Introduction 1
About This Book 1
Conventions Used in This Book 2
What You’re Not to Read 3
Foolish Assumptions 3
How This Book is Organized 4
Part 1: Getting to Know Your Immune System 4
Part 2: What Happens When Your Immune System Gets Off Track 4
Part 3: Laying the Groundwork for Super Immunity: Nutrition, Lifestyle, and Detox 5
Part 4: Cooking Up Recipes for Immunity and Wellness 5
Part 5: The Part of Tens 5
Icons Used in This Book 5
Where to Go from Here 6
Part 1: Getting to Know Your Immune System 7
Chapter 1: Immunity: Your Ticket to a Stronger, Longer, and Healthier Life 9
Super Immunity 101 10
Starting with your immune system 10
Boosting your immunity with nutritional excellence 10
Considering super immunity and modern medicine 11
Living Longer, Stronger, and Healthier 12
Focusing on healthy cells 13
Turning on your “super immunity” genes 14
Choosing health 15
Boosting Your Immunity to Look and Feel Amazing 15
Looking younger 16
Increasing vitality 17
Getting a good night’s sleep 17
Clearing up skin and digestive issues 18
Chapter 2: Understanding the Parts and Functions of Your Immune System 21
Introducing the Key Players: Your Immune Organs 22
Bone marrow 22
Thymus 22
Spleen 24
Lymph nodes 24
How they work together 24
Meeting More Players: All the Different Cell Types 25
Phagocytes 25
Lymphocytes 25
How they work together 28
Tracking How the Immune System Really Works 28
Establishing surface barriers and mucosal immunity 29
Accepting normal flora 29
Complement system 30
Relying on innate immune response 30
Acquired immune response 31
Considering Vaccinations and How They Work 34
Teaching your immune system to remember and fight 34
Weighing pros and cons of vaccination 35
Making an informed decision about flu shots 36
Part 2: What Happens When Your Immune System Gets Off Track 39
Chapter 3: Strengthening Your Allergy Defense System 41
Battling Sneezes, Sniffles, and Itchy Eyes 42
Getting to the root of the allergic reaction 42
Pinpointing causes of allergic rhinitis 43
Diagnosing allergic rhinitis 44
Using conventional medicine treatment for allergies 45
Choosing natural medicine treatment for allergies 47
Catching Your Breath Again: Asthma 48
Diagnosing asthma 49
Using conventional medical treatment for asthma 49
Choosing natural medicine treatments for asthma 49
Soothing Scaly, Itchy Skin: Eczema 50
Diagnosing eczema 50
Using conventional medical treatment for eczema 50
Choosing natural medical treatment for eczema 51
Distinguishing between Food Allergies and Food Sensitivities 52
Immediate/Acute food allergies 52
Delayed food-allergy reactions and food sensitivities 54
Chapter 4: Autoimmune Disorders: Dealing with an Overactive Immune System 57
Getting to the Root of a Confused Immune System 58
Uncovering a genetic predisposition 58
Weighing the impact of gender 59
Factoring in the environment 59
Blaming immune dysregulation: Imbalance of Th1 and Th2 60
Contributing Factors Essential to the Autoimmune System 60
NF-kB 61
Inflammatory cytokines 61
Free radicals 61
Cortisol and the stress response 62
5-MTHF 62
Pinpointing Dietary Influences on Autoimmune Conditions 62
Lower arachidonic acid 63
Higher omega-3 intake 63
Vitamin D 64
Gluten 64
What Do You Mean My Gut is Involved? 65
Developing increased gut permeability and antibody formation 65
Fixing your gut to fix your immune system 66
Estrogen: A Hormone, a Helper, and a Potential Time Bomb 68
Influencing estrogen breakdown products 68
Processing chemicals and estrogens in the liver 69
Modifying liver activity and the amount of estrogen to process 69
Mercury and How It Wreaks Havoc on the Immune System 70
Scaling back on mercury-heavy fish 71
Dealing with mercury in dental work 71
Testing for mercury toxicity 72
Nutrigenomics: Using Food Nutrients to Modify Autoimmunity Specifically 72
