NEWSLETTER: SEPTEMBER 2009

AVOID GETTING THE FLU- NUTRITIONALLY

 

      “Flu season” is rapidly approaching and medical authorities are warning of mass outbreaks of swine and other types of flu.  We are seeing an increasing number of public announcements on the evening news and other media outlets telling us of the importance of getting our flu shots.  What we don’t see much of in the media is instruction on how to maintain a healthy and strong immune system to naturally protect us against the flu virus and the many other organisms that attack our bodies on a regular basis. 

       Our bodies are designed to go to battle against enemy organisms.  In order for our bodies to be successful in defending our health, we must be proactive in providing the nutrients needed for this purpose and avoid those things that hinder our bodies’ defense system.       

       Our immune system is multifaceted and begins with our skin secreting certain acids which will destroy pathogens on contact.  We have mucus membranes of our respiratory and digestive tract trapping pathogens and moving them out of the body or moving them into the stomach where strong stomach acid will quickly neutralize them.  In the small intestine and colon, various friendly bacteria called probiotics, such as acidophilus and bifidus, play an important role in providing control over organisms hostile to the body.

       If these first lines of defense fail to prevent a pathogen from harming us, the second line of defense goes into action. This army of defenders is made up of a variety of white blood cells divided into neutrophils, macrophages and lymphocytes.  Neutrophils are the first to swing into action as they swarm all over pathogens, killing them with enzymes.  If the neutrophils can’t get the job done, next on the scene are a group of large white cells called macrophages.  Like microscopic “pac men,” macrophages have the ability to gobble up pathogens, and clean up the debris left by the neutrophils activity.

       If pathogens escape the macrophages, they are next met by natural killer cells (NK cells).  These cells attack all manner of parasites, viruses, bacteria, fungi and cancer cells by releasing toxic enzymes and also releasing the chemical compound interferon that stops viruses from replicating.  T lymphocytes also join the foray. These cells are formed in the bone marrow and then migrate to the thymus gland where they are differentiated into effector, (cytotoxic T-cells), helper cells and suppressor cells.

       Effector cells, also known as killer lymphocytes, are able to destroy pathogens by producing cytotoxins which are poisonous to the pathogens.  Helper cells are responsible for calling up additional killer lymphocytes and antibodies when needed to complete the job.  Suppressor cells limit the activity of effector cells so that they don’t run wild.

 

      When T cells are unable to overcome particular pathogens by themselves, the helper cells call on the B lymphocytes which produce plasma cells which in turn secrete chemical agents called antibodies.  Antibodies work by locking onto a pathogen and inactivating it.  The pathogen and antibody are destroyed by another chemical component of the immune system called compliment.  When the process is complete, macrophages and neutrophils return to the scene to gobble up the remains.   In addition to the thymus gland; the spleen, tonsils, appendix and lymph nodes all play an important role in the development and proliferation of lymphocytes.

BUILDING A STRONG IMMUNITY:

         The immune system requires a consistent supply of nutrients in order to function at optimal level.  The effectiveness of this protection system also requires regular elimination of the wastes connected with metabolism, regular exercise, a positive mental attitude and control of stress factors. 

       In response to stress, the adrenal glands release a group of hormones called corticosteroids.  Unrelieved stress will increase the levels of these hormones in the body which then act to depress the immune system.  These hormones are known to break down lymph tissue in the thymus gland and lymph nodes, reduce the level of T helper cells, increase the level of T suppressor cells, inhibit killer lymphocytes and reduce the activity of interferons.  Interferons are specialized proteins that inhibit the multiplication of viral organisms.

       Another source of stress to the body is contamination from heavy metals such as lead, mercury and cadmium which are often found in our food, water and air supply.  Studies have shown these metals to suppress all aspects of immune response. Most drugs and medications suppress normal immune function, including commonly used aspirin which promotes the loss of vitamin C through the urine and also decreases the uptake of vitamin C by the white blood cells.

