Boosting your immunity, expert offers a few tips

Photo provided

NewsUSA - The recent pandemic highlighted the importance of keeping your immune system strong and healthy. According to Leonard A. Farber, MD, a healthcare executive and expert in emerging technologies and their impact on public health, a weak immune system increases your risk not only for developing illness, but an even more severe case if you do become ill with something such as COVID, says Dr. Farber, who also serves as a spokesperson for nutritional supplement manufacturer Quadramune.

Fortunately, there are many ways the average person can strengthen his or her immune system. In many cases, following the obvious and well-known advice to get enough sleep, eat a healthy diet, and exercise regularly can help boost your immune system. Other factors include avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, and incorporating ways to relieve stress, such as with yoga, tai chi, or other mindfulness-related activities.

In addition, the right nutritional supplements can play an important role in reducing inflammation in the body and supporting a healthy immune system, says Dr. Farber. “At early stages, our bodies’ inflammatory response can fight off infection as well as play an integral role in injury repair. When inflammatory cells reach an unhealthy level such as in chronic inflammation, they can trigger your body’s immune system to attack healthy tissues and organs,” Dr. Farber explains.

Nutritional supplements, such as those developed by Quadramune, are designed to help keep the immune system in balance. Anti-inflammatory foods such as salmon, tofu, walnuts, grapes, and olive oil can have a positive effect on the immune system, and many of the active ingredients in these foods are actually found in Quadramune supplements.

The Quadramune supplements provide the benefits of infection-fighting power and protection against chronic inflammation, according to the company website. Several key ingredients in Quadramune supplements include:

Pterostilbene. A natural dietary compound that has shown antioxidant activity and inflammatory properties.

Epigallocatechin gallate. This powerful antioxidant plant compound boasts antioxidant properties and potential ability to help protect the lungs and promote healthy T cell activity.

Sulphoraphane. This natural plant compound has been shown to help reduce inflammation, which may help protect your lungs and reduce your vulnerability to respiratory infections.

Thymoquinone: phytochemical compound found in the plant Nigella sativa. This active ingredient is chemically related to hydroxychloroquine, but with no prescription needed. It has demonstrated to stimulate natural killer (NK) cells which are antiviral, and is a potential antiviral itself based on its mechanistic effects on cells.

This combination of ingredients “can be immune stimulating or boosting and preventative of an unhealthy immune response,” says Dr. Farber. “This allows the body a better chance not only to fight the onset of an infection or inflammatory reaction but also to lessen the severity of certain illnesses, especially those that are inflammatory-based in nature,” he adds.

For more information, visit buyquadramune.com.

---

Save $$$ - Solid tip on how to avoid high-cost smartphone repair bill

Photo: Militiamobiles/Pixabay

---

StatePoint Media - From listening to music to watching movies, connecting with family to counting steps, Americans say in a new study that they depend on their smartphones like never before. And they are putting their money where their mouth is. The amount of money they spent on screen repairs surged to $8.3 billion in 2023, nearly tripling the amount spent in 2018 ($3.4 billion).

In its latest Mobile Mythconceptions Survey, Allstate Protection Plans found that despite the rising amount spent on smartphone repair, Americans are actually damaging their devices less frequently. In the past 12 months, 78 million Americans reported damaging a device compared to 87 million during a comparable period in 2020.

Cost Conscious Consumers
Last year, the three most frequent accidents and malfunctions reported were: damaged screens (67%), Wi-Fi or connectivity issues (28%) and touchscreen problems (24%).

Philipp Zurawski/Pixabay

---

When Americans do damage their phones, repair costs remain a significant concern for many. In fact, 49% of Americans would not repair a damaged smartphone that still functions due to the high costs involved. This could be in part due to sticker shock and misconceptions around the cost of smartphone ownership. The survey found that the average cost for repairs and replacements is now $302, yet 47% of Americans think repairs cost $150 or less. The top reason given by respondents who have damaged a smartphone for avoiding or delaying repairs was the cost, with 39% saying they could not afford it.

The Race to Repair
Smartphones have taken center stage, with 45% of smartphone owners spending five or more hours a day glued to their screens and the overwhelming majority saying their phone has completely replaced their digital camera. So it’s no surprise that despite cost concerns, many American smartphone owners don’t delay when dealing with damage, with 27% saying they would initiate screen repairs within a day due to the importance of their phones in everyday life. When it comes to broken buttons, 36% say they would wait a day or less to repair their phone, 30% for damaged speakers, 29% for broken microphones and 22% for broken cameras.

