Since no nutrients work in isolation, it is a good idea to take a good high-strength multivitamin and mineral supplement. The combination of nutrients at even modest levels can boost immunity very effectively. Dr. Ranjit Chandra, from the Memorial University of Newfoundland, and colleagues, in a research study published in The Lancet, took a group of ninety-six healthy elderly people and gave some a supplement of this kind and others a placebo.26 Those on the supplement suffered fewer infections, had a stronger immune system as measured by blood-test determination of immune factors, and were generally healthier than those given the placebo.
Antioxidant power
The nutrients worth adding in larger amounts to fight off infection are the antioxidants and particularly vitamin C. Most invaders produce the dangerous oxidizing chemicals known as free radicals to fight off the troops of your immune system. Antioxidant nutrients, such as vitamins A, C, and E and zinc and selenium, disarm these free radicals, weakening the invader. Vitamin A also helps maintain the integrity of the digestive tract, lungs, and all cell membranes, preventing foreign agents from entering the body and viruses from entering cells. In addition, vitamin A and beta-carotene are potent antioxidants. Many foreign agents produce oxidizing free radicals as part of their defense system. Even our own immune cells produce free radicals to destroy invaders. Therefore, a high intake of antioxidant nutrients helps protect your immune cells from these harmful weapons of war. The ideal intake of beta-carotene is 11,000 to 55,000 IU per day.
Vitamin E, another important virtuoso, improves B- and T-cell function. Its immune-boosting properties increase when it is given in conjunction with selenium. The ideal daily intake is between 150 to 900 IU. Selenium, iron, manganese, copper, and zinc are all involved in antioxidation and have been shown to affect immune power positively. Of these, selenium and zinc are probably the most important. While zinc is critical for immune cell production and proper functioning of B and T cells, excess zinc can suppress the ability of macrophages to destroy bacteria. The ideal daily intake is 15 to 25 mg. While zinc may be a beneficial supplement during a viral infection, it may not be a good idea to supplement it during a bacterial infection. The same is true for iron. While iron deficiency suppresses immune function, too much iron interferes with the ability of macrophages to destroy bacteria. When an infection is present, the body initiates a series of defense mechanisms designed to stop the invader absorbing iron, so supplementing iron is not recommended during a bacterial infection.
How much C?
Vitamin C is unquestionably the master immune-boosting nutrient. To date, more than a dozen roles in this capacity have been identified for it. It helps immune cells mature, improves the performance of antibodies and macrophages, and is itself antiviral and antibacterial, as well as able to destroy toxins produced by bacteria. In addition, it is a natural antihistamine, calming down inflammation, and stimulates another part of the immune defense system to produce interferon that boosts immunity. Excessive levels of the stress hormone Cortisol, a potent immunosuppressant, are controlled by sufficient vitamin C. However, the dosage of vitamin C is crucial. Professor Harry Hemilia from the Department of Health at the University of Helsinki examined all studies that tested the effects of vitamin C or a placebo on the common cold, selecting only those that gave 1 gram daily or more. Thirty-seven out of thirty-eight concluded that supplementing 1 gram, twenty times the recommended daily allowance (RDA), had a protective effect. Studies using less than this amount tend not to be conclusive.
Probiotics—nature’s antibiotics
Infectious agents are all around us. Whether or not you succumb to them is determined not only by your exposure, but also by your balance of bacteria. The reason for this is that beneficial bacteria both consume the nutrients that would otherwise feed the bad guys and block receptor sites that harmful bacteria have to latch on to in order to cause an infection, for example, by entering the bloodstream. However, the main reason probiotics protect you is that they produce substances such as lactic acid and hydrogen peroxide, which stop harmful bacteria from growing. These are nature’s antibiotics. They not only keep less desirable residents, such as E. coli or enterobacteria, at bay, but also make it very hard for bugs such as staphylococci (responsible for many sore throats), salmonella, and Campylobacter, which cause most cases of food poisoning, to survive. Worldwide, more than a million people die from food poisoning each year.27 In the U.S. there are 1,500,000 cases of salmonella and 2,500,000 cases of Campylobacter infection each year, although the real numbers are probably ten times this.
