Many patients come to see us in our clinic hefting shopping bags full of supplements that they are taking.  

 

Let's look at the word "supplement."  The number one Goggle definition is "something that completes or enhances something else when added to it."  Obviously, popping mega doses of supplements is not a substitute for making lifestyle choices that support, build and maintain the immune system.  Rather, supplements "complete or enhance" your good habits.  We know the basics of good habits:  manage stress, maintain an upward focus, strive toward varied and healthy relationships, stay positive, laugh often, follow the basic rules of good nutrition and move your body regularly so your pulse rate pushes 120 beats per minute.

 

By far the best way to fill the nutritional needs that empower your immune system is through your diet.  But in cases where absorption is compromised or a clear deficiency exists, "supplementing" your diet can tilt the protective balance in your favor a bit.  Let's look at some of the more common vitamins and minerals and they part they play in immune system maintenance.

 

Selenium. Selenium stimulates the development and function of all types of white blood cells and enhances their ability to respond to bacterial and viral invaders. Selenium also works synergistically as an antioxidant with Vitamin E, A and C.  Brazil nuts are exceptionally high in selenium. Fish and shellfish, especially tuna, shrimp and sardines are also very good sources.

 

Vitamin A.  Nicknamed "the anti-infective" vitamin.  Vitamin A plays a role in infection by maintaining the immunological integrity of mucosal surfaces. Vitamin A deficiency is associated with impaired immunity and increased risk of infectious disease.  Sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach, kale and other dark green leafy veggies are all contain high amounts of Vitamin A.

 

Vitamin B2. Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) enhances the immune system by reinforcing the body's reserve of antibodies, which guard against infection.  Soybeans, spinach, tempeh, yogurt, mushrooms eggs and asparagus are excellent food sources.

 

Vitamin B6. Several studies have suggested that a vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) deficiency can depress the white blood cells' ability to mature into specific immunological cells. Supplementing with moderate doses to address the deficiency restores immune function, but megadoses don't produce additional benefits. Some animal studies have also shown a link between vitamin B6 deficiency and decreased antibody production.  Vitamin B6 is high in tuna, turkey, beef, chicken and salmon.  Vegetarian sources include sweet potatoes, sunflower seeds, spinach and bananas. 

 

Vitamin C. Vitamin C has been long recognized as an important nutrient for the immune system and is used intravenously in our clinic to boost immune function in severe chronic illnesses like cancer. Vitamin C is vital in the production of white blood cells that defend the body against both infection and toxins. Vitamin C also plays a role in generating a protein called interferon, which is released from cells in response to the presence of viruses or bacteria.  Good sources of vitamin C include papayas, bell peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, strawberries, oranges and kiwi fruit.

 

Vitamin D. Vitamin D, which is produced by the skin when exposed to sunlight, signals an antimicrobial response to certain bacteria.  Vitamin D could rightly be described as a "miracle nutrient" for your immune system, as it enables your body to produce well over 200 antimicrobial peptides (amino acid compounds), which are indispensable in fighting off a wide range of infections.  Salmon, sardines, tuna, eggs and mushrooms all contain Vitamin D.

 

Vitamin E. Vitamin E is another important nutrient that stimulates the production of B-cells, a type of white blood cell that destroys bacteria in the body. Foods rich in vitamin E include nuts, seeds, vegetable oils, spinach, spinach, chard, avocados, asparagus and whole grains. 

 

Zinc. Zinc is a trace element essential for cells of the immune system. Zinc deficiency affects the ability of T cells and other immune cells to function as they should. Caution: While it's important to have sufficient zinc in your diet (15-25 mg per day), too much zinc can actually inhibit the function of the immune system.  Beef, lamb, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, lentils, garbanzo beans, cashews and quinoa contain excellent amounts of zinc.

 

Yes, there are other nutrients and herbs not covered above that support the immune system, but these are the main players.  Make conscious food choices and eat slowly and only when relaxed and your immune system will be happy.

