Mercury (Hg) has long been recognized as a neurotoxicant; however, recent work in animal models has also implicated Hg as an immunotoxicant. While there is presently no evidence to suggest that Hg induces frank autoimmune disease (AD) in humans. But the scientific evidence is mounting that Hg can be a co-factor in autoimmune disease by increasing the risks and severity of AD in the presence of other triggering events, either genetic or acquired.[1] Also, some studies have demonstrated a link between occupational Hg exposure and AD.[1,2,3]
In this article, we will discuss:
How do we come in contact with Hg?
How to avoid it?
How Do We Come in Contact with Mercury (Hg)?
Exposure to Hg varies among different people, but it is widespread because there are several ways you can come in contact with it:[4]
Hg is found in dental amalgam (also called silver fillings), cosmetics, pesticides, and some vaccines.[5]
Amalgam, which has been in use in dentistry for 150 years, consists of 50 % elemental Hg and a mixture of silver, tin, copper and zinc.[7]
High levels of exposure may also occur with the use of skin lightening creams that contain Hg.
As a pollutant which is released into the air from many factories, especially those that burn coal.
It then enters our environment and eventually our food supplies (hint: tuna and swordfish).
Inorganic Hg can be inhaled from breathing in mercury vapors.
Occupational exposure to Hg occurs in gold mining and in the factory process for purifying and making chlorine.
Hg can enter our bodies or blood streams in two forms:
Mercury vapors
Dental amalgam is the major source of mercury vapor exposure
Studies have shown a direct correlation between the number of amalgam fillings and mercury concentration in the blood and urine.[5]
In the body, inhaled inorganic mercury from breathing in mercury vapors can accumulate in and have toxic effects on the nervous system and kidneys
Mercury vapors can cross over the blood-brain barrier very easily and accumulate in the brain
Methylmercury
Methylmercury exposure is almost exclusively from seafood such as tuna and swordfish.
In a recent study, EWG found that almost 30 percent of their participants—who eat at least two meals of seafood, fish or shellfish every week —had too much mercury exposure according to Environmental Protection Agency guidelines for pregnant women.[13]
Research has shown a direct correlation between the amount of fish consumed and methylercury levels in the blood and hair.
This type of mercury is toxic to the brain but doesn't cross over the blood-brain barrier as easily as the inorganic variety; instead, it accumulates in other tissues of the body.
When you measure blood levels of mercury, if they are elevated, it is usually from methymercury.
All forms of Hg, once inside your cells, create free radicals, which are molecules that damage enzyme activity, cell membranes, and your DNA (the genetic code inside the cells). Also, pregnant women be warned that:
Both forms of mercury pass easily through the placenta from a mother to your unborn child
Research has shown that methylmercury is absorbed into the placenta and stored in the fetal brain in concentrations that exceed maternal blood levels
Figure 1. 70% of the global salmon market is farm raised (photo: Barron's)
How to Avoid Mercury?
As we know there are different sources and forms for our Hg exposure, now let's get down to the business—How do we avoid it? As discussed in [4], here are Dr. Blum's recommendations:
Dental amalgam
If you have cavities with silver fillings, then make a plan with your dentist to remove all of them.
See [9] for the instructions of safe removal.
Fish
If you eat lots of fish, choose the less-mercury kind.
Check out [10] to see what fish to eat and what to avoid. For example, you should avoid tuna, swordfish, and Chilean sea bass.
Occupational exposure
Fairly strong associations were seen with self-reported occupational exposure to mercury and among dental workers.[2] So, you should wear quality surgical mask for the protection.
