Boosting Immunity Through Herbs & Nutrition

from BodyBuilding.com 

Depending on the hemisphere you live in, you may be entering either winter or summer. Many pathogens become more prevalent in winter, with the cold and flu being common examples. Sickness can occur at any time, however, and people with a suppressed immune system, such as the elderly, the highly stressed, and even those who exercise at a high intensity on a regular basis, may be more vulnerable. There are many natural herbs and nutrients that may support immune function during these times and give your body everything it needs to stay at full capacity so you can continue your life’s journey unimpeded.

Meet Your Immune System:  Innate vs. Adaptive Immune Response: The innate immune response is the very first line of defense when an intruder makes contact with the immune system. It could be a harmful organism (bacteria or virus, for example) or a food component that gets through the gut wall as part of leaky gut. The immune system acts swiftly to remove the intruder within four days of getting infected. At the same time, the immune cells also send chemical signals to start recruiting more forces to come and help with the invasion.

The chemical signaling molecules produced during this first line of defense include histamine, bradykinin, serotonin, leukotrienes, and prostaglandins. They all produce inflammation, which is what creates redness, swelling, heat, and pain. Think of the swelling inside your nose and the increased mucous production when you get a cold or the fever you get with viral infections such as the flu. These inflammatory products are what make you feel miserable when you are sick, not the bacteria or the virus itself. Bacteria and viruses merely act as the trigger.

After about four days, the adaptive immune response kicks in. This is the second line of defense and a bit more specialized. The immune system adapts to become more specific to the pathogen intruder. Sometimes, however, things can go wrong and other cells get in the firing line when pathogens are being killed, which is how autoimmune disease can start.

The adaptive immune response employs T and B lymphocytes as part of the immune system and can clone them very quickly when an infection is present. Each new cell that is produced will be exactly the same as the cell it came from and will target the exact same pathogen. So, if you get the flu, your immune system will make millions of T and B lymphocytes that will specifically kill the flu virus only.

Hunoral vs. Cellular Immunity: The immune system uses two adaptive mechanisms to protect from foreign invaders, namely cellular and humoral immunity. Humoral immunity is all about making antibodies, whereas cellular immunity is about destroying infected cells. Both mechanisms produce inflammation that needs to be managed. Chronic inflammation that is left uncontrolled can damage healthy cells and contribute to bigger health problems than just having an infection.

Humoral immunity occurs when the body makes antibodies against something that is outside the cells and moving around freely in bodily fluids such as blood or mucous. T-helper cells help the B cells change into more specific cells that then bind to antigens on the outside of the invader organisms and neutralize them through a process called phagocytosis (literally, the eating of the cell), during which B cells are cloned with a memory of the particular antigen on the harmful organism. It's like taking a mug shot or fingerprints. The memory B cells remain inactive but hang around and will instantly recognize the organism if they encounter it again, hastening the process of eliminating the threat the next time around.

Cellular immunity becomes involved when the pathogenic organisms are already inside the cells. Viruses cannot make you sick unless they get inside your cells where they can replicate. The cell-mediated response is the most effective response when it comes to removing virus-infected cells. T-helper cells release inflammatory factors that help the T cells transform into cytotoxic T cells, which can then destroy the infected cell by triggering apoptosis, or cell-suicide.

It is important to support both humoral and cellular immunity in the adaptive response so the immune system can get rid of infected cells, but at the same time you want to make sure that the adaptive responses do not go into overdrive and cause massive inflammation and cellular damage. It's all about maintaining balance.

Definitions: Before we get to our top five herbs for bolstering the immune system, here are a few key definitions:

Immunostimulatory describes something that stimulates the immune system by activating it or increasing its activity. Stimulation means more B and T lymphocytes and more immune cells, but also more inflammation.

Immunosuppression is something that prevents the immune system from reacting to antigens and launching an attack. Sometimes this is necessary, such as in the case of organ transplants, where you don't want the immune system to attack the new organs.

Immunomodulation is modulation of the immune system, bringing it to back to normal levels where it self-regulates. Basically, something that is immunomodulatory will calm down an overactive immune system, protecting you from your own defense mechanisms without suppressing an underactive immune system. In other words, it provides balance.