Welcome to "Healthy Living"
00:00:14.84\00:00:16.78
I'm your host Margot Marshall.
00:00:16.81\00:00:19.01
It's no fun being
sick, having to fight off
00:00:19.05\00:00:21.48
viruses and infections, is it?
00:00:21.52\00:00:23.95
Stay tuned to discover
things that strengthen our
00:00:23.99\00:00:26.55
immune system and
things that weaken it.
00:00:26.59\00:00:29.46
With me in the studio is Jenifer
Skues, a health psychologist,
00:01:03.86\00:01:07.50
and Dr. John Clark.
00:01:07.53\00:01:08.96
Welcome Jenifer and
welcome John... thank you!
00:01:09.00\00:01:11.43
So good to have
you on the program.
00:01:11.47\00:01:13.03
We've appreciated all
you've done and now we're
00:01:13.07\00:01:15.70
talking about the immune system,
00:01:15.74\00:01:17.51
very, very important
to keep us well. It is.
00:01:17.54\00:01:21.08
So John, what would
you like to start off
00:01:21.11\00:01:23.45
with telling us
about the immune system?
00:01:23.48\00:01:25.41
You know, when I was in
high school, I had a teacher
00:01:25.45\00:01:30.82
who was like the dorm
manager and he decided
00:01:30.85\00:01:35.62
he was going to go on
a diet that was mostly
00:01:35.66\00:01:39.49
fresh fruits and vegetables.
00:01:39.53\00:01:41.83
I mean, this guy was
eating basically raw food.
00:01:41.86\00:01:46.40
Now before this, he
had been very sickly.
00:01:46.43\00:01:49.24
He'd have a cold
every winter or the flu;
00:01:49.27\00:01:52.64
He'd have a lot of
problems with congestion,
00:01:52.67\00:01:56.01
postnasal drip -
he was a sickly kid.
00:01:56.04\00:01:59.68
When he changed and went
to a total raw food diet,
00:01:59.71\00:02:04.95
his symptoms all went away!
00:02:04.99\00:02:07.46
He quit having
colds and flues. Wow!
00:02:07.49\00:02:10.49
Well, I called him and talked
to him not long ago and I said,
00:02:10.53\00:02:15.53
"How ya doing?" He
said, "Well I'm doing great."
00:02:15.56\00:02:17.37
I said, "Are you still
on like that raw food diet?"
00:02:17.40\00:02:19.90
And he said, "I sure am."
00:02:19.93\00:02:21.30
I said, "How is that going?"
00:02:21.34\00:02:22.70
And he said, "Well in 25
years, I've never missed a day
00:02:22.74\00:02:26.37
of work due to being
sick; I've never had a cold;
00:02:26.41\00:02:29.08
I've never had a flu."
00:02:29.11\00:02:31.81
And it's interesting, the
studies from the literature,
00:02:31.85\00:02:34.05
medical journals show that
just such a diet does the BEST
00:02:34.08\00:02:38.29
at making your
immune system much stronger!
00:02:38.32\00:02:43.22
Would you be
suggesting a totally raw diet
00:02:43.26\00:02:46.16
or would you be suggesting
a certain amount of raw?
00:02:46.19\00:02:49.26
What would you
be saying to that?
00:02:49.30\00:02:51.57
He went totally raw and I
don't suggest a totally raw,
00:02:51.60\00:02:54.97
but I am saying that
if you ate a lot more
00:02:55.00\00:02:57.11
fresh fruits and vegetables,
you could come closer
00:02:57.14\00:02:59.27
to his record of being
free from disease. Yes, yes.
00:02:59.31\00:03:02.98
And that's really great; Jeni,
what do you think about it?
00:03:03.01\00:03:05.45
Well he had a
good attitude too. Yes.
00:03:05.48\00:03:07.15
And this is where one
of the biggest impacts
00:03:07.18\00:03:09.52
on the immune system
is to do with stress. Oh.
00:03:09.55\00:03:12.15
Alright and an 8-day course
there's a lot of inflammation
00:03:12.19\00:03:14.46
in the brain and the body
and when we have prolonged
00:03:14.49\00:03:17.96
stress, that
inflammation doesn't come down,
00:03:17.99\00:03:20.30
so that will affect the
whole system and every part
00:03:20.33\00:03:23.57
of our body is
impacted by stress. Yes.
00:03:23.60\00:03:26.20
So it's important that we
practice stress management
00:03:26.23\00:03:29.44
and this is where the
person you're talking about
00:03:29.47\00:03:31.91
sounds like he was
enjoying his lifestyle;
00:03:31.94\00:03:33.88
he was relaxed; he
loved his work and that
00:03:33.91\00:03:37.35
adds in to the
dietary principles.
00:03:37.38\00:03:40.42
He was a very interesting
guy in that, you know,
00:03:40.45\00:03:43.75
here we are high school
students and you can imagine
00:03:43.79\00:03:46.82
how we teased him!
00:03:46.86\00:03:48.32
We would say, "Oh here
comes the gopher, can we go down
00:03:48.36\00:03:51.83
and get you some greens or
00:03:51.86\00:03:53.19
some oleanders -
which are sort of poisonous.
00:03:53.23\00:03:55.46
Sort of poisonous - yes.
00:03:55.50\00:03:57.47
And he would just
throw it right back at us.
00:03:57.50\00:03:59.77
He was a good sport.
00:03:59.80\00:04:01.97
He had a good sense of humor,
00:04:02.00\00:04:03.34
another thing
that helps immunity.