Pregnant women
You should avoid eating high-mercury fish. To get neededomega-3 fatty acid, you can take mercury-free fish oil supplements.[11]
Note that the health impacts are highly dependent on:
Which form of mercury you're exposed to
Your level of genetic vulnerability to toxins
If you have suffered any AD,[3] go ahead and buy a copy of Dr. Blum's book[4] to learn how to recover your immune system.[12]
Popular pesticides are causing bird species to decline at an alarming
rate in the US, adding fuel to a 50-year downward trend in bird
biodiversity, a new report has found.[49]
A pesticide is any substance used to control pests (i.e., insects, vegetation, fungi, etc).[1]Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved roughly 11,000 pesticides intended for use in agriculture, inside homes, on lawns, in hand soaps, on clothing and other consumer goods.[2-4]
Most pesticides control the pests by poisoning them.[25] In the namesake of protecting our foods, we have almost wiped insects, birds, and other animals out of existence. In an NPR report, it has found that we are so successful in controlling pests that we can see only cornstalks in Iowa corn fields, but nothing else, not even a bee.[5-7,40]
Unfortunately, pesticides can be poisonous to humans as well. Some are very poisonous, or toxic, and may seriously injure or even kill humans. Others are relatively non-toxic. In this article, we will cover what are the harms that pesticides can bring us.
Potential Dangers of Pesticides
Speaking the least, pesticides can irritate the skin, eyes, nose, or mouth. In addition, exposure to them may result in the following:[1, 8-15]
Reproductive effects
Effects on the reproductive system or on the ability to produce healthy offspring
Teratogenic effects
Effects on unborn offspring, such as birth defects
Carcinogenic effect
Produces cancer in living animal tissues
Chemicals used in agriculture could be responsible for the high incidence of cancer in farm workers such as cancers of the lip, stomach, brain, prostate, connective tissue, lymphatic, and hematopoietic system.
Oncogenic effects
Tumor-forming effects (not necessarily cancerous)
Mutagenic effects
Permanent effects on genetic material that can be inherited.
Neurotoxicity
Poisoning of the nervous system, including the brain
Researche have asserted a connection between exposure to high levels of pesticides and the development of ADHD[45]
Immunosuppression
Blocking of natural responses of the immune system responsible for protecting the body
Although the answers are still not clear, the scientific evidence is quickly mounting that pesticide use is associated with the development of serious adverse health effects. One mechanism that pesticides can wreak havoc on our health is via DNA methylation.
DNA Methylation[16-23]
Although pesticides are subject to extensive carcinogenicity testing before regulatory approval, pesticide exposure has repeatedly been associated with various cancers. This suggests that pesticides may cause cancer via nonmutagenicity mechanisms. The present study provides evidence to support the hypothesis that pesticide-induced cancer may be mediated in part by epigenetic mechanisms.[21,47]
Epigenetics[16,44,47] is the study of heritable changes in gene activity which are not caused by changes in the DNA sequence. Examples of mechanisms that produce such changes are DNA methylation and histone modification, each of which alters how genes are expressed without altering the underlying DNA sequence.
Scientists from Northwestern University have examined seven commonly used pesticides (i.e., fonofos, parathion, terbufos, chlorpyrifos, diazinon, malathion, and phorate) in vitro and found evidence suggesting pesticides may modify gene promoter DNA methylation levels, suggesting that epigenetic mechanismsmay contribute to pesticide-induced carcinogenesis.[21]
Video 1. How to reduce toxic chemicals in your household dust (YouTube link)
Who Are the Most Vulnerable?
Pesticides are prevalent and exist in abundance in our foods and environments. For example, they have been found in the least suspected food items such as rice[27] and red wine.[28]
People exposed to higher levels of pesticides as part of their job – for example in industry or in farming - may be at slightly higher risk of certain cancers, particularly leukemia and lymphomas.[8] Besides agricultural workers and farmers, children are also vulnerable to synthetic pesticides. Their internal organs are still developing, they consume more food and drink per pound of body weight, and they spend much more time playing on floors or lawns, right where the chemicals settle and accumulate.[35] That's why AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) makes recommendations to reduce children's exposure to pesticides.[30,31]
How to Reduce Exposure to Pesticides?
Health risks of pesticide can be simply put as:
RISK = TOXICITY x EXPOSURE.
As we cannot control toxicity, we can only reduce our risk by reducing the exposure of pesticides from two sources:
Foods
Environments.
