In person networking may be off the cards for a little while. But at Ferndown Business Network we won’t be held back. Networking and supporting each other is what we do best.
Our new on-line meetings will begin shortly. So we can continue to meet, share and support each others businesses.
Members – keep an eye on your Inbox for more information.
No doubt you’ve heard countless times from your parents and medical professionals that your immune system is important. Even if it’s never been mentioned outright, it’s been inferred. We all generally have an idea of what the immune system does – it fights infections and illnesses for us – but we may not have an in-depth understanding of exactly how it works and what it’s doing for us day-to-day.
How does the immune system actually work?
Your immune system recognises every cell that makes up your body. If it finds anything it doesn’t recognise, it attacks it. Sometimes it can get this wrong and attack harmless pollen particles (causing hay fever) or donated blood or organs. However, in general your immune system will be pretty good at this.
Your immune system can be divided up into two parts: innate response and acquired response. The innate response is the part that decides whether something is friend or foe. If it decides on foe, it tries to flush out the invader and this is generally what makes you feel feverish or snotty. The acquired response acts when the invaders have been recognised. It identifies which cells in your body can kill the invaders and then sends them in, much like a SWAT team. There are lots of claims online that things like getting more sleep, taking supplements and drinking more water can help to improve your immune system, but often, robust evidence for these quick-fixes can be hard to find. So, what does work?
A healthy lifestyle is your first line of defence
The best method for maintaining a healthy immune system is to keep yourself healthy by eating a balanced diet and getting regular exercise. A varied diet will ensure you are getting all the vitamins and minerals your body needs in order to stay healthy. Certain vitamins and minerals contribute to the normal function of the immune system, including copper, folate, iron, selenium, vitamin A, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin D and zinc. Some will be more helpful here than others, but that’s why a balanced diet is the best option here, as you’ll get a bit of everything.
Regular exercise
Getting regular exercise is important for your immune system because it increases the activity of helpful immune cells in your body. Improving your circulation and getting your heart beating more sends these cells out to patrol the body, looking for potential problems. The NHS notes that adults between 19 and 64 require both aerobic and strength exercises. It also recommends at least 150 minutes of aerobic activity per week, in addition to separate strength exercises. Whilst both types of activity are important for general wellbeing, which is also important for your immune system, it’s the aerobic activity that will really get those immune cells moving about.
Your microbiota is on your side
I have mentioned in another blog that cultivating the good bacteria in your gut is essential to your overall health and wellbeing, but how does this relate to the immune system? Well, the microbiota in your gut can help to defend you from infection in more ways than one. For one thing, they take up space in your gut, so it’s difficult for disease-causing bugs to find anywhere to establish themselves. They also secrete toxic proteins that kill off potential infections, and, finally, they regulate the signals of our innate response (the one that flushes out invaders). Some scientists have suggested that the reason why you and your friend may react differently to the same infection is down to a difference in microbiota. One way to complement your microbiota is to take Forever Active Pro-B. It’s the perfect high-quality friendly bacteria supplement to assist with your diet and lifestyle goals (Code 610 Price £35.71).
Vaccinations can help prevent problems
We mentioned earlier that the acquired response identifies cells within the body that can attack and kill invaders, well, often this process can take a few days or longer to complete. Vaccines work by introducing your acquired response to harmless versions of the infection, so that your body produces antibodies and learns how to fight it. This way, if you ever come into contact with the disease again, your immune system knows how to fight it and acts a lot quicker.
It’s clear that there’s no quick fix for boosting your immune system. The only real answer is to eat well, exercise regularly, look after your microbiome and make sure you have the correct vaccinations. Not so surprising when you think about it, is it?
For further information, please contact Ferndown Business Network member ‘Dr’ Peter of Wessex Aloe on 07947 685785, peter@wessex-aloe.com or www.wessex-aloe.com
Another great Ferndown Business Network social. We aren’t just all about growing our businesses. We value just as much getting to know each other personally. This time during a couple of games of bowling. Great to use our socials to also raise a few pounds for our FBN charity – Wessex Cancer Trust.
Many of us consider our gut to be simply an automated food processing system that, at best, does little more than digest our food and at worst, is the source of discomfort and illness. But have you ever considered that your intestine is your largest organ? Its average length is greater than the width of a tennis court and its surface area is approximately 200 times the surface area of your skin. So why is our gut health so important? There is increasing emerging evidence that the size and complexity of our gut plays a vital role in more than just nutrient absorption; it’s also connected to our immune system, mental health and general wellbeing.
