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
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.
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.
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.
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.
Bring your gut and microbiome into Ph balance by decreasing acidic-causing foods and increasing alkaline-foods.
Paleo, Keto, Mediterranean — they all offer food guidelines that enable you to include the three main sources of good nutrition for your immune system:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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."