To reduce the exposure of pesticides from foods, go get the Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce from EWG (Environmental Working Group). You can find which food items are the most dirty (i.e., loaded with more pesticides) and which items are the least dirty. For the dirtiest food items, buy organics. Also, follow the washing advice in [36] to reduce the pesticide residues on your foods (however, you cannot wash off systemic pesticides).[29]
Pesticides applied on residential lawns migrate indoors. A study by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found that residues from outdoor pesticides tracked in by pets and on people's shoes can increase the pesticide loads in carpet dust by as much as 400 times.[37] Another study shows that concentrations are often higher in house dust than in the soil that surrounds the house, even on farms.[33] Once inside homes where they're not subject to the normal degradation caused by sunlight and rain, pesticides can persist for years.
To reduce pesticide exposure from your living environment, reduce using pesticides on your lawns or gardens. Try IPM (Integrated Pest Management):[35]
Deciding what pest levels are acceptable to you
Preventing pests by working with Mother Nature
Ensuring that all the plants you want to keep are healthy
Identifying and monitoring pests
Taking control steps
Cultivating pest-repelling plants
Calling in the bug patrol:
Ladybugs
Green lacewings
Parying mantis
Syrphid flies
Bringing in birds
Maintaining and adding to diversity
Seeking out alternatives to synthetic poisons
Using biological pesticides
Also, before you step inside your house, take off shoes and leave them outdoors. If you have pets, wash their feet before let them go inside.
The direct effect of glyphosate on early mechanisms of morphogenesis in vertebrate embryos opens concerns about the clinical findings from human offspring in populations exposed to GBH in agricultural fields.
Cancer-specific epigenetic alterations were observed in 44% of CpGs, comprising both tumor hyper- and hypomethylation.
Our results provide insights into the epigenetic impact of environmental and biological agents on gastric epithelial cells, which may contribute to cancer.
Many of the methylation alterations were associated with significant changes in gene expression, suggesting that the methylation alterations may be functionally important in the development of gastic cancer.
Black raspberries inhibit colonic ulceration and, ultimately, colon cancer partly through inhibiting aberrant epigenetic events that dysregulate Wnt signaling.
There’s no way you can blast that much weed killer on GE crops without causing resistance and superweeds, which means even more toxic herbicides would eventually be needed. That of course was the exact business plan of the pesticide industry.
Most countries in modern-day Western Europe have opted out of artificially fluoridated water, dismissing the practice for what it really is: mass medication.[1,14,35] This includes: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland,[2]Scotland,[3]Iceland, and Italy. A 2003 survey of over 500 Europeans from 16 countries concluded that "the vast majority of people opposed water fluoridation".[4,32]
Mekorot, Israel's national water company also states, "In the South of the country, it is unnecessary to add fluoride because it is found naturally in the water."[5] Yes, Fluorine (F) is the 24th most abundant element in the universe and the 13th most abundant within the Earth's crust.
In this article, we will examine the positive and negative health effects of Fluorine.
What's Fluorine?
Fluorine is the lightest halogen and the most electronegative element. Fluorine doesn't hang around for long in the environment— it normally exists as negatively charged fluoride ions in combination with other elements.[15] It requires great care in handling as it is extremely reactive and poisonous. While a few plants and bacteria synthesize organofluorine poisons, fluorine has no metabolic role in mammals.
What Is "F" Used for?
The fluoride ion, when directly applied to teeth, is claimed to reduce decay based on some scientists. For this reason, it is used in toothpaste and water fluoridation, which are also recommended by U.S. Public Health Service, CDC and ADA. However, water fluoridation was materialized not really due to the true concern for the public dental health, but because the greedy businessman wanting to dump a waste by-product from the manufacturing of aluminum. Read [35] for the history of it.
What Are the Issues?
Soluble fluorides are moderately toxic. Chronic excess fluoride consumption can lead to skeletal fluorosis, (note that it's not just dental fluorosis) a disease of the bones that affects millions in Asia and Africa.[6,7] Based on a report[9] of National Research Council, it cites severe dental fluorosis (i.e., teeth appear discolored and sometimes pitted) can result from fluoride overdose. Severe dental fluorosis has been found in about 10 percent of children in communities with water fluoride concentrations at or near 4ppm.