Probiotics don’t just give pathogenic bacteria a hard time, they positively boost your immune system. Six research studies have specifically found that different strains of beneficial bacteria improve the fighting power of the immune system. This means that probiotics are also important in the treatment of cancer and allergies, as well as infections caused by viruses, parasites, and yeasts such as Candida albicans, which is responsible for thrush.
One research study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine in 1992 gave women prone to thrush either a live yogurt containing lactobacilli for six months or no yogurt.28 After six months, those on yogurt were asked to switch to no yogurt, and vice versa. Most of the women on no yogurt dropped out of the study, while those on daily yogurt refused to switch after six months. They had experienced a substantial reduction in the number and severity of yeast infections. Even more effective is the use of suppositories to deliver probiotics directly into the vagina.
Probiotics have also proven helpful in treating recurrent bladder infections, sinusitis, and tonsillitis.
The immune power diet
The ideal immune-boosting diet is, in essence, no different from the ideal diet for anyone. Since immune cells are produced rapidly during an infection, sufficient protein is essential. However, too much suppresses immunity, probably by using up available vitamin B6. Diets high in saturated or hydrogenated fat suppress immunity and clog up the lymphatic vessels; but essential fats, found in cold-pressed seed oils, boost immunity. Therefore, a well-balanced protein, low-fat diet, with fats obtained from essential sources such as seeds and nuts, together with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables rich in vitamins and minerals, is best for maximum immunity.
During a viral infection that increases mucus production, it is best to avoid meat, dairy products, and eggs and also any foods that you suspect you might be allergic to. Great foods are all vegetables, especially carrots, beets and their tops, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and bean sprouts. Fruit is particularly beneficial, especially watermelon and berries, plus ground seeds, lentils, beans, whole grains such as brown rice, and fish. All foods should be eaten as raw as possible, avoiding frying, which introduces free radicals.
Foods for a power diet
Here are some typical items in an immune power diet:
Watermelon juice: Blend the flesh and the seeds in an electric blender. The husks will sink to the bottom, leaving the seeds, which are rich in protein, zinc, selenium, vitamin E, and essential fats, in the juice. Drink a pint for breakfast and another pint during the day.
Carrot soup: Blend three organic carrots, two tomatoes, a bunch of watercress, a third of a package of tofu, half a cup of rice milk or soy milk, a teaspoon of vegetable stock, and (optional) some ground almonds or seeds. Eat cold or heat to serve, accompanied by rice cakes. Alternatively, boil carrots, sweet potato, or butternut squash and make a soup by adding vegetable stock, loads of ginger, and some coconut milk.
A large salad: Include a selection of “seed” vegetables (like fava beans), broccoli, grated carrot, beets, zucchini, watercress, lettuce, tomatoes, and avocados, adding seeds or marinated tofu pieces—organic if possible. Serve with a dressing of cold-pressed oil containing some crushed garlic.
Berries as a snack: Strawberries have more vitamin C than oranges. Blueberries have the highest antioxidant power (ORAC) score of all. Raspberries and strawberries are also excellent. Berries contain many phytonutrients th
at boost your immune system. So, when you are under attack, snack on berries—the more the merrier.
Useful supplements
These supplements help fight infections naturally:
A good, high-strength multivitamin and mineral
A good, high-strength antioxidant formula giving at least 6,500 IU of vitamin A, 450 IU of vitamin E, 100 mg of B6, 20 mg of zinc, and 100 mcg of selenium
Vitamin C, 3 g every four hours including last thing at night and immediately on rising (it may have a laxative effect—if it does, reduce the dose accordingly), choosing a supplement that contains berry extracts, especially elderberry
Cat’s claw tea with ginger four times a day
Echinacea, ten drops three times a day
Grapefruit seed extract, ten drops three times a day
For maintenance have 1 to 2 grams of vitamin C a day. Some supplements also contain other antioxidants and immune-friendly nutrients such as berry extracts, zinc, or cat’s claw.