00:04:03.37\00:04:05.17
And let me tell you,
this school had a hay farm
00:04:05.21\00:04:09.84
where we baled hay
into big bales of hay
00:04:09.88\00:04:12.71
like 60 pound bales and
see that would be like 30 kilos
00:04:12.75\00:04:15.68
or 25 kilos and we
would take these bales of hay
00:04:15.72\00:04:19.85
and throw them up on the
back of a big flatbed truck.
00:04:19.89\00:04:23.32
Well nobody could throw a
bale higher than he could! Wow!
00:04:23.36\00:04:27.60
And he was on this raw
food diet and we're like, "Wow,"
00:04:27.63\00:04:30.70
where did he get
all that energy?"
00:04:30.73\00:04:32.40
You get good
energy from good food.
00:04:32.43\00:04:34.84
Well now you know
that. Now we know that.
00:04:34.87\00:04:37.97
And so the immune system
is obviously a vital part
00:04:38.01\00:04:42.11
of staying alive,
isn't it? Absolutely!
00:04:42.14\00:04:47.68
It's not just nice to have
it going well but if we didn't
00:04:47.72\00:04:51.39
have an immune
system... We wouldn't survive.
00:04:51.42\00:04:55.06
If you don't have an
immune system functioning,
00:04:55.09\00:04:57.56
even antibiotics can't save you.
00:04:57.59\00:04:59.86
There's a classic story of a
gentleman called, "Bubble Boy."
00:04:59.89\00:05:04.03
Oh yes! I think
it was as a movie.
00:05:04.07\00:05:07.24
There's a movie out on it.
00:05:07.27\00:05:08.77
And this gentleman was
born with no immune system.
00:05:08.80\00:05:11.87
They knew he was going to
be born with no immune system
00:05:11.91\00:05:14.21
because his brother had
the same problem - genetic.
00:05:14.24\00:05:18.41
And so they had him born in a
sterile environment; put him in
00:05:18.45\00:05:23.08
to the bubble which was a
big plastic incubator and kept
00:05:23.12\00:05:27.26
all disease out of there
and he grew up in this bubble.
00:05:27.29\00:05:30.93
NASA, the space organization
in the United States,
00:05:30.96\00:05:34.73
got involved and made
him a spacesuit so he could
00:05:34.76\00:05:36.87
go outside, but finally
they decided to try a stem cell
00:05:36.90\00:05:41.34
transplant and it
didn't work and he passed away.
00:05:41.37\00:05:45.67
But all to illustrate, if
you don't have an immune system,
00:05:45.71\00:05:48.21
there's big troubles!
00:05:48.24\00:05:50.41
And so when you look at
what the immune system does,
00:05:50.45\00:05:53.31
it makes sure that no
enemy gets at you! That's right.
00:05:53.35\00:05:57.19
It's our fighting force,
it's the army in our system,
00:05:57.22\00:06:00.26
isn't it - that protects us.
00:06:00.29\00:06:01.82
And this keeps you
from getting the disease
00:06:01.86\00:06:05.33
from viruses,
bacteria and other pathogens.
00:06:05.36\00:06:09.66
And we're battling those
all the time. All the time!
00:06:09.70\00:06:12.50
There wouldn't be a
time, I suppose (Never)
00:06:12.53\00:06:15.50
that we're not
battling something,
00:06:15.54\00:06:16.97
and we don't know about
that or sometimes we do,
00:06:17.01\00:06:20.48
because we, you
know, come down sick.
00:06:20.51\00:06:23.01
But at other times, we
wouldn't realize just how busy
00:06:23.04\00:06:26.18
our immune system is
that's doing all that.
00:06:26.21\00:06:28.78
See when your immune system
is healthy, you don't feel
00:06:28.82\00:06:31.35
what the bacteria is or
what's going into your system
00:06:31.39\00:06:34.29
because it's busy fighting
it and removing it. Yes.
00:06:34.32\00:06:36.83
So it's only if you're unhealthy
that's when there's a problem.
00:06:36.86\00:06:39.66
And it's interesting in research
now, they've done a lot of
00:06:39.69\00:06:42.50
of research on why
these children are growing up
00:06:42.53\00:06:44.73
like the boy in the
bubble because they're finding
00:06:44.77\00:06:46.74
now children's
immune systems are not as
00:06:46.77\00:06:49.87
good at times and they found
that what parents are doing is
00:06:49.90\00:06:53.01
putting them into a
sterile environment.
00:06:53.04\00:06:54.88
Now when I was growing
up, we'd be outside - we'd eat
00:06:54.91\00:06:57.31
snails and dirt! OHH! Laughter!
00:06:57.35\00:06:58.95
That's what kids do,
things that they ingest
00:06:58.98\00:07:03.45
it's quite remarkable.
00:07:03.49\00:07:05.09
And that challenges the
immune system to function. Okay.
00:07:05.12\00:07:09.32
And what's happening is they've
got all these sterile wipes,
00:07:09.36\00:07:11.83
and they wipe everything,
all the benches get cleaned,
00:07:11.86\00:07:14.20
and the children - "Oh
don't play in the dirt,"
00:07:14.23\00:07:16.43
and they're not doing
things that actually help
00:07:16.46\00:07:19.17
the immune system to grow.
00:07:19.20\00:07:20.54
It's like a muscle - it
needs to be strengthened. Okay.
00:07:20.57\00:07:23.81
Which is interesting, isn't it?
00:07:23.84\00:07:25.17
Well it is interesting!
00:07:25.21\00:07:26.54
I'm not telling you to send
your kids out to eat snails.
00:07:26.57\00:07:28.74
That's alright, they're a
bit too big to do that now.
00:07:28.78\00:07:31.45
But I've heard two
schools of thought on that,
00:07:31.48\00:07:33.92
and it's a bit of a
balancing thing isn't it? It is.
00:07:33.95\00:07:37.35
You know if the
child gets an infection,
00:07:37.39\00:07:41.39
then you're going to
try and treat it. Yes.
