Jeannette Santino, PhD

What I am not going to tell you about Preventing Influenza 

You hear the standard advice about influenza all the time. So much in fact that you could probably recite it to me. So you are not going to hear the standard cautions from me – the “avoid crowds, coughing, sneezing, wash your hands” stuff. We hope to help you avoid the flu, and if you get the flu survive it with the least severity and duration of symptoms. Once we contract a given strain of flu and our immune system is successful in over-coming it, we will have natural immunity against that strain. Those of you that fortify your immune systems NATURALLY and let your body work to fight it off by supporting and not suppressing the body’s natural defenses, will come away with a stronger “smarter” immune system. Please note: The flu CAN BE deadly to persons that have underlying health issues, are immune compromised already, or have other issues that are weakening their bodies. In those cases, or cases of severe symptoms, seek medical attention immediately.The Health of Your Digestive Tract vs Influenza

Did you know that 75% of your immune system is in your digestive tract? Incredible but true, and considering that fact it is obvious that with the flu or any other microbial infection, the health of your digestive tract may be the single most important factor in determining how well your body protects you against infection. How does the digestive system protect against infection, and what can cause this protection to be compromised? And perhaps most importantly, how can we improve the health of our digestion system? The basic, common-sense principles are really quite simple and easy to understand. And I think that when you hear them you may agree with me that the way they work is just, plain, utterly, well..”cool”, I guess is as good a way as any to put it – to the point that it is actually quite fun reading about them.

Immunity is War! Raise the Drawbridge!

Our immune system and the microbes that attack us can be thought of as armies constantly at war. Microbes such as the Swine Flu virus are forever seeking a way to break through the defenses of our bodies. And the first defense they have to get through, like the wall of a medieval city under attack, is the mucus lining of our lungs and digestive tract. When this “wall” of protection lining our digestive system is weakened we are in heightened danger to systemic microbial infections. The second “wall” that attacking microbes have to get through is the epithelial lining, which lines and protects our lungs and digestive tract in addition to the outside of our body itself.

Light Troops Hasten to the Skirmish

As in military battles, speed can be decisive with infection and immunity. A quick strike by fast-moving lightly armed soldiers can destroy the enemy before it has become entrenched. In the mucosal layer of the immune system we find these quick-response troops. They are known as SIgA – Secretory Immunoglobulin A. SIgA is the quick-response force in the mucus lining of the lungs and digestive tract. Its job is to surround a pathogen when ingested or inhaled so it does not enter our respiratory system or intestines and ultimately our bloodstream.

Invaders Breach the Walls!

The left photo shows healthful intestinal villi and the right photo shows the villi destroyed by Salmonella Bacteria.

When the SIgA becomes depleted, the mucus-lining villi and microvilli in the intestines become vulnerable to deterioration from pathogens, narcotics, toxic food, stress, parasites, etc., until the epithelial cells began to lose their integrity and separate, allowing pathogens, such as bacteria, fungus, parasites and undigested food to seep into the bloodstream (a condition known as Leaky Gut Syndrome) necessitating an aggressive reaction by the immune system to eradicate the pathogens from the blood. If this goes on long enough the body becomes over aggressive and will begin to attack it’s own tissues leading to auto-immune diseases, or even some cancers if it goes on long enough. Remember that 75% of our immune system is in our digestive tract!

Fortifying our Defenses

As mentioned, anyone can become ill from the flu, and those at most risk for serious complications are those that have a compromised immune system. Which means just about anybody now-a-days, since 95% of the population have food sensitivities and are mega-stressed! Both of which seriously stress the immune system. So someone that is “seemingly healthy” that has serious flu complications, may have (or had) underlying health issues that had not manifested themselves yet, or were in a weakened state due to overwhelming stress.

My suggestions for a holistic approach?…I’m a strong believer in colostrum for the immune system and general gastrointestinal health. OPC-3, Maximum ORAC, Resveratrol, Ultimate Aloe Juice, & probiotics (www.nutraMetrix.com/createbalance) are also potent immune builders along with your standards like Vitamin C and Zinc. Hence a good multi and/or extra Vitamin C might also be in order.

Still supplements will have a limited affect if our diet is poor. Think WHOLE-NATURAL-PURE. Ideally, stay away from known toxic foods…white sugar, white flour, artificial additives, coffee, anything not real that is in processed foods, limit alcohol intake or totally refrain, abstain from foods you are sensitive to, eat 80% raw, organic foods. I personally love green smoothies.

Exercise, stress reduction, and a positive attitude toward life are also critical to our health and well-being.

Be pro-active with your health and if you (or I) come down with the flu, hopefully we will recover quickly.

…Course it is getting late as I type this, and I am reminded that SLEEP is also very useful to the immune system…

Yours in Health,
Jeannette

See research about colostrum and the flu.

Visit the Synertek website at www.synertekcolostrum.com to order colostrum online.