Here’s my personal recipe for an immune health-friendly breakfast. It offers the perfect blend of proteins, fats and carbohydrates and is packed with natural immunity boosters.

The recipe is large enough for your family to enjoy. Prep all of the ingredients the night before so you can quickly blend and pour in the morning. The recipe works using fresh or frozen fruit.

Ingredients
1 pomegranate – just scoop out the seeds and remove the flesh. Pomegranate is in season when flu season is at its peak – how perfect!
1 cup blueberries
2 kiwi
1 cup strawberries or papaya
1 banana
1-2 cups greek-style yogurt
¼ cup wheat germ
¼ cup figs, dates or raisins
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup fresh-ground flaxseed
1 cup kale
3 cups liquid – whether milk, soy milk, vegetable or fruit juices or your favorite beverage containing Wellmune WGP

For extra energy add 1-2 tablespoons of peanut better or tofu. And remember, breakfast is the most important meal of the day!

– William Sears, M.D., scientific advisor to Wellmune WGP

There’s an easy way to keep in mind what you can do to support a healthy immune system. I’ve dubbed it the Four Pillars to a Healthy Immune System. Just remember what the the acronym LEAN:

L is for LIFESTYLE – Make health your hobby. By boosting your immune system you’re boosting your ability to stay healthy.

E is for EXERCISE – Exercise helps mobilize the immune system for health. Try to squeeze in even 10-minute activity breaks most days of the week.

A is for ATTITUDE – Stress weakens the immune system by producing excess stress hormones that slow the body from healing. Take time out for meditation or otherwise shift gears away from life’s stresses every day.

N is for NUTRITION – Everyone’s heard the adage, “You are what you eat” and what you eat will make a difference in immune health. To keep nutrition simple, focus on the 5 S’s. Nothing makes the list without passing my  “show me the science behind it” test:

• Seafood
• Salad – including an abundance of bright colored vegetables
• Smoothies – nutrient-rich and filling (see recipe in our next post)
• Spices – think turmeric, ginger and black pepper
• Supplements, including Omega 3 fish and Wellmune WGP^® daily to enhance your body’s immune responses to a wide range of health challenges

Click here for more about Dr. Sears’s thoughts on immune health.  A father of eight children, ages 16 to 41, and an author of over 40 books on childcare, Dr. Sears has been a practicing pediatrician for more than 35 years.  He received his pediatric training at Harvard Medical School’s Children’s Hospital in Boston and the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, the largest children’s hospital in the world.

Can Vitamins Lead to Debauchery?

A recent study about vitamin users being more inclined to engage in risky behaviors caught our attention.  According to research published in Psychological Science, supplement users may get a false sense of invulnerability that may translate in potentially harmful lifestyle behaviors, including binge-drinking, casual sex and sunbathing.  Here’s the link.

It’s an interesting study and perhaps one more reason to protect yourself with Wellmune WGP^®.

Nearly everything we do can have an impact on our immune system: from getting up earlier than usual to skipping breakfast or working overtime on a project.

1. Stress

Stress comes at us from all directions – work, family, even our social lives. Your body responds by releasing cortisol and adrenaline, two stress hormones that raise blood pressure, cholesterol levels and wreck havoc on your immune system. You add to your stress by skipping meals, not getting a full night of sleep and avoiding exercise.

If you are constantly on the run, you might benefit from adding Wellmune WGP to your daily routine. A study of 122 healthy volunteers with stressful lifestyles found that 58 percent of them experienced fewer upper respiratory tract infection symptoms and improved psychological well-being after taking Wellmune WGP daily for 12 weeks.

2. Too much fast food

If most of your meals come in a bag, you might be needing a few more sick days. A balanced diet, rich in fruits and vegetables, provides antioxidants needed to neutralize free radicals. That’s important because free radicals break down cells in your body, leaving you vulnerable to viruses and bacteria. When you feel sickness coming on, you can boost immunity with foods such as yogurt, green tea, oatmeal, broccoli, garlic, oysters, red bell peppers and spices such as turmeric, oregano and ginger.

