Stress Management

Alternative Medicine for Immune System Strengthening

Mind Body Medicine: Lifestyle

A healthy lifestyle reinforces a healthy immune system. Lifestyle has a very important influence on natural killer cell activity.

A Japanese study has shown that healthy habits have a direct effect on the blood levels of natural killer cells.  Natural killer cells are our first line of defense against tumors and metastasis. They also controls the spread of cancer cells through the bloodstream to different parts of the body. High dietary fat, stressful life events, and a sedentary lifestyle lower NK cell activity. In the Japanese study, a questionnaire was used to rate sixty-two healthy male office workers on how lifestyle factors affect NK cell activity. The results are given below:

Lifestyle Practices Associated With Higher Natural Killer Cell Activity

1. Cigarette smoking (not smoking)

2. Consuming alcohol (no excessive consumption, not drinking every day)

3. Eating breakfast (every morning)

4. Hours of sleep (7 -8)

5. Hours of work (less than 10)

6. Physical exercise (at least once a week. But no excessive exercise.)

7. Nutritional balance

8. Mental stress (keeping stress levels moderate)

9. Maintaining Proper bodyweight

10. Vegetarian diet.

The good health factors correlated well with increased NK cell activity, with the factors related to smoking and exercise producing the most significant increase. The men with all good overall habits showed significantly higher NK cell activity compared with those in the poor habit group.

Good health habits have a cumulative effect on the immune system - the more you follow them, the better the results.

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