© 2008 DBA Design Action MySeeds Chia
Do you want the ultimate disease fighting weapon?
It can take on viruses and bacteria no matter how many times they
mutate. This amazing weapon even fights off mutant cells, foreign
items and cancer cells. The real fact is: you already have this weapon
at your disposal right now, and it is your own immune system. Your
immune system is made of multiple parts and is highly complex and
sophisticated. It’s also your best line of defense against threats like
viruses and bacteria that would otherwise destroy your cells. It
battles many intruders every day as you go about your normal
routine. You don’t even notice as it fights off threats to your health,
that’s just how powerful it is.
You’ve seen health scares come and go in the past with things like the
Bird Flu, & the Swine Flu H1N1. And...no doubt, there will be more
germs coming along to make the news in the future, too. Plus, there’s
cold / flu season in general, not to mention antibiotic resistant
bacteria surfacing each year...so it’s important now, more than ever
to be protected. No one else is able to defend you from disease, so
it’s important that YOU take every action you can to stay safe this
season, and every season.
What Is Your Ultimate Disease Fighting Weapon?
First – Take safe actions.
Washing your hands frequently (the soap doesn’t even
have to be anti-bacterial, remember, viruses are different
than bacteria—but either one will slide off when you use soap.)
especially before you eat, prepare food, apply makeup or use your
tooth brush. Other safe actions include NEVER covering your
mouth/nose when you sneeze or cough with your hand…ALWAYS use
your elbow instead. Germs are spread most easily through other
people touching them, and then touching their face or their food. Your
elbow rarely touches other surfaces throughout your day. Getting
enough sleep is also a safe action, as when your body has enough
rest, it is better able to fend off problems.
Second –Power up your immune system
Like all parts of the body, your immune system needs fuel
to run on. There are several easy ways to help boost your
immunity, and none of them are
expensive or dangerous. What about the flu vaccine?
The flu vaccine only works for the flu that year, and a cold can still
make you feel miserable. It would be much better to just not get sick
at all.
The first way is by supplementing with vitamins. Vitamin C is the most
popular immunity booster, and even though it’s found in foods you
may like, such as oranges, kiwis, and other citrus fruits it’s still a good
idea to supplement with it to ensure you get at least 1,000 mg per
day. Vitamin C is water soluble, so it is hard to get ‘too much’.
Vitamin D is another big immunity booster. Your body can make it if
you’re exposed to 15 minutes of sunlight each day…but what if the
sun is weak, it is cloudy or you just can’t find the time? It’s simple and
cheap to use Vitamin D3 pills. These pills are tiny, about the size of a
piece of corn and are so inexpensive, it can be under 5 cents a day to
use it. The research on Vitamin D is so important that Canada is even
recommending it to the population to help prevent against swine flu.
Why would Canada recommend it first? Your latitude matters! In the
far north & far south, the sun's rays are less powerful. People wear
more heavy clothing. They don't get as much of a chance to make
vitamin D. You can also get your D level tested at the doctor's office if
you like. Common studies find lots of people are deficient in this
nutrient.
Third – Increase your over-all health
When your body is in good shape, your immune system
isn’t distracted by pre-existing problems. The best ways to
increase your health include getting enough sleep each
night, avoiding as much stress as possible, and consuming a diet
that includes a tasty variety of healthy foods. Eating maximum-
health foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and lean free-range
meat can really help you out. Not only do they give you more energy
for your day, but they provide the nutrients your immune system
needs to help keep you safe. These nutrients also include trace
minerals (items you only need a tiny amount of, but that are important
none-the-less!) Trace minerals include selenium, boron, magnesium,
copper and zinc. Leafy greens, vegetables, seeds, nuts and fruits get
these from the soil and deliver them to you.
Here again, chia seeds are your great solution!
Worried your burger doesn’t have enough fiber to meet your daily
needs? When you mix chia seeds into the meat along with your choice
of seasonings, you’ll be adding two kinds of fiber.
Want healthy omega-3 oils to help you absorb the fat-soluble vitamins
in your leafy greens? Use a fresh, mix-in-minutes chia dressing.
Need easy-absorb plant-source calcium at dinner time? Choose a chia
seed savory soup! Most mix in minutes in a food processor or blender.
Chia recipes are at your fingertips, and are designed to bring you more
nutrition via these super seeds along-side fresh, colorful ingredients.
Fourth - Immunity starts in the stomach
You’ve likely heard of the “probiotic helpers” in yogurt
and kefir ads. How many ‘live cultures’ are included when
you purchase a product & what good they’ll do for your
digestion. These are probiotic bacteria, and they’re found in fermented
foods including live-culture yogurt,
kefir, some cheeses, pickled vegetables
like kim-chi, kombucha and much more.
These bacteria are often a first line of
defense against bad bacteria and
viruses. They outcompete them for
resources, out-multiply them, eat them,
or suffocate them...but only if they’re in
good shape themselves. Probiotic
bacteria can consume and break down
soluble fiber. This fiber is sometimes
called ‘prebiotic fiber’, and it’s the chia seed to the rescue again!
Soluble fiber is usually so small you can’t even see it in plants with the
naked eye. However, chia is so rich in fiber that you can see it as a little
‘halo’ around each seed whn you hydrate chia in filtered water.
Eating chia seeds provides probiotic bacteria with prebiotic fiber that
they need to thrive, and aid your immune system in fighting off
unhealthy invaders.
Fifth - Fight Free Radicals with Anti-Oxidants
Anti-oxidants like anthocyanin (the pigment that gives
dark-colored plants their vivid hues) help stop free-
radical damage. Free radicals cause damage to cells by
taking an electron away from a healthy cell. They are
unstable, so they 'steal' electrons and cause damage. Anti-oxidants
have a spare electron they can give away freely without damage. This
nullifies the free radical. If a cell is too damaged by free radicals, the
immune system will have to carry it away for disposal & it becomes
another chore.
Where can you get anti-oxidants? Colorful fruits & veggies are a great
place to start! Hint: The darker the color, the more healthy plant
compounds there are likely to be. Purple plums, black berries,
blueberries, red cabbage, beets & dark colored seeds like the black
chia seed are full of anti-oxidants for you. Anthocyanins aren't the only
ones, either! An internet search will easily provide you with tons of
(difficult to spell) interesting plant compounds for you to read about.
Want to boost the nutrition of the foods you already like to eat?
No matter how healthy some foods are, you don’t want to eat them at
every meal. Broccoli for breakfast? Bell Peppers for dessert? No one
wants that. But what if you could boost the nutrition of foods you
already like to eat? You could add calcium and boron to your oatmeal,
yogurt or cereal for breakfast. You could add healthy omega-3 oil
(usually found in fish) to your sandwich at lunch, without ever
touching a fish. You could even add the same protein found in meats
to non-meat dishes. Healthy foods can be made healthier. You can
add nutrition to your 'treat' foods too!
The answer is the Chia Seed
It's the perfect addition, because it has no flavor of its own. However,
they’re one of natures’ true super-foods. They have more calcium by
weight than milk, more magnesium than broccoli and are packed with
the same protein found in meat. (it’s complete!) They also are a good
source of Omega 3 healthy oil and fiber to help your digestive health.
Because the seeds don’t dilute flavors or even have a flavor of their
own, you can add them to almost any food you already like. (It can be
as easy as sprinkle & eat!)
When you take safe actions and boost your immune system with
healthy foods and vitamins you’re much less likely to get sick. No
matter how scary the news makes the latest health threat out to be,
your immune system is your best defense. Keep it in top shape and
you’ll feel better year-round!