Immune System, Stress, Herbal Supplements and Exercise

The immune system is our guard against varioustypically used to treat breast cancer.
diseases. Some studies have shown that people whoThe joint study between Israel Deaconess Medical
often worry and are easily stressed out have aCenter and Harvard Medical School found that the
weaker immune system and may be more susceptiblecombination of chemotherapy and hormonal agents
to infections than carefree folks that have beenwith the herbal immune boosting program remarkably
exposed to the same environment.increased the suppression of cancerous cell growth. In
There are actually some people who subjectivelyaddition, the study provided documentation that using
stated that they don't respond to stressAmerican Ginseng in combination with conventional
psychologically, but when were tested in the lab, showtreatments caused no ill effects.
objective physical responses to stress including greaterUnfortunately, the herbal stimulants can be effectively
increases in fatigue, heart rate, blood pressure, and asused for a short term goal, while the right exercise
a result, a decrease in immunity.therapy should be used for a long term.
Interestingly, people who made it a habit to becomeIn addition, exercise may not just boost your immune
engaged in exercise activities immediately after theysystem and keep you physically fit, but mentally sharp
were exposed to stress, showed stronger resistanceas well.
to stress. The resultant strengthening of the immuneA study of nearly 6,000 elderly women published in the
response has been best achieved when the choice ofJuly 23, 2001 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine
exercise was an aerobic exercise with resistancereported that those women who exercised the most
combined with massage, reflexology, and acupressurehad the least amount of mental decline during the six
in one single system.to eight years that they were followed. The results of
Also, another way to boost the immune system is thethe study indicated that even moderate activity
use of certain herbal supplements including Echinacea,showed benefit. Of course, it is recommended to see
American, Siberian and Korean Ginseng, andyour physician before starting any exercise activities.
mushroom complex. A study, reported in the Journal ofAnd so, as medical studies continue to show, results
Surgical Oncology (1999), involving American Ginseng,offered in an aerobic exercise combined with
also known as Panax quinquefolius, administered tomassage, reflexology, and acupressure in one single
patients undergoing treatments for breast cancer,system can be a valuable and important part of your
discovered that American Ginseng enhanced thehealth regimen.
effects of chemotherapy and hormonal agents