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Immune System Health

There is so much important knowledge continually unfolding in the world of health. It's exciting for me to be able to share this knowledge with you online. This update focuses on immune health -- a good topic for cold and flu season, but also a critically important topic, as we increase in years. The following is background information, an explanation of what happens to the immune system as we age, what causes it to age more rapidly, recommendations for tests to find out if you are at risk, and nutritional solutions.

Our immune system basically has two branches: one for cell mediated immune responses (TH1) and the other for humoral or all over response (TH 2). To simplify, TH1 immune cells protect us against cancer and infection and TH 2 cells react against self. You might wonder why a part of our immune system attacks itself, and that would be a good question. Think about our cells as they get old and worn out. Wouldn't it be helpful if our body had a clean up crew to eliminate those cells so they could be replaced with new and healthy cells? That's the job of the TH 2 cells - to get rid of cells that don't do their job anymore.

TH 1 and 2 cells are both vitally important but need to be in the right balance to keep our bodies happily humming. As we age, their balance becomes more and more disrupted. The number of TH 1 cells decrease as the number of TH 2 cells increase. Sadly, some of us develop an imbalance in our younger years. At any time of our lives however, it's possible to reverse the trend and gain better health.

What causes or aggravates this imbalance? You may have guessed at some of these:

1. Toxins from the environment
2. Food allergies or sensitivities
3. Chronic infection

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Let's explore each of these individually.

Toxins from the environment damage us in three ways. They cause oxidative damage to our cells, rendering them unable to do their jobs. They may also bind to our cells. When our body destroys them, the cells to which they are bound get damaged as well. And finally, they may mimic our cells, so that when our body goes after them, it ends up going after our own cells too. Our endocrine or hormone secreting glands are particularly sensitive to this kind of damage. The hormone related problems that too many women suffer with at peri-menopause or menopause, the destruction of pancreatic cells that causes diabetes, and the increase in sex related cancers - prostate, breast, uterus, etc. may be related to your heavy metal burden. Silver fillings in your mouth, the toxic air that you breathe, the chemicals in your water - that are not even identified by the EPA as toxins (therefore, they are not removed from your family's drinking water) and the pesticides, fungicides and herbicides that are sprayed on the food you eat, are slowly or quickly killing you. Forgive me if I sound impassioned; I am.

Foods that we are allergic to, or sensitive to, can't hurt us if we don't eat them. But, how can we know what foods cause problems for us? If we know, how can we develop strategies to eliminate them, when everything inside us is saying we can't live without that food, or those around us keep leading us down the path of temptation to eat them?

Chronic infection may be overt, like the chronic bladder or yeast infections we have to deal with all too often. Or, they may be hidden in our gut, or in abscesses in our mouth. Those who have root canals are frequently harboring bad bugs in the cavities drilled into their jaws to make way for the artificial tooth implant. We may not know the gas, bloating, constipation and/or diarrhea or loose stools that we experience are coming from bad bugs disrupting the healthy balance of our GI tract.

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Tests to uncover these problems are varied. Hair mineral analysis helps us find out if we have been exposed to toxic metals. It is an inexpensive test, (about $52) and all that's needed is a sample of hair from the base of your skull. Once it's determined that you are harboring toxic metals, there are a number of therapeutic methods for eliminating these damaging toxins including Mercury Detox, Garlic, Calcium, Zinc and Chlorella.

Food allergies and sensitivities can be determined through a number of different methods. The easiest and most accurate involves evaluating a sample of your blood for IgG antibody reactions to 90 different foods. Elimination/provocation testing, in which you eliminate the most common allergens: dairy, wheat, beef, oranges, peanuts, eggs, soy, and chocolate, for 4 weeks and then adding them back into your diet, one at a time, to see what you might be reacting to, is also an effective means of determining sensitivities. However, this often means a radical change to most people's food plans, and takes a lot of time to get the answers. The IgG test costs $180 for the evaluation and report and whatever the cost of the blood draw charged by the lab that takes the sample. Elimination/provocation costs nothing but the price of the food, and your time and patience.

Food sensitivities are most effectively treated by a period of abstinence, and moderation once the foods are added back, if you've had no problem with reintroducing them. But chances are the digestive system and adrenals are compromised in those that have these types of health challenges. Digestive enzymes such as UltraGest and Vegizyme and adrenal supplements such as EnerChi, Bio Adrenal, Phytisone, and #24 Adrenal Plus help your adrenal glands to heal.

Chronic infections in the teeth may be revealed with dental x-rays. Infections in the gut may be evaluated with stool analysis or with the Organix urine test. A trained dentist must treat dental abscesses. Gut infections and bladder or yeast infections can be treated with a number of different herbal preparations and, of course, with prescription drugs recommended by your medical provider. Herbally, you may treat infection with Herbal Biotic, Parabiotic, Can-D-Tox, Viracon, and Garlic 7000.

If you suspect that any of these conditions may be interfering with your immune health or making you too old, too quickly, please call for a consultation and possible testing so that we may best determine how to move you in the direction of health and well being.