Conventional medicine no longer believes in the immune system, how it is designed to keep us well, provides natural immunity, not least against infectious disease. This is the inevitable conclusion to be drawn from its lamentable, chaotic and incompetent response to the Covid-19 pandemic. During this entire time it has consistently and persistently said that vaccines were "our only defence against the virus". It has certainly failed to provide us with the information that we all need to support and strengthen our immune system.
A new health divide is developing. And as the Covid-19 pandemic has progressed, it became increasingly clear that this divide focuses, almost exclusively, on our attitude to natural immunity. Pharmaceutical medicine ignores it. Natural medical therapies puts it at the centre of all its treatments.
THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
We all have an immune system. It works by recognising and identifying infections and injuries in the body, and responds by trying to protect us, and restore us to good health and well-being. The immune system operates in many ways, some of which conventional medicine confuses with illness (for example, a fever, a cold, a runny nose, feeling 'run down, or 'under the weather') - all of which require medical treatment.
So when many people are told they are sick it is actually a sign that their body is fighting back against an infection, or an over-active virus. It is our immune system at work!
SO HOW CAN WE SUPPORT/STRENGTHEN OUR NATURAL IMMUNITY?
So how good is our immune system? A simple rule of thumb! Do you succumb readily to infections like colds, sore throats, coughs, etc; do you seem to catch anything and everything that is 'doing the rounds'? If you do your immune system probably needs some attention. If not, then your immune system is probably doing it's job.
Boasting our immune system is always a good idea, but doing so is not always entirely simple because it demands a certain level of personal commitment on our part. We have to look after it. Our immune system is an incredibly complex and multifaceted system that needs to be kept in balance and harmony.
This is our personal responsibility. Our immunity to illness and disease does not come from a bottle of pills, or a packet of pharmaceutical drugs, or from a vaccine injected into our arm.
Enhancing natural immunity is largely up to us, it is intimately concerned with how we look after ourselves - on a regular daily basis.
This aside, supporting and strengthening our immune system is simple process, requiring minimal expenditure, just a degree of personal commitment and determination. Equally, there are things, lifestyle choices, that can undermine or compromise our immune system. Despite this there are a number of things we can do to boost our immunity, and benefit our health. This involves adopting a healthy lifestyle. The body is made up of a number of different systems, the respiratory system, the digestive system, and so on, and they all function at their best when we look after them, as best we can, by choosing basic health strategies, such as:
1. Do not smoke.
Our lungs are designed to breath fresh air. The body needs oxygen to protect itself. Smokers are known to get more colds, and other respiratory complaints than non-smokers - a clear indication that smoking plays a role in compromising our immune system.
Being adequately hydrated is important to our general health. Dehydration contributes to a susceptibility to bacteria and viruses; it can cause headaches, hinder digestion and physical performance, reduce mental focus and mood, and reduce the functioning of the heart and kidneys, and make us more susceptible to illness.
In line with this, the over-consumption of alcohol should be avoided; it can actually dehydrate the body, and should be consumed only in moderation.
Few guides providing advice to support our immune system will tell you this. Yet people who take prescription drugs have become some of the sickest people around. All pharmaceutical drugs and vaccines are toxic, something else for our immune system to cope with. They are invariably largely ineffective; and they are all unsafe - the cause 'side effects' that of immune system cannot cope with. For more information on the illnesses and diseases that can be caused by pharmaceutical drugs, go to this website.
Even conventional medicine is now beginning to realise the importance of a healthy digestive tract to the health of our whole body, and to our immune system. Most pharmaceutical drugs are taken by mouth and so pass straight into the digestive track. These drugs are all toxic, in some way, but antibiotic drugs are perhaps the worst of all. They are designed to kill bacteria, and so are known to compromise the important gut microbiome. In recent years there is increasing evidence to suggest that even diseases previously thought to be unrelated to the stomach and the digestive system might actually be caused by drug damage, including both Dementia and Parkinson's disease.
Yet many other pharmaceutical drugs and vaccines can, and do interfere with the functioning of the immune system, many of which are now being associated with the epidemic levels of auto-immune disease we are now experiencing.
And, of course, there are also pharmaceutical drugs, immunosuppressant drugs, that are designed, quite intentionally, to compromise our immune system.
4. Obesity. maintaining a healthy weight.
Refined sugars and carbohydrates
are known to contribute massively to overweight and obesity, and obesity is known to
undermine our natural immunity, and increase the risk of getting sick on a
regular basis. This is why diet, nutrition and exercise are so very important to the immune system.
5. Diet and Nutrition.
This is probably the most important aspect of supporting and strengthening our natural immunity. The primary recommendation is to consume whole plant foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes as these boast our immune systems because they are rich in nutrients and antioxidants. The immune system needs a diet high in fresh fruit and vegetables as these are rich in zinc, selenium, iron, copper, folic acid, vitamins A, B6, C, D and E, and much more.
