Support Your Immune System Introduction
UPDATED 8/30/2020
By Dr. Heather Kneale and Eva Vennari
An outbreak of the new coronavirus (transmitted from animal to human-like the Bird and Swine Flus) was identified in December 2019 in China. Designated 2019-nCoV, the virus was declared a public health emergency by the WHO (World Health Organization) on January 30th, 2020. [But this virus has been in our world for much longer -ev]
Is the coronavirus panic warranted?
On February 16, 2020, the Worldometer reported there were 69,290 cases of the virus. The majority of these were in China along with a death toll of 1,671. Worldometer is run by an international team of developers, researchers, and volunteers with the goal of making world statics available to a wide audience around the world. It also shows the estimated current numbers based on statistics and projections from the most reputable official organizations. https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
Now, let’s put this into perspective.
In the United States, from the time period of October 1, 2019 to February 8, 2020, there have been 26-36 million cases of influenza, 250,000-440,000 hospitalizations, and 14,000-36,000 deaths.[1]
In terms of numbers of cases and deaths, clearly the influenza virus poses far greater a risk to humans than the new coronavirus.
UPDATE by EV 8/30/2020:
For 6% of the deaths, COVID-19 was the only cause mentioned.
Our Immune System
Our immune system works to protect us from harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi. If our immune system is not functioning well, we will be more susceptible to ANY type of infection.
The hype in social media is creating a great amount of fear without giving a solution. Fear alone can affect our immune system in an unhealthy way.
Instead of being fearful that we will contract a new virus, it is healthier to focus on what we can do to prevent it altogether, which is to supercharge your immune system ahead of time.
Our immune system is part of a magnificent orchestra of special organs and cells that fight infection. It consists of:
- Lymphatic system: a network of tubes throughout our body that helps to eliminate bacteria and bad cells such as cancer cells. This system includes the lymph nodes, lymph vessels, and lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell).
- Spleen: blood filtering/storing organ that destroys damaged red blood cells and filters out viruses and bacteria in our blood.
- Thymus: produces a hormone called Thymosin that stimulates the production of T-lymphocytes (T cells). T cells are a type of white blood cell that protects our body from viruses, bacteria and other threats.
- Bone marrow: where all blood cells are made including white blood cells.
- White blood cells: made in our bone marrow and are part of the lymphatic system.
- Antibodies: help the body recognize a toxin or microbe and mark it for destruction.
- Complement system: proteins that support the antibodies.
One of the best ways to fight off an infection (or not get it at all) is to power up your immune system. The mineral balancing programs we offer do just that. From your hair tissue mineral analysis, we can recommend a specific diet, precise vitamins and minerals, and detoxification protocols to increase your energy level which in turn boosts your immune system. Book a call with Eva, if you would like to learn more. Not ready to start a mineral balancing program? See below for a powerful list of suggestions to help you implement some strategies now.
10 Natural Ways to Support Your Immune System
1) Near Infra-red Sauna:
After 15 years in my practice, I have seen the incredible healing benefits of this sauna! It can rid the body of heavy metals, chemicals, and acute/chronic infections. It is a must for helping our body deal with the day to day toxic load we pick up from food, water, air and others.
Every home should have a near-infrared sauna.
Buy One in The Elevate Insitute’s Shop
2) Sleep:
I realize that some of us still struggle with sleep. It is a tricky mistress that needs retraining to remove previously adopted lifestyle choices as well as some sleep strategies. It’s also one of the most underrated ways to support your immune system.
Without sufficient sleep, your body makes fewer cytokines, a type of protein that targets infection and inflammation, effectively creating an immune response. Cytokines are both produced and released during sleep, causing a double whammy if you skimp on shut-eye. [2]
3) Hydration:
We recommend 3 quarts of spring or carbon-filtered water daily for adults. Staying hydrated assists your body’s removal of toxins such as bacteria and viruses that cause illnesses. It prevents any buildup of toxins that would otherwise cause an infection which naturally will support your immune system.
Buy the Immune Pak inspired by this article. It’ll last you 30 days if you use it as recommended. It’ll last you 90 days if you just follow the directions on the bottle and people feel the difference in their energy either way. Look, it won’t stop the virus from penetrating your body, so think this way about it instead: wouldn’t you rather have the best fighting chance when it does?
Hydration benefits:
- Oxygenate the blood to help cells function at full power (blood is about 90% water)
- Flushes out unwelcome invaders through the kidneys
- Produce melatonin to promote sleep
- Produce lymph: fluid running through our body to collect harmful intruders
- Creates sweat to rid the body of waste
4) Fruits and vegetables:
Let’s face it, we know what we should eat, but we don’t follow through. My family loves vegetables but we do not eat any fruit. We are missing the minerals and vitamins found inside fruit to help us have a stronger defense system and support your immune system. Besides minerals and vitamins, fruit and vegetables contain phytochemicals which are plant chemicals that can protect us from disease.
When eating, try to fill one-half your plate with vegetables at least twice a day.
Here is a way to bridge the nutritional gap when not eating enough fruits and vegetables: Fruit and Vegetable Supplements with Clincal Research My family has been taking these on and off for many years. What I like about this company is they have done clinical research to prove efficacy; the fruit and vegetables travel directly from farm to capsule (or chewable). Here is an excerpt from one of their clinical studies on the immune system:
In the British Journal of Nutrition (2011), Separate studies were conducted on healthcare professionals with direct patient contact, young law school students, an elderly population, and athletic men. The combined results of those studies show that Juice Plus+® reduces the severity of upper respiratory challenges, reduces missed workdays, and increases the number and activity of immune cells circulating in the body.