00:07:41.42\00:07:43.76
But the child won't get
the infection if their immune
00:07:43.79\00:07:46.06
system is working really well.
00:07:46.09\00:07:47.76
And that's that principle
you talked about in the story.
00:07:47.80\00:07:51.43
Some of the information
we get on the immune system
00:07:51.47\00:07:54.27
comes from when we
have had pandemics.
00:07:54.30\00:07:57.64
One of the most classic and
the biggest one was the 1918
00:07:57.67\00:08:01.11
Spanish influenza! Yes.
00:08:01.14\00:08:02.94
And I got most of my statistics
from America, but they had a
00:08:02.98\00:08:06.92
30% attack rate -
meaning 30% of people would come
00:08:06.95\00:08:10.89
down with it but that
means 70% DID NOT! (get it)
00:08:10.92\00:08:15.26
So how do you make
sure that you are in the 70%
00:08:15.29\00:08:19.49
instead of the 30%?
00:08:19.53\00:08:21.80
I mean this is an
important odds to look at here.
00:08:21.83\00:08:24.60
And so boosting the
immune system so that when
00:08:24.63\00:08:27.84
anything like that
infectious disease, be it SARS,
00:08:27.87\00:08:30.57
be it Ebola, be it bird
flu, whatever comes around,
00:08:30.61\00:08:34.08
you are prepared.
00:08:34.11\00:08:36.18
What else would help to
strengthen the immune system?
00:08:36.21\00:08:39.68
What would you say?
00:08:39.71\00:08:41.95
One thing that's very
helpful is to get your rest.
00:08:41.98\00:08:44.72
Interesting study looking
at mice - they took mice,
00:08:44.75\00:08:48.42
they put them in two groups.
00:08:48.46\00:08:49.79
Both groups got vaccinated
and then they deprived
00:08:51.49\00:08:56.13
one group of sleep one
night for 7 hours - that was it.
00:08:56.16\00:09:00.74
And then they gave them a flu
virus - the ones that had been
00:09:00.77\00:09:04.84
vaccinated but had lost
their sleep for one night
00:09:04.87\00:09:08.88
caught the flu as though
they'd never been vaccinated.
00:09:08.91\00:09:11.91
Isn't that interesting!
That's very impressive!
00:09:11.95\00:09:15.65
And sadly, these days
I think sleep deprivation
00:09:15.68\00:09:21.32
is just rampant because
since the electric light
00:09:21.36\00:09:25.63
came in - that was the
beginning of it but now with
00:09:25.66\00:09:27.66
all these electrical devices
and 24/7 television and a lot of
00:09:27.70\00:09:33.10
shops being opened
24/7, life just goes on.
00:09:33.13\00:09:37.57
It used to be that go to
bed when the sun went down
00:09:37.61\00:09:41.31
and so on, but not anymore.
00:09:41.34\00:09:43.01
We had a blackout here a
few weeks ago and it was just
00:09:43.04\00:09:46.85
amazing the difference it
made to people - they started
00:09:46.88\00:09:49.88
talking to each
other and things like that,
00:09:49.92\00:09:51.55
and getting more sleep.
00:09:51.59\00:09:53.25
But, yes, sleep deprivation
is quite a significant thing
00:09:53.29\00:09:57.79
so it's something to
be aware of isn't it?
00:09:57.83\00:09:59.79
There's the foods, the
fresh foods and then we've
00:09:59.83\00:10:02.76
got this sleep
deprivation, what else might?
00:10:02.80\00:10:06.13
Well I was going to say,
the majority of illnesses
00:10:06.17\00:10:08.97
that I see like mental
emotional health problems,
00:10:09.00\00:10:12.71
sleep deprivation is a major
part of it and they are either
00:10:12.74\00:10:15.21
taking drugs or not sleeping
and over a period of time
00:10:15.24\00:10:19.41
their immune function
goes down so much, they end up
00:10:19.45\00:10:22.12
getting very, very sick because
00:10:22.15\00:10:24.62
they're not
getting enough sleep.
00:10:24.65\00:10:26.76
And we're talking about people
who go for sometimes years
00:10:26.79\00:10:30.13
with insomnia. Yes.
00:10:30.16\00:10:31.49
So you can see our
system can be robust to a point,
00:10:31.53\00:10:34.90
but there's a point
where it's worn down
00:10:34.93\00:10:36.80
and insomnia is a
stress factor, so there's
00:10:36.83\00:10:39.93
a lot of things not happening.
00:10:39.97\00:10:41.30
Yes, so all of these things
impact on each other. Yes.
00:10:41.34\00:10:43.84
Sleep causes stress,
stress causes loss of sleep,
00:10:43.87\00:10:48.41
and they do it both ways.
00:10:48.44\00:10:49.78
It's like a vicious
cycle when you look at it. Yes.
00:10:49.81\00:10:52.18
But see, stress is
pervasive and there are so
00:10:52.21\00:10:55.12
many things that
are stressful in life,
00:10:55.15\00:10:57.62
but it's the person who learns
how to deal with the stress
00:10:57.65\00:11:01.19
and stay focused in the present
and solve the problem or,
00:11:01.22\00:11:04.89
you know, maybe fix whatever
the problem is if they can
00:11:04.93\00:11:07.93
or get support to deal with
it, are the ones who will be
00:11:07.96\00:11:11.00
healthier than the ones
who are going to worry about
00:11:11.03\00:11:12.87
it, think about it, go
over it and that's where
00:11:12.90\00:11:15.37
the mind comes into
play then - it's important.
00:11:15.40\00:11:18.24
You mentioned that
"being in the present,"
00:11:18.27\00:11:20.24
now you mentioned
that in another program,
00:11:20.28\00:11:22.04
just tell us about that.
