The Easiest Way to Weaken Your Immune System

It is so easy to weaken an immune system if you really want to. Exposing yourself to harmful chemicals like tobacco smoke, let the stress of life engulf you, or expose yourself to pollution are some of the ways to weaken your immune system. But, did you know that the easiest way to weaken your immune system is in a sweet way? Lots of people did not know that they are doing it and ask themselves why it is so easy for them to acquire an infection.

From yesterday’s post on How Your Lymphocytes Protects Your Body from Harmful Invaders, we tackled how important are the functions of the white blood cells or WBCs in our body. Neutrophils are part of the WBC team or the white blood cells team that defends our body from harmful invaders. They are responsible when there is a bacterial invasion or bacterial infection. They multiply themselves, attacks, and engulf the bacteria. Thus, if someone is suffering from bacterial infection their total white blood cells count are high compared to the normal white blood cells count or WBC count, so as the neutrophils count (from differential counting of white blood cells).

So, what is the connection between neutrophils activity and the “sweets”? Study showed that 10 teaspoons of white sugar could lessen the neutrophil activity by 50 percent for about 5 hours. And, consuming 30 teaspoons of white sugar or an equivalent sweets could completely stop and loss neutrophils’ activity to engulf bacteria. A can of soft drink is equivalent to 10 teaspoons of sugar. How many cans of soft drinks and, or other sweetened drinks you usually take everyday? How about other sweets like cake, chocolate bars, candies and other sweet desserts?

Better lessen sweet food and drinks if you really love your health not just to strengthen your immune system but  to keep yourself away from diabetes mellitus as well.

How to Reduce Dust and Other Pollutants in Your Home

Protect your family health by reducing dust and other pollutants in your home. It is true that harmful microorganisms exist everywhere and we cannot totally get rid of them but, we can limit their population by making sure our place is clean.

Parents encourage their children to stay at home as much as possible to keep them safe from accidents and diseases. But, did you know that indoor pollution is one of the top environmental health risks? Inhaling pollutant-free air is part of healthy lifestyle because clean air is necessary to achieve a healthy body. We already knew how harmful tobacco smoke is to your family health, this time we will talk about dust and common biological pollutants that could be found in our homes, their harmful effects and an effective way to get rid of them.

Biological pollutants from air and dusts such as molds, dust mites, fecal droppings from dust mites and other insects, animal dander, lint, bacteria and viruses PLUS pollen, plant and mold spores may affect your family health. They can pass through the filters of your respiratory system thus affecting it and, may lower your immune system resulting to respiratory allergies, acute and chronic infections and, or even cancer. it can also cause skin allergy, skin infections, eye irritation and a lot more.

Furnace filters is a great help in reducing this harmful elements of indoor air. As the air passes through the filter, it removes dust and other harmful particles from air. Honeywell Furnace Filters filters sixty times more dust and other air pollutants than the 1″  standard filter. High efficiency Pleated Furnace Filters with no wire mesh are a good choice too. You just need to follow the instructions of manufacturer how often it should be cleaned and replaced to maximize its performance.

Replacing the filters regularly makes sure of the protection of your family health saves your money from hospitalization and, or medications; and from the hassles of repair of your furnace. Good standing furnace filter may even help you reduce your heating bill too. Purchasing wholesale furnace filters is even better because you can save more money if you purchase in bulk. Thus, you can buy other family needs from the money you saved.

Wellness is priceless. Protect your family health at all cost because health is wealth.

Poisons in Tobacco Smoke

Poisons in Tobacco Smoke

Poisonous? Consider tobacco smoke  as one. It contain lots of toxic substances that is threatening not just to the smokers but to your family health as well. Did you know that tobacco smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals including 200 poisonous and 40 carcinogenic compounds? It causes more than 40 diseases. No wonder, World Health Organization statistics showed that nearly 1 0f every 5 death nowadays are related to smoking. One in every seven seconds die from tobacco-related illness. It is due to either mainstream tobacco smoking or through passive (involuntary) smoking.

Here are some of the carcinogenic compounds you can find on tobacco smoke:

4-Aminobiphenyl
-It is confirmed to cause cancer in humans. Bladder, lung, colon, and breast cancers have been associated with 4-ABP.

-The worst thing about 4-ABP is it can cross the placenta & render child susceptible to bladder cancer.

Arsenic
-Inorganic arsenic is present in tobacco smoke and has been linked to lung, skin, bladder, liver, kidney and prostate cancers.

