Your Mighty Immune System: Ways to Support its Greatness!
By Dr. Madeline
The immune system of the body is a mighty, diverse, and cooperative force that tirelessly and relentlessly functions to ward off invasion by pathogens. Pathogens can be any form of bacteria, virus, fungus, or parasite that takes up residence in a body with negative consequences.
The trillions of cells that make up the body are unique to each individual. In fact, just about every one of your cells has a personalized signature that lets your immune system know it’s you! So, a body cell signals its health with a “self” cell-surface marker that can be felt and understood by immune cells. Immune cells constantly scour the body, touch, and recognize cells so they know you are safe and sound. In other words, if touched by an immune protecting cell, your regular body cells communicate information on the cell surface like, “I’m okay!” or “Don’t worry, it’s me!”
The first line of defense against pathogens are innate or nonspecific defenses, like surface barriers of the skin and mucous membranes of the orifices. Inflammation, fever, and certain antimicrobial proteins are also effective non-specific defense. Other innate defenses include phagocytes like macrophages (which eat pathogens) and Natural Killer cells (that destroy cancer cells), which simply recognize something in the body as “non-self” and destroy it.
The more specialized or specific defenses come from something called adaptive defenses. These defenses allow you to recognize particular pathogens and mount a targeted specific attack on them. There are two types of adaptive immunity, cellular and humoral. One of the most powerful mechanisms in adaptive immunity is that it has memory! The memory aspect is important because it allows your body to remember how to fight off a specific pathogen should it ever invade the body again.
Cellular immunity involves the use of T-cells, which target body cells that have been directly infected with a pathogen. Remember those “self” markers that virtually all of your cells display to show they are okay? Well, cells use those same markers to say, “hey, I’m not okay! I’m infected!” For instance, if a parasite gets inside one of your cells, the infected cell will take a portion of that parasite and display it on it’s “self” marker. In this way the roaming T-cells can locate and target those infected cells for destruction so the parasite can not spread to other cells.
The second branch of adaptive immunity is humoral immunity, which employs B-cells. B-cells have the power to transform and make antibodies that are specific for a target pathogen. The humors are the liquid portions of your body: plasma of the blood, lymph, cerebral spinal fluid, interstitial fluid, etc. If there are pathogens swimming around in these fluids, the antibodies can’t kill them, but they can tag them so effectively, in a plethora of ways, that they systematically put them out of commission until a phagocyte can come by and gobble them up.
So with all of these innate and adaptive defenses working so hard for us, why do we get sick? There are many factors that can impair the function of the immune system.
For a cell to work properly, many cogs and components are needed to keep it functioning. For instance, think of a door. It’s a barrier, right? But for a door to work effectively, it has to be hung correctly on hinges. It has to have a knob so you can turn the handle and open and close it. Think about the mechanics of a lock in the door jam and all of the other screws and bolts. Fancier doors have windows, blinds and other locking mechanisms. Now, imagine the immune system is the mighty door; for it to actually function, it needs those other smaller working parts. Those tiny, but essential, parts are the vitamins, minerals, and anti-stress factors to help it run efficiently and work correctly.
So what are some of the main nutritional components that help to boost the immune system's capacity to best fight off pathogens? I’ve created a figure to give you a place to start. The health benefits listed are only scratching the surface of these amazing nutrients!
While the most readily available form of nutrients come from actual food, much of our soil is depleted of these vital vitamins and minerals, so supplements can be beneficial. However, if you have access to fresh, organic sources, then the consumption of whole unprocessed foods will yield optimal nutrient absorption and integration. The list I’ve made of food sources are only a few, but are designed to get you started. If one opts for taking supplements, always consult a trusted health care provider before adding one to a dietary routine.
Vitamin D
The best way for a human to get their vitamin D is through natural sunlight. We are all well aware that the sun’s UV light can damage DNA, potentially leading to cancer. But if you wear sunscreen, it blocks UV light so your body therefore can not make vitamin D! So, while we have to be careful not to be burned by the sun, it is essential to get some unfiltered sun in order to naturally make the vital hormone, vitamin D. Taking supplemental vitamin D3 can be important, especially for those of us who live in climates where we have shorter colder days in the winter and don’t have the ability to naturally make this hormone.
Vitamin C
Damage due to oxidation in the body is countered by compounds that are classified as antioxidants. The natural antioxidant vitamin C has been shown to reduce duration of illness, help heal damaged tissue, and provide overall support to immunity.
Magnesium
With 100’s of vital functions within the body, magnesium is one of the single most important components of a well functioning immune system. Even the structure of our body’s energy molecule, ATP, can not hold its confirmation without employing several magnesium molecules. In addition, once a person reaches the age of 40, magnesium levels decline in the body and it’s harder for the body to hold onto magnesium. There are many studies linked to improved overall health with increased magnesium in the diet.
Zinc, Quercetin, and Green Tea
Zinc works on the inside of cells by blocking viral cell entry. Imagine you are inside a balloon (the cell). Something (the virus) has landed on the outer surface and is trying to poke its way in. You need a shield! Zinc is that shield. It literally lines the inner membrane and blocks the virus from getting in. Ah, so how does one get zinc into the cell to act as the shield? A molecule called an ionophore has the ability to make a small specific channel into a cell. Quercetin is a zinc ionophore! Together zinc and quercetin are a dynamic duo that keep your cells free of viruses. Other molecules, for instance EGCG in green tea, have also been shown to be a zinc ionophore. Green tea also contains antioxidants.
Curcumin
Curcumin is the most studied compound found in the root, turmeric. It is most known for its anti-inflammatory properties. Curcumin is not only an antioxidant itself, but also mobilizes other antioxidants in the body as well. Decreasing inflammation in the body is one of the key goals in reducing the symptoms of most metabolic diseases.
Probiotics
The gut microbiome is a living system of symbiotic bacteria that work with your body to provide immune support, yield vitamins, break down estrogens, and make small chain fatty acids essential for physiological function for every body system. Keeping a healthy gut flora is essential for keeping a body healthy! Eating fermented foods each day can help you build a healthy microbiome and in effect, strengthen your immune system.
Sleep
Sleep is essential for many reasons. One important cellular process that takes place when you sleep is called autophagy. This is literally a time for the cell to clean up the waste that has accumulated throughout the day. If you don’t sleep, you don’t take out the trash. When trash builds up in cells, it’s harder for the cells to signal to the immune system if it’s sick. Cells that should have been destroyed, instead don’t function properly, potentially spread pathogens, and reduce overall health. Sleep is one of the most important ways to support our immune systems.
The immune system is a complex system. Keeping the body well-nourished, well-rested and with as few toxins as possible will aid in its ability to keep you doing the things that you love to do!
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