 

When a patient complains of a poorly functioning immune system, they are most often speaking of an underactive immune system. They will generally provide a history of having been ill again and again, and of having recovered slowly or incompletely. Or they may provide a history of having been horribly ill, with a high fever and a multitude of symptoms.

 

Our perspective, as naturopathic doctors, is admittedly not conventional. In the first place, we always consider that there are two major factors at work in illness.  The first is the virulence of the organism, and the second is the receptivity of the host. A dramatic response to a virulent organism is actually reflective of a very good immune system.  Fever fights microbes. Little children may spike a very high fever in response to a bug, and be just fine two days later, while the mom (who didn't have the resources to spike a fever) may be ill for days. The child in this case has the better immune system.

 

When children, or adults, are ill again and again, we consider underlying causes. Suboptimal thyroid function or low vitamin D, or a deficiency of iron, B12 or folic acid specifically predispose towards illness. Other missing nutrients, such as zinc and selenium also play a part. We may therefore test with conventional laboratory testing, or with intracellular nutrient testing to find what the immune system may be lacking. In the face of maldigestion or malabsorption, we may recommend I.V. nutrients to deliver needed nutrients directly to the cell.

 

Bad lifestyle habits compound the problem. Sugar, for example, depresses the white blood cell count. After Easter or Halloween, children are not ill because the air is filled with more bugs at that time, but rather because their white count has no way to recover as they bombard it hour after hour with sugary junk foods.

 

Dr. Marcel and I worked for a time at an insurance company which developed a wellness based phone line for clients. During the annual flu shot campaign, we refused the flu shots and gathered a group of employees interested in supporting their immune systems, rather than taking the flu shots. Our follow up statistics showed that our group had far fewer sick days, and fewer cases of the flu.  It is always better to prevent a problem before it occurs than to wait until you have to overcome it.

 

If you do need to overcome an illness, there are many tools available to support the immune system. We use thymic protein to support the function of the thymus gland, other nutrients and botanicals to increase Natural Killer Cell function, I.V. Vitamin C as an antiviral, hot and cold contrast therapies to bring immune response to the area of the body affected by disease, and energy medicine to balance underlying energetic issues.

 

When the concern is an overactive immune system, there are a multitude of other factors to consider. The over-reactivity of the immune system may result in autoimmunity. Autoimmunity often occurs at a time of major stress or major transition in a person's life. High cortisol, major hormonal change, use of antibiotics, and gastrointestinal illnesses all disrupt the lining of the gut. As the gut lining becomes permeable, larger particles of food pass through than should pass through. The immune system recognizes these particles as not self, starts defending against these particles, and the person develops food sensitivities. Cross reactivity occurs, and the body starts fighting itself.

 

All of the above need to be considered in treating the autoimmune process. In addition, we address the aberrant cell signaling mechanisms that are telling the immune system to attack what it shouldn't attack.  For us, as naturopaths, autoimmune thyroid disease is not simply a thyroid disease, inflammatory bowel disease is not simply a digestive disorder, and rheumatoid arthritis is not simply a joint disorder. These conditions are autoimmune conditions, and must be addressed both in terms of autoimmunity and in terms of the body system which has been affected.

 

So many other things play into immune system function.... from environmental influences to social influences, from laughter to love to purpose. We attempt, as naturopaths, to uncover and work with the dominant influences on the immune functioning of each individual patient.

   

 

 

Over the years, I have become more aware of my body and how it feels with different foods, with exercise, with rest and with stress. 

 

One of the things I often notice is the shifts in how I feel after consuming large amounts of sugar. I often feel extremely tired about half an hour to an hour after a high carbohydrate load. I experience flare-ups of other symptoms I may be having at that point in time. If I am having joint pain, the joint pain increases after eating sugar. If I am already feeling rundown, I get sick more easily.

 

How does sugar cause all these changes in my body?