That's why each water district tries its best to maintain an optimal fluoride level. For example, SFPUC (the San Francisco Public Utilities) has a CDHS (California Department of Health Services) approved fluoridation control range of 0.8 – 1.5 mg/L, with an optimal fluoride level of 1.0 mg/L.
However, fluoride poisoning and fluorosis are still prevalent.[6,25] The main reasons include, but not limited to:
Ingestion of fluoride-containing toothpaste[1]
Malfunction of water fluoridation equipment
It has occurred several times, including an Alaskan incident that sickened nearly 300 people and killed one.[8]
Inhalation of fluoride dusts/fumes
Use of coal as an indoor fuel source is still a common practice in China[16]
The 1783 eruption of the Laki volcano in Iceland is estimated to have killed approximately 25% of the Icelandic population, and 50–80% of livestock, as a result of fluorosis and sulfur dioxide gases.
Drinking water with naturally occurring levels of fluoride in excess of the recommended safe levels
In India, the most common cause of fluorosis is fluoride-laden water derived from deep bore wells.
Consumption of fluoride from the drinking of tea[17,25]
In Tibet, excessive consumption of poor-quality pu-erh tea is reported to cause fluorosis.
Other health risks of "F" include:[14]
Sodium fluoride can compromise cellular health and result in adverse thyroid function and adverse neurological effects.[7,13,30,31]
Fluoride was theorized to make people more docile and easy to control, and thus it was added to water supplies in occupied regions and POW camps by Nazi's.
Recommendation
We're not just getting fluoride from our tap water and tooth brushing. Bottled water often contains fluoride, as do sodas, juices, and many foods manufactured using fluoridated water. Between all of these sources, you can easily exceed the recommended dose of daily fluoride consumption (i.e., not more than 6 milligrams per day)[22] and start to see negative health effects. To avoid fluoride overdose, read [18] for the tips of getting fluoride out of water.
In [12], dentists like Dr. Cole suggest brushing teeth twice a day, for two minutes each time. If you drink tea in the morning like I do, consider reducing brushing to once a day. If you only do it once, bedtime is best, since that is when your mouth salivates less, allowing cavity-causing substances to take hold. If you skip brushing after meals, try the following alternatives:
Rinsing your mouth with water
Chewing gums
But, do avoid gums containing aspartame sweetener;[20] choose the ones containing xylitol[21]
Also, see [23] for the reasons that Dr. Mercola is against gum chewing.
Based on [36]. chew your gum not longer than 30 seconds if you do.
If you have infants in the households, try breast-feeding your kids as much as possible. If you choose feeding them with infant formula, do follow ADA's advice:
Mixing your infant formula with nonfluoridated water
Gessner, B. D.; Beller, M.; Middaugh, J. P.; Whitford, G. M. (1994). "Acute Fluoride Poisoning from a Public Water System". New England Journal of Medicine 330 (2): 95–99.
"Fluoride in Drinking Water: A Scientific Review of EPA's Standards," National Research Council, March 22, 2006.
World Health Organization. Environmental Health Criteria 227, Fluorides, Geneva: W.H.O.; 2002. p.14-6
Skeletal fluorosis is caused by prolonged intake of excessive amounts of fluoride through water, food or both. The optimum upper safe limit is not more than 6 milligrams per day.
If you don't use any filter in your water system, your body is the filter.
Most of fluorides are accumulated in your bones.
(At 43:40 mark) A combination of nutrients like Magnesium (Mg), Calcium (Ca) and Vitamin C can bind free fluoride ions and help to excrete fluoride from your body more effectively.
Fluoride replaces the hydroxyls of hydroxyapatite, thereby improving the strength of tooth enamel, but this process can also occur in other active calcifications.
Since 2006, epidemiological studies have documented six additional developmental neurotoxicants—manganese, fluoride, chlorpyrifos, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, tetrachloroethylene, and the polybrominated diphenyl ethers.
