As we approach Thanksgiving, this uniquely North American holiday, the nation gives thanks and commemorates the deliverance of the early settlers and the success of their first harvest.

Thanksgiving is a time of great feasting, probably the greatest feast of the year, when families come together and sit down to the traditional, rich Thanksgiving dinner, after which they usually retire, substantially heavier, to comfortable chairs where they collapse and fall asleep. I often think that this would be the perfect time for an enemy to attack, when the nation is collectively comatose upon the sofa. A similar overindulgence occurs at Christmas and New Year and it is no coincidence that many people become ill with colds, flu and other infections at this time of the year. Why is this? I believe there are several reasons.

Excessive Sugar Consumption

During the fall and early winter season, the nation consumes an excess of foods rich in sugar and refined carbohydrates, above and beyond the average consumption during the rest of the year. The sugar is consumed not just in candies, cookies and desserts but also in drinks and even in main courses. Let’s consider how much sugar we could consume individually during a Thanksgiving dinner by taking a look at the food labels: Candied Sweet Potatoes (27g), Cornbread (15g), Cranberry Jelly (20g), Grape Juice (39g), Pumpkin Pie (18g) and Vanilla Ice Cream (23g). The total comes to a staggering 142 grams of sugar which equates to 5 ounces, over a quarter of a pound, and this does not include the sugar in cookies, cakes and sweetened coffee that may also be consumed. If you have pecan pie instead of pumpkin pie, add an extra 14 grams per serving. Some of the sugar occurs naturally in the food and the rest is added. It can come in several guises, not just glucose, fructose and table sugar but also as corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, maple syrup and, more recently, evaporated cane juice. Honey is also essentially sugar and should never be given to children under 12 months of age because it may contain spores of Clostridium botulinum to which they are not fully resistant.

Effect of Sugar on Our Immune System

Sugar is sweet but, in excess, it is certainly not our friend. It has many adverse effects upon our health, one of which is the weakening of our immune system, our body’s defense mechanism. Consuming 100 grams of sugar has been shown to reduce the ability of our white blood cells to engulf bacteria by over 40% (1). This suppression of our defenses begins less than 30 minutes after the sugar is ingested and it takes over five hours to return to normal assuming no further sugar is consumed during that time. In contrast, when we ingest complex unrefined carbohydrates, there is no deleterious effect upon our immune system.

Healthier Eating

The solution to the problem is to greatly reduce our intake of sugar and refined carbohydrates, not just during the holidays but at all times. Examples of refined carbohydrates include white rice and products made from refined flour such as white bread, cake, pastry and pasta. Read food labels to ascertain if sugar or one of its surrogates is present and in what quantity. Avoid ruining perfectly good dishes such as carrots and sweet potatoes with added sugar. Refrain from drinking sodas, lemonade and fruit juices loaded with sugar. Also limit the consumption of fat, particularly saturated fat, which can make the circulation sluggish and promote arterial disease. Sugar and fat also contain calories. There are four calories per gram of sugar and nine calories per gram of fat and if we don’t use these up in normal metabolism and by being active then we will gain weight and this can lead to serious chronic health problems and disability. Make your Thanksgiving dinner as healthy as possible with the inclusion of a salad course, whole grains, and plenty of vegetables such as peas, beans and Brussels sprouts. You will certainly feel much better afterwards. Try a fresh fruit salad for dessert but if your heart is set upon pie then make it a special treat and enjoy it in moderation.

Vitamin D

Another reason why we are more sensitive to infections during the late fall and winter months is that we get less exposure to sunlight. This is partly because there is more cloud cover and also because we tend to spend less time outside when it’s cold and wet. As a result, the prime mechanism whereby we make vitamin D, namely exposure to sunlight, is significantly limited. Also, in our busy lives today, we rarely spend enough time outdoors, even in the sunshine states regardless of the season. It is therefore important to ensure that we receive enough vitamin D in dietary and supplement form. As well as helping to maintain bone integrity, vitamin D has been found to increase the production of a class of proteins known as antimicrobial peptides, which interfere with the action of certain bacteria and viruses, including the flu virus, thereby inactivating them and keeping us symptom-free.

Food sources that contain natural vitamin D are egg yolk, fish and liver, including cod liver oil, but these may not provide enough and are excluded in vegan and many vegetarian diets. Some rice and soy beverages, orange juice and many breakfast cereals are fortified with vitamin D but the amounts present are not sufficient to protect against infections. Daily multivitamin supplements contain only 400 IU of vitamin D, sufficient to prevent rickets but inadequate for maintaining optimal health. According to Dr. Joseph Mercola (2), we should be taking 35 IU (International Units) of vitamin D per pound of body weight per day if we don’t get enough sun exposure and Dr. Mark Hyman (3) recommends 5,000-10,000 IU per day for optimal health.

Exercise

A third way to stay healthy during the fall and winter months is to exercise regularly. Provided we spend time outdoors walking, cycling, jogging or working in the garden during early morning or late afternoon when the sun is not too strong, we should be able to make some of the vitamin D that we need, and we can supplement with the rest. Regular exercise will also help to control our weight, stimulate our cardiovascular and respiratory systems, and strengthen our immune system, thus increasing our resistance to infections. It is good to get out of doors and into fresh air rather than being cooped up indoors where toxic chemicals can accumulate and infections are more easily transmitted. Keeping the house clean, aired and fresh will also help to keep us and our families healthy.

