Before we get into fighting the flu and cold, it’s a good idea to get educated and understand how your body works. We rely too much on our medical system when it comes to simple illnesses such as cold and flu. These illnesses are easily treated by yourself. My goal is to help you be more self reliant when it comes to taking care of you and your loved ones. What we need to realize is that our body is hermetically sealed. What does that mean, you may ask? It means our body is air tight. Then what about the open parts of the body? The mouth, ears, nose, eyes? Each have a defense mechanism to defend against foreign invaders The eyes have tears, the ears have wax, the nose has hairs and mucous, the mouth has saliva and a thin mucous lining. If invaders get past the mouth then we have stomach acid and when our skin is punctured our bodies will bleed to force the invaders out.
All these mechanism that have been intelligently placed to protect our bodies from the outside invaders.
Where Does The Immune System Come From And How Does It Work?
Lets jump to the good stuff. Here is an in-depth, yet simple, view of how your immune system works. White cells (leukocytes) of the immune system come from the bone marrow. The thymus gland will then take a certain type of the white blood cell and turns them into T cells of the immune system. There are two basic white cells of the immune system. T-Helper and T-Killer. The thymus gland is the master of the immune system. Other glands of the immune system are tonsils, appendix, and pyrus patches in intestinal tract.
FIGHTING OFF BACTERIA
Macrophages=pacman.
If you cut yourself or puncture your skin then your body has ways of defending itself from foreign invaders. Macrophages come to the damaged site, where the skin has been punctured or where the bacteria have entered into the body, and gobble up any bacteria that did not get flushed out by the blood or the bacteria that are in the mucous lining in the throat and nose. This is foreign bacteria that wants to use the bodies cells to replicate. Macrophages are big and slow so what they will do is take the genetic code, the protein or what’s also called antigen, from the bacteria, display it on itself and take it to a T-Helper cell. (TH)
T-cells
The TH has a receptor site on it to receive the protein and then recognize it as being foreign. The TH has two receptor sites. One For foreign and one for Self. The TH will then contact the T-Killer cell (TK) and the TK will be able to get more specific. It will be able to create a chemical that will kill the invader. The macrophage communicates to TH, telling it to multiply, through a chemical (protein) called interleukin 1. Interleukin 1 stimulates the production of TH cells. TH produces interleukin 2 which stimulates the production of TK cells. They mass reproduce faster than the bacteria does and in so doing are able to kill off the invaders. If they invader is extremely dangerous then B cells will come into action. B cells make antibodies that will kill the antigen. They remember that antigen so if it comes in again then they can attack instantly.
When an invader enters our body the temperature raises to grow our immune system and to keep the invader from multiplying. If the temperature is too high the invader cant grow. Some invaders can function at 101 so the body raises to 103. As the temperature goes up the immune system becomes more active. This is usually when parents get nervous for their child and will take them into the doctor. This is how the body works. What happens when the body gets hot? It sweats. When it comes to fevers just remember this; Dry fever= Death and Wet fever= Health. Understand that fevers are good and should NOT be suppressed. Now to make the connection.
When you take an aspirin you shut off the immune system. It shuts off the communication (interleukin 1) of immune cells and stops the fever. It creates the perfect environment for the invaders to grow making it very difficult for the body to fight off the invaders. We don’t have to rely on docs or drugs. Our body will take care of itself IF we work with it!
FIGHTING OFF VIRUSES
Ever wonder how one day you feel fine and then the next day you’re in bed sick as a dog? You’re about to find out why. The process for bacteria and viruses are different. Viruses don’t grow in our system. They don’t have the genetic capability to do so. The virus has to invade our cells and then from there they use the bodies genetic code to replicate. Once the cell is invaded by a virus and has replicated the cell bursts open and they start to swarm the body. How does the body prepare for that type of invasion? The cells in the body are continually being nourished and eliminating. When the cell eliminates it will also eliminate the genetic code (proteins) of the virus. Pacman (macrophage) comes along and recognizes the virus protein and triggers the TH and TK process as I explained above. TH cells produce BCGF (B Cell Growth Factor.) Growth factor is simply a naturally occurring material in the body that is capable of stimulating cellular growth, proliferation and healing. B cells produce antibodies (proteins) against specific antigens. When the virus injects it’s poison into a cell and then bursts loose. The B cell antigen will hook onto the virus to slow it down to be gobbled up by the macrophages or destroyed by the T cells. OK… Now that the technical part is over. Let’s jump into how you can take care of yourself and boost your immune system!
HOW TO FIGHT THE COLD AND FLU NATURALLY
1
There is one thing that you don’t want to do when you’re sick. Doing so will slow down the process of healing and make, Why? When you’re body is sick its main focus is trying to kill the bad guys, then all of the sudden… BAM! It’s hit with a huge load of food to digest. Digestion takes up a lot of your bodies energy and will distract from healing. The best thing you can do is drink lots of bone broth, water with lemon, fresh juices and certain herbal teas. You will nourish and strengthen your body to fight off the infection.
2
Get plenty of sleep. I feel one of the reasons people stay sick for a longer period of time is because they are scared to miss work. They can’t afford to be sick so they go into work and don’t take time to sleep and let it’s body fight and heal. It’s a real thing. We get fearful of being sick because of missing work and money accompanied with working.
3
Be ok with being sick. It’s easy to get into this mindset of “why did I get sick” or “how did this even happen.” Learn to be ok with it and let your body rest and heal.
4
When the fever comes it needs to be broken so you can sweat out all the toxic waste. The best way to do that is a nice hot shower or bath and then wrapping yourself up a ton of blankets.
5
Use herbs that naturally boost the immune system, break fevers and nourish the body while sick. Herbs that are fantastic for fighting flu and cold. Here is a small list of the best herbs.
- Red Raspberry leaf
- Catnip
- Gigartina
- Elder Berry
- Echineca
- Goldenseal
- Garlic
- Onions
- Oregano
- Oilve Leaf
- Chapparel
- Cayenne Pepper
- Peppermint
- Yarrow
- Echineca- tricks the body into being sick. Use only for 6 days before it’s not effective. Use replacement herb like:
- Calendula
- Astragulus
- Garlic
I hope this information has been of help and that you are able to be more self reliant when it comes to simple illnesses that the body deals with instead of having to run to the doctor every time you or a loved one gets sick. If you found this information helpful then sign up for the email list where we can send you weekly emails on the principles of correct nutrition.
