Cultivating a Healthy Immune System
by Douglas J. Pucci
The immune system is the body’s defense mechanism for fighting colds, staving off infection and remaining healthy. If we suffer with common chronic ailments including asthma, allergies and eczema or are frequently sick, then it is our immune system is wearing out.
The human gastrointestinal tract (gut) houses most of the human immune system. If we take a bite of food and follow its entire journey from the mouth on the one end to the other end where we discard our waste, then we will have an idea of how lengthy and complex the gut is. It provides about 70 percent of our immunity.
Our adaptive immunity is the portion that begins to recognize and alter its response so that we build up immunity. When a virus flares and we develop a common cold or the flu, it is the body’s way of developing immunity.
We also have an innate immunity which is passed down through generations.
The remaining portion is our basic line of defense: primarily the skin, along with mucus membranes and other physical responses like sweat, tears and salivation to protect against the intrusion of foreign bodies and antigens.
Support your gut’s microbiome. Whether we want to lose weight, gain muscle, increase energy levels or just generally look and feel healthier, then we need to maintain a healthy gut flora. Ninety percent of the cells in the human body are microbial; the microbiome is teeming with life. Keep it alive and well, free of antigens and foreign bodies, by increasing its prebiotics and probiotics, maintaining adequate stomach acid (toss out those acid reflux pills and start working on the root cause) and repairing any nutrient deficiencies in the gut barrier.
Eliminate antibiotics altogether—if we have a bacterial infection, we need an antibiotic. Because fewer than 1 percent of bacteria cause diseases in people, requiring an antibiotic should be extremely rare. An example of a bacterial infection is the bubonic plague or MRSA, a hospital-acquired infection.
Most bacteria are harmless and some actually help by digesting food, destroying disease-causing microbes, fighting cancer cells and providing essential nutrients. Each time we take antibiotics (or eat them in our food supply) we are destroying our gut flora and making ourself susceptible to a host of ailments.
Welcome fat back to the table. It’s good for the heart, brain, immune system and just about every aspect of human physiology. Every cell in our body is comprised of a phospholipid bilayer that wants to remain young, soft and supple. Nutrients can easily pass in, bypassing wastes that are on their way out. Fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) need dietary fats to become absorbed. Think of it. In a single generation, we have somehow become convinced that dietary fat represented a threat to our health. Indeed, nothing could be further from the truth.
Douglas J. Pucci, DC, FAAIM, offers the latest science and clinical data on neurotoxic illness, hormone disruptions, and chronic disease at his seminars. For more information, call 201-261-5430 or visit GetWell-Now.com.
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