Nutrient absorption – we are what we absorb, not just what we eat
Taking the food we eat and processing it so that we can absorb and utilise the nutrients is the most obvious role of our gut. Having been broken down by the acidic stomach, the majority of nutrient absorption takes place in our small intestine, but this absorption varies between 10-90% depending upon the health of our intestine.
Three ways to increase nutrient absorption:
The gut-brain axis – your gut instinct
Our gut contains a network of neurones equivalent in complexity and size to the brain of a cat, and we all know how intelligent cats are! This neural-network, known as the ‘Enteric Nervous System’, not only controls digestion but it also connects directly to our brainstem to provide two-way communication with the unconscious part of our inbuilt master computer. One of the key messengers in this network is serotonin. In the brain, this messenger is well known for producing feelings of positive wellbeing and happiness, yet approximately 90% of the body’s serotonin is made in the digestive tract.
This ‘second brain’ in our gut determines not just our digestive health, but it also affects our mood and even the way we think and therefore behave. Maybe our ‘gut instinct’ has a more rational basis than we previously realised!
The immune system – battling the bugs
The immune system is our body’s natural defence force. Ready, armed and willing to attack any foreign invaders, the immune cells are housed in our lymphoid tissue. Examples include our lymph nodes and spleen, but 70% of lymphoid is in our intestine which makes it the body’s largest immune organ.
Our micro-biome – the good, the bad and the ugly
We now understand that our gut factory is not fully automated, it actually houses a huge workforce! Bacteria are often considered the bad boys of biology causing infection, disease and illness, and whilst for some bacterial strains this is true, there are many other bacterial strains that are vitally important for us to survive. They co-habit in our bodies, living and working in our large intestine – the micro-biome.
There are over 40 trillion bacteria in our gut, making up 1-3% of our body weight and in fact, there is more bacterial genetic material in our gut than there are human genes in our body! These good bacteria support our immune, gut-brain axis and digestive system in many ways, including producing enzymes, vitamins and hormones we cannot make, and enhancing the absorption of certain minerals. Ensuring we cultivate our good gut bacteria, encouraging their growth and productivity is essential to our overall health and wellbeing.
Three steps to boost your micro-biome:
Making the right choices on a daily basis to promote good gut health will not only improve your digestive health but it will also support your immune system and mental health. Optimal intestinal health truly is the key to good general wellbeing.
Further information can be obtained from Ferndown Business Network member ‘Dr’ Peter on 07947 685785 or peter@wessex-aloe.com or via his website www.wessex-aloe.com
Choose your distance and get sponsored to run, cycle or swim for Ferndown Business Network member Wessex Cancer Trust this May!
Whether you choose to tackle 5km or 500km, it’s all about getting active and moving more in May. It’s completely up to you how you decide to move it! So whether you’re a dancing queen or tai chi makes you happy, there are loads of ways to get moving and raise money for local families affected by cancer.
Raising just £100 could pay for a month’s supply of the products needed to provide the complementary therapies that we offer in our Cancer Support Centres. Raising £400 could fund a 10 session one to one support package, tailored to the individual, to help manage the emotional impact of cancer.
Sign up to make a difference to families affected by cancer in Hampshire, Dorset and the Isle of Wight!
Find out more at: https://www.wessexcancer.org.uk/Event/move-it-may-2020
People put off making a Will for a variety of reasons, either believing that those they would wish to inherit will automatically do so, or because they don’t think it is relevant to them at this particular time.
Life can change immediately
The reality is that life can change immediately, with no warning. The result being you put off making a Will until it’s too late, creating a complicated situation for the people left behind. It could mean that some or all of your inheritance either goes to the wrong person or to the state.
Everyone needs a Will
Everyone needs to make a Will, in particular anyone with dependants. Anyone who owns a property or has any type of asset which you would wish relatives, friends or charities to benefit from should also make a Will.
Plan what will happen to your estate
Making a Will enables you to plan exactly what will happen to your property (estate) following your demise. This ensures that those you would like to benefit actually do so in accordance with your wishes and at the same time avoiding any disputes between relatives.
Get some advice
For help and advice on creating a Will please contact Ferndown Business Network David Booth at DB Consultancy on 07949 021118. Email david@dmsuk.info or let’s speak via FaceTime or Skype: theoxfordwillco_1
Ferndown Business Network 