The Best Defense comes from a Strong Offense
By Catharine Walkinshaw

WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND 2000BC: Here, eat this root. 1000AD: That root is heathen. Here, say this prayer. 1850AD: That prayer is superstition. Here, drink this potion. 1940AD: That potion is snake oil. Here, swallow this pill. 1985AD: That pill is ineffective. Here, take this antibiotic. 2000AD: That antibiotic doesn’t work anymore. Here, eat this root. Recently, I read about some interesting research conducted during the last flu pandemic of 1918. One hundred carefully screened volunteers were exposed to the flu virus through direct contact with sick individuals. The researchers were surprised none of the volunteers became ill in spite of some pretty extreme measures, such as spraying a volunteer’s nostrils with infected sputum. These volunteers did not seem to have a hospitable body for this flu virus to infect. Even Louis Pasteur, the recognized pioneer of the “germ theory”, recanted his theory later in his life, stating the best prevention of illness is not necessarily to kill the germs, but rather to strengthen the host. Our immune system develops an infertile or “inhospitable” field for infection and allows us to live in a world with multiple and varying influences, some healthy and some not so healthy. It is an amazing, miraculous system that, even today, we don’t fully understand. Too much stress, over eating but undernourishing, and other factors weaken this essential system and cause it to breakdown. There are three main stages of immune breakdown: The first is repetitive colds and flus. The average adult gets two and a half colds or flu episodes a year, young children ten, which seems high to me. The 2nd stage of immune breakdown is rampant allergies to foods and/or outside elements (such as animals or pollens). And, the 3rd stage is autoimmune disorders, where the body’s immune system attacks its own cells leading to conditions we know as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and AIDS. We are seeing an increasing number of adults and children with varying degrees of these stages of immune breakdown. Much can be done to prevent immune breakdowns. Since I began my career as a natural health practitioner several years ago, I’ve been able to eliminate my allergies and reduce my cold and flu episodes to less than one per year. I work at this goal also with my clients and my family members. Ways to build up your immune include the following: 1. Healthy Lifestyle Practices. Eat a healthy diet, high in fresh vegetables, fruits, healthy fats, proteins, and whole grains, low in unhealthy fats and sugars and alcohol (which the body turns into sugar). Viruses and bacteria feed on sugar. Drink plenty of water. Avoid toxins (cigarettes, artificial ingredients, pesticides/herbicides, and chemicals). Get regular exercise and massage (the lymph system, which is an integral part of our immunity, can only move when our muscles move). 2. Immune-Building Supplements. Vitamins, such as Vitamin C, A, and D are especially important for helping us prevent illness. I recommend drinking Vitamin C in a base rather than acidic form, such as that found in the Emergen-C packets. Vitamin D is also extremely important for our immunity. Low levels of Vitamin D are associated with high levels of cancer, which many theorize is the ultimate extreme of an immune breakdown. Vitamin D is manufactured by our skin from sun exposure. Because our climate has limited availability of sunlight in the winter, we are probably all Vitamin D deficient. You can get Vitamin D from fish oils and fortified foods, but it’s difficult to get enough without taking it in supplemental form (the best form to take is Vitamin D3 or cholecalciferol). Zinc, selenium, and essential fatty acids are also excellent immune building supplements as are herbs such as astragalus (this is probably the root mentioned in the poem at the beginning of this article), isatidis (a Chinese herb), echinacea (better if taken at the beginning of an episode), garlic, mushrooms, onions, ginger, and chilis or peppers. 3. Proper sleep. When we sleep, our bodies heal and detoxify. Sleep deprivation is rampant in our culture. The best way to prevent illness is to ensure adequate good quality sleep, at least eight hours a night for most individuals. When I see clients with multiple immune episodes, a common factor is poor sleep. 4. Positive emotions. DNA studies by the Institute of Heart Math showed strong correlations between our DNA coding and our emotional responses. Emotions, such as fear, anger, frustration, and stress tighten up our DNA and switch off some of our DNA coding, and thus our resistance to disease. Feelings such as love, compassion, gratitude, and appreciation, lengthens and relaxes our DNA spirals and can improve our resistance to disease “300,000” times. Adopting an attitude of gratitude not only improves your mood, but also your immunity! 5. Avoid exposure. Rather than focusing only on building up our ability to resist disease, the best approach is a balanced one that also limits exposure to germs. Practice proper infection control techniques. Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly. Cleanse doorknobs, light switches, handles, etc., anywhere that people touch on a frequent basis. Avoid exposure to someone who is ill. If you need to cough, cough into your sleeve. Viruses cannot survive as long in cloth or tissue as they can on moist skin. If you have to be in a crowd or you are traveling, moisten your nostril passageways and ear canals with an ointment or natural oil. A naturopathic physician I know recommends Neosporin ointment; I like to use St. John’s Wort oil. A lot of viruses enter our bodies through our nose or ears. Oily substances provide a protective barrier. Viruses are very good at mutating and developing resistance to drugs (as are bacteria). There will always be a new flu virus or stronger bacteria we can become exposed to. For effective immunity, the best defense actually comes from mounting a strong offense.

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