The best foods, usually mentioned, are citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruit, lemon, limes, tangerines, clementines), red peppers, broccoli, garlic, ginger, spinach, almonds, sunflower seeds, turmeric, green tea, kiwi fruit, papaya, poultry (high in Vitamin B6), and shellfish (crabs, oysters, mussels, lobster).
Usually a well balanced wholefood diet will be sufficient, although many people still like to augment this with the use of multi-vitamins and mineral supplements. These are known to strengthen the body's natural
immunity. Yet care does need to be taken.
Too much of any vitamin,
mineral or other supplement, may cause an imbalance. However Vitamin C,
Vitamin D, and Zinc supplementation can always be considered, as can supplements based on Elderberry, Echinacea and Garlic, which are also known to be
helpful.
Eating more fermented foods is also recommended. Foods rich in beneficial bacteria, called probiotics, can provide vital support the digestive tract. These include natural (live culture) yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, and natto. A flourishing microbiome, a network of gut bacteria, helps your immune system differentiate between normal, healthy cells, and harmful invader organisms.
Correspondingly, and as a direct consequence of all this, it is always best to avoid highly processed food, 'fast' food, or 'junk' food.
6. Exercise.It is known that regular, moderate exercise improves
cardiovascular health, lowers blood pressure, helps control body weight, protects against a variety of diseases - and also supports and strengthens a healthy immune system. This is why lockdown policies, during the Covid-19 pandemic, have been so ridiculous and counter-productive.
Prolonged and/or intense exercise may sometimes be problematic too. It is now thought to suppress or compromise the immune system. So there is no need to overdo the exercise! Certainly walk every day for 20-30 minutes, or go to the gym or swimming pool several times a week, or play a round of golf on a regular basis - or similar. This is usually quite sufficient to maintain our natural immunity.
7. A Stress-Free lifestyle.
Prolonged stress is known to imbalance and suppress our immune function. There is a close link between our minds and our bodies, and emotional stress is known to cause stomach upsets, heart disease, and much else.
So it is important to minimise stress in your life, although this is not always entirely possible. Chronic stress can arise through our family relationships, our friends, and co-workers, or the challenges that exists with the place of work.
Where this is the case there are activities that can help manage stress, including exercise, yoga, and similar 'mindfulness' practices. Some people may
also benefit from seeing a counsellor or therapist to reduce stress levels.
8. Sleep.
Sleep and natural immunity are closely linked. Poor quality sleep is linked to susceptibility to sickness, perhaps best described as a 'tired' immune system.
9. Older Age
We are often told that our immune systems declines with age, that ageing makes us all more susceptible to infection and illness. This may be true, but as we get older this makes all this advice more important as we get older. Old age does not prevent people caring for their immune systems, and ensure that our natural immunity stays in good working order.
10. Herbs and Supplements.
Many people support their immune system with herbs and supplement. There are a great number of these on offer, many tell us of why we should take them, and how our immune system will benefit from them. So there is a bewildering and complex amount of choice, and often their benefits are exaggerated.
Yet for people whose immune system has been compromised, in some way, they can be helpful in providing some useful and beneficial nutrients. They need to be carefully chosen, for both financial and health reasons. They can certainly help, and will not carry the same level of risk of adverse reactions as pharmaceutical drugs.
11. Natural Medical Therapies.
Natural medical therapies, including homeopathy, naturopathy, herbalism, acupuncture, Ayurvedic, reflexology, and many others, all highlight the importance of natural immunity, and treatment focuses on the support of the immune system. If anyone is aware that their natural immunity is weak, or that it has been compromised, they should research how these therapies might assist in enhancing immunity. Contact a local therapist, explain your problems, book a consultation.This is what many people are now doing, those who have freed themselves from pharmaceutical medical propaganda, and understand that pharmaceutical drugs and vaccines are neither effective or safe.
CONCLUSION.
Supporting and strengthening our immune system does not need to be expensive. Most of the above can be done without medical intervention, indeed it can help to avoid the need for medical intervention.
We are all in control of our immune system, for better or worse. We can all make important lifestyle and dietary changes right now which will help to support and strengthen our immune system - and enable it to keep us well.
No drugs, no vaccines are necessary - just a sensible way of life.
This is what the health divide is about: we all need to recognise that the fundamental basis of good health is our immune system, that maintaining this is what distinguishes natural medicine from pharmaceutical medicine, and that everyone has the ability to support and strengthen their own immunity.
- For another, slightly different look at the importance of natural immunity, and its neglected importance in defending us from Covid-19, go to this WDDTY link, "How to reset your immune system".
