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FIVE SEASONS HEALTHCARE
falling leaves
hide the path
so quietly John Bailey
AUTUMN
In Chinese medicine, autumn is
the season associated with the
lung, colon and skin.
All three interface with the
immune system, providing
protection against unhealthy
cells or pathogens entering the
body from the environment or
digestive system.
Acupuncture and herbs can
strengthen the immune system.
Herbs have strong anti-viral and
anti-bacterial properties.
OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM
The immune system is made
up of specialized cells,
proteins, tissues, and organs
that work together to protect
the body.
This complex
defense system identifies and
destroys pathogenic viruses,
fungi, bacteria, parasites and
tumor cells.
1
INNATE IMMUNITY is what we
are born with. This includes
physical barriers such as the
skin, mucous, cilia, good
bacteria, hair, tears, saliva,
stomach acid, and the blood
brain barrier. In a general first
line of defense, genetically
primed white blood cells attack
and destroy pathogens that
enter from the outside.
ADAPTIVE IMMUNITY goes
into gear when pathogens
penetrate the first line of
defense. Now, other types of
white blood cells called B and
T lymphocytes are mobilized to
identify, tag, and kill invaders
more efficiently.
They also
develop a memory for the
invader so the immune system
can recognize it quickly, should
there be a reinfection.
WHITE BLOOD CELLS (leucocytes)
WBC’s are the soldiers of the immune system that identify, tag, engulf
ingest, burst, perforate or poison foreign organisms and cancer cells.
They are also involved in allergic and inflammatory reactions. All five
types of WBC’s originate in the bone marrow and as they mature,
enter the blood, thymus, organs and lymphatic tissues. They compose
about 1% of blood volume, are larger than red blood cells, and fewer
in number.
LYMPHATIC SYSTEM
When the heart pumps blood through the capillaries, the clear,
nutrient rich component of the blood (plasma) diffuses into the spaces
surrounding cells. The cells absorb what they need as well as release
their waste products into this extracellular fluid.
The lymphatic
vessels absorb a portion of this fluid and filter it through a series of
nodes filled with white blood cells which destroy pathogens and
cellular debris. At the end of the lymphatic circuit, the lymph fluid is
rejoins the cardiovascular system and the cycle starts again.
Lymph tissue is scattered through the body, with 60% to 70%
embedded in the mucous membranes and tissues of the respiratory
and digestive tract. The spleen, thymus, appendix and tonsils are
also part of the lymphatic system.
SKIN SURFACES AND MUCOUS MEMBRANES
The lung, colon, and skin provide a physical barrier for most
pathogens that enter the body from the external environment. The
mucous membranes of the respiratory and digestive system trap
infectious agents so they can be worked on by the immune system.
A variety of white blood cells, lymphatic tissues, and other antimicrobial molecules are sequestered within the tissues of the lung
and colon.
The skin eliminates toxins through sweating and shedding. The skin
is also home to numerous protective bacteria,
GOOD BACTERIA (microflora, probiotics)
Microscopic bacteria in the body out number our tissues cells by a factor
of 10, with 100 trillion bacteria living in the digestive system alone.
80-85% are beneficial. The large intestine is host to more than 400
species, the most dominant being bifidobacteria and bacteroides. Colon
bacteria weighs 2 to 5 pounds. Although most nutrients from our food are
absorbed in the small intestine, beneficial bacteria in the large intestine:
• breakdown the remains of undigested food to provide energy
• produce vitamin K, biotin. folate, B6, B12, and niacin
• stimulate lymphatic tissue embedded in the digestive tract
• protect against pathogenic microbes
2
FASHIONMONTHLY October 11, 2011
what to do
nurture self - breath, meditate, exercise
sleep
Stay warm
Sleep
3
Good to have in the
medicine cabinet for
sinus congestion and
infection.
If it is taken at the
very onset, it works
90% of the time to
prevent a cold or flu
Mushrooms have been used
for centuries to strengthen
the immune system
Acupuncture treatments - keep healthy for the holidays
Treatments are $70.00 (normally $95) through the
end of December
This is a busy season and the added stress can take a
toll on the immune system.
Acupuncture switches body chemistry from the “flight and flight”
response to the “rest and rebuild” mode. Consequently, blood
flow is directed toward the vital
organs rather than to the
extremities. Communication between the immune, hormonal, and
nervous system is also enhanced. There are numerous studies supporting the positive effect of
acupuncture on immune function.
Acupuncture can arrest a cold or flu at the onset and/or shorten the length of the infection if y Sinus
congestion and chest tightness also respond well. The strategy behind treatment is to alleviate
acute symptoms as well as correct the root imbalance causing those symptoms. It helps to get a
probiotics are beneficial bacteria that
restrain harmful strains in the
intestines. there are superior and
inferior strains of probiotics as well
as each one providing a different
benefit. ...., those which have been
in
fiber - fiber is the food for bacteria in
4
Allergies are caused when the immune
system identifies and harmless
substance as harmful and attacts it
causingenzymes
an inflammatory reaction. Every
Digestive
time
you
Vitamin D eat a food that you are allergic
Vitamin
to you,
C your
Zinc
Nasal Spray Mucaplex Fiber
Colostrum
Medicinal mushrooms
Cough
Eat 3 meals daily that include protein
Drink room temperature or hot beverages,
More cooked food, less raw foods
More sleep and less stress
Numerous studies support the theory that sleep
supports immune function.
If you have trouble getting to sleep, try 2 capsules
of magnesium (not carbonate) 1/2 hour before
going to bed. There are also other herbs and
supplements that can help.
Soups and stews
Winter greens - collards, kale, chard
Root vegetables - sweet potatoes, turnips
Squash - kabocha, butternut, spaghetti
Mushrooms -mitake, shitake
Fermented foods - miso, sauerkraut, yogurt
Seaweed, nori, dulse, wakame, kombu
Cranberries, persimmons, pomegranates
Cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts
Goji berries, Fresh ginger, garlic, onions
Skincare and Dry Brushing
Find skincare products without chemicals, especially body lotions and sunscreens. See EWG.org to see
what’s in your products. Dry brushing sloughs off dead skin cells and improves lymphatic circulation.
Use a a soft natural bristle brush and gently brush upward towards the heart.
Moderate Exercise
Excessive exercise put the body into a stress mode, which changes body chemistry in a direction that
has a negative effect on immunity
Keep Warm
The lung is called to be the “tender organ”because it is susceptible to wind and cold. dress for the
weather... When the neck, low back, and feet are exposed to cold, it is an open invitation for coughs, sore
throats, and the common cold.