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Balancing Hormones Naturally
Some of the most powerful chemicals in the body are hormones. These are biochemicals produced in special glands and, when present in the bloodstream, they give instructions to body cells. Insulin, for example, tells the cells to take up glucose from the blood. Thyroxine, from the thyroid gland, speeds up the metabolism of cells, generating energy and burning fat. Estrogen and progesterone, from the ovaries, control a sequence of changes that maintain fertility and the menstrual cycle. Hormone imbalances can wreak havoc on your health.
Hormones are either fatlike, called steroid hormones, or proteinlike, such as insulin. They are made from components of your food, and diet can play a crucial part in keeping your hormone levels in balance. Most hormones work on feedback loops, with the pituitary gland as the conductor of the orchestra. For example, the pituitary releases thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), which tells the thyroid gland to release thyroxine, which speeds up the metabolism of the cells in the body. When the blood level of thyroxine reaches a certain point, the pituitary stops producing TSH.
The thyroid gland and metabolism
The thyroid hormone thyroxine is made from the amino acid tyrosine. The enzyme that converts one into the other is dependent on iodine, zinc, and selenium. A lack either of tyrosine or of iodine, zinc, or selenium can reduce thyroxine levels. However, an underactive thyroid, which can cause symptoms such as weight gain, mental and physical lethargy, constipation, and thickening skin, is quite common. Many people suspected of having thyroid problems have borderline “normal” thyroxine levels on being tested, but experience amazing health transformations after taking a low dose of thyroxine. Some people develop underactive thyroids because their body is destroying their thyroxine. These people test positive to “antithyroid antibodies.” This is often due to gluten allergy. The immune system, it seems, becomes hypersensitive to a food and attacks thyroid tissue by mistake. Therefore, if you have an underactive thyroid, it’s worth testing yourself for allergies, as well as antithyroid antibodies.
The endocrine glands and hormones.
Maintaining calcium balance
The thyroid gland also produces a hormone responsible for maintaining calcium balance in the body. Calcitonin from the thyroid works in balance with parathormone (PTH) from the parathyroid glands, four tiny glands attached to the thyroid. PTH converts vitamin D into an active hormone that helps increase available calcium. While most of the body’s calcium is in the bones, a small amount is in the blood and cells because every single nerve and muscle reaction uses calcium. PTH stimulates the bones to give up calcium, while calcitonin puts calcium back into the bones.
Stress and the adrenals
The adrenal glands sit on top of the kidneys and produce hormones that, among other things, help us adapt to stress. The hormones adrenaline, cortisol, and DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) help us respond to emergencies by channeling the body’s energy toward being able to “fight or take flight,” improving oxygen and glucose supply to the muscles and generating mental and physical energy. It is a design that helped our remote ancestors cope with truly life-threatening situations.
During a stress reaction, the blood thickens to help wounds to heal. In modern life, all this happens when you open your bank statement to find you are overdrawn, get stuck in a traffic jam, or have an argument with your partner. Tea, coffee, chocolate, and cigarettes have the same effect as they contain caffeine, theobromine, theophylline, or nicotine, which stimulate the release of adrenaline. This instant energy has a downside. The body slows down digestion, repair, and maintenance to channel energy into dealing with stress. As a consequence, prolonged stress is associated with speeding up the aging process, with a number of the diseases of the digestion, and with hormone balance.
By living off stimulants such as coffee and cigarettes, a high-sugar diet, or stress itself, you increase your risk of upsetting your thyroid balance (which means your metabolism will slow down and you will gain weight) or calcium balance (resulting in arthritis) or of getting problems associated with sex-hormone imbalances and excessive Cortisol. These are the long-term side effects of prolonged stress, because any body system that is overstimulated will eventually underfunction.