3. And too few ZZZs

When you get less than six or seven hours of sleep each night, your risk of getting sick increases. During sleep your body produces more protein. These protein molecules allow cells to repair damage caused by stress and other harmful exposures.

4. The exercise “Catch 22”

We all need exercise, but you should be aware how the volume of exercise you do impacts your immune system.

Moderate, consistent exercise increases the production of macrophages, the cells that attack bacteria. Research conducted at Appalachian State University found that those who walked at 70-75 percent of their aerobic capacity for 40 minutes each day, had half as many sick days due to colds or sore throats as others who didn’t exercise.

But, as many marathoners and other athletes have discovered, more than 90 minutes of intense endurance exercise can actually make you more susceptible to illness for up to 24 hours. However, Dr. Brian McFarlin, an associate professor at the University of Houston, found that Wellmune WGP before exercise can improve immune response.

McFarlin tested 60 male and female athletes. Each took either a placebo or Wellmune WGP for 10 days. The athletes then rode an exercise bike in a 100-degree heat chamber, set at 45 percent humidity. Blood samples were taken before and after the exercise. They repeated the experiment 10 days later, but switched who received the supplement. In both tests, the athletes who took Wellmune before working out had stronger immune systems after exercising.

While we can’t control the all the stresses that life throws at us, but by being more aware of the impact of exercise, better dietary management and supplementation, we can help our immune systems stay healthier.

Where do Immiflex and Wellmune fit in? Nigeria has a bold public health vision: to save one million lives and improve the quality of care. One of the four pillars of the initiative is an emphasis on healthy living and disease prevention. Because Wellmune primes the innate immune cells that help keep the body healthy, it attracted attention as a functional ingredient. Wellmune can help mobilize the body’s natural defenses, strengthening the immune system, the foundation of health and wellness.

On hand for the launch of Immiflex was Dr. Enabulele, Head of the Wellness Programme at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, on behalf of the hospital’s Chief Medical Director D A A Oke. The Special Guest of Honour was The Special Adviser on Health to the Lagos State Governor, Dr. Yewande Adesina. The event host was Bolade A. Soremekun, M.D. and CEO, Bolar Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

Our moms gave us temporary defenses

We don’t come into this world with a fully developed immune system. Antibodies passed on through a mother’s placenta protect newborns. That protection gradually fades away as the baby’s own immune system develops. Each time we’re exposed to a new bacteria or virus, our bodies create antibodies to fight it off. The next time it tries to invade our bodies, the antibodies are already in our arsenal. Simply put: exposure to germs primes their immune system.

Hello daycare, hello runny noses

Preschool-aged children who attend daycare tend to get more colds than those who spend their first years at home. However by catching cold more often, they also are developing stronger immune systems. So by the time they start school, they tend to have fewer sick days than their classmates who stayed at home and who weren’t exposed to as many cold viruses.

There are healthy steps you can take to help your kids build strong immune systems

• Consider breast-feeding your baby. Breast milk is like a supersized serving of antibodies that help to protect against everything from ear infections, respiratory tract infections and allergies to diabetes. Some studies cited by the American Academy of Pediatrics indicate it may also reduce the risk of infant mortality.

• Feed your children foods that will help them fight off germs. Some foods, including colorful fruits and vegetables, contain phytonutrients which help keep children healthier overall. These include pink grapefruit, carrots, tomatoes, green beans, oranges, blueberries, strawberries and papaya. In contrast, diets rich in sugars may actually reduce a child’s immunity.

• Get your children all of their recommended vaccinations. Childhood vaccinations save lives. For example in 1994, a year before the chickenpox vaccine was available, the disease killed 100 children and hospitalized 10,000 annually. Today, unvaccinated children are nine times as likely as others to contract chickenpox, according to a study published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. Unvaccinated kids also are 23 times more likely to catch whooping cough. If you have concerns about vaccinations, have a talk with your pediatrician. The risk that comes from contracting these diseases is often far greater than any risks that come from the vaccines. For a current childhood vaccination schedule, visit the Centers for Disease Control website.

• Be consistent about naps and bed times. Studies show that lack of sleep can make children more susceptible to diseases by reducing their natural immune cells. Newborns need up to 18 hours of sleep, toddlers need nine to 14 hours, and children ages 5-12 need 10-11 hours per night.