 

We all know about the sugar rush we get when we consume sugar, and the crash that soon follows. But what of the symptom flare-ups and the tendency to get sick more easily? These point to the effects of sugar on the immune system. Excess sugar increases inflammation and depresses immunity. The increase in inflammation in the body can lead to aches and pains in muscles and joints.

 

Studies have shown that downing 75 to 100 grams of a sugar solution (about 20 teaspoons of sugar, or the amount that is contained in two average 12-ounce sodas) causes a 50% drop in the ability of white blood cells to engulf bacteria and fight against them. This can start happening as quickly as half an hour post-ingestion. The immune suppression peaks at 2 hours, but the effect can last up to 5 hours after a sugar binge.

 

As stress also suppresses immunity, if I am under stress or not sleeping well and not restoring my body, the sugar in my diet is added ammo for my body to weaken. So how much sugar should we be limiting ourselves to in a day?

 

The answer is that we should eat as little sugar as possible. The American Heart Association guidelines are far more liberal, allowing up to 9 teaspoons  (150 calories or 37.5 grams) of sugar for men and 6 (100 calories or 25 grams) for women. These guidelines may offer a clue as to why diabetes and heart disease are such a problem in our culture. Note that one soda has over 40 grams of sugar!!!

 

To maintain a healthy immune system and optimal health, it is best to limit not just sugar in the form of baked goods, candies, and other obvious sweets, but also soft drinks, fruit juices, dried fruits and processed foods in general. 

 

 

 

  

Dr. Corrine Wang volunteers at the Stanford Cancer Care Center on the Reiki Team for staff and for patients.

    

 

 

 

I have come to realize the true magnitude of this concept of balance; a theme that is constantly present.  Considering a grander scheme, balance is referred to as homeostasis by Western scientists; in ancient Chinese philosophy, balance takes center stage with the concept of yin and yang.  Also, the Doshas as referred to in Ayurveda, which associate the balance of three elements (Vata, Pitta, and Kapha) with optimal health.  From a medical standpoint, an energetic standpoint, or

What a concept: being best friends forever with your immune system. We live in a time when, increasingly, people are suffering from immune system related conditions which are not communicable and appear to lack any specific microbial cause. Doctors have understood for years that chronic stress in our lives can trigger a wide variety of immune system disorders, including allergies, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, eczema, multiple sclerosis, lupus, type one diabetes, and many other conditions.

 

Though these conditions are very different, they have one thing in common: all are the result of mistaken identity by the immune system. Simply put, it attacks the wrong enemy. Instead of only attacking the dangerous microorganisms that actually endanger our lives, the white blood cells and chemical barriers of the immune system engage in battle with harmless pollens or food proteins, or on the very cells of our bodies. You may have noted that this list of conditions is increasing in western countries and it's quite common now for many of us to suffer from one or more of these conditions.

 

So, what can we do to help ourselves?

 

Researchers from various universities have determined that hypnotherapy and EFT can help prevent the immune system from weakening due to stress. They show that negative emotions, inner conflicts and limiting beliefs play a significant role in the development of stress-related illnesses.  And there are other studies which demonstrate that positive thinking, a self-empowered attitude and optimistic beliefs stimulate and enhance the healing process.

 

So why not start to develop a deeper relationship with your immune system? Why not remove negative blocks and achieve profound change, healing and self-empowerment? This is where working with the subconscious mind becomes so important.

 

For people who worry a lot, are anxious, or are easily distracted, hypnosis and EFT help them calm down and get to the root of their distress so that their immune system is not stressed and weakened. When hypnosis is induced in a person, relaxation techniques are used. Hypnosis acts to increase positive thinking through suggestion while using relaxation techniques to decrease stress. EFT (Tapping) releases high stress reactions within minutes of tapping so that you can get to the core issues that are causing the negative feelings and reactions.

 

Maybe it's time to deal more effectively with the stresses in your life in order to eliminate these processes and the symptoms that result from them. Please feel free to call me and I can explain more about how you can be helped.