A meta-analysis of 27 cross-sectional studies of children exposed to fluoride in drinking water, mainly from China, suggests an average IQ decrement of about seven points in children exposed to raised fluoride concentrations
Is cholesterol really the bad guy? The answer is yes-and-no: it depends. In this article, we will discuss the myths and facts of cholesterol.
The Cholesterol Myth: What Really Clogs Our Arteries (YouTube link)
Is Cholesterol Really the Bad Guy?
In [1], Dr. Dwight Lundell said:
As a heart surgeon with 25 years experience, having performed over 5,000 open-heart surgeries,today is my day to right the wrong with medical and scientific fact.
In a nutshell, here are his statements:
What Was Wrong?
Heart
disease resulted from the simple fact of elevated blood cholesterol.
The only accepted therapy was prescribing medications to lower
cholesterol (hint: statins) and a diet that severely restricted fat intake.
What Is the Answer?
Inflammation
in the artery wall is the real cause of heart disease.[1,16,22,25] Without
inflammation being present in the body, there is no way that cholesterol
would accumulate in the wall of the blood vessel and cause heart
disease and strokes.
If cholesterol alone were the bad guy, then the pill named evacetrapib would be the miracle cures for most heart diseases because evacetrapib can:
Substantially raises the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol level, reduces the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level, and enhances cellular cholesterol efflux capacity
But, based on a research, it concludes that:[23]
Treatment with evacetrapib did not result in a lower rate of cardiovascular events than placebo among patients with high-risk vascular disease and the trial was terminated early because of a lack of efficacy.
Figure 1. Healthy Heart for all
What is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol[3,6] is a lipidic (or fatty), waxy steroid found in the cell membranes and transported in the blood plasma. Here are the facts of cholesterol:
Body needs cholesterol
For its structural role in the cell membrane—to maintain membrane permeability and fluidity
As a precursorfor the biosynthesis ofsteroid hormones, bile acids, vitamin D, and the adrenal gland hormonescortisol and aldosterone[4]
No cholesterol, no sex
As a precursor for synthesizing the sex hormones progesterone, estrogens, and testosterone and their derivatives.[4]
For muscle mass buildup
The research at TAMU revealed that following relatively vigorous workouts, individuals who had the most muscle mass gain also had the highest LDL cholesterol levels.[20]
For skin protection
In the skin, cholesterol is secreted by glands just below the surface to protect against dehydration and the wear and tear of sun, wind, and water.[3]
For healing wounds and protecting against infections.[5]
Almost every cell in the body manufactures cholesterol
In vertebrates, the liver typically produces greater amounts than other cells.
Even you eat foods with little cholesterol ingredients, your body will still manufacture at least 1,000 mg of pure cholesterol each day.
Figure 2. Main target organs of oxysterols during ageing and aged-related diseases
Cholesterol may act as an antioxidant[7]
It can stand in to perform an antioxidant function when certain vitamins and minerals are in low supply.
However, cholesterol is damaged in the process, and oxidized cholesterol is bad for the body.[29]
That's why getting antioxidants in a steady supply throughout the day is important. Let your vitamins and minerals protect you from free radicals so they can allow your cholesterol to play all of its other life-saving roles.
Video 1. Oxidized Cholesterol as a Cause of Alzheimer's Disease (YouTube link)
What is Inflammation?
By itself, cholesterol does not cause heart disease and stroke. Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease. It's what inflammation does to cholesterol that causes arterial plaques.[11]
Inflammation is simply our body’s natural defense to a foreign intruder (i.e., bacteria, toxin or virus).[1] The cycle of inflammation is perfect in how it protects our body from these bacterial and viral intruders. However, if we chronically expose the body to injury by toxins or western diets the human body was never designed to process, a condition occurs called chronic inflammation.
Connection between Inflammation and Plasma Fibrinogen Level
There's a strong and well-established connection between inflammation and plasma fibrinogen level.
