Boosting Your Immunity For Dummies

Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Introduction
	About This Book
	Conventions Used in This Book
	What You’re Not to Read
	Foolish Assumptions
	How This Book Is Organized
		Part 1: Getting to Know Your Immune System
		Part 2: What Happens When Your Immune System Gets Off Track
		Part 3: Laying the Groundwork for Super Immunity: Nutrition, Lifestyle, and Detox
		Part 4: Cooking Up Recipes for Immunity and Wellness
		Part 5: The Part of Tens
	Icons Used in This Book
	Where to Go from Here
Part 1 Getting to Know Your Immune System
	Chapter 1 Immunity: Your Ticket to a Stronger, Longer, and Healthier Life
		Super Immunity 101
			Starting with your immune system
			Boosting your immunity with nutritional excellence
			Considering super immunity and modern medicine
		Living Longer, Stronger, and Healthier
			Focusing on healthy cells
			Turning on your “super immunity” genes
			Choosing health
		Boosting Your Immunity to Look and Feel Amazing
			Looking younger
			Increasing vitality
			Getting a good night’s sleep
			Clearing up skin and digestive issues
	Chapter 2 Understanding the Parts and Functions of Your Immune System
		Introducing the Key Players: Your Immune Organs
			Bone marrow
			Thymus
			Spleen
			Lymph nodes
			How they work together
		Meeting More Players: All the Different Cell Types
			Phagocytes
			Lymphocytes
			How they work together
		Tracking How the Immune System Really Works
			Establishing surface barriers and mucosal immunity
			Accepting normal flora
			Complement system
			Relying on innate immune response
			Acquired immune response
		Considering Vaccinations and How They Work
			Teaching your immune system to remember and fight
			Weighing pros and cons of vaccination
			Making an informed decision about flu shots
Part 2 What Happens When Your Immune System Gets Off Track
	Chapter 3 Strengthening Your Allergy Defense System
		Battling Sneezes, Sniffles, and Itchy Eyes
			Getting to the root of the allergic reaction
			Pinpointing causes of allergic rhinitis
			Diagnosing allergic rhinitis
			Using conventional medicine treatment for allergies
			Choosing natural medicine treatment for allergies
		Catching Your Breath Again: Asthma
			Diagnosing asthma
			Using conventional medical treatment for asthma
			Choosing natural medicine treatments for asthma
		Soothing Scaly, Itchy Skin: Eczema
			Diagnosing eczema
			Using conventional medical treatment for eczema
			Choosing natural medical treatment for eczema
		Distinguishing between Food Allergies and Food Sensitivities
			Immediate/Acute food allergies
			Delayed food-allergy reactions and food sensitivities
	Chapter 4 Autoimmune Disorders: Dealing with an Overactive Immune System
		Getting to the Root of a Confused Immune System
			Uncovering a genetic predisposition
			Weighing the impact of gender
			Factoring in the environment
			Blaming immune dysregulation: Imbalance of Th1 and Th2
		Contributing Factors Essential to the Autoimmune System
			NF-kB
			Inflammatory cytokines
			Free radicals
			Cortisol and the stress response
			5-MTHF
		Pinpointing Dietary Influences on Autoimmune Conditions
			Lower arachidonic acid
			Higher omega-3 intake
			Vitamin D
			Gluten
		What Do You Mean My Gut Is Involved?
