Isn’t it crazy to think that for over a year and a half everyone on planet earth has been impacted by this epidemic?! Whether we’ve had it or known someone who has, I think it’s safe to say it’s hit us all in one degree or another. And the reality is: it isn’t over. Every nation has gone through spikes of it and in the United States, we are seeing increases again. Meanwhile, “normal” illnesses continue to go through their courses. I’ve seen an increase in RSV, digestive viruses, and the like in the region we are in. This blog isn’t so much about a particular disease, but rather focusing on the immune system and what we can do to support it to overcome whatever we may encounter.
As difficult as they are, pandemics & seasons of illnesses have been going on all throughout the world’s history. Every generation has had their theories of what the causes are to man’s never-ending battle with disease. Medicine today has been greatly shaped by the Germ Theory of Disease that was established during the 1860s. Through a series of experiments, French scientist Louis Pasteur, postulated that microorganisms were the cause of disease. And modern medicine has taken an approach to address those microorganisms to help humanity live longer & better lives. This approach has allowed for the discovery of many life-saving procedures & treatments for which we can be thankful for.
What I want to touch on today is the phenomenon of how some people who are exposed to harmful microorganisms get sick, while others do not. Could it be that aside from the microorganisms themselves, there is a difference in each person that causes varying outcomes?
To truly understand this, we must understand the immune system itself. It is a complex system with many layers that even experts have yet to fully comprehend. And the functionality of an immune system varies from person to person for reasons we will explore. Unfortunately, as medical advances have well, advanced, in many spheres, we have lost sight of the importance of also supporting this natural God-given immunity each of us has in place. So regardless of whatever interventions you decide are right for you, in this blog, I would like to touch on a few aspects of our natural immunity & ways to support it for optimal outcomes.
The first layer of the immune system is the barriers we have in place: our skin and the various openings to the outside world (some I won’t go into…wink). We should be soooo thankful for our skin, ducts, nose hairs, boogers (yep, even those), mouth, ear wax, etc. Each of these plays a vital role in keeping us safe via blocking entrances or trapping things from the outside world. So of course this reminds us of the obvious need to do simple things like washing our hands and not rub our eyes or noses, etc.
The next item I’d like to touch on is the one area that completely exposes the inside of our body to the outside world. Can you guess what that is? The digestive tract! From mouth to anus, food and whatever else we consume from the outside world passes in this intricate tube through the body to provide nutrients to our cells. But, did you also know it’s a foundational part of the immune system? Experts estimate anywhere from 70-80% of our immune system is found in our gut! You see, as much as there are harmful microorganisms such as those discovered by Mr. Pasteur, there are also beneficial ones that live on and inside the body! These little buggers help defend against other disease causing microorganisms. So you can imagine, if your gut isn’t healthy, your immune system is compromised. There are many causes for an unhealthy gut such as: stress, diet, some medications, underlying infections, and chemical exposures. Once these issues are addressed, the immune system will be in much better shape to do its job!
Then, on a microscopic level, we also have our amazing immune system cells that do the dirty work of flagging, attacking, destroying, & calling for repair (healing) in the case that a harmful microorganism does find its way inside the body. You may be familiar with names like white blood cells, cytokines, T cells, B cells & such that are all involved in cellular immunity. I could go into great depths of the layers of this, but I’ll spare you the biology lesson today! However, it’s important to know that basic things such as getting enough sleep, proper nutrition, reducing stress, & exercise are very powerful ways to support this army that fights nonstop on your behalf.
Now that we have covered the basic aspects of the immune system, let’s touch on one of my favorite aspects of health that affects immunity: nutrition! What we eat matters so much when it comes to a properly functioning immune system. Sugar is very inflammatory and known to directly disarm immune system cells. So obviously finding alternatives is important. And I’m not talking about artificial sweeteners. Those chemicals have actually been found to disarm those healthy microorganisms in the gut; which leaves one even more compromised. Inflammatory foods such as processed convenience foods, heavy dairy, & high omega 6 fats can lead to autoimmune issues which in the end leave one immunocompromised. So clearly it’s good to cut back on these items and increase one’s intake of healthy fats, fruits, vegetables, & protein.
There are a whole array of supplements one can also take to help support the immune system. We are seeing people take more supplements today than ever before with good intentions. But what should you really be taking and how much? I hear recommendations constantly floating around of what one should take, but I would caution you to not automatically jump onto that bandwagon. Each individual will need varying amounts of different vitamins, minerals, & support. And yes, you can overdo it! With the help of a trained health care professional, you can find high-quality supplements that are right for you that will indeed help support your natural immunity. Some very general basics I find helpful for many people are things like vitamin D, zinc, selenium, garlic, and probiotics. But again, it varies based on the individual & it’s best to not just take a bunch of supplements without guidance.
With all of this in mind, hopefully, it is clear now why there can be such varying outcomes among individuals who are exposed to the same harmful microorganisms. How well our body’s barriers, gut health, & cellular immunity functions, in addition to our lifestyle, are powerful influencers in how well the body can handle those invaders. We can all agree that yes, there are microorganisms that are instigators to diseases. But, in my opinion, we must all take ownership of our own immune systems and do our part to support that foundationally. By changing one’s diet, improving lifestyle, reducing stress, and addressing underlying health issues, we can each take a powerful stand against disease long before it has a chance to wreak havoc in our bodies. If you would like help in achieving this, please reach out and Soul Food Wellness would love to come alongside you in your journey to a strong immune system and healthier you!
As always, here for your health and wellness support!
Blessings,
Becky