Here's a breakdown of their relationship:[35-39]
Inflammation: When your body encounters a threat, like an infection or injury, the immune system triggers inflammation. This process involves releasing various chemicals, including cytokines, that signal the body to heal and defend itself. Fibrinogen: This is a plasma protein essential for blood clotting. It helps form a fibrin mesh that traps blood cells and platelets, stopping bleeding. The Link: During inflammation, cytokines also stimulate the liver to produce more fibrinogen. This increased production elevates plasma fibrinogen levels, contributing to several outcomes:
Acute Phase Response: This refers to the body's overall response to inflammation, and elevated fibrinogen is a hallmark feature.
Blood Clotting: Higher fibrinogen levels increase the blood's clotting potential, potentially leading to risks like thrombosis (blood clot formation) if not regulated properly.
Chronic Inflammation: In conditions with long-term inflammation, like autoimmune diseases or rheumatoid arthritis, chronically elevated fibrinogen levels are often observed. This might contribute to tissue damage and disease progression.
Important Points:
Not everyone with elevated fibrinogen levels will experience complications. Other factors like genetics, lifestyle, and underlying health conditions play a role.
Treatment for high fibrinogen typically focuses on addressing the underlying inflammatory cause, not directly lowering fibrinogen itself.
Consulting a healthcare professional is crucial if you have concerns about your fibrinogen levels or inflammatory status.
Video 2. High Cholesterol is Healthy! [with David Diamond, PhD] (YouTube link)
Causal Effect of Blood Clotting on Heart Attack and Stroke
Blood clotting plays a crucial role in both heart attacks and strokes, but the specific causal links differ slightly.
Key Points:
Blood clots themselves don't directly cause heart attacks or strokes. However, they worsen pre-existing conditions and trigger the events.
Different types of arteries and specific causes of clot formation contribute to each scenario.
Prevention focuses on managing risk factors for plaque buildup, blood clotting, and heart/brain health.
Summary
In this article, we have shown you that cholesterol is an essential nutrient. Driving your cholesterol levels down too far can cause serious health problems.
In a first study that explores the independent risk factors of long-term all-cause mortality in coronary artery disease patients with well-controlled LDL-C levels, authors have found that:[32]
The relative risk was highest for severe malnutrition. Considering the prevalence of identified risk factors, the highest population attributable risk was found for mild malnutrition, followed by chronic kidney disease, moderate malnutrition, age ≥75 years, congestive heart failure, severe malnutrition and atrial fibrillation.
To recap, atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease. Inflammation in general are almost never the presence of too much cholesterol alone—rather they are too little of many other compounds: antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids, etc.
Without inflammation, cholesterol would move freely throughout the body as nature intended. It is inflammation that causes cholesterol to become trapped. As noted in previous section, chronic inflammation is harmful while acute inflammation is beneficial. To become healthy is to avoid chronic inflammation. As Dr. Dwight Lundell pointed out, the culprits of chronic inflammation is our western diets:[1,8]
What are the biggest culprits of chronic inflammation? Quite simply, they are the overload of simple, highly processed carbohydrates (sugar, flour and all the products made from them) and the excess consumption of omega-6 vegetable oils like soybean, corn and sunflower that are found in many processed foods.
Without much ado, I would refer you to watch [1] for the causation of heart diseases:
Western diets -> High blood sugar -> Glycation -> Chronic inflammation -> Heart diseases
Remember this: Avoiding heart disease begins and ends with following a healthy lifestyle, not with pharmaceuticals. Poisoning your cells' ability to make cholesterol isn't the best way to avoid heart disease.
Warning: If you have concerns about your cholesterol levels, always consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalized advice based on your individual risk factors and medical history.
Every patient is different, and every case of heart disease involves a multitude of factors, from diet to activity level to lifestyle, as well as the genetic diversity of the human race.
U. Erasmus, Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill (Burnaby BC, Canada: Alive Books, 1993).
Hanukoglu I (Dec 1992). "Steroidogenic enzymes: structure, function, and role in regulation of steroid hormone biosynthesis.". J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 43 (8): 779–804.
U. Ravnskov, "High Cholesterol May Protect Against Infections and Atherosclerosis," QJM Internaltional Journal of Medicine 96 (2003): 927-34.
Immunity is transferred from mother to fetus through placental transfer of IgG or colostral transfer of IgA.