00:11:22.08\00:11:23.95
We only have the
present moment but our brain
00:11:23.98\00:11:27.62
to be healthy and in balance
and that's we're talking about
00:11:27.65\00:11:29.85
mentally-emotionally we
need to keep the whole brain
00:11:29.88\00:11:33.09
which is your
neocortex, left-right brain
00:11:33.12\00:11:35.22
focused in the present
moment and if you look at how
00:11:35.26\00:11:38.99
often you do that or
don't do that during the day,
00:11:39.03\00:11:42.16
and a lot of people spend
the majority of their time
00:11:42.20\00:11:44.80
either dwelling on the
past or fearing the future.
00:11:44.83\00:11:47.74
So this is where, to
alleviate stress, I teach people
00:11:47.77\00:11:51.67
how to, what we call, be
mindful and put your mind
00:11:51.71\00:11:54.44
in the present. Okay.
00:11:54.48\00:11:55.81
And that's like body awareness,
recognizing emotions that come
00:11:55.84\00:11:59.68
up, for example - I was
just talking to John before
00:11:59.71\00:12:03.12
and apparently 5
minutes of anger will impact
00:12:03.15\00:12:06.86
the immune system negatively
for 5 hours. Five minutes?
00:12:06.89\00:12:10.59
Five minutes of anger!
Anger is the most volatile
00:12:10.63\00:12:12.89
emotion we have, so
every time we have that little
00:12:12.93\00:12:16.20
anger spat, we're actually
impacting the immune system
00:12:16.23\00:12:19.70
for a long period
of time. Goodness!
00:12:19.73\00:12:21.64
Now, amazing
isn't it? Yes, it is!
00:12:21.67\00:12:25.24
And one of the antidotes
to stress is laughter. Right!
00:12:25.27\00:12:30.45
And one of the best
ones is the belly laugh. Yes?
00:12:30.48\00:12:33.05
I've done studies on
that and found that people
00:12:33.08\00:12:35.08
who have a 10-minute
belly laugh a day - their whole
00:12:35.12\00:12:37.82
system including
immunity, is much healthier,
00:12:37.85\00:12:41.82
and it starts in 15 muscles
in the stomach and radiates
00:12:41.86\00:12:45.53
through the whole body
and it's equal to a 20-minute
00:12:45.56\00:12:48.26
aerobic workout if we
have a good belly laugh.
00:12:48.33\00:12:51.30
Oh wow, I think we
should just do one right now!
00:12:51.33\00:12:53.17
Laughter! I'd like to!
00:12:53.20\00:12:55.10
You know, "Norman
Cousins," healed himself
00:12:55.14\00:12:58.51
through laughter, didn't he?
00:12:58.54\00:12:59.87
Are you aware of that one?
00:12:59.91\00:13:01.24
He was dying, he was
really, really sick and he was a
00:13:01.28\00:13:05.55
doctornottrue, so he just
thought, "Well, that was the
00:13:05.58\00:13:09.25
only thing he could think
of to do and he got himself
00:13:09.28\00:13:13.96
the funny DVDs and
things like that and he was
00:13:13.99\00:13:16.56
laughing so much in the
hospital, they asked him
00:13:16.59\00:13:18.26
to leave - so he went to a hotel
and continued and he got well.
00:13:18.29\00:13:23.80
So there's many
things, many things - our mood,
00:13:23.83\00:13:28.27
what's going on in our mind.
00:13:28.30\00:13:29.67
We've noticed that in many
instances, the stress and the
00:13:29.70\00:13:32.11
sadness and the happiness,
they impact hugely on the body
00:13:32.14\00:13:35.78
and it works both ways.
00:13:35.81\00:13:37.15
The body impacts on the mind.
00:13:37.18\00:13:38.51
You're focused in the present
when you're laughing, you see.
00:13:38.55\00:13:41.78
And it's the type of laughter,
it's not laughing at someone,
00:13:42.25\00:13:45.05
it's laughing with
people or at yourself
00:13:45.09\00:13:46.99
or at something that happened.
00:13:47.02\00:13:48.36
I've got plenty of... when it
00:13:48.39\00:13:49.72
comes to that with myself.
00:13:49.76\00:13:51.19
We have to see ourselves
with humor and that will
00:13:51.23\00:13:54.00
help to keep the
immune system healthy. Yes.
00:13:54.03\00:13:56.90
So we're looking at
lots of good things we can do
00:13:56.93\00:13:59.67
in the present that
will keep us that way.
00:13:59.70\00:14:02.07
And what we eat
is "present focus."
00:14:02.10\00:14:04.91
There we go! Boy,
doesn't that make you hungry!
00:14:04.94\00:14:08.41
So what shall we eat?
00:14:08.44\00:14:09.78
That's about chewing your
food, isn't it? Chew it well.
00:14:09.81\00:14:11.25
And enjoying - using
the five senses to enjoy
00:14:11.91\00:14:14.82
what you eat and the
visual image of the food
00:14:14.85\00:14:17.29
and there's a lot to do to
strengthen the whole system.
00:14:17.32\00:14:21.49
And preferably
eating with people because
00:14:21.52\00:14:24.59
that social aspect makes it
so nice and you find that out,
00:14:24.63\00:14:28.36
you know, people who
live alone and they come out
00:14:29.30\00:14:31.87
and they say, "Oh, it's
so nice not to eat alone."
00:14:31.90\00:14:34.77
And that's a stress factor.
00:14:34.80\00:14:36.14
It's all part of what happens.
00:14:36.97\00:14:38.34
And when you look
at the immune system,
00:14:38.37\00:14:40.18
the cells that are the most
active in fighting like a viral
00:14:40.21\00:14:44.21
illness are your
natural killer cells.
