Week Five in a Series: Dr. Seeds on IMMUNE CONTROL
Here we are at Week 5 of my Immune Control Series. If this you missed the first four articles, I recommend that you start there:
Week 1: Immune System REPAIR
Week 2: Immune System REBOOT
Week 3: Immune System RECHARGE
Week 4: Immune System RESTORE
Be Proactive With Your Immune System Control
As we all stick together, trying to be patient, mindful, and clear-eyed about how to deal with this ongoing pandemic, many are waiting for help in the form of either a vaccine or anti-viral medicine. Scientists are working around the clock and around the world to come up with the most effective medicinal strategies to fight this virus now, and into the future.
However, we are not helpless as we manage the stress of this waiting period. We all can be proactive, empowered protectors of our own health. Last week, I shared four supplements that can help you support your immune system even if you’re not sick. This week, I am highlighting another important step to taking charge of your own health during this pandemic or any flu season is by understanding more about how our immune system works.
The Two Arms of Your Immune System
First, the immune system can be divided into two general branches — the innate immune system and the adaptive (or acquired) immune system. These two arms modulate each other; they also must work together to fight off any disease or infection.
If one arm is compromised, it will trigger the other to work harder. If one is in hyper-active mode, over-working, then the other arm will begin to dampen its response.
The two arms are always in a give-and-take exchange, and then this exchange becomes dysregulated, further problems occur, including respiratory distress, blood clots, stroke, neurological symptoms, and the exacerbation of some auto-immune disorders, such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. These are downstream effects that we are seeing in patients.
The key for us right now is to give our cells the best possible opportunity to stay efficient.
I keep talking about cell efficiency for a reason: so much of our overall health depends upon our body’s cells being able to take in nutrition, create energy, and utilize that energy source to keep growing.
When this cell cycle gets depleted — from either poor sources of nutrition or an immune response that is diverting nutrition or interrupting energy production or utilization — then cells can become senescent, which is the hallmark of all sorts of down-stream diseases.
Do you recall from last week’s article that many of those becoming very ill or dying from this new virus have underlying conditions? That people with type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and COPD are much more susceptible?
The reasons for this increased vulnerability is because of the ways the underlying conditions reflect an immune system that is compromised. But how? It varies a lot.
The Innate and Adaptive Immune System Response
Think of the two systems this way: the innate system is on the front line and turns on the invaders with a series of bows and arrows, pushing the virus into retreat mode. Next, the adaptive immune response comes in with its antibodies like an army of Pac Men, gobbling up the weak, retreating invaders.
It’s the innate immune system’s job to be the first responder, sending out several signals to attack any kind of pathogen (like a virus or bacteria invader). This frontline defense release Gamma Delta T Cells that act like an alarm system, alerting a series of reactions.
Once this cycle is activated, the adaptive immune system assists the Innate system to signal the T Reg cells to call for macrophages, neutrophils, monocytes and dendritic cells to engulf and otherwise get rid of the virus or other invader. There are other mechanisms at work as well, enabling the two immune systems to keep interacting efficiently.
Keeping these systems working in tandem to protect and fight against nasty viruses requires that we feed our cells optimally.
This is why nutrition, exercise, and high quality sleep are so important: they give the cells of the immune systems not just adequate sources of energy but preferable nutrition.
So what can you do now?
You can follow my Immune Control Protocol.
Step One: Restore Your Body’s PH Balance and Make it More Alkaline
Bring your gut and microbiome into Ph balance by decreasing acidic-causing foods and increasing alkaline-foods.
- Eat plenty of fruits and veggies. Fiber acts as a ph-balancer for your gut, moving food in and out more efficiently.
- Stay away from refined sugar. Sugar is like pouring acid into your gut.
- Reduce processed foods, dairy, and alcohol. Processed foods, dairy and alcohol have hidden sugars that bombard your gut with acid.
- Add sodium bicarbonate (aka baking soda) to water. This alkaline-producer returns your gut to ph balance and also acts as an anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-microbial agent.
Most Diets Work
Paleo, Keto, Mediterranean — they all offer food guidelines that enable you to include the three main sources of good nutrition for your immune system:
- Fat (olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds and grains)
- Fiber (fruits and veggies and whole-grains)
- Lean protein (poultry, fish, pork, and vegetable proteins)
To benefit your immune system, you want to avoid processed foods, starchy carbs, and man-made sugars; these foods produce an over-abundance of glucose in the body, which creates havoc that will undermine your immune system.
Step Two: Exercise Regularly
We all know the benefits of exercise — it helps the heart, metabolism and our moods. Regular exercise primes your metabolism, creates blood sugar balance, and optimizes the two arms of your immune system to get rid of toxins, so they don’t linger.
I recommend any kind of exercise that you will do:
- If you enjoy walking, then walk, and try to do so for at least 20 minutes daily. The best time is right after a meal!
- If you like to run, then plan a running schedule that you’ll stick to.
- If you’re into yoga, pilates, dance or other movement classes, then sign up for an online class. There are many being offered for free or at very low cost.
- If you have a stationary bike, then get on it and ride for 15-30 minutes.
- If you have weights at home, then use them. Strength training improves your muscles, which boosts your metabolism and releases Myokines (muscle-derived peptides, or small chain amino acids). Myokines help maintain cell efficiency throughout the body.
Step Three: Get Regular Deep Sleep
Sleep enables your immune system to re-boot and restore itself. During this down-time, the regulatory systems of your innate and adaptive immune systems are able to restore energy to cells and prime themselves to be ready.
If you have trouble sleeping, try a few things:
- Take a warm shower or bath; warming your extremities turns on your parasympathetic nervous system and calms your mind and body.
- Listen to calming music or a sound-bath app.
- Go to bed at the same time each night.
These simple steps are scientifically supported tools that will help you build your body’s immune system so that it has the strength to fight off invaders.
Step Four: Try Ketone Esters
Ketone esters are a liquid form of fatty acids that put your body in a ketogenic state (without having to follow a ketogenic diet) and help restore blood sugar balance; promote metabolic flexibility; and overall strengthen your immune response.
Dr. Seeds Advice:
Introduce ketone esters in the morning on an empty stomach; I suggest 5 ml for females and 10 ml for males, three times a day. If you experience a little gastric distress, take the ketone esters at the beginning of the meal three times a day.
1 thought on “Understand the Two Arms of Your Immune System and Discover a Secret Bullet”
This information is terrific! Too many official guideline websites have a disappointing nothing under “Treatment”. Go home and self isolate. No suggestion we can enhance the immune system. I am curious to know what you mean by Arm and Hammer got it half right. Their prescription is almost the same as yours. It seems to me that their pamphlet “A Friend in Need”, published for 3 decades, was responsible for a revolution in the use of baking soda, in that our great grandparents and grandparents used it as the go to for flus and many other illnesses. In those days their product was classified as an Official U.S.P. Remedy, “meeting all the requirements.”