			Developing increased gut permeability and antibody formation
			Fixing your gut to fix your immune system
		Estrogen: A Hormone, a Helper, and a Potential Time Bomb
			Influencing estrogen breakdown products
			Processing chemicals and estrogens in the liver
			Modifying liver activity and the amount of estrogen to process
		Mercury and How It Wreaks Havoc on the Immune System
			Scaling back on mercury-heavy fish
			Dealing with mercury in dental work
			Testing for mercury toxicity
		Nutrigenomics: Using Food Nutrients to Modify Autoimmunity Specifically
			Caffeine
			Hops-derived compounds
			Omega-3 fatty acids
			Curcumin and rosemary
			Selenium and zinc
			Vitamin D
		Considering Specific Autoimmune Conditions
			Rheumatoid arthritis
			Autoimmune thyroiditis
	Chapter 5 Cancer: When the Immune System Takes a Vacation
		Understanding the Changes in Cells that Lead to Cancer
			Tracking dangerous cell mutations
			Skipping apoptosis: Planned cell death and how it relates to cancer
			Weeding out cancer cells
			Realizing that even a good immune system can’t always keep up
		Reducing Your Chances of Recurrence after Chemotherapy or Radiation
			Making dietary interventions specific to cancer
			Managing stress: Cortisol and cancer prevention
			Cleaning up your environment
		Taking Supplements Post-Treatment: Possible Drug Interactions
			Omega-3 fatty acids
			Probiotics
			Vitamin D3
			Vitamin C
			Calcium and magnesium
			Zinc and selenium
			Aloe vera
			Astragalus
			Cat’s-claw
			Echinacea
			Ginseng
			Nettle
			St John’s wort
		Viewing Cancer Treatments from around the World
			Traditional Chinese medicine
			Ayurveda
	Chapter 6 Immunodeficiency Disorders: When the Immune System Slows Down
		Uncovering Inherited Immunodeficiency Disorders
			B cell immunodeficiency syndromes
			T cell immunodeficiency syndromes
			Combined B and T cell deficiency
			Problems with phagocytosis
			Problems with complement proteins
			Testing for inherited deficiencies
		Exposing Acquired Immunodeficiency Disorders
			Identifying the main culprits leading to deficiency
			Diagnosing acquired deficiencies
		Treating Inherited and Acquired Immunodeficiency Conditions
			Nutrition and stress management
			Antibiotics, antifungals, antivirals
			Interferon
			Immunoglobulin infusions
			Bone marrow transplant
	Chapter 7 Uncovering the Influence of Immunity in Other Conditions
		Chronic Inflammation: From Achy Joints to Alzheimer’s
			The inflammatory process
			Achy joints
			Heart disease
			Diabetes
			Alzheimer’s disease
		Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), or Leaky Gut Syndrome
			Diagnosing IBS
			Treating IBS
		Acne and Chronic Skin Conditions
			Acne
			Psoriasis
			Eczema
			Contact dermatitis
Part 3 Laying the Groundwork for Super Immunity: Nutrition, Lifestyle, and Detox
	Chapter 8 Improving Your Immunity with Nutrition
		Calling in Nutrition’s Big Guns
			Powerful protein: Making you healthy (and thin!)
			Healthy fats: Protecting your body
			Carbs your body will love: Getting your charge back
		Building Your Plate for Everyday Wellness and Robust Immunity
			Finding the right portion sizes
			Satisfying your thirst
		Staying Away from Foods on the Proceed-with-Caution List
			Unhealthy grains
			Beans and legumes
			Dairy and stuff
		Avoiding Certain Foods at All Cost
			“Frankenfoods”
			Sneaky food additives
			Sugar: The monkey on your back
		Having to Say Goodbye to Foods You Love, or Do You?
			Salt: Friend or foe?
			Are desserts on the menu?
			How about happy hour?
		Restarting Your Health and Nutrition with the “Boosting 30”
	Chapter 9 Tapping the Immune Properties of Superfoods
		Getting the Scoop on Superfoods
			Separating superfoods from the rest of the pack
			Tacking on a superfood bonus: Weight loss
		Robust, Everyday Superfoods with the “It” Factor
			Dark chocolate
			Fruits
			Nuts and seeds
			Spices and herbs
			Teas
			Vegetables
	Chapter 10 Getting an Extra Kick from Supplements and Herbs
		Adding Supplements for Better Health
			Fish oil
			Magnesium
			Probiotics
			Vitamin C
			Vitamin D3
			Zinc
		Mixing in Medicinal Herbs
			Aloe vera
			Astragalus
			Cat’s-claw
			Echinacea
			Elderberry
			Ginseng
			Hyssop
			Licorice root
			Nettle
			St John’s wort
		Seeking Out a Few Exotic Superfoods
			Acai berries
			Goji berries
			Sea vegetables
	Chapter 11 Living an Immunity-Friendly Lifestyle
		Getting More from Your Daily Routine
			Sleep
			Sunshine
			Water
			Exercise
		Exploring Ways to Reduce Stress
			Massage
			Yoga and meditation
			The HeartMath solution
			Chiropractic
			Naturopathy
			Energy work
	Chapter 12 Exploring Detoxification to Refresh Your Immunity
		Deciding to Detox
			What is a detox, and is it right for you?
