Emergen-C is an over-the-counter dietary supplement manufactured by Alacer Corp., which was founded in 1972. Alacer Corp. began the Emergen-C product line in 1978, marketing it as a supplement to support a healthy immune system.

Is there a miracle cure for your back aches lurking in your lunch? Or can your daily snack help you perform better in the gym? Whether they’re foods that fight pain, odd practices that combat disease or just unexpected dietary tricks that can deliver results, here are 10 health hacks that are just crazy enough to work.

The toxic burden from radiation and chemotherapy can compromise or destroy the immune system. If you're undergoing chemotherapy, it's essential you not suffer nutritional deficiencies and to eat foods that bolster your immune system, rather than tax it with more toxic buildup.

Protease enzymes break down or change the composition of proteins or peptides. In addition to being important to the process of digestion and metabolism, some protease enzymes are thought to improve inflammation and strengthen the immune system, according to New York University Langone Medical Center.

Lumpfish caviar is one of the less costly types of caviar, a delicacy made of salted fish eggs. The lumpfish is a thick-skinned, lumpy cold-water fish found mostly in the North Pacific, but also in the North Atlantic and Arctic oceans. Fish eggs, called roe, have important nutrients.

Herpes is a virus that can result in blisters and sores appearing on mucus membranes. Herpes typically affects either the mouth or the genitalia. Herpes usually causes its first outbreak shortly after infection, but the virus is never completely eliminated by the body, which allows it to cause additional outbreaks.

Concerns about over prescription of antibiotics are not new. In 2000, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a warning about overusing antibiotics. In November 2010, the organization urged consumers to learn about the proper use of antibiotics.

The thymus is a vital organ for the proper development of the immune system of newborns. With the immune system compromised, newborns with a dysfunctional or non-working thymus are prone to infections and disease. As you age, the thymus reduces in size and becomes weaker.

Most people associate black caviar with swanky parties and champagne, but it's much more than just a cocktail party cracker topping. Black caviar is simply sturgeon roe -- or fish eggs -- tiny little balls that contain contain vitamins and minerals that nourish the unborn fish.

When the immune system works perfectly, antibodies travel throughout our body to kill off germs and other foreign substances. Usually this system knows the difference between good and bad, killing off only the bad particles.

Human papillomavirus, or HPV, is a virus that causes warts. The most common kind is genital HPV, and at least half of sexually active men and women contract it at some point in their lives, says the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

C-ANCA and p-ANCA are two tests used in the diagnosis and evaluation of rheumatologic diseases. These conditions often result from a dysfunction in the immune system, which triggers an attack on certain tissues in the body that it mistakes as foreign or invading microorganisms or poisons.