 

      The consumption of processed and refined foods will place additional stress upon the immune response of the body.  Research shows that consumption of refined sugar will actually reduce the ability of white blood cells to destroy bacteria.  Converting to a diet rich in unrefined whole foods is a major step to achieving stronger immunity and enabling the body to better cope with stress.   It is through the consumption of whole foods that we obtain the nutrients required for adequate protection from disease.

       For example, carrots, spinach, broccoli, collards, kale and sweet potatoes are all a good source of beta-carotene and a variety of other carotenoids which provide protection from free radical damage. Beta-carotene converts in the body to vitamin A which has been shown to stimulate the production of T lymphocytes.

       Vitamin C, as found in a variety of fresh vegetables and fruits, has been shown to stimulate the movement of neutrophils and macrophages, as well as enhance T cell formation.   Vitamin C actually transforms oxidized vitamin E, making it again available as an anti-oxidant. Bioflavonoids, which are found with vitamin C in foods, increases the uptake of vitamin C into the liver, kidneys and adrenal glands and protects vitamin C from destruction and conversion to less active forms.

 

      The trace mineral zinc is very important to the thymus gland.  Zinc deficiency will cause a reduction in T-cells, natural killer cells and thymic hormone.  Supplementation with zinc has been shown to increase the ability of macrophages to digest invaders and to raise the level of interleukin-2 which in turn stimulates cytotoxic T-cells to attack invaders. Zinc will also reduce levels of the toxic mineral cadmium.  Selenium is important to the production of antibodies. Like zinc, selenium is also necessary for the production of interleukin-2 which activities T-cells. Selenium will also block the effects of the toxic metal mercury.

       Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) supplementation has been found to dramatically increase the production of the antibody IgG.  This is the most abundant antibody in the body and plays a major role in the destruction of bacterial and viral organisms.  CoQ10 is also a strong anti-oxidant and is very essential to proper function of the heart and the energy making process.      

       One way to insure a daily intake of the many nutrients necessary for adequate protection from disease is to supplement your diet with a high quality food concentrate.   When using such products, it’s important to insure they are processed at low heat, derive their raw materials from organic sources and provide a wide range of nutrition.  One example of this type of product is BarleyLife.   BarleyLife (formerly known as Barleygreen) is the dehydrated juice of the leaves of the barley plant along with kelp from the sea and brown rice.  This product has been shown to contain over fifty different vitamins and minerals, amino acids for protein synthesis, hundreds of enzymes, and a variety of antioxidants.  BarleyLife is processed at 97 degrees which is far below the temperature at which enzymes and other nutrients are destroyed.

       BarleyLife contains the enzyme nitrate reductase which is known to resolve all manner of cancer causing petroleum based nitro-compounds.  It is rich in the enzymes super-oxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase which are known to effectively neutralize oxygen free radicals.  The product contains enzymes such as glutathione peroxidase and methione reductase which protects us from cell breakdown caused by lipid oxidation and radiation.  P4D1 is an enzyme identified in BarleyLife that stimulates the body’s repair of DNA in the cell nucleus.

 

      As you can see, BarleyLife is a good example of what a high quality food concentrate can do to support the nutritional requirements of the body and provide for the enhancement of immune function.  

       In addition to using food concentrates to boast overall immunity, there are a variety of herbs that are very helpful in increasing immune response.  The herbs echinacea, astragalus and goldenseal have all been shown to increase lymphocyte activity in the body.  Goldenseal, pau d’arco and garlic, are known to actually destroy pathogenic organisms.  Bee propolis, made by bees to sterilize their hives, has a similar sterilizing effect upon the body and will destroy pathogens.  A product called Wellness Formula from the company Source Naturals has all theses herbs and many other nutrients in one formula. The product Esberitox from the company Enzymatic Therapy contains the herbs echinacea, baptisia tinctoria and thuja occidentalis for immune support. In various studies these herbs were shown to provide significant immune enhancement and is a top selling product in Germany.

 

      Supplementation with friendly intestinal bacteria called acidophilus and bifidus will serve to maintain the integrity of the body’s first lines of defense.  Additional intake of vitamins A, C, E, the B complex and the minerals selenium and zinc will all help to promote stronger immune response.

