Pain, Strain, Crud & Bugs
Ranked #144,224 in Healthy Living, #1,374,309 overall
I'm trying to stop the antibiotic, ibuprofen, antihistamine, pseudoephedrine, over-the-counter drug insanity!
This summer and fall, my allergies have been almost non-existent. During one bout with a bug I caught from my teen daughter, I ended up only with a sore throat that was gone in 3 days, rather than the miserable cough, lung congestion and stuffed head that normally would have had its way with me and that kept her out of school for 6 days.
Stress and stress-related illnesses is also a BIG health category that immune balance can impact. Unchecked long-term stress can weaken immune response, leaving a body more vulnerable to sickness. If your immune system is in sync, you can help your body have a fighting chance during stressful times.
My 5 top ideas for staying healthy
1) Get enough sleep and some regular exercise.2) Eat right; fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and moderate meat. Nix the pop, fat and sugary foods.
3) Take EpiCor, an immune balancing supplement that helps your immune system respond proportionately to allergens, germs, inflammatory episodes, and other things that can drag you down because your immune defense is out of whack.
4) Take EpiCor for the long term; don't start in for a couple of weeks or months and then forget about it. That will do absolutely no good.
5) Try to keep stress in check. The body's natural reaction to prolonged stress is to tamp down immune system activity until the stressors subside. When that happens, a person is wide open for a number of physical ailments. That's why many times stress can be a trigger for everything from severe cold and flu to chronic muscle and joint pain.
Balance vs. Boost: What do you think?
Immune "balance" is the key. Immune balance is the notion that the complex components of the human immune system, when properly "in sync," do not over-react or under-react to invading pathogens and particulates that enter the body. If you breath in a benign pollen granule, you want your immune systems to let it pass, instead of over-reacting and putting forth mucous, water and lung inflammation. That's what allergies are. On the other hand, if a flu bug enters your body, you want your immune system to jump on it fast and keep it from multiplying and causing full-blown influenza.
Easing up when appropriate, or hitting the accelerator. This is "immune balance."
A number of health experts are supporting growing research suggesting that an overcharged or underperforming immune response may be linked with adverse long-term health conditions. NBC News and the Washington Post, for example, have both done stories on this in the recent past.
Much more on this is viewable at my blog:
www.balancedimmunehealth.com
Is immune balance a better long term health agent than immune boosting

Pump up the Vitamin C and boost your immune system!
Ann Reilly,Artzstuf says:
I stay away from the unproven methods like this which are pricey too. I have been suffering with sinus infection like and tooth ach symptoms after tooth surgery for awhile no0w,though,ugh.
marymc says:
both are important. I believe a healthy immune system is one of the major keys to a healthy life. Food lens.
Balance your immune system for long term, year-round benefits
This stuff helps keep me healthy
P.S. Some extra detail on EpiCor
What is this stuff?
EpiCor is one of those discoveries stumbled upon by accident. In 2004, company executives from a leading animal nutrition manufacturer, Diamond V, noticed that its employees had unusually low sick leave rates and fewer health insurance claims. After mounting a study, it was discovered that those who worked directly with the animal product had increased natural killer (NK) cell activity, higher antioxidant levels and a better ratio of immune complexes. After more research, Diamond V opted to created a new company and facility (pictured here) specifically to produce this complex fermentate and connect it with people wanting to improve their overall health and immune defense.EpiCor is a complex, nutrient-rich, dry fermentate made through a proprietary process. The ingredient is comprised of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and antioxidants that work to nourish and balance the body's immune system. When taken daily, EpiCor has been shown through clinical research to be a safe and effective way to help support the immune system, and can help people maintain wellness before health issues develop.
Unlike many other immune health ingredients, EpiCor does not stimulate or "boost" the body's immune system. It works in a unique way to balance and "educate" the immune system so that it works efficiently to provide the proper immune response. Supporting the body at the first level of immune defense, the innate immune system or mucosal barrier, EpiCor activates Natural Killer (NK) cells to help ward off foreign invaders. For invaders that work their way past this first line of defense, research shows that EpiCor also works further down the line when the adaptive immune system kicks in by activating B cells, which support antibody production specific to the invading pathogen. EpiCor is also a powerful antioxidant that further supports a healthy body by scavenging dangerous free radicals. Beyond this EpiCor has significant anti-inflammatory activity.
Most health-conscious folks are aware that a strong, healthy immune system is critical for good health. With environmental pollution, mental stress, travel, physical stress, seasonal allergies and the even the normal aging process all wreaking havoc on the immune system, it's no wonder that people are looking for help.
You need to know that while there is great science illustrating the EpiCor properties described here, the FDA has not reviewed any of this information with regard to health claims. EpiCor is not meant to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The information here is provided simply on my own accord.
Science Links
You want science on immune balance? You got it!
- EpiCor human trial summary
- PDF of interesting findings from several immune response studies.
- Signals from nervous system influence immune system
- "...the researchers showed that the strength of the VIP signal received by the T cells regulates the balance between two types of immune T cells, Th1 and Th2. Th1 is normally involved with protection from bacterial invasion and other defenses, but Th1 in excess can lead to autoimmune disorders."
- Immune Responses in Healthy and Allergic Individuals Are Characterized by a Fine Balance between Allergen-specific T Regulatory 1 and T Helper 2 Cells
- This details findings on immune balance and allergy sufferers.
- Nutrients keep immune system in balance
- A USDA summary on immune balance through a balanced diet. Don't go overboard on zinc, it says. Plus much more.
- Molecule Strikes Balance in Immune System and May Be Key to Autoimmune Attack in MS
- This is leading edge stuff observed in animal studies. Intriguing.
- Proteins Play Against Each Other, Bringing Balance to Immune System
- A research team at National Jewish Medical and Research Center report in the April 28, 2000 issue of Science that they have discovered how certain proteins work together in the immune system to control the T cells that attack viruses such as chicken pox, measles and other diseases
Reader Feedback
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craigmaltby Nov 17, 2008 @ 1:55 pm | delete
- Hey, thanks for that comment. You're right, I've got a good juicer at home, but I never really think about using it much. My kids use it for smoothies once in a while, but I'm sure I could/should use it more for just what you're talking about. I do take an immune balancing supplement because I just think it's great extra insurance against my exposure to all the bugs my kids bring home from school. And, there's a lot of additional probiotic benefit, inflammation mitigation benefit, and it's been great in making my allergy symptom almost toally disappear.
But if I had a better record with the juicer, I'm sure that would help my immune health plus my total nutrition even more. So thanks for the nudge on that.
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annspets4
Nov 13, 2008 @ 10:45 pm | delete
- Hi Craig!
am curious why you don't just eat well andexercise to stay well?! I for one am big on juicing as I lost alot of weight this way and even kept it off. I make my own with a Jack la Lane juicer and veggies and fruit. Here's to your health!
-Artzstuf
http://closertosane.blogspot.com
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by craigmaltby
I have an ongoing interest in preventive health. I'm not a scientist or nutritionist, but I work with a lot of them and have learned so much about new... more »
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