Our immune systems play an integral role in defending us from infection, and in allowing us to successfully recover from illness. There are many ways in which our lifestyles can contribute to poor immune health, and also numerous avenues for ensuring our immune systems are as strong as possible. Herbal medicine can assist with supporting good immune function, and we’ll look into that in this article. But first, let’s take a look at the immune system and what it does.

What is the immune system?

Our immune system is composed of cells, proteins, organs and organ systems within our body, including our blood, skin, and the lymphoid organs (bone marrow, thymus, spleen, lymph nodes, tonsils, layers of mucous membrane).

Our skin and mucous membranes act as a physical barrier to germs and pathogens, and are our body’s primary defence against illness. For example, certain fluids in our body contain enzymes that kill off germs:

• An enzyme in our tears and saliva can destroy the cell walls of bacteria.
• Mucus can act as a defence against the germs we breathe into our lungs—trapping bacteria and helping to expel it from our airways.
• Stomach acid destroys many of the germs we consume when we eat.

The immune system even includes micro-organisms on our skin that are harmless to us, but can defend against bacteria that are harmful.

All up, the immune system is a surprisingly complex system that consists of more parts of us than we would expect, and is always working as hard as it can to protect us.

Why it’s important that our immune systems function well

When our immune system is strong and functioning well, it will be better able to fend off illness. And if we do succumb to illness, a healthy immune system is more likely to prevent illness progressing to a severe state, and allow us to recover more quickly.

In addition, a healthy immune system has a positive impact on your skin. Not only will it help you fend off bacteria that can aggravate your skin, but it will also help wounds heal faster. Also, hair and nails appear healthier when your immune system is strong.

Finally, having a weakened immune system means you are likely feeling more tired and sluggish than you should, as your body is spending more energy than it should fighting off illness. A strong immune system means your body struggles less with fighting off common ailments.

What causes our immune systems to weaken?

The following factors may impact the healthy functioning of our immune systems.

• Lack of sleep can contribute to weakened immunity, as our body does not get sufficient opportunity to regenerate and repair.
• Stress can lead to inflammation in the body, which can impair immune function.
• Poor nutrition can have an impact. Eating too many highly-processed foods and receiving insufficient essential nutrients can have an adverse effect on the immune system.
• Poor lifestyle choices like smoking and drinking excessive alcohol also serve to suppress our immune system.
• Certain medications may weaken the immune system.
• Exposure to pollutants in the environment are also likely to play a part in poor immune function.
• Lack of physical exercise can also contribute to poor immune health.

In addition, a number of immune system disorders may affect a person’s immune system. These include primary immune deficiency (when you are born with a weak immune system); acquired immune deficiency (you acquire a disease that weakens your immune system); and autoimmune disease (when your immune system becomes overactive and attacks your body’s own tissues). The causes of these disorders are not necessarily clear.

Why it can be hard to maintain a well-functioning immune system

In our modern world, it can be very difficult to maintain a healthy immune system. Our lives are busy, and we have to make a concerted effort to carve out space in our schedules to attend to our wellbeing. Getting enough exercise and quality sleep is a challenge for many, especially with work and family responsibilities. Additionally, it’s increasingly difficult to access highly-nutritious foods, free from pesticides. Most foods we encounter in supermarkets and when eating out are highly processed, with much of their nutritional value having been stripped away in processing.

Additionally, we are often unaware of the pollutants we’re exposed to in the environment, which may be adding to immune function issues.

Finally, with many of us living in increasingly populated areas, and with the increase in international travel, pathogens are spread around more easily, so we are increasingly exposed to germs our bodies haven’t encountered before.

How herbal medicine can help support your immune system

In addition to attending to lifestyle factors, taking immune support supplements can help.

PPC Herbs’ Immune Plex herbal medicine can improve immune function and help bolster the immune system so that it’s better able to combat illness.

Immune Plex contains herbs and other ingredients known to support the immune system. It is a specially-curated blend of Astragalus root, Olive leaf, Echinacea, and Reishi mushroom. (Water, ethanol, glycerol, honey and peppermint essential oil are also included for flavour, and to aid ingestion.) All these ingredients have traditionally been used in Western Herbal Medicine to help the body adapt to stress, relieve cold and flu symptoms, improve the immune system function and support it to fight illness.

