The Immune System
“He who has health has hope and he who has hope has everything”
The immune system is a complex network of cells called white blood cells or leukocytes, proteins (antibodies) and chemical compounds that help to protect the body against infections. A number of different nutrients are involved in supporting our immune systems to work well so that we can deal with and prevent disease and infection, including pathogenic organisms such as bacterium, viruses, heavy metal toxicity and environmental toxins such as hyrdro-carbons, radiation, chemicals, fungi and parasites.
Immune cells are located in various tissues, particularly lymphoid organs — such as bone marrow, spleen and lymph nodes — and in barrier surfaces, such as the skin, gut and mucous membranes. The bone marrow produces stem cells in the spongy center of your bones that develop into red blood cells, plasma cells and a variety of white blood cells, these include neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, mast cells, monocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells, natural killer cells, and lymphocytes (B cells and T cells) and other types of immune cells. Your bone marrow makes billions of new blood cells every day and releases them into your bloodstream.
The primary role of the immune system is to protect the individual against pathogenic organisms including bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. So that it can provide effective protection against the wide array of threatening organisms, the human immune system has evolved to include many different cell types, many communicating molecules and multiple functional responses.
The immune system has four general actions. Firstly, it acts as a barrier keeping microbes from entering the body. Secondly, the immune system acts to recognise microbes and to identify whether they are harmful or not. Thirdly, the immune system acts to eliminate those microbes identified as being harmful; this involves the destructive actions of various types of immune cell. Fourthly, the immune response generates immunological memory, so that if there is re-exposure to the harmful microbe, the immune response is more rapid and stronger than it was for the original response. These complex and sophisticated actions can be achieved because the human immune system is comprised of many cell types (Fig. 1), each with their own individual functional capabilities. These different cell types interact with one another as part of the immune response to assure effective protection of the host from pathogens. The immune system may be classified in different ways, most commonly into innate (or natural) and acquired (or adaptive) immunity.
| Nutrient | Role in immune system | Food sources |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin A | Helps support T-cells (a type of white blood cell that helps identify pathogens). | Liver is a good dietary sourcesof retinol (“pre-formed” vitamin A). Dark green leafy vegetables and orange-coloured fruits and vegetables, such as carrots, sweet potato, butternut squash and papaya, are dietary sources of carotenoids, which can be converted to vitamin A by the body. |
| Vitamin B6 (as P5P only) | Helps produce new immune cells, metabolise antibodies and helps immune cells to communicate. | Poultry, fish, egg, soya beans (non GMO), sesame seeds and some fruit and vegetables, such as avocado and green peppers. |
| Vitamin B12 (Methyl Cobalamin/Hydroxycobalamin/adenesocobalamine | Helps to produce new immune cells. | Meat, fish, eggs |
| Vitamin C | Helps immune cells attack pathogens, helps clear away old immune cells from the site of infection and helps to maintain the skin, our external barrier to infection. | Citrus fruits, blackcurrants, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, papaya, kiwi, green vegetables, peppers and tomatoes. |
| Copper | Helps to protect and fuel immune cells. | Rice, quinoa, meat, fish, pulses, avocado, dried fruit (in moderation), nuts and seeds. |
| Vitamin D | Role not clear but low status is associated with reduced immune response. | Oily fish, eggs, We are all advised to consider taking a supplement of at least10µg (micrograms) a day if we aren’t often outdoors. |
| Folate | Helps produce new immune cells. | Green vegetables, pulses, oranges, berries, nuts and seeds, |
| Iron | Helps maintain the health of immune cells. | Offal, beans, pulses, nuts and seeds, fish, quinoa, and dried fruits in moderation. |
| Selenium | Helps produce new immune cells and can help to strengthen response to infection. | Nuts and seeds (for example Brazil nuts, cashews and sunflower seeds), eggs, offal, poultry and fish. |
| Zinc | Helps produce new immune cells, helps develops ‘natural killer cells’ that help to fight off viruses and supports communication between immune cells. | Meat, poultry, nuts and seeds (in particular sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and pine nuts), |
Supplements:
In an ideal world, we would get all the nutrients we need from diet alone but unfortunately this is not possible in the world we live in. Herbicides, pesticides, genetically modified foods, antibiotics, chemicals, hydrocarbons, heavy metals, EMF’s (radiation) preservatives and even lab grown food (food developed in laboratories but with the same texture and experience of the foods these are intended to mimic), they can be produced directly from animal cells or via microorganisms through the process of fermentation, water and/or hydrogen. Worryingly some Vegan foods on supermarket shelves are lab grown substances that I cannot say are “food”.
When it comes to vitamin and mineral supplements, although these may be flying off the shelves, it is important to understand that it is quality and not the quantity of the supplement that determines the benefits.
