各位网友，上个星期六在958与徐冰谈到禽流感，现在把一些几年前准备的资料送上与大家分享：
How to Boost Your Immune System
怎样提升身体的免疫能力
The recent outbreaks of Bird Flu and dengue fever and the not so recent outbreak of SARS served as a wake up call for mankind. Despite the many so-called “advancements” in medical science, there are still many diseases [degenerative and infectious] that we can’t cure.
最近出现的禽流感疫情和几年前爆发的沙斯都一再提醒我们，即使西方医学昌明，还有许多疾病（包括传染病和慢性病）是无药可医的。目前，禽流感和骨痛溢血热症（简称骨痛热症，或是登革热）都是没有特效药或疫苗可以治疗或避免的。
Many attempts have been made to find the “magic bullet” for cancer, to produce a vaccine for SARS, Bird Flu and Dengue Fever respectively. Unfortunately, all the efforts are in vain.
While scientists are figuring out how to “kill” cancerous cells and potentially harmful (sometimes lethal) viruses by external, artificial and various means with harmful side effects, it is the time for us to reflect and look within ourselves and pinpoint the root of the problem and solve it once and for all.
目前，世界卫生组织和各国都有围堵、防止禽流感蔓延的机制，不过个人却又有哪些防范措施和行动能够保护自身和家人，免受感染呢？答案是有的。除了避免接触禽鸟、不要吃没有煮熟煮透的禽鸟肉、不去疫区旅行之外，我们还可以做一件非常重要的事，那就是—加强身体的免疫系统。其实，有了强健的免疫系统，不但对抗防传染病有效，对慢性病也有效，因为它直接加强我们的健康。相信大家都知道“预防胜于治疗”，特别是在当前药物枉然的时刻，更应该如是。
How? You may ask. Our forebears were wiser in this aspect. For them, prevention is a better cure. I believe these words have their equivalent in every language on earth. It’s so well-known and well-said yet why are we still neglecting and abusing our body?
The question is: Are we taking our health seriously? If the answer is affirmative, then it is time to take steps to boost our immune system.
免疫系统的功能主要有四个：
1. 保护：使人体免於病毒、细菌、污染物质及疾病的侵害。
2. 清除：新陈代谢後的废物及免疫细胞与敌人打仗时遗留下来的病毒和细胞残骸和毒素，都必须藉由免疫系统加以清除。
3. 修补：免疫细胞能修补受损的器官、组织，使其恢复原来的功能。
4. 记忆：免疫细胞会对入侵者产生记忆，当下次有同样的「抗原」入侵时，便以此「抗体」将其消灭。「疫苗预防接种」的原理亦是如此。
为什么要加强免疫系统？
根据医学研究显示，人体百分之九十的疾病与免疫系统失调有关。免疫系统的结构是繁多而复杂，其主要的淋巴器官由骨髓、胸腺组成，周围淋巴器官包括扁桃体、脾、淋巴结、集合淋巴结与盲肠，这些都是用来防堵入侵的毒素及微生物的关卡。
简单的说，你身体的第一道免疫防线是皮肤和黏膜。如果外来的“不速之客”通过了皮肤和黏膜这一关，就会碰到种种免疫细胞的攻击。
免疫細胞：
免疫细胞主要有淋巴细胞（包括T淋巴细胞、B淋巴细胞）和巨噬细胞。实际上，除了以上三种细胞外，血液中所有的细胞都与免疫有关，包括红细胞、嗜中性白细胞、嗜酸性白细胞、嗜碱性白细胞、血小板等，另外还有一种自然杀伤细胞，又称NK细胞，属于第三群淋巴细胞。这些细胞有多种多样的功能，免疫应答时可以由细胞直接发挥作用如吞噬、杀伤异物，也可以在抗原刺激下产生蛋白质类的免疫分子，通过各种免疫分子来发挥免疫作用，所以免疫细胞和免疫分子可称为是保卫人体的“战士”。
提升免疫能力十招
笔者根据自身和他人的实践整理出以下提升免疫能力的十个方法，共大家参考。
Rest adequately.
Most people need seven to nine hours of sleep nightly to feel rested. We should sleep based on our bio rhythm. According to traditional oriental medicine, bodily functions are based on a bio clock. The Liver which is the largest internal organ and in charge of detoxification (and many other functions), is at maximum efficiency from 1am – 3am, actively carrying out the detox process of the body. It has to perform this function properly when body is completely at rest. Therefore, it is best to sleep around 11pm so that by that time, you’re far asleep and detox can be done effectively. A proper detox-ed body has a stronger immune system.