Naturally acquired active immunity
Occurs when a person is exposed to a live pathogen, and develops a primary immune response, which leads to immunological memory.
This type of immunity is “natural” because it is not induced by deliberate exposure.
The complex immune system acts as the body's shield, constantly adapting through rapid gene evolution to defend against viruses, infections, and other threats while interacting with the ever-changing environment.[51]
In this article, we will discuss the following topics:
The importance of natural immunity
What can cause depressed immunity?
Natural immune boosters
Importance of Natural Immunity
Excellent health is not merely how you feel at the moment. It is also how resistant your immune system is to microbes and how resistant you are to cancer. When children are born, they develop natural immunity to a large variety of microorganisms that they breathe, eat, and touch. The immune responsesinitiated by cells lining their airways, skin and intestines are very important in creating "memory" and protection against the microorganisms they naturally come into contact with every day.
Vaccination produces greater amounts of circulating antibodies than natural infection. But a new study[42] suggests that not all memory B cells are created equal. While vaccination gives rise to memory B cells that evolve over a few weeks, natural infection births memory B cells that continue to evolve over several months, producing highly potent antibodies adept at eliminating even viral variants.
Today we are exposed to more dangerous infections from around the world than ever before.[4] We are routinely in airports and jets crowded with world travelers who have come in contact with exotic and newly created microbes, and we are in schools and hospitals with bacteria circulating that have developed antibiotic resistance.[14,16,32]
That's why we need to have well-functioning immune systems, especially natural immunity; otherwise, the consequences can be devastating:[3]
A mild infection can hang on for weeks; worse yet, it can develop serious consequences such as heart damage or nerve paralysis, or it can blossom into a difficult-to-treat bacterial infection such as a life-threatening pneumonia.
Tumors may grow out of control: Our immune system also protects us from developing cancer.
There is a lot of evidence that tumors can elicit an immune response.[2]
The same white blood cells and other immune system components that are utilized to fight infection are also used to recognize our own human cells as they become abnormal and to remove them before they can evolve into a tumor or cancer.
What Can Cause Depressed Immunity?
Impaired natural immunity may result from poor nutrition, the overuse and dependency on medication and many other factors:
Poor nutrition
Poor nutrition not only makes us more susceptible to viruses but significantly impacts the length and severity of an illness.
It has been known for years that malnutrition interferes with various physical barriers or immune responses, making the body more vulnerable to attach from microbes, including viruses.
If you are deficient in virtually any known vitamin or mineral, research has shown that your defense functions can be negatively affect.
Dr. Beck's work at UNC[11] has pointed out the importance of host nutrition in not onlyoptimizing the host immune response, but alsoin preventing viral mutations which could increase the viral pathogenicity.
A phytochemically deficient diet is largely responsible for a weak immune system.
When diets are low in consumption of green and yellow vegetables, viral illness takes a more serious form.
Populations with a much higher intake of vegetables have much lower rates of cancer, and the longest-living populations throughout history have been those with the highest intake of vegetables in the diet.[8]
Medication
Couple our nutrient-poor diet--and the resultant immune system weaknesses, leading to frequent illness—with the use and overuse of medications, including antibiotics,[5,30] vaccines, and immunosuppressive drugs for autoimmune diseases, and we have a good reason for the explosion in cancer rates over the last 70 years.
Exposure to more medical care, more drugs, more vaccines, and more doctors does not beget Super Immunity[3]
In fact, medical care is part of the problem, not the solution.
The use of antibiotics is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer.[5]
The first pharmacology lecture Dr. Fuhrman heard in medical school-the professor emphasized, "Make no doubt about it:all drugs are toxic and can even hasten one's dealth. They should be used only aftercareful consideration of the risk-to-benefit ratio, because they all have considerable and serious risks.
Stress[26]
Too much stress eventually inhibits the functioning of disease-fighting white blood cells and suppresses the immune response, leaving us susceptible to infection and disease.
Season Change
Winter season when sunshine is scarce (hint: Vitamin D).
Toxins
See [29].
