Furthermore in the winter the doctors and media discuss the flu season as though "getting the flu" is an inevitable consequence without the flu shot.But similar to other misunderstood concepts in modern medicine, perceived immunological frailty is a medical myth.
This article will give you a better understanding of the relationship between humans and germs so that you can build a strong healthy immune system to create and maintain optimal health.
Germ Theory of Disease
Louis Pasteurs Germ Theory of Disease is the cornerstone of a large part of today’s medicine.
This is based on the belief that disease is best treated by finding the right cure (drug) for each germ.
This has of course been exploited by the pharmaceutical giants who now have an unhealthy influence over modern medicine and why most doctors focus more on treatment rather than prevention.
However the other side of the argument is the belief that the health of the body is the most important factor in disease prevention.
For century’s experts have debated whether germs produce disease or whether the body’s resistance to disease is more important. Claud Bernard was one of the biggest critics of Pasteur’s Germ Theory.
Bernard believed that disease is an "inside out job" and the health of the body is compromised by poor food and toxins common in the western world such as vaccines, chemicals, heavy metals etc.
Throughout his career even Pasteur himself doubted his own beliefs. What many people don’t realise because it’s never been widely reported is that before he died Pasteur changed his mind and said "Bernard was right. The germ is nothing the soil (body) is everything!
Now ask yourself why the creator of the Germ Theory’s ultimate belief that the health of the body is the most important factor in avoiding disease or that prevention is more important than the cure have been kept quite? Money!
Today more than ever the money is in the medicine not the prevention of the disease via having a body that’s healthy enough to fight off any germs so that they don’t cause illness.
Contrary to popular belief germs are attracted to diseased tissues; they are not the primary cause of it. Dr. Rudolph Virchow, the father of modern pathology stated
"If I could live my life over again, I would devote it to proving that germs seek their natural habitat – diseased tissue – rather than being the cause of diseased tissue; in other words mosquitoes seek the stagnant water, but they do not cause the pool to become stagnant"
So in effect illnesses such as the flu or colds etc. are secondary illnesses; the first "illness" was the loss of health in the underlying tissues.
Understanding Your Immune System
The immune system is the name given to the complex interaction between white blood cells, antibodies, hormones, proteins, enzymes, and inflammatory molecules called cytokines, which all act in synchrony to protect your body from the pathogens and parasites that are constantly attacking it.
These attackers include viruses, bacteria, germs, fungi, worms, insects, and other living things.
They attempt to steal food and energy from your body and for survival you must win this battle.
Due to the large number and diversity of the attackers, your body has a large number of defensive strategies. As most of these strategies are lethal to the targeted invader, great care must be taken in identifying them as alien and not part of your body or your diet.
The immune system detects an attacker by its alien protein structure: These are recognised as being different from the thousands of unique proteins that make up your body, your food and healthy bacteria.
The defensive strategies employed include:
1. Increasing body temperature (fever) to make your body inhospitable to invaders
2. Inflammation to dilute the toxins that may be present
3. Providing antibodies that signal your white blood cells to attack alien protein directly
4. Frequent urination or dia-rea to mechanically expel the invaders
A large part of your genetic make up is your immune system. In a world in which the attackers are numerous and constantly changing, nature has given us all via sexual reproduction a slightly different immune system, in order for our species to survive any new parasite, pathogen or plague.
Thus not all people are affected when exposed to the same alien attacker. Some alien proteins that are introduced into your body via eating unnatural foods typical to the modern western diet such as bread, pasteurized dairy products, nutrient deficient fast and packaged foods, too much sugar, trans fats etc can cause your immune system to attack your own body.
As a result of our poor diet over 95% of people die or are stricken unnecessary in the developed world of immune-system related diseases such as; arthritis, diabetes, allergies, Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, many forms of cancer and most heart disease.
It is interesting to note that wild animals don’t suffer from the above diseases but domesticated pets fed on processed canned food do. What’s even more interesting is that primitive people’s studied by explorers who had contact with them were free from immune system diseases.
However when white mans food (bread, sugar, processed salt, milk and canned food etc.) was introduced to the native cultures, immune system diseases appeared in direct proportion to the amount of modern food consumed. These immune disorders were termed in 1843 by the French doctor Tanchou "Diseases of civilisation".
Healthy Bacteria
Every moment, the body is exposed to billions of bacteria living on the skin, in the mouth, in the digestive tract and on everything we touch. Bacteria that co exists with humans and animals are called symbiants – organisms that have developed a mutually beneficial relationship with the body and are considered to be part of the body’s normal flora.