00:14:44.25\00:14:47.35
And if you're going to eat
something that will wipe out
00:14:47.38\00:14:49.75
your natural killer
cells, the number one would be
00:14:49.78\00:14:52.35
eating a high fat diet,
particularly eating cholesterol.
00:14:52.39\00:14:57.36
It cuts the number of
natural killer cells down
00:14:57.39\00:15:00.80
and shuts their
function down to one-fourth
00:15:00.83\00:15:03.60
of normal function level.
00:15:03.63\00:15:05.50
Well stress is the
other factor that impacts
00:15:05.53\00:15:08.20
these killer cells.
00:15:08.24\00:15:09.57
Knocks them out as
well, that's right.
00:15:09.60\00:15:11.44
Yes it does, so you've
got a double whammy there.
00:15:11.47\00:15:13.68
So if you're on a bad
diet, you're getting depressed
00:15:13.71\00:15:15.71
and stressed, you're
in big trouble, you're a
00:15:15.74\00:15:19.91
sitting duck for the bird flu.
00:15:19.95\00:15:21.28
That's right... if
you're there with the birds.
00:15:21.32\00:15:23.75
Was that meant to be a
pun, "You're a sitting duck
00:15:23.79\00:15:26.76
for the bird flu?" Laughter.
00:15:26.79\00:15:29.62
And it's just interesting
how many things impact us
00:15:30.76\00:15:34.00
and the directions they
come from and that's why
00:15:34.03\00:15:36.43
in this program, we like to
focus on the mental, and the
00:15:36.46\00:15:39.40
physical and the spiritual,
and the social aspects.
00:15:39.43\00:15:41.80
We haven't actually talked
about the spiritual input.
00:15:41.84\00:15:43.94
Jeni, did you have
something to say on that?
00:15:43.97\00:15:46.11
There are a lot of good
studies to show that people
00:15:46.14\00:15:48.94
who have a practicing
faith, prayer and faith,
00:15:48.98\00:15:51.75
and it's not necessarily
about going to a church,
00:15:51.78\00:15:54.28
it's about your belief
and your faith in God and you
00:15:54.32\00:15:57.29
work with that - and
that's a "present moment" thing.
00:15:57.32\00:15:59.92
You see, so it keeps
people focused in the present.
00:15:59.95\00:16:02.32
Have a much healthier
overall system but certainly
00:16:02.36\00:16:05.76
a healthier immune system and
can live up to 6-7 years longer
00:16:05.79\00:16:09.83
because of their faith
and this is well-documented,
00:16:09.86\00:16:13.34
it's not just a hearsay.
00:16:13.37\00:16:15.24
No, no, they can perhaps
pick that up on the fact sheets
00:16:15.27\00:16:18.14
if they want to check
that out and we'll talk about
00:16:18.17\00:16:21.94
that later in the program.
00:16:21.98\00:16:23.81
Another aspect to a good
immune system and good health
00:16:23.85\00:16:27.35
is living a life where you
are helping other people. Yes.
00:16:27.38\00:16:32.09
We call it
"benevolence," volunteering.
00:16:32.12\00:16:35.56
People who volunteer for
their community have 60% less
00:16:35.59\00:16:39.76
disease than those who end
up just living for themselves.
00:16:39.79\00:16:43.50
That's profound!
00:16:44.17\00:16:45.50
Did you have a look
at the focus when your
00:16:45.53\00:16:47.67
helping someone?
Where are you focused
00:16:47.70\00:16:49.54
in the present but you're
focused away from yourself.
00:16:49.57\00:16:52.37
Stress is when we are
self-focused and they find
00:16:52.41\00:16:55.38
that when people focus out
of themselves and help others,
00:16:55.41\00:16:58.01
their stress
levels go right down.
00:16:58.05\00:17:00.32
So you were just explaining
how this actually works.
00:17:01.55\00:17:03.92
You told us it happens
and now you're telling us
00:17:03.95\00:17:06.39
how it actually works
because we're outwardly focused
00:17:06.42\00:17:09.06
and our mind is not going...
00:17:09.09\00:17:10.43
And our stress
levels come down. Come down!
00:17:10.46\00:17:12.33
And it's a good reason to
go and help other people. Yes!
00:17:12.36\00:17:15.06
It keeps me
healthy and I get paid!
00:17:15.10\00:17:17.13
You get paid - alright.
00:17:17.17\00:17:18.50
Like John! Okay, yeah.
00:17:18.53\00:17:21.80
And this sort of gets us
into a thing we've talked about
00:17:21.84\00:17:25.37
on another program - sugar.
00:17:25.41\00:17:27.14
When a person takes
12 teaspoons of sugar,
00:17:27.18\00:17:30.45
about the amount of sugar
that would be in one soda,
00:17:30.48\00:17:33.15
it decreases the
immune system by 60%. Wow.
00:17:33.18\00:17:36.82
In other words, the white
cell that supposed to gobble up
00:17:36.85\00:17:39.82
a bad bacteria, will instead
of gobbling up 14 bacteria,
00:17:39.85\00:17:44.89
will only gobble up 5.5. Wow.
00:17:44.93\00:17:48.53
And then if you got
24 teaspoons of sugar,
00:17:48.56\00:17:51.27
and it cuts down the immune
system so that a white cell
00:17:51.30\00:17:54.00
will only gobble up 1 bacteria
in the same amount of time
00:17:54.04\00:17:57.34
it would have normally done 14.
00:17:57.37\00:17:59.74
So the amount of sugar...
and I don't know the statistics
00:17:59.77\00:18:02.44
on Australia for
sugar consumption,
00:18:02.48\00:18:05.38
but in America, the
average American is consuming
00:18:05.41\00:18:07.92
about 44
teaspoons of sugar per day.
