As the weather turns coler, you may find that your family will be spending less time outside and more time inside with the heater running. (Unless you're those die hards up at Bridger no matter what the temp is!) But if you are inside more, your body's natural immunity against common illnesses will be put to the test now more than ever, right down to the common cold and flu.

and protecting the body. It does this using a number of tools inside your body: white blood cells, bone marrow, the lymphatic system, specialized cells and body tissues, and specialized substances that are present in the blood. All of these must work together to protect the body against viral or bacterial infections and disease.

Immunity Status
It's not difficult to tell when your immune system is being overly taxed; one of the first symptoms is fatigue. Other symptoms to look for include chronic infections, frequent colds and flu, frequent cold sores and sore or swollen lymph glands.

A poorly functioning immune system can be caused by many factors. These can include any of the following:
* Emotional state/stress                        * Surgical/medical treatments
* Abrubt lifestyle changes                     * Prescription medications
* Dietary habits/nutritional intake
When your immune system is not functioning at it's best, any exposure to germs, bacterial or viral infections can lead to a serious health risk.

Healthy Changes
There are choices you can make for your family to help them have strong and healthy immune systems. Then, as children bring home bugs from school, your whole family can fight them off successfully.  

The first change should be dietary. Food provides energy for our bodies and there are several vitamins and minerals that are a fundamental part of a strong immunity, including the following:​​

• Vitamins A, C, E, Beta-Carotene and Selenium are antioxidants, which are part of our body's natural defense mechanism - consumed in fruits and vegetables
• The mineral Zinc is important because of the role it plays in increasing your child's resistance to infection     - found in red meats, eggs and most dairy products
• Magnesium is another important mineral essential for boosting your child's immune system - available in legumes and milk​​

Finally, make sleep a high priority for your entire family. Long considered a restorative process that is a fundamental part of a healthy body, recent clinical studies have found that sleep is also a crucial part of a properly functioning immune system. In fact, a sleep-deprived individual's immune system includes patterns of alteration similar to those found in depressed and alcoholic patients.

It may be that your child just won't sleep this long, but, while this chart is certainly not a requirement, it is most definitely a healthy guideline. The most important thing to remember is that good rest is a prerequisite for a healthy immune system, so begin to establish a simple routine Sunday through Thursday that encourages your child to get their much-needed sleep. 


​Some suggested routines to fight stimulation close to bedtime can include:

• No TV, VCR, DVD or computer/video games in the child's room
• No homework right before bed
• Avoid TV, computer games within an hour of bedtime
• Play soothing music or have "Story Time" with little ones an hour before bed

Other Tips and Recommendations

To help support your immune system and keep it operating at peak efficiency, consider the following healthy lifestyle choices for you and your family:

• Increase your water intake -  you should be drinking at least 8-10 glasses of water per day to boost the immune system and flush out toxins
• Exercise regularly - daily physical activity for 30 minutes a day will improve your overall health and give your immune system the boost it needs
• De-stress - be sure to include regular relaxation and down-time into your weekly schedule as stress will quickly wear down your body's natural defense

​

The most popular natural remedy for supporting the immune system is the herbal supplement. These are Mother Nature's cure for a poorly functioning or over-taxed immune system.

• Astragalus Root is used to treat viral infections including the common cold, it helps to stimulate white blood cells and protects from invading organisms

• Bayberry has antibiotic effects for sore throat, coughs, colds and the flu
• Garlic is effective against many types of bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi as well as has anti-inflammatory and astringent properties
• Aswagandha is a general stimulant of the immune system - this herb is known to counteract the effects of stress and promote general well-being
• Ginseng is popularly known to provide support to the immune system
• Goldenseal strengthens the immune system, cleanses and detoxifies the body and has antibacterial properties
• Echinacea is an herb that helps to stimulate a variety of immune cells
• Green tea can stimulate the immune system
• Gargling or steaming Apple Cider Vinegar and water has proven health benefits

Misconceptions about the dangers of fever are commonplace. Unwarranted fears about harmful side effects from fever cause loss of sleep and unnecessary stress for many parents. Let the following facts help you put fever into perspective:

for more myths and facts visit
www.cpnonline.org/CRS/CRS/pa_feverpho_hhg.htm

When you think about it, our bodies are pretty amazing machines. We can run, jump, and climb. We can see, hear, taste, feel, and smell. We are made up of many incredible parts that work together to keep the whole thing in operation. If you take a moment to really consider that we're 90% water and all the we can do, it's a little awe inspiring. Take it to the next step and consider what makes it all work, what controls the machine?