Haven’t heard of these ingredients? Here’s a little information about how they can help support healthy immune function.

Astragalus root is said to boost the immune system, improve kidney and heart function, and help prevent colds. In addition, it is an antioxidant.

Olive leaf extract contains polyphenols—compounds naturally found in certain foods, which can act as antioxidants, and neutralise free radicals. Our bodies create free radicals when we’re exposed to a range of environmental toxins, smoke and sunlight, and also as a response to exercise and infections. Free radicals can damage other cells in the body, so consuming substances that contain antioxidants can be helpful.

One of the most powerful polyphenols contained in olive leaves is oleuropein, as it is believed to have antiviral, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Echinacea has long been used as a herbal remedy for the common cold and flu, but also has antioxidant properties. In Immune Plex herbal medicine, the whole plant is used, as the roots, leaves and flowers of this plant all contain beneficial properties.

Reishi mushrooms are known for their potential to boost the immune system, reduce stress, improve sleep, and enhance overall wellbeing due to their rich content of antioxidants and bioactive compounds.

Why choose PPC’s herbal medicine for immune support

Most of us want to do the best for our health, so it’s natural we seek out immune support supplements for additional help when our modern lifestyles throw challenges at us. Taking herbal medicine to support the immune system is a simple and accessible avenue to improving our immune health.

PPC’s Plex range of herbal medicines, including Immune Plex, are all made in Australia and use genuine botanical materials. Our Immune Plex product is:

• Free of caffeine, preservatives, artificial colouring, and added sugars (contains Honey)
• Gluten free
• Easily ingestible (you can dilute Immune Plex with juice, water or other fluids.)

Note that Plex herbal medicines contain ethanol. Ethanol is an alcohol commonly used in herbal medicine. It allows for effective extraction of the active nutrients in a plant, so that the nutrients can be captured in a concentrated liquid. Ethanol also helps to preserve the medicine so that you can use it for a longer period of time.

What to consider when taking medicine to support the immune system

• The first thing to remember is that herbal medicine alone will not be the ultimate solution to a weakened immune system. If you are wanting to strengthen your immune health, then medicine should be used in combination with lifestyle changes.
• You should also research your medicine and the ingredients it contains. Look out for reputable manufacturers. Look for Australian-made products that meet local manufacturing standards.
• Don’t exceed the recommended dosage. Recommended dosages are there for safety reasons, so adhere to them. (Exceeding the dose will not improve your immune health faster!)
• Adhere to the recommended duration of use. Certain medicines should not be taken for more than a period of days or weeks, before your system needs a break. Be sure to mark in your calendar whenever you commence taking any medicine to support your health.
• Herbal medicines should not be used as treatments for serious conditions like tuberculosis, leukosis, collagenosis, AIDS, HIV infection, multiple sclerosis and certain other autoimmune disorders. If in any doubt, consult your physician.
• Consult your healthcare professional before taking any herbal medicines if you are pregnant or are breastfeeding, if you have an autoimmune disease, or if you are taking immunosuppressant medication.
• Don’t take any medicine if you have a known allergy to any of the ingredients in the formulation. If you experience any adverse reaction to a medicine, stop taking it immediately and seek health advice.
• Be wary of combining different medicines, whether they be herbal medicines or otherwise—you may exceed the recommended dose of individual ingredients. To be safe, consult with your healthcare professional before taking more than one medicine or supplement at a time.

Other ways to support immune function

We mentioned earlier how immune support supplements in the form of herbal medicines alone won’t fix a weakened immune system.

In addition to taking an immune support supplement, here are some tips for assisting your immune system.