       The use of homeopathic formulations has proven to be helpful in boasting immunity and helping the body to deal with disease without the negative side effects often associated with allopathic drugs.  Homeopathic’s work with natural body processes and can be very effective in dealing with a wide variety of health problems.  There are homeopathic remedies available for almost every conceivable health problem. One good example is a product called oscillococcinum (Ah-sill-o-cox-see-num), which if taken at the first sign of the flu will generally provide fast relief  from fever, chills and general aches and pains associated with the flu.  

 

       Another substance that has shown considerable promise as an immune system activator and cancer fighter is Beta-1, 3-d-glucan, a compound derived from bakers yeast and shown to significantly increase macrophage activity. As mentioned above, the macrophage is the “big eater” of the immune system and plays a vital role defending us from pathogenic attack.  By itself, beta glucan has been shown to be a broad-spectrum anti-infective agent that can eliminate bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. Beta glucan is available in supplemental form. 

        Maintaining adequate levels of glutathione is critical to maintaining strong immunity.  Glutathione is a small molecule made up of the three amino acids cysteine, glutamic acid and glycine. It is produced in every cell with the aid of selenium, magnesium and vitamin C.  Glutathione acts in the body as a major antioxidant and plays a crucial role in the multiplication of lymphocytes which are a major factor in the bodies overall immune response.  Glutathione is concentrated in the liver and functions as a detoxifying agent by combining with pollutants and moving them out the body through the normal avenues of elimination.  While you can take glutathione as a supplement, you can see the importance of a diet strong in the various nutrients cited as responsible for its synthesis in the body.      

      Plant sterols and sterolins are chemical compounds found in a variety of foods and have been shown to activate macrophages, enhance the proliferation of cytotoxic T-cells along with cancer fighting cytokines, interleukin-2 and gamma interferon. They also enhance natural killer cell activity while at the same time lowering pro-inflammatory and the immune suppressing agent interleukin-6 in the body.  Because of their anti-inflammatory effect, these compounds have been shown to be very effective in reducing the symptoms of inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. A combination of sterols and sterolins can be obtained in supplemental form in a product called Moducare Sterinol.

 

     Certain ingredients in elderberries have been shown to prevent viruses from entering the cell by binding to the viruses’ hermagglutinnin (tiny spikes) which the virus uses to enter a cell.  This prevents the virus from piercing the cell membrane.  Elderberry extracts are one of the few products available that has a direct effect on viral organisms. The company New Chapter provides a high quality elderberry extract called New Immunity take care. Also available is the product Sambcus from Natures Way.

 

      A formula called ImmunoCare, from the Himalaya Company has been proven effective in 108 published clinical trials in supporting normal levels of white blood cells.  It consists of four herbs associated with Ayurvedic medicine used in traditional Indian (country of India) health care.

       Active Hexose Correlated Compound (AHCC) is a monosaccharide obtained from shiitake mushrooms. Research has show AHCC to increase the activity of the immune systems natural killer cells by 300 percent and T lymphocytes up to 200 percent.  AHCC increases the body’s production of interleukin-2 and interferon.  AHCC is available as a supplement.

 

      A new product called ImmunExtra from Allera Health Products Inc. uses an extract of pinecones called polyphenylpropenoid-polysaccharide (PPC) which has been shown to significantly increase immune response activity in the body.  This product is available in as a nutritional supplement.

 

      Avoiding the flu and health problems in general, is directly associated with maintaining a strong immune system which in turn is related to maintaining a strong nutritional program of eating whole foods, and taking high quality supplements on a consistent basis. All the products discussed in this essay are available at Milk ‘N Honey.

VITAMIN D AND THE FLU

NEWSLETTER: OCTOBER 2009

       In the September Newsletter we discussed how to avoid getting the flu by insuring that the immune system is provided the necessary nutrients to allow it to do its job of protecting the body from pathogenic attack.  This month we will focus on one particular nutrient that has been identified as a major player in helping protect our bodies from the yearly challenge presented by the flu virus.  

