As featured at The Best Years in Life

Boost Low White Blood Cell Count and Immune Function Naturally

by Tony Isaacs

Low white blood cell counts are indicative of a suppressed immune system and can have many causes. Emotional state and stress, an unhealthy diet and lifestyle, and nutritional intake can all cause lower immune system response and low white blood cell counts. Low immunity can also be caused by a number of health conditions, by surgical or medical treatments and by the natural aging process. Whatever the cause, low immunity and low white blood cell counts prevent the body from being able to have an optimum response to infections and illness. Here are some things which can help prevent low immunity and keep white blood cell counts high:

- Avoid sugar and keep sweet stuff to a minimum. Sugar prevents white blood cells from being their strongest
- Eliminate unhealthy fats. Polyunsaturated fats in vegetable oils such as corn, safflower, and sunflower oil are deterrents to a healthy immune system.
- If you are overweight, lose a few pounds. Being overweight is very detrimental to your immune system and studies have shown that overweight people are less able to fight off infection.
- Drink plenty of water to boost the immune system as well as flush out toxins
- Exercise is a proven immune system booster. Exercise is best in moderation, however, since too much exercise may wear the body down and create immune system problems.
- Avoid stress and try to relax. Stress is rightly called the silent killer and too much stress invariably leads to a lowered immune system.

Many food items help boost immune function and white blood cell counts. For example:

Carrots and other red, yellow, orange, and dark-green leafy vegetables contain beta carotene which helps protect the immune system, especially the thymus gland. Beta carotene and other carotenes also strengthen white blood cell production, and foods rich in beta-carotene help the body better fight off infection.

Yogurt can be very beneficial for the immune system. It helps the body produce antibodies and strengthens white blood cells.

A cup of kale will give you your daily requirement of vitamin A. This is an antioxidant that helps your body fight cancer cells and is essential in the formation of white blood cells. Vitamin A also increases the ability of antibodies to respond to invaders.

People who eat more garlic have more natural killer white blood cells.

Other helpful foods include chicken, kale, almonds, guava, crab, dark grapes and navy beans.

Supplements can play a big role in boosting immune function and white blood cell counts. Some examples:

- Oleander extract in herbal supplement form. One herbal oleander based supplement was 100% effective in a clinical trial of raising white blood cell counts in HIV/AIDS patients with extremely compromised immune systems.

- Astragalus root helps stimulate white blood cells and protects against invading organisms. It also enhances production of the important natural compound interferon to fight against viruses.

- Zinc is necessary for white blood cell function and it acts as a catalyst in the immune system's killer response to foreign bodies.

- Vitamin C is an immune enhancer that helps white blood cells perform at their peak and quickens the immune system response.

- The trace mineral selenium is vital to the development and movement of white blood cells.

- Both Siberian ginseng (eleuthero) and Asian ginseng provide support for the immune system.

- Echinacea helps stimulate the immune system in a variety of ways, including increased white blood cell production.

- Green Tea also stimulates production of white blood cells.

Some other potent immune boosters are pau d arco, suma, medicinal mushrooms, beta glucans and aloe vera.

Sources included:

http://www.herbalist.com/wiki.details/175/category/8/
http://health.howstuffworks.com/home-remedies-for-low-immunity1.htm
http://www.naturalnews.com/023243_Oleander_HIV_placebo.html

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