The Immune Advantage: The Single Most Important Thing You Can Do for Your Health - Softcover

Part 1

What You Should Know
The Most Important Thing You Can Do for Your Health

Genes surely are a part of the answer. But even genes no longer mean that we must be passive victims of fate. Today, we can measure our risk of getting various diseases that may run in our families and take practical steps to avoid them or lessen their effect. Some of these steps are as simple as avoiding certain foods and environmental toxins, and periodically scheduling screening tests.

In addition to using knowledge of our genetic risk factors to safeguard our health, there are many other aspects of health that are in our own hands. In fact, there is nothing more powerful than the potential weapons of wellness that lie within us all. We are all born with an extraordinary system of immunity that serves as a natural defense against bacteria, viruses, and other invaders. Your family tree may tell you a lot, but scientists now say that the strength of your immune system depends on your choices: eating well, exercising, reducing stress, and even taking a moment, perhaps, to say a prayer or simply think about the good things in life. It's that basic. That's why we believe that boosting your immune system is the most important thing you can do for your health.

If you take away nothing else from reading this book, remember this: You can take charge of your health and make simple lifestyle changes that might have a crucial effect on the quality--and perhaps even the length--of your life. Researchers say that it's never too late to empower your immune system. Scientists have proved that people who take steps to eat healthfully show huge improvements in their daily lives, and that exercise is a kind of elixir of youth--a dramatic means of rejuvenating muscles and overall strength. And as you adjust your lifestyle to lower your risk of getting life-shortening diseases such as cancer and heart disease, you will increase your odds of living to a ripe old age. You may not have been able to select your genes, but you certainly can make lifestyle choices that will put your health in your own hands.

Learn How to Take Command of Your Health

To understand how your immune system works, think of it as a national defense system. Imagine your cells as the soldiers gearing up for battle to defend against and attack invading germs and viruses. At all times, your immune system operates as a powerful defense, shielding you from the most common cold and the most deadly cancer. It is a magnificent machine that works with military timing, with trillions of cells throughout your body moving in harmony through cooperation and communication.

Yet despite the awe-inspiring efficiency with which our immune systems work, they can also use our help. This book will show you how to increase your defenses with the Top 20 Immune Boosters, and what to avoid with the Top 10 Immune Busters. How easy it will be to display a rainbow of fruits and vegetables on your dinner plate--a delicious way of making sure that you and your family consume the rich combination of phytochemicals that your immune system craves to protect it from the assault of free radicals. You'll find out why it is so critical to wash your hands frequently, yet avoid common antibacterial products. We'll show you how to protect yourself from environmental hazards that can weaken your immune system--including steps as simple as washing your new clothes before wearing them. And you will find out why parking your car at the far end of the lot and taking the stairs to the office restroom on another floor will add years to your life.

In fact, we'll supply you with dozens of simple strategies that will help you live longer, including the most important supplements to take, the most promising stress-relieving techniques, and some top exercises to boost your overall health and immunity. And if you should experience health problems--perhaps you come down with the flu or pneumonia, get a sexually transmitted disease, or experience chronic fatigue--we'll show you how to work with your immune system so that your body best uses its innate healing ability to make you well once again.

Sometimes, your immune system can become confused and attack itself. In this book, you will learn how to care for yourself and your family when dealing with autoimmune disorders such as insulin-dependent diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and multiple sclerosis.