• Follow your pediatrician’s advice regarding antibiotics. It’s not a good idea to insist that your child’s doctor write a prescription for antibiotics each time your child has a cold or sore throat. Antibiotics can only treat bacteria, not viruses. Overuse of antibiotics can lead to antibiotic resistant bacteria. As a result, simple things such as ear infections or upper respiratory infections may become stubbornly resistant to a cure. So use antibiotics only when recommended, and be sure your child finishes the entire prescription even if he or she starts to feel substantially better.

Taking steps to help build your child’s immune system may result in fewer sick days and fewer visits to the doctor and pharmacy.

Here’s the link: http://www.nia.nih.gov/health/publication/biology-aging/immune-system-can-your-immune-system-still-defend-you-you-age

We’d suggest that older folks consider taking Wellmune to safely enhance immune system function. Wellmune doesn’t discriminate based on age and primes the existing immune cell population to help maintain good immune health.

Check back often for more insight into the benefits of Wellmune throughout the life cycle.

1. Fats and germs don’t mix. If you’re like most people, the fatty foods you’ve been indulging in since Thanksgiving may lead to a case of the sniffles. Being in closed-in spaces this time of year puts us in contact with more germs. Our bodies go into overdrive if they’re busy busting fat and diverted from busting germs.

Don’t Tip Your Hat to Fat

• Start each day with a nutritious breakfast. If your choices are limited, eat half of the oversized muffin and opt for a skim versus full-fat latte.

• After a night of restful repair, give your body the fuel it needs to run like a well-tuned machine.

• Choose an indulgence at each meal – not all of them – and stop before you feel full. That means mashed potatoes or pecan pie.

• Don’t arrive at the party hungry or skip meals and “bank” calories earlier in the day. A high-fiber snack like an apple or fresh veggies before the festivities begin will help you focus on people first, then food.

2. Champagne at midnight … coughing a week later?  This time of year, most of us are go, go, GO!  Throw travel germs in the mix and it’s a recipe for a cold. Champagne at midnight and alcoholic beverages can interfere with sleep. Coffee or soda in the afternoon may also. Don’t overlook the beverage choices you make or you’ll be up all night thinking of them! Resume your normal nighttime habits on New Year’s Day to get your body back to getting the restful sleep it needs to recover and restore stamina for a healthy immune system.

Drink Up These Tips

• Everything in moderation. More alcohol could result in less refreshing sleep.

• Know your body and how it will react to coffee and cola. For some, it’s hands off after lunchtime to help ensure restful sleep at night.

• Try another way to get a second wind such a quick shower or a brisk walk. Even a short nap is a great pick-me-up.

• Stay hydrated with water before you’re thirsty. It’s a healthy choice and will also help you feel full.

Eating right and making smart beverage choices– there’s no better toast to your immune system and healthy habits like these are resolutions worth keeping!

Praeventia cookies are loaded with polyphenols (antioxidants), 16 percent of recommended daily dietary fiber and whole grain. In addition to Wellmune WGP, which supports immune health, the cookies also contain prebiotic inulin fiber to support digestive health. A product of Groupe Biscuits Leclerc Ltd., Praeventia cookies contain no trans fats and are low in saturated fats and sugar.

There are two varieties: Ginger and Chocolate Chip with 70% cocoa and cranberry. They are conveniently packaged in seven single-serve pouches per box. Each serving has about 150 calories.

The Praeventia ginger cookies contain:

• Wellmune WGP®, a natural ingredient derived from a yeast β-glucan for a healthier immune system
• Ginger, also known for its polyphenols (antioxidant) content
• The whole oat, a whole grain contributes daily dietary fiber

The Praeventia chocolate chip 70% cocoa and cranberry cookies contain:

• Wellmune WGP®, a natural ingredient derived from a yeast β-glucan for a healthier immune system
• Chocolate Chip 70% cocoa and cranberry, two ingredients that contain polyphenols (antioxidants)

With Wellmune WGP and other good-for-you ingredients, adding Praeventia to your shopping list will make you one smart cookie when it comes to your family’s health.