			Weighing the pros and cons of detoxing
		Meeting the Key Players in Detoxification
		Our Immune-Boosting Detox Strategy
			Setting yourself up for detoxing success
			Detoxing with supplement powder and medical foods
			Detoxing with foods and drinks alone
			Adding supplements to support detoxification
		Detoxifying Your Environment
			Starting with self-care products
			Improving your surroundings at home and work
Part 4 Cooking Up Recipes for Immunity and Wellness
	Chapter 13 Planning and Stocking an Immunity-Friendly Kitchen
		Getting Started: Cleaning Out Your Kitchen
		Restocking Your Kitchen for a Boosting Future
			Picking proteins your body will love
			Choosing produce with boosting power
			Selecting fabulous fats for a nourishing kitchen
			Adding in kitchen staples for eating well
		Shopping for Healthy Foods
			Getting food straight from the farm
			Exploring traditional grocers and health food stores
			Buying organic: Do’s and don’ts
		Preparing Food the Right Way for Wellness
			Baking
			Braising
			Sautéing and stir-frying
			Roasting
			Slow cooking
			Steaming
			Poaching
			Batch cooking
			Skipping the grill
	Chapter 14 Breakfasts to Start Your Day in a Healthy Way
		Thinking beyond Traditional Breakfast Foods
	Chapter 15 Lunches for a Midday Energy Burst
		Saying Goodbye to the Midday Slump
	Chapter 16 Dinners and Side Dishes to Strengthen Your System
		Making Time for Healthy Family Meals
	Chapter 17 Soups, Salads, and Sauces for Deep Healing and Cleansing
		Taking Charge of Your Health by Cooking for Yourself
	Chapter 18 Desserts and Snacks to Keep You on Track
		No, Eating the “Extras” Isn’t Cheating
	Chapter 19 Tonifying Teas and Sensational Smoothies
		Getting Anti-inflammatories and Probiotics in Your Glass
Part 5 The Part of Tens
	Chapter 20 Ten Tips to Avoid Colds and Flu
		Wash Your Hands
		Clean Your Phones and Keyboards
		Air Out Your Workspace
		Get a Good Night’s Sleep
		Take a Walk
		Eat an Orange Every Day
		Take Oscillococcinum
		Supplement with Herbal Andrographis
		Take Echinacea in Root Extract or Tea Form
		Up Your Vitamin D Intake
	Chapter 21 Ten Breathing Exercises for a Better Immune System
		Breath Awareness Exercise
		Three-Part Breath
		Rhythmic Breathing
		Ujjayi Breath
		Breath of Fire
		Lion’s Breath
		Alternate Nostril Breathing
		Yogi Nerve Revitalizing Breath
		Sitali Breath
		Breath Retention
	Chapter 22 Ten Boosting Exercises You Can Do Anywhere
		Thymus Reset
		K-27 Energy Buttons
		Spleen Thump
		Chair Pose
		Bound Bridge
		Rebounding
		Walking
		Shaking the Tree
		Ragdoll Twist
		Cross-Crawl Pattern
	Chapter 23 Ten Ways to Get Your Family on the Immunity Bandwagon
		Be a Strong Leader
		Teach Kids the “Why” of Healthy Living
		Recognize Junk Food Marketing
		Make Healthier Eating Fun
		Change Breakfast First
		Set Some Dinner Rules
		Teach Kids the Basics of Building a Healthy Plate
		Encourage Teamwork in the Kitchen
		Take Your Family on a Food Field Trip
		Manage Sweets
Appendix Metric Conversion Guide
Index
EULA