足够的休息和睡眠
大多数的人都需要八到九小时的睡眠，如果经常静坐，睡眠可以自然缩短到六个小时。我们应该根据我们的生理时钟劳作和休息，也就是晚上11点以前就寝。这是因为，人体内最大的排毒器官—— 肝的排毒功能[肝经流注的时辰]在凌晨1到3时最为旺盛。它必须在身体全面放松熟睡时，才能好好地进行排毒。睡眠不足不好，肝火就盛，脸色不好看，还有口臭，肠胃也不好，当然免疫系统也遭殃。
适量的运动
每天至少活动30分钟，不但能够提升免疫功能，同时也能减压、避免肌肉和筋骨退化以及促进血液循环。人类是动物，所以必须活动。瑜伽大师有句话说：“人要活动，否则就得面对死亡”。适量的运动也能刺激身体的成长激素分泌，减缓老化的速度。瑜伽体位法是一种非常好的运动，能够有系统地压缩、舒张各个部位和腺体，和促进血液和淋巴液的循环。
深沉的腹式呼吸法
大多数人的呼吸都非常浅，只限于肺的中间部分。浅的呼吸的带氧量不够，结果导致细胞的氧气供应也不足，影响了新陈代谢的过程。进行腹式呼吸或深呼吸能够解决这个问题，同时也提升免疫系统的功能。
健康饮食
每天五蔬果，健康跟着走。鲜果和蔬菜含丰富的维生素、矿物质和其他抗氧化物资。所以应该多食用鲜蔬果，避免加工精炼的食物。
每天吃优格，补充益生菌“probiotics”，不但促进消化，排泄，避免便秘，同时也防止“坏菌”在肠道和其他地方横行霸道，这当然也能够提升免疫能力。
保持心情愉快
生活压力、情绪波动（生气、忧伤、消沉）都会打击到免疫系统。有心事，不要生闷气，找个亲友谈谈、把空闲时间用在瑜伽、静坐、诵经、祷告、替他人服务、运动和嗜好，都好过躲在家中胡思乱想。
淋巴按摩
淋巴系统是免疫系统的主要疏通通道。它负起清道夫的工作，把毒素和细菌、坏死细胞等废物排掉。淋巴系统不受心脏的直接控制，必须通过运动和压缩，才能促进运行。所以，在运动过后，自己进行全身（包括淋巴结）的按摩，不但促进血液循环，对淋巴循环也有很大的帮助，当然也就能够提升免疫功能。
净水和阳光
喝足够的净水对排毒和减少发炎机率非常重要。成人每天至少需要2000到3000 毫升(ml)的净水，并且应该每隔数十分钟就喝些水。不要等到口渴才喝水。早晨9点前和下午四点后到公园走走，做深呼吸肯定对身体有益。
不要摄取大量的糖
大量的糖进入身体，不但造成血糖波动过快过于激烈，容易导致乙型糖尿病，同时也使得免疫系统懒洋洋的，无力抵抗外来的侵略。所以，避免一次大量吃喝充满糖分的饮食：白面包、蛋糕、巧克力、雪糕、汽水、糖果等。也不要使用含saccharin 和aspartame人造糖精，因为它们有毒。设法以少量的糖蜜 [molasses]、黑糖、蜜糖取代，或是多吃水果，以及使用stevia 或 xylitol这两种天然糖替代品。
拒绝含“反”型脂肪的食物
大多数人都知道摄食太多的饱和脂肪会导致心脏病。可是，还有一种人造脂肪对健康更加具有威胁性，那就是：反型脂肪（trans fats）。过去30多年来，全球从事研发较为不饱和的膳食脂肪 (如人造奶油Margarine)，以致近来的人造奶油系列产品 (包括酥油Shortening) 不再予以过度硬化 (即氢化) 而含有较多的液态油脂，然而却导致产品含有更多的反型脂肪。(注: 完全氢化饱和加工时，不会产生反型脂肪，然而经予部份氢化 (Partial hydrogenation)，却会产生反型脂肪)。据医学报导，经摄取过量的反型脂肪，会提升血清LDL胆固醇(坏的胆固醇)浓度并可能降低血清HDL胆固醇(好的胆固醇)浓度，进而可能增加心血管疾病(如Cardiovascular Disease, CVD或Coronary Heart Disease, CHD)的危险，而似比饱和脂肪的负面效应更为严重。
Say “No” to Trans Fatty Acids
Many of you know that eating too much saturated fats is a recipe for heart disease. However, do you know that there’s another category of fats that are even more destructive than saturated fats? Worst yet, they’re hidden in many of the foods you eat every day. It is called trans fat.
Trans fat is created when oil manufacturers heat liquid oils at high temperatures, a process called hydrogenation, to make them more solid, more stable and less greasy. This process turns unsaturated fatty acids (most of them are vegetable oils) into trans fatty acids. Your body can’t handle this type of oil, which wreaks havoc in your body.
The harmful effects of trans fatty acids are not a new discovery. Since the 1950s, scientists in the US, Canada and Europe have found out that trans fats which are fed to laboratory animals would impair their immunity and increase free radical production. They raise total cholesterol as much as saturated fats do. They have also been associated with infertility, diabetes, and cancer of the breast and prostate.
Unfortunately, avoiding trans fats won’t be easy. It is present in all the processed foods and listing it in food labels is not required. They are found in margarine, commercial vegetable oils, fried foods, peanut butter, roasted nuts, potato chips, cookies, biscuits, pastries, salad dressing and most processed foods. Therefore, the best bet is to avoid margarine and vegetable oils (use organic olive oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil for cooking at low temperature settings). Check the label of all commercially baked foods for the words “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated”. This means it contains trans fat.
Helpful and Immune Boosting Herbs and Supplements
能够提升免疫力的补充品
Vitamin C has long been known for its healing properties, especially when it comes to the common cold. Another helpful immune system supplement is Echinacea, which in Germany (and elsewhere) is also being prescribed to help fight colds and flu. Clinical trials prove that Echinacea is beneficial in the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections, such as colds and flu. As a powerful immuno-stimulant, Echinacea helps to maintain a normal, healthy immune system. If taken regularly, it can not only provide relief for the symptoms of cold and flu, but can also assist in the treatment of flu by reducing the severity and duration of the symptoms. Besides Echinacea, goldenseal, garlic, olive leaf extract, ginseng and ginger etc are also said to be natural immune system boosters.
除了维生素C，从饮食或补充品中摄取足量的其他维生素，矿物质，微量元素都是能够提升免疫力的。花草药方面，包括紫锥花、橄榄叶萃取物、白毛茛、葱蒜、黑蒜、人参、姜、以及好些花草茶配方等都能提升免疫力。
还有一点就是要定期进行能够净化肝胆的蔬果汁断食，身体脏腑一干净，功能就会提升，免疫力当然也不例外了。
祝 大家都康安！
刘心宇