The good news? With a high-quality case, you can help prevent damage, and with a protection plan in place, you can avoid hefty out-of-pocket costs when mishaps do occur. For information on plans, which cover repair costs on everything from battery failure and cracked screens to liquid damage and touchscreen failure, and which are available to both individuals and families, visit AllstateProtectionPlans.com.

Since the introduction of the smartphone, Americans have spent $149 billion on repairs and replacements. By taking a few precautionary measures, smartphone ownership can be a much more affordable prospect.

---

Chargers' explosion defeats Sabers

CHAMPAIGN - Centennial's Lillian Daughty celebrates a goal by teammate Payton Kaiser during second-half action against visiting St. Thomas More. Kaiser finished the home match as one of four scorers in the 4-1 win over the Sabers on Monday.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

---

New bill proposed to eliminate Native American imagery and names in Illinois schools K-12

URBANA - Redskins, Indians, and Raiders might become school nicknames of the past. State Representative Maurice West (D-Rockford) submitted House Bill 5617 in February, which requires elementary and secondary schools to alter mascots, logos, or names with Native American tribes or feature Native American culture. The bill also requires Native American history taught in all Illinois elementary and high schools.

Area schools like Judah Christian, University-High, Tuscola, and Mt. Zion, would need to adopt a new logo, buy new uniforms, and retire the sale of banned gear. Schools will also be required to remove Native American imagery and logos during the next renovation or update of athletics facilities, according to the bill.

Some of the other Illinois high schools that would be affected include: Pittsfield (Saukees), Lake Forest (Scouts), Thornwood (Thunderbirds), Stockton (Blackhawks), West Aurora (Blackhawks), Bremen (Braves), Annawan (Braves), Deer Creek Mackinaw (Chiefs), Cahokia (Comanches), Morrisonville (Mohawks), Sullivan (Redskins), Casey-Westfield (Warriors), Crete-Monee (Warriors), Granite City (Warriors), Warren (Warriors), Watseka (Indians), Winnebago (Indians), Maine West (Warriors), Chicago Westinghouse (Warriors), Waubonsie Valley (Warriors), Altamont (Indians), Brimfield (Indians), Chicago Calumet (Indians), DuQuoin (Indians), Carlyle (Indians), Dakota (Indians), Lewistown (Indians), Johnston City (Indians), Pawnee (Indians), Pecatonica (Indians), Payson-Seymour (Indians), Meredosia (Indians), Minooka (Indians), Mascoutah (Indians), Marengo (Indians), Momence (Indians), Neoga (Indians), Pontiac (Indians), Sandwich (Indians), Hononegah (Indians), and Wayne City (Indians).

It is not the first time Illinois lawmakers have broached the issue. In Feb 2020, West filed HB4783, a similar bill, which died in the House in 2021. In addition to leading the effort to remove racist school mascots from Illinois schools, he was also the lead sponsor of legislation last year requiring Illinois schools to teach Native American history.

West filed the bill in February, and it was assigned to the Elementary & Secondary Education: Administration, Licensing & Charter Schools committee. Five additional representatives, including Laura Faver Dias, Angelica Guerrero-Cuellar, Michelle Mussman, Elizabeth "Lisa" Hernandez, and Anne Stava-Murray, have added their names to co-sponsor the proposed law.

If signed by the Governor, schools would have to change their mascot and nicknames by Sept. 1, 2027. The bill would also prohibit schools from selling items with banned mascots and remove banned logos from school property. At this time the bill is still in committee.

Nokomis superintendent Scott Doerr told WirePoints, "If at this time we had to make a change, especially in a short amount of time that this bill might go into effect, we're talking about maybe $100,000 for signage change, uniforms and gym floors and all the mats and things that we have."

In April of last year, the state of New York passed a law that bans the use of Native American-themed logos and mascots unless they are approved by a recognized Native American tribe. Schools that fail to obtain permission from a tribe to use such logos or imagery must change their branding by August 2024.

In Washington state, schools have been required to get permission from the nearest federally recognized tribe to use a Native American mascot since 2021. Districts that refused jeopardized receiving state funds.

Some Illinois students and school districts have already taken a proactive approach. Change is difficult and there has been pushback.

In 2019, students at Hononegah High School started a petition to change their nickname from the Indians and Lady Indians. A counter-petition was quickly started and collected more 13,000 names to keep the imagery and name. It has been four years since the initiative started, and the school's mascot tradition continues.

Minooka underwent a similar challenge to change their name from the Indians in 2020 as well. Like Honnegah, the bid failed.

There have been some successful transitions. Over a decade ago back in 2012, Aptakisic Junior High School in Buffalo Grove changed its mascot from the Indians to the Eagles.

In 2022, the Morris school board approved a measure to drop the name "Redskins" by August of 2025. Their IHSA directory page no longer list a nickname.

---