Caffeine 73
Hops-derived compounds 73
Omega-3 fatty acids 73
Curcumin and rosemary 73
Selenium and zinc 73
Vitamin D 74
Considering Specific Autoimmune Conditions 74
Rheumatoid arthritis 74
Autoimmune thyroiditis 76
Chapter 5: Cancer: When the Immune System Takes a Vacation 81
Understanding the Changes in Cells that Lead to Cancer 82
Tracking dangerous cell mutations 82
Skipping apoptosis: Planned cell death and how it relates to cancer 83
Weeding out cancer cells 83
Realizing that even a good immune system can’t always keep up 84
Reducing Your Chances of Recurrence after Chemotherapy or Radiation 84
Making dietary interventions specific to cancer 85
Managing stress: Cortisol and cancer prevention 87
Cleaning up your environment 88
Taking Supplements Post-Treatment: Possible Drug Interactions 89
Omega-3 fatty acids 90
Probiotics 90
Vitamin D3 90
Vitamin C 90
Calcium and magnesium 91
Zinc and selenium 91
Aloe vera 91
Astragalus 91
Cat’s-claw 92
Echinacea 92
Ginseng 92
Nettle 92
St John’s wort 92
Viewing Cancer Treatments from around the World 93
Traditional Chinese medicine 93
Ayurveda 95
Chapter 6: Immunodeficiency Disorders: When the Immune System Slows Down 97
Uncovering Inherited Immunodeficiency Disorders 98
B cell immunodeficiency syndromes 98
T cell immunodeficiency syndromes 99
Combined B and T cell deficiency 100
Problems with phagocytosis 101
Problems with complement proteins 101
Testing for inherited deficiencies 102
Exposing Acquired Immunodeficiency Disorders 102
Identifying the main culprits leading to deficiency 102
Diagnosing acquired deficiencies 104
Treating Inherited and Acquired Immunodeficiency Conditions 105
Nutrition and stress management 106
Antibiotics, antifungals, antivirals 106
Interferon 107
Immunoglobulin infusions 107
Bone marrow transplant 107
Chapter 7: Uncovering the Influence of Immunity in Other Conditions 109
Chronic Inflammation: From Achy Joints to Alzheimer’s 109
The inflammatory process 110
Achy joints 110
Heart disease 111
Diabetes 111
Alzheimer’s disease 112
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), or Leaky Gut Syndrome 113
Diagnosing IBS 115
Treating IBS 116
Acne and Chronic Skin Conditions 117
Acne 117
Psoriasis 119
Eczema 120
Contact dermatitis 120
Part 3: Laying the Groundwork for Super Immunity: Nutrition, Lifestyle, and Detox 123
Chapter 8: Improving Your Immunity with Nutrition 125
Calling in Nutrition’s Big Guns 126
Powerful protein: Making you healthy (and thin!) 127
Healthy fats: Protecting your body 130
Carbs your body will love: Getting your charge back 133
Building Your Plate for Everyday Wellness and Robust Immunity 137
Finding the right portion sizes 137
Satisfying your thirst 140
Staying Away from Foods on the Proceed-with-Caution List 141
Unhealthy grains 141
Beans and legumes 142
Dairy and stuff 143
Avoiding Certain Foods at All Cost 145
“Frankenfoods” 145
Sneaky food additives 147
Sugar: The monkey on your back 149
Having to Say Goodbye to Foods You Love, or Do You? 151
Salt: Friend or foe? 151
Are desserts on the menu? 152
How about happy hour? 153
Restarting Your Health and Nutrition with the “Boosting 30” 154
Chapter 9: Tapping the Immune Properties of Superfoods 155
Getting the Scoop on Superfoods 156
Separating superfoods from the rest of the pack 156
Tacking on a superfood bonus: Weight loss 159
Robust, Everyday Superfoods with the “It” Factor 160
Dark chocolate 161
Fruits 161
Nuts and seeds 164
Spices and herbs 166
Teas 168
Vegetables 169
Chapter 10: Getting an Extra Kick from Supplements and Herbs 173
Adding Supplements for Better Health 174
Fish oil 175
Magnesium 176
Probiotics 176
Vitamin C 177
Vitamin D3 178
Zinc 178
Mixing in Medicinal Herbs 179
Aloe vera 180
Astragalus 180
Cat’s-claw 181
Echinacea 182
Elderberry 182
Ginseng 183