5) Vitamin D:
Numerous studies have shown that vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, decreases susceptibility to infections and can support your immune system. We recommend about 20,000 IUs a week for adults (less for children).
Vitamin D supplements protect against acute respiratory infections including colds and flu, according to a study led by Queen Mary University of London (QMUL).[3]
6) Selenium:
Is a powerful antioxidant that is crucial to support your immune system. I recommend this to every one of my clients due to its protective effect from heavy metals, enhancing the immune system and detoxification.
A study in the United States determined that supplementing with 200 micrograms of selenium increased the activity of a type of white blood cell called “killer cells” by 118%; The NK cells (natural killer cells) increased by 82%. These increases can better protect us against infections. [4]
7) Fish oil:
Omega-3 fatty acids support your immune system by improving the function of immune cells. We recommend 1000mg of total Omega-3 Fatty Acids daily for adults. The company we use for supplements, Endo-met, has a wonderful EPA-DHA from menhaden cold water fish. For those allergic to fish oil please use a vegetarian source Alternative to fish oil
There is now convincing evidence that dietary n-3 PUFA, particularly EPA and DHA, have a major impact on the function of many components of the immune system.[5]
8) Vitamin A:
Has an anti-oxidant effect that helps strengthen the immune system. It also plays a role in the manufacturing and function of white blood cells. White blood cells collect bacteria and other toxins and remove them from our bloodstream. For an active infection, I recommend 50,000 IU daily for no more than a week. As large amounts of vitamin A for a long period of time can create an overload of this vitamin; it is fat-soluble and can be stored in the body easily. Here is a brand I recommend: Vitamin A
Autopsy studies in children have shown that vitamin A deficiency is associated with atrophy of the thymus, lymph nodes, and spleen (Blackfan and Wolbach, 1933; Sweet and K’ang, 1955).[6]
Note that the thymus, lymph nodes and spleen are part of the immune system.
9) Vitamin C:
Don’t EVER take Vitamin C by itself to support your immune system. Many studies have proven vitamin C to fight off bacterial and viral infections. One study administered only 200mg/day of vitamin C to severely ill elderly patients which resulted in a noted improvement in respiratory symptoms. [7]
Although vitamin C is known to boost our immune system, I do not recommend more than 1000mg a day on a regular basis.
Why didn’t I recommend more vitamin C? In my practice, we have two types of oxidation rates, slow or fast. When a fast oxidizer takes large amounts of vitamin C daily, it speeds up their oxidation rate even further and makes them feel considerably worse (have any of you experienced this?).
For those of you on the mineral balancing program, use Endo A-C as it provides vitamin C without raising the sodium level while adding vitamin A which supercharges the immune system. For a cold or infection, take up to 15 a day (5 per meal), until it passes.
The Elevate Institute has created an Immune Boost Pak that can be purchased on this site’s shop, so you don’t have to spend time sourcing the supplements. It comes with the recommendations best to Support Your Immune System based on this article.
10) Colloidal Silver:
A natural antibiotic that does not affect your flora (good bacteria) and supports your immune system.
Colloidal Silver should only be taken when needed and not on a daily basis. I have been using colloidal silver for over 15 years and no one has turned blue or gray. Just do not make your own at home and stick with a quality brand. With an infection, I usually recommend one tablespoon up to three times a day for about a week for adults. Two brands I use: Argentyn. I [Dr. Kneal] consider this one the Rolls Royce of colloidal silvers as it has the smallest particle size achievable; the smaller the particle size the greater the surface area, the greater the surface area the more bio-active the silver. Another is Sovereign Silver.
We’ve tested over 200 brands and most other colloidal silvers have around 13% bioactivity or less. While other brands show the total concentration of silver on their packages in parts per million (ppm), they neglect to show the % of silver that is bioactive. When a product is only 13% bio-active, that means that 87% of the silver you take is wasted (and so is the 87% of the money you spent on it!). [8]
Conclusion
Science has proved over and over again that viruses can be eradicated by micronutrients and by improving the immune system.
[1] CDC, Center of Disease Control and Prevention, “2019-2020 U.S. Flu Season: Preliminary Burden Estimates.” https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/preliminary-in-season-estimates.htm [2] “How Sleep Affects Your Immunity.” National Sleep Foundation, https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/how-sleep-affects-your-immunity [3]Science Daily, “Vitamin D Protects Against Colds and Flus Finds Major Global Study.” University of Queen Mary of London, Feb. 16, 2017, https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170216110002.htm [4] Hoffmann, Peter, “The Influence of Selenium on Immune Responses. Mol Nutr Food Res, July 13, 2013, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3723386/ [5] Field C, Johnson I, Schley P. “Nutrients and their role in host resistance to infection.” Journal of Leukocyte Biology, 01 January 2002, https://jlb.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1189/jlb.71.1.16 [6]Semba, Richard D., “Vitamin A and Immune Function.” The Johns Hopkins University Department of Ophthalmology, 1999, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK230968/ [7] Hunt C, Chakravorty NK, Annan G, Habibzadeh N, Schorah CJ. “The Clinical Effects of Vitamin C Supplementation in Elderly Hospitalized Patients with Acute Respiratory Infections. Int J Vitamin Nutr Res, 1994, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7814237
Hunt C, Chakravorty NK, Annan G, Habibzadeh N, Schorah CJ. (1994) The clinical effects
[8] MacCuspie, Rob, “ (Particle) Size Matters.” Silver Science, May 14, 2019, https://sovereignsilver.com/2019/05/14/particle-size-matters-why-less-is-more/
