Immune
Health

Symptoms of an infection occur because your immune system is reacting to a foreign virus or microorganism (bacteria, fungus, etc). Take the common cold for example. Your immune system will react to a virus that invades the epithelial cells whose job it is to line your upper respiratory tract and the various mucous membrane cavities in the body. The immune system stimulates your body to release inflammatory mediators to dilate your blood vessels and help bring proteins and white blood cells to the infected epithelial tissues. The inflammation of the blood vessels in your nasal cavity causes nasal congestion.

White blood cells – also called leukocytes – are the cells of the immune system that are involved in protecting the body against both infectious disease and foreign invaders. All white blood cells are produced and derived from cells in the bone marrow. White blood cells account for only one percent of the cells in the five litres of blood in an adult’s body¹. But don’t worry, most healthy individuals have more than enough white blood cells to get the job done. In each microliter of your blood, you have between 4,500 and 11,000 white blood cells².

When it comes to sleep, it turns out that sleep and the circadian system are strong regulators of immunological function³. Even a single night of poor sleep can impair the immune response and prolonged sleep deprivation can result in chronic inflammation resulting from a poorly regulated immune system. Sleep and the immune response have a reciprocal relationship⁴. Did you ever notice that when you are sick, you sleep more? Make sure you maintain a good sleep schedule to help your body maintain optimum immune system function and try to get some rest if you do get sick.

Colds and flus are caused by viruses, not by how cold the weather is. Your immune system has to “open the door” to the virus and this happens when it is weakened by stress, fatigue, lack of vitamin D, poor nutrition, etc. However, recent research has found a link that suggests that the colder we get, the easier it is for the cold virus to invade our body since we are not as able to launch a robust immune response⁵.

It is known that not all bacteria cause diseases. The human body is home to trillions of bacteria, which outnumber tissue cells 10 to one. In the digestive tract, these microbes are often considered probiotic or “good bacteria“ because they help with digestion. But their most important role is in supporting our immune system. Beneficial bacteria train the immune system to better distinguish between disease-causing pathogens and harmless ones.

While cold symptoms typically last between five to seven days, some do last longer. There are strategies you can use to reduce both the length and intensity of a cold. You can reduce the frequency, severity and duration of cold and flu symptoms by taking COLD-FX^® Daily Support products to boost your immune system.

While that may be true for medications such as cough syrups and pain relievers, it is not necessarily true for some natural health products, such as COLD-FX^®’s Daily Support, Chewables and Extra Strength. These products help reduce the frequency, severity and duration of cold and flu symptoms by BOOSTING THE IMMUNE SYSTEM. To be sure these products are right for you, always read and follow the label.