1. Seek help for immune health concerns. If you have genuine concerns about your immune health, seek support from a medical professional. Signs of a poorly-functioning immune system could be frequent infections you never seem to fully recover from, inflammation, digestive problems, and feelings of tiredness or weakness. So, first and foremost, see your doctor.
2. Quality sleep is essential for good immune function, so attend to your sleep! Whilst every individual requires different amounts of sleep to function optimally, the general rule of having a regular sleep pattern (try to get to bed by 10pm), and avoiding stimulating light and noise in the late evening can really help to support your immune health.
   Sleep quality will always vary, so don’t sweat it if you get a poor night’s sleep here and there. If you get consistently poor sleep, it’s time to speak with your healthcare professional for further investigation.
   (Consider PPC’s Sleep Plex for assistance with sleeplessness.)
3. Get active! Moderate, regular exercise has been found to have great benefits for overall health, and your immune health is part of that picture. So ensure you get regular exercise, preferably doing activities you enjoy.
4. Be social. Connecting with others can benefit our health in multiple ways, including by reducing stress. So spend time in good company!
5. Rest. We’re not just talking about sleep here. Having restful time to just relax and reset is important. This will mean different things to different people. It might be watching your favourite TV show, reading a book, meditating, knitting, cooking or playing an instrument. Whatever it is, give yourself the gift of doing something you enjoy. It’s a great way to relieve stress—one of the immune system’s greatest enemies!
6. Avoid stress. You know those things in life that stress you out, or lifestyle patterns that seem to result in added stress. Find ways to either remove them from your life, or ways to deal with them better. It might mean you seek out some form of therapy on how to handle stress factors, or you might be able to avoid or remove the stress factor altogether.
7. Eat well. Investing time and energy into eating a healthy diet is certainly worth it when it comes to supporting your immune system. Ideally, eat plenty of plants known to bolster your immune system. Citrus fruits, berries and green leafy vegetables all contain vitamins and antioxidants that help your immune system. Also try to avoid eating processed foods, many of which have been stripped of their nutrients, and may contain ingredients detrimental to health. Try to buy certified organic foods if that’s affordable and feasible for you.
8. Avoid pollutants. Whilst it’s not easy to do, avoiding environmental pollutants where possible is important for healthy immune function. Be mindful of chemical sprays and other items you bring into your home, as they may contain unknown chemicals which may be harmful. Items can include kitchen utensils, children’s toys, soft furnishings like carpets and curtains, and furniture like beds and couches, which may contain hazardous fire retardants.
   Although it can be near impossible to completely avoid environmental pollutants, the more you can do to avoid the build up of harmful chemicals in your system, the better.
9. Limit alcohol and don’t smoke. We’re all aware of the health warnings that come with alcohol consumption and with smoking. If you’re a drinker or smoker and are serious about strengthening your immune system, take measures to curb or end those activities.

PPC immune support and other products

PPC offers a number of herbal medicines that can support your wellbeing, relieve common health conditions and improve symptoms. Our Plex Herbal Medicine range includes:

• Canda Plex —Traditionally used in South American Medicine to relieve symptoms of mild, superficial skin fungal infections. Traditionally used in Western Herbal Medicine to reduce the occurrence of symptoms of indigestion and relieve abdominal bloating.
• Cough Plex —For the temporary relief of bronchial cough and the symptoms of cold and flu.
• Fluid Plex—Aids in the natural kidney detoxification/cleansing processes.
• Live Plex—Traditionally used in Western Herbal Medicine to protect the liver and assist the body’s natural detoxification processes.
• Sinus Plex—Used to relieve symptoms of hayfever, allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, common colds and flu.
• Sleep Plex—Induces sleep and relieves sleeplessness.
• Stress Plex —Helps relieve the symptoms of stress and mild anxiety, and reduce nervous tension.
• Triplex—Traditionally used in Western Herbal Medicine to help remove intestinal threadworms and pinworms.

In conclusion, incorporating immune support supplements into your daily routine can be a valuable option for supporting immune health. Herbal remedies like PPC Herbs’ Immune Plex, which includes potent ingredients such as Astragalus root, Olive leaf extract, Echinacea, and Reishi mushrooms, offer a natural way to bolster immune defences.

While taking particular herbs for your immune system can provide significant support, they should be part of a holistic approach to health that includes proper nutrition, adequate sleep, regular exercise, stress management, and avoiding harmful habits and environmental pollutants. By integrating these practices, you can enhance your immune system’s ability to protect and heal your body, ensuring better overall health and wellbeing.