        It has been observed that the flu virus does not suddenly appear in the fall and winter seasons but is present all year around.  Yet it is in the fall and winter that people tend to become much more susceptible to the flu virus and it is during these times of the year that people experience a marked increase in symptoms associated with the flu and the common cold.  While there may be several dynamics associated with this increase in susceptibility to the flu virus and viruses connected with the common cold, it has been observed that vitamin D appears to be one of those dynamics.      

 

      Vitamin D regulates genetic expression in hundreds of tissues throughout the body.  In the body, vitamin D converts to calcitriol which acts as a steroid hormone turning protein production on and off, as your body requires.  Vitamin D has been shown to increase production of broad-spectrum antimicrobial peptides.  Peptides are linked amino acids that perform specific functions in the body.  There are 200 known antimicrobial peptides which act in the body to destroy the cell walls of bacteria, fungi, and viruses, including the influenza virus.  When doing this, it has been shown there is a simultaneous prevention of the release of inflammatory cells, called chemokines and cytokines, into infected lung tissue.  During the 1918 flu pandemic, it was found that inflammatory cytokines had triggered the complete destruction of the normal epithelial cells lining the respiratory tract. This is the kind of inflammatory reaction that vitamin D has been found to prevent.

 

      To date, there have not been any completed clinical studies that measure the impact of vitamin D in helping prevent the flu virus from attacking the respiratory tract.  There are, however, a number of observations that have been made that strongly suggest an inverse relationship between vitamin D levels in the body and the flu.  In other words, as vitamin D increases, the incidence of flu decreases. 

       One such observation comes from Dr. Norris Glick, an MD who works at a state residential long and short-term treatment facility for individuals with developmental disabilities called Central Wisconsin Center.  This Center is located in Madison Wisconsin and is managed by the State of Wisconsin's Department of Health Services, Division of Long Term Care.  This facility is home to approximately 275 patients served by a staff of approximately 800. Serum levels of vitamin D have been monitored in virtually all patients for several years and patients have been supplemented with vitamin D.

       In June, 2009, two patients developed influenza-like symptoms and were tested positive for H1N1 which is the swine flu virus.  One patient was a long-term resident and the other patient was a child who was recently transferred to the Center.

       Sixty of the staff members developed flu symptoms.  Eight tested positive for H1N1.  There were an additional 43 staff members who called in sick because of flu-like symptoms. Eleven or twelve staff members developed flu-like symptoms after working on the unit where the child was given care. Several of these staff members tested positive for H1N1.  The patients at this Center have interaction with each other and the staff.

       What is interesting is that only these two patients out of a total of 275 developed flu-like symptoms and one of the two was the child recently brought to the Center who came to the center with the flu.    On the other hand, 103 of 800 staff members developed flu-like symptoms.  It appears the spread of H1N1 was not from staff-to-patient but from patient-to-staff and between staff.  The implication is that the staff personnel were susceptible to H1N1 while the patients, who have been provided vitamin D supplementation, were seemingly protected.

       While this report doesn’t prove vitamin D was the variable that made the difference in this case, the fact that vitamin D is known to produce in the body protective mechanisms that protect against the flu virus provides circumstantial evidence that this was a determining factor in the patients of this facility not getting the flu.  It should be noted that there are additional anecdotal observations of this nature from physicians and others regarding an apparent link between vitamin D levels and susceptibility to the flu.

       Much research has been done with vitamin D in recent years demonstrating it has many more functions in the body than previously thought.  One of these functions is associated with protecting the body from viral attack.  It’s been recognized that many Americans are deficient in vitamin D, especially during the winter months when there is limited exposure to sunlight which activates the manufacture of vitamin D in the body.  There is increasing evidence to suggest correlation between diminished vitamin D levels and susceptibility to the flu and other health problems. 

      We strongly recommend supplementing with vitamin D during the winter flu season in addition to implementing the necessary dietary changes and supplemental additions discussed in the September Newsletter above. See archives #7 on this website for a detailed discussion of vitamin D.  The following link will take you to this archive:  www.milkandhoneyhealthfoods.com/ARCHIVE7.html .  It is also recommended that you get tested for current blood levels of vitamin D.  Such testing is available through Milk ‘N Honey.