Hyssop 184
Licorice root 184
Nettle 185
St John’s wort 185
Seeking Out a Few Exotic Superfoods 186
Acai berries 186
Goji berries 187
Sea vegetables 188
Chapter 11: Living an Immunity-Friendly Lifestyle 191
Getting More from Your Daily Routine 192
Sleep 192
Sunshine 194
Water 198
Exercise 201
Exploring Ways to Reduce Stress 203
Massage 203
Yoga and meditation 204
The HeartMath solution 205
Chiropractic 206
Naturopathy 208
Energy work 209
Chapter 12: Exploring Detoxification to Refresh Your Immunity 211
Deciding to Detox 212
What is a detox, and is it right for you? 212
Weighing the pros and cons of detoxing 212
Meeting the Key Players in Detoxification 214
Our Immune-Boosting Detox Strategy 217
Setting yourself up for detoxing success 218
Detoxing with supplement powder and medical foods 219
Detoxing with foods and drinks alone 219
Adding supplements to support detoxification 222
Detoxifying Your Environment 222
Starting with self-care products 222
Improving your surroundings at home and work 223
Part 4: Cooking Up Recipes for Immunity and Wellness 225
Chapter 13: Planning and Stocking an Immunity-Friendly Kitchen 227
Getting Started: Cleaning Out Your Kitchen 228
Restocking Your Kitchen for a Boosting Future 230
Picking proteins your body will love 230
Choosing produce with boosting power 231
Selecting fabulous fats for a nourishing kitchen 233
Adding in kitchen staples for eating well 235
Shopping for Healthy Foods 236
Getting food straight from the farm 237
Exploring traditional grocers and health food stores 238
Buying organic: Do’s and don’ts 238
Preparing Food the Right Way for Wellness 239
Baking 240
Braising 240
Sauteing and stir-frying 240
Roasting 241
Slow cooking 241
Steaming 241
Poaching 241
Batch cooking 241
Skipping the grill 242
Chapter 14: Breakfasts to Start Your Day in a Healthy Way 243
Thinking beyond Traditional Breakfast Foods 244
Chapter 15: Lunches for a Midday Energy Burst 251
Saying Goodbye to the Midday Slump 251
Chapter 16: Dinners and Side Dishes to Strengthen Your System 259
Making Time for Healthy Family Meals 260
Chapter 17: Soups, Salads, and Sauces for Deep Healing and Cleansing 275
Taking Charge of Your Health by Cooking for Yourself 276
Chapter 18: Desserts and Snacks to Keep You on Track 289
No, Eating the “Extras” Isn’t Cheating 290
Chapter 19: Tonifying Teas and Sensational Smoothies 301
Getting Anti-inflammatories and Probiotics in Your Glass 302
Part 5: The Part of Tens 313
Chapter 20: Ten Tips to Avoid Colds and Flu 315
Wash Your Hands 315
Clean Your Phones and Keyboards 316
Air Out Your Workspace 316
Get a Good Night’s Sleep 316
Take a Walk 317
Eat an Orange Every Day 317
Take Oscillococcinum 317
Supplement with Herbal Andrographis 318
Take Echinacea in Root Extract or Tea Form 318
Up Your Vitamin D Intake 319
Chapter 21: Ten Breathing Exercises for a Better Immune System 321
Breath Awareness Exercise 321
Three-Part Breath 322
Rhythmic Breathing 323
Ujjayi Breath 324
Breath of Fire 324
Lion’s Breath 325
Alternate Nostril Breathing 326
Yogi Nerve Revitalizing Breath 327
Sitali Breath 328
Breath Retention 329
Chapter 22: Ten Boosting Exercises You Can Do Anywhere 331
Thymus Reset 332
K-27 Energy Buttons 333
Spleen Thump 334
Chair Pose 335
Bound Bridge 336
Rebounding 337
Walking 338
Shaking the Tree 339
Ragdoll Twist 339
Cross-Crawl Pattern 340
Chapter 23: Ten Ways to Get Your Family on the Immunity Bandwagon 341
Be a Strong Leader 342
Teach Kids the “Why” of Healthy Living 342
Recognize Junk Food Marketing 343
Make Healthier Eating Fun 344
Change Breakfast First 344
Set Some Dinner Rules 345
Teach Kids the Basics of Building a Healthy Plate 346
Encourage Teamwork in the Kitchen 347
Take Your Family on a Food Field Trip 347
Manage Sweets 348
Appendix: Metric Conversion Guide 351
Index 355
