The triangle of diet, exercise, and relaxation can give your immune system a head start keeping general ill health at bay.

EAT WELL, NOT BIG

Saturated fats, sugar, and salt all contribute to a weaker immune system. For example, when you digest sugar, there is a measurable slowdown in activity by a class of white blood cells involved in the immune system. It is not long lasting-a few hours, but those who continually graze for sugar might be experiencing constant suppression. The same happen if you eat a lot of sugar at one setting: drink that Big Gulp of soda and suppress your immune system.

There are a number of publications and books that tell you exactly what nutrient you need for what part of the immune system . In a "roundtable discussion" in the Nutrition Action Healthletter, Susanna Cunningham-Rundles, associate professor of immunology at Cornell University Medical school, states that "Studies have shown that zinc helps the immune systems of the elderly. That may be because zinc is essential for the functioning of the thymic hormone, which is needed to produce T cells..."

Does this mean we should zero in on specific foods are stuff ourselves? No. The consensus of experts in the field is that any one nutrient, or any one food, may help somewhat, but the best thing you can do is develop an all-around healthy diet. Indeed, it is even possible to have too much of a good thing. For example, garlic, which in lower doses has demonstrated immune-building properties, in large doses has the opposite effect. Speaking of a study that had to be canceled, Johanna Dwyer of Tufts Medical School and School of Nutrition in Boston is quoted as saying, "Patients developed flu-like symptoms. Researchers realized it was some kind of immune response to the very large doses." Does this mean giving up garlic for colds? Of course not. Just don't take it in massive quantities.

EXERCISE

Exercise has also proven helpful to the immune system. Don't be fooled into thinking you have to become an athlete and exert maximum energy everyday. Something as simple as going for a moderate-paced walk has proven helpful. According to a study by University of North Carolina exercise physiologist David Nieman, women who walk 45 minutes a day are half as likely to catch a flu or cold bug. What's more, active women in their 70s had immune systems that were as healthy as women in their 30s and twice as healthy as more sedentary seniors.

Perhaps the biggest benefit to exercise is indirectly related to the immune system in that exercise gives you "well-worked" organs, muscle, tissue, fluids, and so on which results in healthier bodies later in life and even more years. Many different studies have shown that exercise slows down the body's deterioration. According to the figures of Fred Kasch of the Fred Kasch Exercise Physiology Lab at Sand Diego State University, aging accounts for about one-third of a body's aerobic decline. Inactivity is responsible for the remaining two-thirds. Jim Graves of the University of Florida Center for Exercise Sciences, quoted in Health says, "Exercise will prevent most age-related-deteriorations through age 60." After 60, the body does slow down, but exercise can still keep your body fit and active.

RELAX

Another important component in helping our immune system should be an easy one: relaxation. This means sleep, low stress, and a good attitude. When we sleep, our bodies recharge themselves: this means repairing tissue, healing, and fueling cells and organs up with fuel. Sleep may be the single most important thing we can do to help our immune system. Ever wonder why you catch a cold when you feel "tired and rundown"? That's why.

Stress also hurts the immune system. Indirectly, when we worry about family, jobs, friends or school, we often lose sleep and cannot relax. This means taking valuable recharge time away from our immune system. On a more technical level, recent studies have shown that stressful arguments change the level of hormones that promote or reduce immune system functions. A 1993 study demonstrated that immune function markers showed significant changes after newlywed couples had words on a sensitive topic.

Finally, feeling good about things makes a difference. Although there have long been reports of laughter helping people through illness and the like, they were often dismissed as "testimonial." Now, however, science is discovering why a healthy mental attitude bolsters the immune system. Studies have shown that components of the immune system can respond to chemical secretions by the central nervous system. White blood cells, for example, become less active in fighting infection when exposed to a neuro chemical released in response to stress. David Spiegel of the University of California, San Francisco, led a study showing that women with advanced breast cancer survived nearly twice as long if they participated in a weekly support group. Other researches have found the same results in patients with melanoma, leukemia, and lymphoma.

So, what is the secret of a healthy body, less disease, and longer life? It is something found around us and found within ourselves. It is the desire and will to eat better, exercise, and relax. That is the secret to a longer and healthier life. It's yours for the taking.