receive the healthy new plants. In the same way, an initial cleansing will remove toxins, facilitating the body’s ability to absorb new health-building nutrients.

The biggest mistake we make is to mix starchy food with protein, mouthful for mouthful, as in the ham sandwich. This makes perfect digestion of either component quite impossible. All we have to do to correct matters is to eat the protein first on its own, and make a separate course of any starchy food such as bread that we still hunger for afterwards.

For perfect digestion: - drink first then eat live, fresh vegetation followed by any cooked vegetation; then eat any protein, on its own; then eat any starch, on its own; then neither eat nor drink anything more for several hours. No second helpings of any previous course - only the course you are eating now!
This is a strict guideline however it is factually how we obtain the maximum benefit from our foodstuffs. To understand a process helps us to grow in the knowledge as to help ourselves.

Basic Dietary Guidelines-for Food re-Form and Better Health

Simple Dietary Do’s and Don’ts

1. Essentially reduce animal protein as much as possible
2. Eliminate all cows’ milk products in all forms for two months. Cow’s milk contains chemicals that are not advisable to consume.
   The occasional consumption of goat’s milk is acceptable.
3. Eliminate from the diet all margarines and other health spreads; goat’s milk and cows milk butter is available in most supermarkets. Organic cows milk butter may be taken very sparingly while other cows milk products are excluded.
4. So called "health Spreads" are to be avoided.
5. Consume as much raw and ripe foods as comfortable on a daily basis. The guideline is that 20% of the total daily intake is as raw uncooked foods.
6. Only consume organic eggs that are genuinely free range and received proper foods and not the chemical pellets. 
7. Only use cold pressed organic or extra virgin cooking oils purchased in glass containers. Plastic containers contain chemical residues that are not helpful with regard to our immune system.
8. Consume as much organically grown ripe fruits and vegetables that are desired, available and affordable.
9. Consume daily freshly prepared ripe fruit and vegetable juices. Organically pre prepared juices can be purchased in supermarkets and health store. The suggestion is that at least one glass daily taken mid morning.
10. Add Shiitake mushrooms to the diet once or twice a month, if desired more often will be beneficial; these can be purchased in delicatessens and other stores. Usually these are dried and require rehydration. Some supermarkets do sell fresh shiitake; these can be consumed raw or very lightly boiled.
11. Maitake and Reishi mushrooms are also most beneficial with immune system problems, as with the shitake research has been beneficial to the immune system.
12. Consuming whole organic brown rice is of great benefit (hot or cold-cooked) and is known to reduce the incidence of several dis-ease processes.
13. Soybean products such as tofu and Miso are also known to be most beneficial for both women and men.
14. Organic flax seed oil consumption on a daily basis (one dessertspoon in the morning) is most beneficial and proven to help with immune system problems. This oil should only be purchased in glass containers.
15. All green leafy vegetables are beneficial with regard to boosting the immune system either as raw, lightly cooked or in a juice. Particularly broccoli, cabbage (green) watercress and Brussels sprouts.
16. Tangerines are very helpful, oranges and grapefruit are not so helpful in temperate climates.
17. Organic Green tea is good as tea Polyphenols combat the dis-ease process and strengthen our immune system.
18. Fresh fruits such as apples, cherries, apricots, pineapple(consume the core of this fruit as it contains enzymes that help the heart stay healthy), RIPE bananas, grapes; figs (fresh or dried) raspberries and cranberries are all beneficial. It is important to select where possible these fruits from organic sources. These fruits may be consumed freely. 
19. Beetroot is a most welcome addition to the diet, ideally eaten raw and grated.
20. Cauliflower, cabbage, kale, broccoli and tofu are also of value in the diet as it contains chemicals known as isothiocyanates that are potent healing substances.
21. Consume at least one and a half to two litres each day of water.
22. Reduce stimulant foods.
23. Eliminated all refined foods, sucrose (so called white sugar) white bread products, non organic pasta.
24. Reduce alcohol for two months and then continue with avoidance of sprits as much as possible.
25. Avoid all fizzy carbonated beverages (including water) and all manufactured with refined or "free" sugars. These are the undesirable foods and beverages  that have "sugars" ending in "ose" such as sucrose, glucose, fructose and maltose to mention just a few examples. 
26. Smoking !!
27. Chew all foods very thoroughly until the food is almost liquid.
28. Try to adopt at least on day each week to be vegetarian.
29. Live yoghurt is to be recommended, especially if made from goat’s milk. This is an important food that does inhibit the growth of detrimental bacteria in the intestine.
30. It is advisable to take a basic daily FOOD supplements that are known to be in short supply within the typical diet, this suggestion does include foods from an organic origin as acid rain depletes the soil of valuable and necessary good health building minerals.