Benzene
-Study showed that high levels of benzene may cause low birth weights, delayed bone formation and bone marrow damage in animals.

-Benzene is highly toxic. Inhalation of extremely high levels of benzene may cause rapid heart rate, confusion, tremors, drowsiness, dizziness, headache, unconsciousness or even death.

-All three blood cell lines may be unfavorably affected by long term exposure to benzene. Low white blood cells or leucopenia, low red blood cells or anemia and low platelet count or thrombocytopenia may exist in varying degree. In case where there is a reduction in all three blood cell lines it is already called pancytopenia, this may happen due toxicity from long term exposure to benzene from tobacco smoking.

-Chronic exposure to benzene through tobacco smoke may also lead to increase risk of acquiring leukemia and, in many cases, is preceded by aplastic anemia.

Cadmium
-Cadmium is a toxic heavy metal pollutant that can be found in tobacco smoke. Tobacco smoke is an important source of air cadmium because tobacco leaves naturally accumulate and concentrate quite high levels of cadmium.

- An average cigarette contains approximately 1.05 micrograms/g of cadmium in cigarette with filter tip and approximately 1.61 micrograms/g in regular cigarette. And, about 10% of the cadmium content in cigarette is inhaled when it is smoked.

-Exposure to high levels of cadmium may lead to high blood pressure, anemia and renal failure, lung and, or liver damage.

-It is also considered as possible carcinogen.

Chromium
-As you inhale air containing chromium, like in tobacco smoke, chromium enters your body. Did you know that some forms of chromium can remain in the lungs for several years or longer?

-When you breathe air containing chromium, some of the chromium will enter your body through your lungs. Some forms of chromium can remain in the lungs for several years or longer.

-The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has determined that chromium (VI) compounds are carcinogenic to humans. The National Toxicology Program 11th Report on Carcinogens classifies chromium (VI) compounds as known to be human carcinogens. Inhalation of chromium has been shown to cause lung cancer.

-It can cause respiratory problems, depressed immune system- resulting to a lower ability to fight disease, birth defects and other developmental problem, infertility and tumor formation.

2-Naphthylamine
-It can cause bladder cancer.

N-Nitrosodiethylamine
-It can induce benign and malignant tumors in respiratory, upper digestive tracts, liver and kidneys.

N-Nitrosopyrrolidine
-It can produce hepatocellular carcinomas, one of the top in leading liver cancer death type worldwide.

N-Nitrosodiethanolamine
-It is connected to esophageal cancer.

Nickel
-The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has determined that some nickel compounds are carcinogenic to humans.

-More nickel is absorbed from the lungs into the body when nickel particles readily dissolve in water. If it does not easily dissolved in water, like chromium, nickel particles may remain in the lungs for a long time, and can only be excreted from lungs through coughing out or swallowing the mucus.

-Unborn child can be exposed to nickel through maternal blood supply to fetus.

-Babies are exposed to nickels through breastmilk of mother who is exposed to nickel and through passive tobacco smoking.

-It causes reduced lung function, chronic bronchitis, and cancer of the lung and nasal sinus

Lead-210 and Polonium-210 (Radon)
-Did you know that tobacco leaves used in making cigarettes contain radioactive materials? Yes, lead-210 and polonium-210 are radioactive materials.

- Lead-210 and polonium-210 are toxic radioactive heavy metals. They build up over time in delicate lung tissue and are a key risk factor for lung cancer. How? Tar from tobacco smoke builds up in the bronchioles; accumulated tar traps lead-210 and polonium-210 against the tissues of the bronchioles. Most of what is deposited in the bronchioles is lead-210 which has a half life of 22.3 years; eventually it decays and become dominant radionuclide. On the other hand, polonium-210 has only half life of 138 days but it quickly increases in concentration, thus, over the time, as its concentration rises, an intense localized radiation doses may occur in the bronchioles.

-Researchers believe that lead-210 and polonium-210 in tobacco smoke are significant factors for lung cancer in smokers.

Vinyl Chloride
-Inhalation of high levels of vinyl chloride may cause dizziness, drowsiness or even death.

-Chronic exposure to vinyl chloride may cause severe nerve damage and immune reactions.

-The World Health Organization has determined that vinyl chloride is a human carcinogen.

-Vinyl chloride, has also been shown to have an effect on human reproductive system.