After only two weeks of the raised Cortisol levels of stress, the dendrite “arms” of brain cells that reach out to connect with other brain cells start to shrivel up, according to research carried out at Stanford University in California by Robert Sapolsky, professor of neuroscience.29 The good news is that such damage isn’t permanent. Stop the stress and the dendrites grow back. One way to reduce your stress levels is to reduce your intake of sugar and stimulants. The more dependent on stimulants you are, the more your blood sugar levels fluctuate, with more “rebound” low blood sugar levels triggering the release of adrenal hormones. Your adrenals think you’re starving and go into “fight or flight” mode, when in truth you are just having a blood sugar dip as the body overcompensates after one more high-sugar food.
Nutrients for the stress hormones
The stress hormones rely on certain nutrients for their production. For adrenaline you need enough of vitamins B3 (niacin), B12, and C. Cortisol, which is also a natural anti-inflammatory substance, cannot be produced without enough vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid). Your need for all these nutrients, along with those needed for energy production such as vitamins B and C, goes up with prolonged stress.
Supplementing DHEA
Levels of DHEA, a vital adrenal hormone, fall as a result of prolonged stress. This hormone, which can be bought over the counter in the United States, can be supplemented in small amounts to restore stress resistance.
A new kind of test can tell you where you are on the stress cycle. Saliva taken at five specific times of the day is analyzed to determine its levels of Cortisol and DHEA. DHEA can also be used to make the sex hormones testosterone and estrogen and is considered “antiaging.” However, too much can also overstimulate the adrenal glands and, for example, induce insomnia. So it is best not to take it unless you need it, as revealed by an adrenal stress test (see Resources).
Sex hormones
In women, the balance between progesterone and estrogen is critical. A relative excess of estrogen, called estrogen dominance, is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, fibroids, ovarian cysts, endometriosis, and PMS. The early warning symptoms of estrogen dominance include PMS, depression, loss of sex drive, sweet cravings, heavy periods, weight gain, breast swelling, and water retention.
Hormones in the menstrual cycle. In the first half of the menstrual cycle, a woman’s body produces estrogen, which makes the lining of the womb grow, ready to receive a fertilized egg. If the egg is released, the remaining sac then produces progesterone, which rises in the second half of the cycle, keeping the womb healthy. If no fertilized egg is implanted, the sac (the corpus luteum) shrivels up and progesterone levels plummet. This triggers menstruation.
Estrogen dominance can be due to excess exposure to estro
genic substances or a lack of progesterone or a combination of both. Estrogenic compounds are found in meat, much of which is hormone-fed; in dairy products; in many pesticides; and in soft plastics, some of which leach into food when used for wrapping. Estrogen is also contained in most birth control pills and HRT.
If a woman does not ovulate, which ironically can be because of a slight lack of estrogen, no progesterone is produced. This is because progesterone is produced in the sac that contains the ovum, once the ovum is released. If no progesterone is produced, there is a relative estrogen dominance.
Stress raises levels of the adrenal hormone Cortisol, which competes with progesterone and lowers levels of DHEA, the precursor of progesterone. DHEA is also a precursor of testosterone, and evidence is accumulating to suggest that men too can suffer from estrogen dominance and testosterone deficiency. While men produce very little estrogen, they are exposed to this hormone in their diet and in the environment. Some substances, such as breakdown products of the pesticide DDT and Vinclozalin, used to spray lettuces, are known to interfere with the body’s testosterone, creating a deficiency. This may explain the increase in the incidence of genital defects and undescended testes in male infants and the rise in infertility as well as prostate and testicular cancer. In later life, some men have the equivalent of a “male menopause.” The symptoms, according to male-hormone expert Dr. Malcolm Carruthers, include fatigue, depression, decreased sexual performance, redistribution and gain in weight, including growth of excessive breast tissue.
The New Optimum Nutrition Bible Page 23