The autonomic system actually consists of two divisions. The first is the sympathetic nervous system, which accelerates the heart rate, constricts blood vessels, and raises blood pressure. This is the system that will stimulate the body's fight-or-flight response. The second is the parasympathetic nervous system, which slows the heart rate, increases intestinal and glandular activity, and relaxes the sphincter muscles. The system goes to work when the body is at rest.

All involuntary systems are controlled by the autonomic nervous system. We do not tell our heart that it needs to beat, it just does. We don't tell our body that it needs to digest the food we just ingested; it knows it needs to do that. Depending upon what food we're eating the pancreas gets involved producing insulin, the gall bladder gets involved producing digestive enzymes and many other organs do their jobs.

The autonomic nervous system is part of the master controller: the central nervous system.

This system's primary job is to circulate our blood and by circulating that blood it carries oxygen and nutrients to and waste materials away from all of our body's tissues. That same blood being circulated by the heart carries filtered blood plasma between blood cells as lymph.

Let's take a look at the respiratory system, which helps our body to breathe via our lungs. This system is made up of the trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, lungs, and diaphragm. Each of these organs must work properly for us to breathe. Without this system working properly there would be no oxygen to be carried by the cardiovascular system.

Another important system is our immune system. To function properly the immune system must recognize and detect a wide variety of foreign invaders, also known as pathogens; this can range from viruses or bacteria to parasitic worms, and distinguish them from our own healthy tissue or non-harmful invaders. An improperly functioning nervous system is the cause of most allergies including seasonal allergies, respiratory allergies and food allergies.

Finally, let's consider the digestive system since as much as we don't want to talk about it, it's probably the most important system in the body. This system is made up of a group of organs that work together to convert food into energy and the basic nutrients we need to fuel our body. The alimentary canal begins with the oral cavity, includes the pharynx, travels the esophagus, empties into the stomach then proceeds to the small then large intestines. Through this process the body produces hormones and enzymes to help digest these foods and get the most from the nutrients included. Accessory organs that make up the digestive system include the teeth, tongue, salivary glands, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas. Once all of these organs have done their job, the kidneys get involved in eliminating waste.

Message Received
These systems all play a vital role in our living, breathing, and moving. Every system works together in concert every day and we want them to work correctly. If one system stops working properly then the effects can range from being a minor nuisance to a major problem. Every disorder or disease has a basis in some part of some system not working properly.

Do you have blood pressure problems? What about headaches? Have you been diagnosed with asthma or irritable bowel syndrome? Every one of these and more have been caused by a message not traveling unimpeded through the nervous system.

This effect can be anything from a slight irritation to a great deal of pressure. If this happens then the messages from the brain are obstructed from getting where they need to go and doing what needs to be done. This disruption in messages is called vertebral subluxation or spinal misalignment.

When left unchecked and uncorrected, vertebral subluxation may result in a myriad of problems both minor and major. Consider the many bodily systems that are controlled by the nervous system, by messages traveling to and from the brain via the spinal cord, and think for a moment what may result from an interruption in that message service.

Studies have shown that specific chiropractic adjustments can relieve vertebral subluxation and so may be beneficial in the care of many common disorders. A study in 2008 reported that cervical adjustments were shown to affect diastolic pressure and case studies published just this year have shown the resolution of constipation, chronic otitis media and headaches in children following regular chiropractic care and adjustments.

Chiropractic is the fastest growing and second largest primary health care profession. There are approximately 95,000 doctors of chiropractic (DCs) in active practice in the world. More than 10,000 students are currently enrolled in chiropractic education in the US.

The doctor of chiropractic is an effective source of preventative and wellness care. The anatomical focus of the DC on the human spine has created perception of the DC as just a back doctor. Although the perception is not entirely incorrect, it is very much incomplete. Doctors of chiropractic are a highly appropriate resource in matters of work-place safety, stress management, injury prevention, postural correction, and nutritional counseling.

Chiropractic adjustments are a safe, efficient procedure. Chiropractic is a non-invasive, drug-less form of health care. Of the over 1 million adjustments given every day in the world, complications are exceedingly rare. Perhaps the best summary statement on the subject of safety was published in 1979 by the government of New Zealand which established a special commission to study chiropractic. "the conspicuous lack of evidence that chiropractors cause harm or allow harm to occur through neglect of medical referral can be taken to mean only one thing: that chiropractors have on the whole an impressive safety record."

For more information visit: www.chiropractic.org/faq-chiro