The immune system recognizes organisms that "don’t belong" in the body, and effectively eliminates them. This process occurs thousands of times a day without us being aware of it.
What Can I Do to Build and Maintain a Strong Immune System?
The benefits of having a healthy immune system are absolutely essential to wellbeing. Without proper immune function, we quickly become the victims of illness then disease, which in turn have the potential to shorten our lives and impact our capacity for happiness. So for a strong and healthy immune system, lots of energy and a life free of illness follow the tips below?
1. Stay as stress-free as possible
When we are stressed, our adrenal glands secrete a hormone known as cortisol. Although the right amount of cortisol is in many ways good for our bodies (it helps keep inflammation in check, for example), too much of it on an ongoing basis can weaken your immune system.
Although it’s easier said than done, keeping stress under control is essential for a healthy immune system. But the important thing to remember with stress is that you are in control of your own thoughts, you can decide what you think about, you can decide if a situation is stressful or decide to replace negative thoughts with positive ones.
One of the great things about humans is that we are in control of our own future. We are personally responsible. We have a great power in that we become what we think and believe in, so focus on good things happening to you, set positive goals, and you will be on the right track to a happy healthy life.
2. Get enough sleep
Getting enough sleep is essential for a healthy immune system. When we sleep, the immune system is reinforced and replenished. Even one night’s sleep loss can significantly suppress the immune system.
3. Eat nutritious foods
"You are what you eat." I cant emphasize this enough, eating healthily is absolutely essential for optimum immune function. Immune-boosting foods include organically grown fruits, vegetables, eggs fish and meats washed down with clean water. Eat these 80% of the time then you will be well on the way to a fighting off illness.
4. Avoid "unhealthy" foods
Sugar and overly processed foods are foes of the healthy immune system. One table spoon of sugar suppresses the immune system for up to 4 hours. Other unhealthy foods include those containing trans-fats, fried items, processed meats, and baked goods made with white flour such as bread and cakes.
A good rule of thumb is the longer the shelf life the worse a food is for you, or the more a food is advertised the less nutritious it is. Good healthy food doesn’t need to be advertised as everyone knows its good for them.
Don’t be fanatical; just be consistent in choosing foods for a strong immune system and health. A bar of chocolate once in a while is ok but make sure 80% of what you eat is health building food.
5. Get just enough of the right exercise and no more
Exercise is a wonderful immune booster and good for virtually every part of you! A program of regular, exercise (combination of weight and aerobic training) relieves stress and makes it easier for you to sleep at night. But make sure you give yourself time to recover after each training session otherwise you will risk overtraining and a weakened immune system.
6. Avoid cigarettes and limit Alcohol consumption
Cigarette smoke (inhaled or second hand) is saturated with toxic chemicals, most of which negatively impact immune response. Research indicates that alcohol consumption interferes with a variety of immune defences and is linked with certain types of cancers and infections.
7. Get some rays but avoid excessive sun exposure
The sun helps your body produce vitamin D, a vital factor in a healthy immune system. But don’t over do it and get burnt as this is one of the best ways to damage your immune system. The other good thing about being outside is lots of fresh air, so spend time at the beach or walking in a beautiful place to not only relax but give your body lots of clean air and vitamin D.
8. Avoid exposure to pollutants and toxic chemicals
Pollution is a major factor in immune suppression. Unfortunately, toxic chemicals are everywhere around us. Become informed! Learn to recognize harmful chemicals in the home and outside. Buy (or make) non-toxic cleaning fluids/sprays, and use natural cosmetics such as Green People whenever possible.
9. Wash your hands
Many bacteria are passed via skin contact with infected individuals or objects. Washing your hands before touching your face (rubbing your eyes, contacting your mouth or ears) after going to the toilet and before eating greatly reduces your exposure to harmful bacteria in the environment; this lessens your chance of getting sick and of stressing your immune system. Washing your hands is also important today because of all the toxins we come in contact with. Don’t be fanatical about cleanliness’ just be consistent.
Conclusion
The purpose of the immune system is to protect the body against viruses, bacteria, germs, fungi, worms, insects and other types of living things that are constantly attacking your body. Everyone’s immune system is different this has allowed the human species to survive. But how long can we as a species survive the our poor diets that are causing ever increasing immune system diseases that will kill most of us slowly and painfully before we are ready?
But it doesn’t have to be this way you can easily build a strong immune system by consistently following the advice in this article, in doing so you will not only suffer less from illness, but enjoy higher energy levels and live a longer happy life.
Now that’s a good deal isn’t it!