00:18:08.15\00:18:11.39
It used to be about 35 here,
but they're older statistics,
00:18:11.42\00:18:14.59
so it would probably be
on par now particularly with,
00:18:14.62\00:18:17.13
you know and you put
junk food and added sugars and
00:18:17.16\00:18:19.09
all sorts of
things and people drinking
00:18:19.13\00:18:21.53
the soda drinks and that.
00:18:21.56\00:18:23.20
And that's a good point...
people don't always realize
00:18:23.23\00:18:26.00
where their sugar
is coming from. No, no.
00:18:26.03\00:18:27.90
It's hidden
sugars. Hidden sugars!
00:18:27.94\00:18:29.64
If we said a soda would
have 12 teaspoons of sugar
00:18:29.67\00:18:33.54
for your average soda,
but did you know if you
00:18:33.58\00:18:35.94
eat cornflakes in
milk for breakfast,
00:18:35.98\00:18:39.71
it will be about 16 teaspoons
of sugar in your bloodstream
00:18:39.75\00:18:42.88
even though they may not
have sugar on the label because
00:18:42.92\00:18:45.55
the carbohydrate is so
refined by the way they
00:18:45.59\00:18:48.49
cook it, that you
end up with a high sugar
00:18:48.52\00:18:51.03
load in your bloodstream.
00:18:51.06\00:18:52.39
Well sweet biscuits is about
7, one little sweet biscuit.
00:18:52.43\00:18:55.36
There are lots and
lots of ways that it just...
00:18:56.67\00:18:59.43
and who would ever
think that there would be,
00:18:59.47\00:19:01.94
is it 12 teaspoons in a
can of we call it "soft drink"
00:19:01.97\00:19:05.34
in this country, but
just that so people know.
00:19:05.37\00:19:09.28
Oh yeah, we do
have soda as well.
00:19:09.31\00:19:10.65
Well one of the health
principles I've practiced
00:19:10.68\00:19:12.48
with my clients is getting
them to start reading labels
00:19:12.51\00:19:14.78
when they go shopping -
even if they just do one product
00:19:14.82\00:19:18.25
every time they shop
or if they can do more.
00:19:18.29\00:19:21.02
And they are often shocked at
what they find they're eating.
00:19:21.06\00:19:24.13
I was doing a supermarket
tour once with some school
00:19:24.16\00:19:27.06
children and this little
boy, he was just about 10,
00:19:27.10\00:19:30.97
and that's as young as we
usually take them on a tour,
00:19:31.00\00:19:33.60
and we were looking at
the labels and saying how much
00:19:33.64\00:19:36.71
sugar was inside - I just
don't remember what the product
00:19:36.74\00:19:39.01
was now, but it wasn't
in the confectionary aisle
00:19:39.04\00:19:41.44
I do know that
and he was so shocked.
00:19:41.48\00:19:44.28
He said, "I'm going to be
telling my mother about this."
00:19:44.31\00:19:48.78
Laughter... What
a good idea! Yes!
00:19:48.82\00:19:52.05
What a good idea!
00:19:52.09\00:19:53.69
Yeah, just a dear little kid.
00:19:53.72\00:19:57.29
And people get tricked
by this, for example...
00:19:57.33\00:19:59.93
In West Virginia, in America,
there got to be a big lobby
00:19:59.96\00:20:04.07
going that they
should take the soda machines
00:20:04.10\00:20:06.47
or pop machines - what do
you call it, soft drink machines
00:20:06.50\00:20:09.90
out of the schools and put in
juice machines... and they did!
00:20:09.94\00:20:15.74
And somebody came and
looked at the quantity of sugar
00:20:15.78\00:20:19.05
in the juices and they compared
three juices to the top soda
00:20:19.08\00:20:22.68
and all the juices
had more sugar than...
00:20:22.72\00:20:25.85
Because there's sugar in the
juice and added sugars usually.
00:20:25.89\00:20:28.62
And that's been a refined
thing too because, you know,
00:20:29.69\00:20:34.90
the fruit has been extracted
out and the fiber is gone
00:20:34.93\00:20:38.80
and so it's
different from having it
00:20:38.83\00:20:40.84
right there in the
fruit when you do that to it.
00:20:40.87\00:20:44.57
So those sugars which
are eaten in the whole fruit,
00:20:44.61\00:20:47.48
say an apple or something,
is missing all of that fiber
00:20:47.51\00:20:50.98
and all that
chewing and everything.
00:20:51.01\00:20:52.35
So those sugars aren't as
good for you when they've been
00:20:52.38\00:20:55.55
extracted and
pulled out. That's correct.
00:20:55.58\00:20:58.82
Because when you're
looking at children, immunity
00:20:58.85\00:21:01.29
starts at a very young
age, and we were talking about
00:21:01.32\00:21:03.76
this before, so what
are your thoughts on that?
00:21:03.79\00:21:06.39
Yeah, that's right!
You know, a lot of people
00:21:06.43\00:21:07.90
have their child and
then they go look down to the
00:21:07.93\00:21:09.83
supermarket where
they get all their food
00:21:09.86\00:21:11.57
for something for the child.
00:21:11.60\00:21:12.93
And that's baby formula which
is hugely refined and instead of
00:21:13.23\00:21:20.51
using the best food for
the baby and the best food
00:21:20.54\00:21:22.81
for the baby is mother's milk.
00:21:22.84\00:21:25.25
And studies show that
if you breastfeed a baby
00:21:25.28\00:21:28.02
for 2 years, their
whole life they have a better
00:21:28.05\00:21:31.02
immune system; their whole
life they have less diseases;
00:21:31.05\00:21:33.46
they're more
intelligent, a lot of benefits!