Food Supplements

Nutritional dietary supplements are designed to provide the body with nutrients required to support health maintenance and repair, and additionally to deliver those extra nutrients that are often in short supply within the diet.
It is sad to reflect that many commercially-produced foods today are deficient in many important nutrients, substantially due to modern farming and food processing procedures. A recent report to the USA senate stated that probably over ninety percent of American citizens today are deficient of up to 80% micronutrients; within the EU the estimated deficiency is assessed as 76%. But these deficiencies are not just restricted to the USA, and EU as Western food manufacture and processing is almost standardised in many other areas of the planet.
However, several health-building nutritional supplements are helpful and can be recommended.
Standards of Food Supplements
Food supplements do help the body to combat dis-ease and recreate health. Most - perhaps 95% - of the so-called ’natural’ vitamins offered for sale in stores and other places are not in a truly natural form as found in nature. In nature, nutrients are incorporated into the overall structure of the food. Vitamins legally permitted to be sold as ’natural’ are commonly synthetically-produced chemical structures. They are not food. They can offer the body assistance and support, but not in the same way that food nutrients do. The chemical vitamin structures sold as ’natural’ are never found in any natural food on the planet.
With regard to the ’natural’ minerals sold, these are substances that can be found in nature combined with synthetic compounds that the body cannot use very easily.
The recommendation is to contribute to the health-rebuilding programme by consuming whole food structure nutrients that are as found in nature. The body can recognise their structure and use it positively. These wholefood nutrient complexes are available as FOOD supplements.
The list of supplements below is suggested as a basic intervention approach to health rebuilding. It is important to remember that the body does require additional support to the cleansing process.
The supplements listed below offer a comprehensive initial approach and are outlined as a sound basic guideline.

Beneficial Food Structure Supplements

The following food structure supplements are suggested for the initial step in rebuilding health. The recommended supplements are those supplied by Jersey Foodstate and other companies. A list of suppliers can be sent on request.

1. A food based multivitamin, mineral and trace element supplement to be taken once a day. This is designed to provide a nutrient foundation; it provides a broad spectrum of vitamins, minerals and trace elements micronutrients.

2. Food-based Selenium: this is a trace mineral whose benefits have been demonstrated to be of great value in the treatment of immune disturbances. Selenium intake is below the recommended level for most people. This can be taken as a single supplement or as part of an intake of the Multivitamin and mineral or the Anti-oxidant tablet.

3. Essential fatty acids: these important nutrients are required within the body for many important metabolic processes involving the immune system. Most people do not get adequate beneficial essential fatty acids in their diet. The supplement combination recommended is a food structure complex. Two tablets taken in the morning is advised.
In relation to essential fatty acid requirements, there is a question as to the alleged benefits of consuming low and reduced fat products.

4. A food structure Anti-oxidant with trace minerals: this is to reduce harmful free radicals within the body. Free radicals are undesirable stray toxic chemical substances. This anti-oxidant with trace minerals also supports the immune system.

5. Probiotic bacteria: these are friendly micro-bacteria that inhabit the intestine. They are required by the body for the absorption of beneficial nutrients in the food and beverages we all consume. These bacteria are important as they also respond to the removal of toxic waste. One dose a day taken in the evening before retiring is advised; the powder should be taken in accordance with the instructions.

6. This is optional unless long term chronic distress is apparent. Food structure Vitamin B5 (also known as Pantothenic acid) is most helpful with certain conditions, as this nutrient is known to help reduce inflammation. The Vitamin B5 can be taken in the morning and the evening.

7. Bromelain: this is an enzyme known to help reduce inflammation. One tablet daily is advised, best taken mid morning away from food. It is sensible for all persons over 40 years of age to take a months course at least twice a year to protect the heart and help proper digestion.

8. Magnesium as one tablet daily in the evening. It is (as stated) estimated that eight out of ten persons are magnesium deficient. This mineral is required by each cell in the body to deliver nutrient, remove waste products, proper bone growth, reduce stress, energy release and proper nerve function.

9. Tofu, a soybean beneficial food cleansing product, can be bought in a health store. It can be gently stir-fried or steamed

10. Garlic is a useful source of sulphur (gut cleansing) providing it is organically grown.
The above suggested food supplement regime should be followed for between eight and ten weeks ideally and then reviewed. The basic ongoing supplement programme should be considered as;
The multivitamin and mineral
The magnesium supplement
Either the anti oxidant with Co-enzyme Q10 (recommended) or the single selenium

We all know of the basic guides to try eat less fat, sugar and salt and to increase our fibre intake, but surely there is more to a healthy diet than that.  What is more, there is far more enjoyment to be got from a good diet than those four tenets suggest.  As a general rule of thumb try to get as much fresh food as possible – raw salad vegetables, lightly cooked leaf and root vegetables and fruits – to take advantage of the wonderful feelings of vitality they can impart.