Monday, August 01, 2005

Building Immunity Part 2 – Environment

The immune system is our body's defense system against infections and diseases. Organs, tissues, and cells work together to respond to dangerous organisms (like viruses or bacteria) and substances that may enter the body from the environment. Maintaining a pleasant living and working environment is the second facet of building immunity. Key aspects are sunlight, clean and fresh air and pure drinking water. Avoid overexposure to damp conditions and the other four extreme climatic factors: heat, cold, dryness and wind. The common denominator for lowering immunity involves any type of stress, physical, mental, emotional, etc.

Our environment can be a source of stress, leading to diminished immunity. Environmental stress initially causes a Qi or Energetic mechanism imbalance within our organ systems. Prolonged organ imbalance weakens our organs and their ability to perform their functions. Our organs exist in a very sensitive balance with each other. Their relationships revolve around promoting wellness in each other and preventing disharmony within the organ network. Environmental stress comes in the form of air & water pollution, chemical additives in foods and overexposure to toxic chemicals used in both industrial and residential applications.

To overcome environmental stress, we recommend specific lymphatic massage to drain toxins from the lymphatic system and immune boosting acupuncture and herbal treatments to strengthen the body’s immune system.

Meridian Harmonics

Sports drinks & tooth decay

Consumption of sports drinks increases with the summer temperature. The hotter the day, the more young athletes and adults consume sports drinks with electrolytes. Researchers tested some of the most popular sports drinks. They found the beverages caused three to 11 times more tooth enamel damage than cola-based drinks.

From a dental perspective, the concern is the acid, the sugar—that constant quenching, drenching the teeth with it. There’s no rest time. Acid on the teeth combines with sugars in the mouth and erodes the surface of the tooth. Liquid sugar does not clear from the mouth for 20 minutes.

Any drink under 5.7 on the ph scale can cause dental erosion. Gatorade tested at 2.8; Powerade was 2.6 and Cytomax was 3.2. One exposure to a drink high in acid causes an acid attack that lasts for about 20 minutes. So if you consume a sports drink over a long period of time, you also extend the acid attack and increase the risk of cavities.

If someone is going to consume a sports drink, it is better to drink it all at once. This summer, encourage your children to drink lots of water instead of bottled drinks, because the pH of water is always just right.

Meridian Harmonics