00:21:33.49\00:21:36.22
I just noticed on the "World
Health Organization" website
00:21:36.26\00:21:39.89
just a day or so ago... 2
years, like you just said,
00:21:39.93\00:21:44.07
that's what they recommend.
00:21:44.10\00:21:45.43
Obviously you introduce
suitable foods at 6 months,
00:21:45.47\00:21:48.90
but it should be exclusively
breastfed for 6 months
00:21:48.94\00:21:52.51
and then continue for 2 years.
00:21:52.54\00:21:55.28
And that's something that
would be such a gift, I mean...
00:21:55.31\00:21:58.85
we spend a fortune on
presents for children and toys,
00:21:58.88\00:22:02.38
and things like that, but what
a gift to give them, you know,
00:22:02.42\00:22:05.79
to strengthen their
immune system when you can.
00:22:05.82\00:22:08.66
And I know some mothers
are not able to do that,
00:22:08.69\00:22:13.26
I know the fathers
can't, but... laughter.
00:22:13.29\00:22:19.23
Was that a sexist
statement? Laughter.
00:22:19.27\00:22:22.24
I hope not, oh dear!
00:22:22.27\00:22:26.44
No but... and I know some
people can't, but if you can
00:22:26.47\00:22:31.48
it's just such an incredible
gift for their whole life.
00:22:31.51\00:22:35.82
You know, toys wear
out, but what a gift.
00:22:35.85\00:22:37.69
And it's that first few
days of feeding, breastfeeding,
00:22:37.72\00:22:41.36
once the child is
born, I think is it 5 days?
00:22:41.39\00:22:43.93
There's a period of time
that their having as a colostrum
00:22:43.96\00:22:46.86
where that builds the
immune system and if the child
00:22:46.90\00:22:49.86
doesn't have that, that's
when the immunity is going is
00:22:49.90\00:22:53.34
going to struggle.
00:22:53.37\00:22:54.70
Yes and even if
they could do that much,
00:22:54.74\00:22:56.10
like any amount, is going to
be better than nothing at all.
00:22:56.14\00:23:00.08
But all of these things we
talk about that are going to be
00:23:00.11\00:23:04.28
helpful - they obviously
involve change and that can be
00:23:04.31\00:23:08.02
a bit of a
challenge and we always just
00:23:08.05\00:23:09.38
have a little mention of that.
00:23:09.42\00:23:10.75
I came across this gorgeous
quote, it's a Chinese proverb,
00:23:10.79\00:23:14.52
and it said, "When the winds
of change blow, some people
00:23:14.59\00:23:18.39
build walls and others build
windmills," and I love that!
00:23:18.43\00:23:23.13
I really think that's
tremendous and so I guess
00:23:23.16\00:23:25.50
there's some people out
there thinking maybe that you
00:23:25.53\00:23:28.77
already got some walls going
up or maybe you're thinking,
00:23:28.80\00:23:31.77
"Yes! Yes, I'm going to try
that, I'm going to do more."
00:23:31.81\00:23:35.74
And I hope that you are
because it's a good opportunity
00:23:35.78\00:23:39.91
to be motivated to do that.
00:23:39.95\00:23:41.98
Yes it is and this is where
change... again that's what I
00:23:42.02\00:23:45.45
do, I help people
bring about change. Yes!
00:23:45.49\00:23:47.96
And that's huge because I think
change is something we usually
00:23:47.99\00:23:52.39
need help with.
00:23:52.43\00:23:53.76
And some people
resist it more than others.
00:23:54.46\00:23:56.90
They do and that's
part of the personality.
00:23:56.93\00:23:58.53
That's part of the personality.
00:23:58.57\00:24:00.04
But I encourage people if
they're struggling to change,
00:24:00.07\00:24:02.54
to get help, whether it be
professional or read a book,
00:24:02.57\00:24:05.74
or find information.
00:24:05.77\00:24:07.11
Or all of the above because
it is not an easy thing to do.
00:24:07.14\00:24:11.98
We can be very motivated at
a certain time and then that
00:24:12.01\00:24:15.28
can just go down and
that's where the support
00:24:15.32\00:24:17.65
needs to come in.
Yeah, I totally agree.
00:24:17.69\00:24:20.22
And change is important,
we have the saying that,
00:24:20.69\00:24:24.39
"Craziness is doing the
same thing over and over again,
00:24:24.43\00:24:29.03
and expecting different
results!" That's right!
00:24:29.06\00:24:32.20
Yeah, and so
change is inevitable.
00:24:32.23\00:24:34.24
People who don't change
or can't change or really
00:24:34.27\00:24:37.17
won't change because it
is a choice, have much higher
00:24:37.21\00:24:39.61
stress levels than
people who can go with the flow
00:24:39.64\00:24:42.54
or initiate change more easily.
00:24:42.58\00:24:44.98
So people who are
really stuck where they are,
00:24:45.01\00:24:48.05
are you saying
that's a stressful thing?
00:24:48.52\00:24:49.85
Yeah, they have a lot of
adrenalin, a lot of cortisol
00:24:49.88\00:24:51.65
because they're fighting change
00:24:51.69\00:24:53.05
and they're very threatened
by change and it's usually
00:24:53.09\00:24:55.56
underpinned by their insecurity
00:24:55.59\00:24:57.49
which often starts
at a very early age,
00:24:57.53\00:24:59.79
so that's where, again, I
help people to start to feel
00:24:59.83\00:25:02.66
secure that they can face change
00:25:02.70\00:25:04.30
and it's not
such a threat to them.
00:25:04.33\00:25:05.87
Oh I wouldn't have
actually realized that.
