Whether you are a stay at home mom running after the kids all day long, or you are a working mom that has to get up early every day, deal with the stresses of work and then come home and take care of your family, you must have the energy to keep up and the health to keep going. 

 Who is there to take care of you when you are sick with a fever or that horrible flu?  More than likely, you are the one who has to take care of all of you.  What happens when the entire family is sick?  It is usually all on mom.  Or in the case of single dads, you guessed it; it’s going to be dad.

Are you tired of suffering through work with that nasty cold or of having to call in sick because of the flu?  How about having to suffer through the most important meeting of the year or have to cancel because you have caught that stomach flu?  Are you tired of being tired?  It is time to take charge of your own health by enhancing and strengthening your immune system.

How about all the germs your children are exposed to on the bus or in school?  It gets so frustrating for you and your children to constantly have to deal with them always being sick. 

No matter what your situation is, it is important to find ways to keep yourself and your family healthy, so that you can continue on with your everyday duties and your children are able to continue on with their daily activities, especially school. 

Whether you are sick or healthy, life keeps moving on. 

Luckily, there are ways in which you can help keep yourself healthy.  One of the simplest ways to help protect your health is by enhancing and strengthening your immune system.   

When your immune system is weak, your body’s defense mechanisms are low, which is why you will catch just about every type of illness or infection you come into contact with. 

Why strengthen your immune system? 

Strengthening your immune system is an effective way to keep your body healthy and keep you on top of things.  It helps to increase your body’s resistance system, which will help your body withstand bacteria or viral infections.  When you take steps to enhance your immune system, you will also help to increase your body’s ability to recuperate from an infection much quicker.

How can supplements enhance your immune system?

There are many different supplements available to you to help support your immune system to help you protect you and your family from the dangers of infection.  This is not to say you will never get sick.  However, if you incorporate an immune system support supplement into your daily routine, your body is more likely to resist bacteria lurking in all areas of your life, such as at work, home and any public place you encounter.

Supplements 

There are so many different immune system support supplements available that it is hard to determine which supplement is the best.  Before you purchase a supplement for your children, be sure that it is okay to give to your children.  Sometimes the ingredients are so concentrated that they may be too strong for a child.  There are children’s immune support supplements available.  Just be sure to read the labels closely. 

Here are some of the different natural ingredients available along with some facts that will help you find the best supplement for you and your family. 

• Dandelion contains many vitamins.  It is used as a blood cleanser and very effective in keeping the liver, spleen and kidneys healthy.  It is usually considered safe,   Anyone with an inflamed or infected gallbladder or blocked bile ducts should not use dandelion.

• Fenugreek hardens mucus and will help your body expel this mucus through the lymphatic system.

• Peach leaves have been known to expel parasites. 

• Echinacea was traditionally used to treat and prevent colds, flu and other infections.  According to the NIH Echinacea Fact Sheet, it stimulates the immune system to help fight infections. 

• Goldenseal increases the immune system’s production of germ-fighting compounds and can combat bacteria and viruses directly.  It contains alkaloids, like berberine and hydrastine that helps build the immune system up.  It is also used to help reduce fevers and relive congestion.   Goldenseal is also considered safe as long it is for short term use.  

 • Garlic bulb powder has a defense system that is made up of many different components to help protect the human immune system.

• Vitamin B-6 is the most effective and most important of all vitamins for the development and maintenance of a healthy immune system.  It also protects against cancer and infection.

• Zinc is an immune system booster.  When zinc levels decrease in the body, the T cells decrease, thymic hormone levels decrease and white blood cell functions stop.  It has an antiviral activity, especially for the common cold.

Caution For Pregnant Women

Pregnant women should avoid fenugreek because it has been used in the past for inducing labor.
Women who are pregnant should stay away from goldenseal as it can cause the uterus to contract, which will increase the risk of premature labor because of the berberine herb.  Also, moms who are breastfeeding should stay away from goldenseal because it can be transferred through the milk and cause life-threatening liver problems in nursing infants.   Also, NIH recommends not giving goldenseal to children.

A strong immune system is important in order to have a healthy body.  You need to be able to take care of those little ones or be able to make those important meetings at work.