Happy Thanksgiving and Good Health!

© Christopher J. Jones, M.Sc., Ph.D.
Adventist Health Ministry,
Laguna Niguel, California 92677, U.S.A.

References

1) Sanchez, A. et al. (1973) Role of Sugars in Human Neutrophilic Phagocytosis. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 26, 1180-1184.

2) http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/10/10/Vitamin-D-Experts-Reveal-the-Truth.aspx

3) Hyman, M. (2008) The UltraMind Solution. Scribner, New York, NY 10020, page 135.

It is impossible for us to avoid exposure to infectious agents such as bacteria and viruses so the best thing we can do for our health is to fortify our defenses by strengthening our immune system. Here’s how.

1. Exercise: We are designed for mobility and it’s important for us to be physically active. Exercise confers many benefits, one of which is an enhancement of our immune system. Physical activity increases the number of cells called leucocytes in the blood that fight infections and promotes lymphatic circulation. Exercise also helps us to perspire and that helps the body to rid itself of toxins which could otherwise interfere with the operation of our immune system.

2. Keep Your Body Weight in the Normal BMI Range: Being overweight and obese increases the risk of getting chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and certain types of cancer. Fat cells also release inflammatory chemicals that can cause chronic damage. Moreover, animal studies have shown that being overweight can impair the body’s defense mechanisms. Fewer antibodies are made in response to vaccinations in animals that are overweight.

3. Minimize Sugar Intake: It has been shown that consuming 100 grams (8 tablespoons) of sugar can reduce the ability of white blood cells to destroy bacteria by over 40%. This suppression of our defenses begins less than 30 minutes after the sugar is ingested and it takes over five hours to return to normal, assuming no further sugar intake occurs during that time. In contrast, when we ingest complex unrefined carbohydrates, there is no deleterious effect upon our immune system.

4. Maintain Adequate Vitamin D Levels: There is growing evidence that Vitamin D is involved in many important bodily processes in addition to the maintenance of bone integrity. It helps our body to make its own natural antibiotics called antimicrobial peptides, which can help combat certain bacterial, viral and fungal infections and may protect against influenza. Vitamin D is also important in counteracting seasonal affective disorder, depression and dementia. Data analyses published in 2007 found that supplementation with Vitamin D was associated with a statistically significant 7% reduction in mortality from all causes, an astonishing result. The currently recommended dose for supplementation is approx. 1,000 I.U. for every 30 pounds of body weight.

5. Minimize Stress: We live in a stressful world and everything we can do to minimize stress will be to our benefit. One of the great stress relievers is exercise because it helps to stimulate the synthesis of the “feel good” endorphin chemicals in the brain. Another way to relieve stress is to practice relaxation techniques such as meditation and deep breathing exercises. Being subjected to chronic stress promotes the release of cortisol and adrenaline and these will suppress our immune system, making us more vulnerable to infections and disease.

6. Eat a Predominantly Plant-Based Diet: Plants are especially rich in nutrients and anti-oxidant chemicals that protect us from the harmful effects of free radicals generated when we burn energy. These nutrients also enhance our health and wellbeing because they are essential for the optimum functioning of our cells and organs, including our immune system. Wherever possible, we should consume fresh, locally grown organic or pesticide-free produce.

7. Get Plenty of Fiber: Plants are the source of fiber in our diet and it has been shown that fiber is essential for a healthy digestive system, and especially the maintenance of a friendly bacterial population resident in our intestine. Such bacteria will ferment the fiber in our diet yielding products that promote colonic health. Because a significant proportion of our immune system in centered on the intestine, the promotion of colonic health will also serve to strengthen our immunity.

8. Get Enough Sleep: Losing sleep weakens our immune system, making us more vulnerable to infections and disease. Studies have shown that sleep deprivation leads to a reduced response to vaccinations. Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep each night.

9. Laugh: Laughter has been shown to decrease the levels of stress hormones in the body and increase the production of endorphins and growth hormones that enhance our immune system. Laughter also exercises our diaphragm and this in turn promotes the circulation of lymph.

10. Be Sociable: We are more likely to be physically active if we are engaged and involved in social activities. People who are connected to their family and friends have a strong sense of purpose and this promotes their physical and mental wellbeing. Those people who live the longest in the World have these attributes.

11. Avoid Toxic Chemicals: To minimize damage to our cells and organs, including those of our immune system, we should avoid exposure to alcohol, tobacco smoke and other toxins. There are so many chemicals in our environment that have not been properly tested and we should be aware of what we are eating and drinking, putting onto our bodies and breathing in.

12. Drink Plenty of Purified Water: Maintain adequate hydration levels by drinking plenty of fluid and particularly fresh filtered water. A good estimate is to take your body weight in pounds, divide that number in half and that will be the weight of fluid in ounces that you should consume each day. Good hydration helps to keep the tissues of the respiratory system moist and also aids the functioning of the immune system.

© Christopher J. Jones, M. Sc., Ph. D.