00:25:05.93\00:25:07.57
I thought people who
stayed put, they're not changing
00:25:07.60\00:25:09.70
so they are not going through
the stress but you say they are.
00:25:09.74\00:25:12.34
It's actually
worse. That's interesting.
00:25:12.37\00:25:13.91
It is, isn't it?
That's interesting.
00:25:13.94\00:25:15.28
I'll be more
sympathetic to someone
00:25:15.31\00:25:16.88
I know who is very
stuck, no change, no change
00:25:16.91\00:25:24.89
because they're going
through more stress than
00:25:24.92\00:25:28.76
maybe people who...
00:25:28.79\00:25:30.13
Well they are, they're
going through a lot of stress
00:25:30.16\00:25:31.79
at that point of time.
00:25:31.83\00:25:34.40
And people need to learn
that - they're stuck in one
00:25:34.43\00:25:38.00
mode because of
what's happened to them,
00:25:38.03\00:25:39.93
and, you know, they fear change.
00:25:39.97\00:25:41.94
And they must maintain
the status quo, that seems to
00:25:41.97\00:25:45.57
be their main goal in life.
00:25:45.61\00:25:48.34
And while they're remaining
fixed and not changing,
00:25:48.38\00:25:51.45
there is nothing
else that isn't changing.
00:25:51.48\00:25:54.15
That's right.
Yeah, everything changes,
00:25:54.18\00:25:55.98
our life changes constantly
and we have to learn to
00:25:56.02\00:25:58.75
deal with that.
00:25:58.79\00:26:00.59
Now one change that people could
make is "eat an apple a day."
00:26:00.62\00:26:04.63
Yes! Yes! And that's not
good for your business though!
00:26:04.66\00:26:08.80
Like keeping the doctor away!
00:26:08.83\00:26:13.00
And studies of people
who eat an apple a day
00:26:13.03\00:26:15.47
show they do get fewer
lung diseases, their lungs work
00:26:15.50\00:26:18.94
better for breathing,
they actually breathe an extra
00:26:18.97\00:26:22.34
150 milliliters of air with
every breath and it cuts down
00:26:22.38\00:26:26.68
on the number of
viruses that they get.
00:26:26.72\00:26:28.98
How much extra air?
00:26:29.02\00:26:30.35
One-hundred and
fifty (150) milliliters
00:26:30.39\00:26:31.82
of air with every breath.
00:26:31.85\00:26:33.19
So we worked out that
was just over a half a cup.
00:26:33.22\00:26:36.06
That's a lot of
more volume isn't it?
00:26:36.09\00:26:38.79
Just because you're
eating an apple a day...
00:26:41.06\00:26:43.30
did you say? An apple a day!
00:26:43.33\00:26:45.03
And then you have more oxygen
to the brain, more capacity...
00:26:45.07\00:26:49.84
Nutrients. Yes
and they're valuable.
00:26:49.87\00:26:51.21
They're finding out more
and more now about apples
00:26:51.24\00:26:54.14
scientifically, and it really is
00:26:54.18\00:26:56.08
"An apple a day
keeps the doctor away."
00:26:56.11\00:26:57.81
I wonder how they
knew it right back then?
00:26:57.85\00:26:59.51
I wonder how because
that's such an old saying,
00:26:59.55\00:27:01.98
"An apple a day keeps the
doctor away." And it's true!
00:27:02.02\00:27:03.55
And they're really
finding out more and more
00:27:04.15\00:27:06.09
that there is a tremendous
amount of truth in that.
00:27:06.12\00:27:09.42
And with the immune
system, what we're looking at
00:27:09.46\00:27:11.29
is that it increases the number
of natural killer cells. Okay.
00:27:11.33\00:27:14.86
And it's got phytochemicals
like quercetin that actually
00:27:14.90\00:27:18.63
work as virus
suppressors so they don't
00:27:18.67\00:27:24.47
multiply so much in the cells.
00:27:24.64\00:27:26.47
That's interesting,
isn't it? Yeah, excellent.
00:27:26.51\00:27:30.25
Well we've covered some
really good things today;
00:27:30.28\00:27:32.61
things that work for us
and then there are things
00:27:32.65\00:27:35.58
that work against us. Yes.
00:27:35.62\00:27:37.12
So it would be really
good if we could encourage
00:27:37.15\00:27:40.46
our viewing audience and our
listeners to (embrace change)
00:27:40.49\00:27:46.13
take on something!
Yes, embrace change,
00:27:47.10\00:27:48.80
and think of at least one thing
00:27:48.83\00:27:50.70
that would
actually work for them.
00:27:50.73\00:27:52.90
And so we'll wrap
up our program today,
00:27:52.93\00:27:55.30
and if you'd like a fact
sheet of what we've talked about
00:27:55.34\00:27:57.77
or you'd like to watch
our programs on demand,
00:27:57.81\00:28:00.64
visit our website:
3abnaustralia.org.au
00:28:00.68\00:28:06.05
and then you just
click on the watch button.
00:28:06.08\00:28:09.78
And John and Jenifer
are happy to answer your
00:28:09.82\00:28:12.82
questions personally -
we've probably haven't covered
00:28:12.85\00:28:15.19
everything you'd like to
know or there might be another
00:28:15.22\00:28:17.13
thing, you know, on another
topic, so you can email them at:
00:28:17.16\00:28:20.96
healthyliving@3abnaustralia.org
.au
00:28:21.00\00:28:25.40
and we look forward to
having you join us next time
00:28:25.43\00:28:27.94
on "Healthy Living"
because we have many topics
00:28:27.97\00:28:30.44
to discuss and we hope that
will be very helpful to you.
00:28:30.47\00:28:33.91