Immune System Boosters
Natural immunity is acquired at our early ages. As a matter of fact, immunity can be transferred from mother to fetus through placental transfer of IgG or colostral transfer of IgA. A mounting body of research also suggests that exposing infants to germs may offer them greater protection from illnesses such as allergies, asthma and other autoimmune diseases during adulthood.[17-20]
Just as a baby's brain needs stimulation, input, and interaction to develop normally, the young immune system is strengthened by exposure to everyday germs so that it can learn, adapt, and regulate itself, notes Thom McDade, PhD, associate professor and director of the Laboratory for Human Biology Research at Northwestern University.[20]
If you are adults, you can still find many ways to boost your immune system:
Vaccination
For most people who is more vulnerable to the COVID-19, vaccination is a good option for them to avoid severe symptoms or even death.[42,43,45]
Hand washing
As many as 80 percent of infections are transmitted via contact like sneezing, coughing or touching surfaces that have been sneezed or coughed on. To diminish some of the exposure risks, you can protect yourselves with handwashing and other proper hygienic measures, such as not touching your face without washing first.
Sleep[21]
Getting your 7 to 9 hours a night means your body can repair and heal itself and ward off infections.
It is believed that garlic has immune-boosting properties that may reduce cancer cell growth and help the body fight off diseases such as colds or the flu.
Water
Without sufficient moisture, immune system cells can't optimally work. So, it's important to stay hydrated.[15]
Skipping happy hour
Alcohol suppresses both the part of the immune system that protects you from coming down with something and the part that fights off the germs already in your system.[15]
Laughter
While there's much that's still not well understood about the process, it seems that certain immune cells are produced by a big belly laugh.[15]
Massage
While there's been little research into exactly how it works, massage certainly increases circulation, which may help promote the general "state of wellness in the body.[15]
Healthy diet (We are what we eat)[3,12-13]
To have normal immune function we require hundreds of additional phytochemicalsin addition to vitamins and minerals.[3]
Watch video & video to see the potential health benefits of HBOT.
Conclusions
Without doubt, nutrition plays the most important role of our healthy immune systems. Pathogens can adapt themselves to the host (our body) and becomes dangerous and multiplies as a result of the host's disease-promoting environment. In most cases, however, pathogens would remain harmless when they are exposed to a healthy, well-nourished body.
The most effective artillery we have to protect ourselves against the potentially damaging effects of influenza and other infectious disease is nutritional excellence. Life is not without risks, and of course optimal nutrition cannot prevent all microbial diseases and all cancers. At minimal, optimal nutrition can boost our natural immunity. And immunity, when optimized, can ward off infection; and if infection does occur, it is much more likely to have a harmless outcome.
As discussed in [27], fever is a protective mechanism. When our body temperature reaches 101.3 oF (38.5oC), the immune system shifts into a state of alarm. At this temperature, the level of immune chemicals in the bloodstream doubles, and immune defenses throughout the body increase. Within 6 hours, almost every major defense within the immune system doubles its efforts.[28] As advised by Dr. Gorter, don't reach out for medication unless you have worsening symptoms which involve labored breathing, persistent fever above 103 degrees for three days, abdominal pain, changes in behavior or mental status, and persistent diarrhea or vomiting.
The global infectious disease threat and its implications for the United States. National Intelligence Estimate (NIE 99-17D). January 2000. http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/nie/report/nie99-17d.html
Roman GC. An epidemic in cuba of optic neutopathy, sensorineural deafness, peripheral sensory neuropathy, and dorsolateral myeloneuropathy. J Neurol Sci 1994; 127:11-28.
Domingo E. Newly emerging viral diseases: what role for nutrition? J Nutr 1999; 127:958S-961S.
The emergence of antibiotics resistance in many organisms is reversing some of the therapeutic miracles of the last 50 years and underscores the importance of disease prevention.
It will get worse. Ten times more cases of meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus occurred in US children’s hospitals in 2008 than a decade earlier.
As reported, vitamin D supplementation simultaneously enhances the effectiveness of the antimicrobial response of the innate immune system and diminishes the natural consequence of inflammation.