Also, and very importantly, how do we know which specific form of a supplement is right for us? For example, B12 (lacking in most people who only eat plant based foods) comes in 4 forms: Methylcobalamine, Adenisocobalamine, Hydroxycobalamine and Cynacobalamine (which by the way should never be taken as it is made in a lab!). Vitamin D is another example; D3 or D2 or D2 with K and or A, in olive oil or grape seed oil? We need to know what our bodies need and, in what dosage and what is the best time of day to take for any benefits at all,
Whether they are capsules, tablets, liquid or oils can also determine whether they are beneficial or not. Always look for reputable companies when choosing your vitamins and minerals.
If you have had COVID 19, did it attack your body extra-cellularly or intra-cellularly? Very, very important to know which, and how to completely get rid of the virus from your body before it becomes a dormant/retro virus and causes further, indiscriminate health problems down the line.
My two go to companies are:
www.metabolics.com and www.epigenetics-international.com
The reason I use the above companies is that I am assured that the ingredients are from food sources, not genetically modified and do not contain any bulking agents, preservatives, sweeteners, gum or sugars, as found in many other supplements.
Diagnosis:
Unfortunately, many GP’s are unable to diagnose some health issues; notably Candida and in some cases parasites. How often has your GP told you that there is nothing wrong with you, based on a blood test but you still feel ill and tired.
I use several companies for testing to help me diagnose individual health problems:
- Integral Health (DNA hair analysis) https://integralhealth.org/home . Hair tests that determine the health issue that should be dealt with as a priority. Accurate on all levels. Peersonalised treatments and protocols, with details of food intolerances for 4 weeks, then retest to take to the next level.
None of us have health issues that happen overnight, over 4 weeks or even months. Some are carried in the body since being a child, think Glandular fever. Is your diet serving you in good health? Should you be eating meat? Do keto diets work for you? Are you breathing correctly? Are you drinking enough water? A minimum of 3 tests is recommended.
- Genova Diagnostics (blood/urine and swab) https://www.gdx.net/news/genova-nutritional-testing?nutrition042021&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpv2TBhDoARIsALBnVnkUJ6AxDBfJ_zV9TqzS1YY6GRQ_Hx_6Yo17Hmh8rGUVVENQa5XWxnUaAugbEALw_wcB
Overview of anti-viral immunity.
B B-cell, CTL cytotoxic T-cell, IFN interferon, Ig immunoglobulin, IL interleukin, MHC major histocompatibility class, NFκB nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells, NK natural killer cell, Th helper T-cell, TLR toll-like receptor, TNF tumour necrosis factor.
Factors affecting the immune response
It is obvious that effective defence against pathogenic organisms requires a well-functioning immune system. Consequently, individuals with weakened immune systems are at increased risk of becoming infected and of infections being more serious, even fatal. The diagram below highlights many of the factors that influence the immune response. These include some unmodifiable factors such as genetics, stage of the life course (e.g. pregnancy, infancy and old age) and time of day, but many modifiable factors also influence the immune response. These include stress, physical fitness, frailty, body fatness and diet. Early in the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic it became clear that older people, particularly those who were frail, and that those living with obesity had higher susceptibility to more serious illness and mortality from COVID-19 than did younger people and those who were of healthy weight.
Fig. 3: Factors that influence the immune response.
Note that the listing is not exclusive.
The role of micronutrients in supporting the immune response
Nutrition plays multiple roles in supporting the immune system. The diet provides:
Poor nutrition may not provide sufficient amounts of the nutrients needed by the immune system to function well. This would be associated with increased susceptibility to infection and inability to control the effects of being infected
Above: Relationships between good and poor nutrition, immunity and infection.
Taken together, the existing evidence indicates that multiple micronutrients play vital roles in supporting all aspects of the immune response and therefore that their intake and status need to be considered in the context of susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 severity. Roles of specific nutrients including Quercetin, vitamin D and zinc in anti-viral immunity seem to be important and the ability of selenium to prevent viral mutation is intriguing in the context of the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants. Furthermore, low intakes of several micronutrients impair vaccination responses and so must be considered in the context of the current and future COVID-19 vaccination programmes; this is likely to be particularly important in the elderly but also in other groups who are more likely to have low intakes or status of one or more micronutrients. Although micronutrients are provided as part of a diverse, plant-based diet there is a question about whether sufficient amounts of some of the key immune-active micronutrients (vitamin D, vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc and selenium) can be obtained from the diet or whether supplements are necessary to provide the relevant intakes of these micronutrients.
The importance of the gut microbiota
Commensal bacteria within the gastrointestinal tract play a role in host immune defence by creating a barrier against colonisation by pathogens and through the production of lactic acid and antimicrobial proteins which can directly inhibit the growth of pathogens. Commensal organisms also interact with the host’s gut epithelium and gut-associated immune tissues. These communications with the host occur through chemicals released from the bacteria or through direct cell-to-cell contact. As a result of such actions, it is proposed that probiotic organisms, particularly some lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, can be used to support host immunity. In fact, a large number of studies have examined the influence of various probiotic organisms, either alone or in combination, on immune function and infection in human subjects. Some probiotic organisms appear to enhance innate immunity (particularly phagocytosis and natural killer cell activity) but they seem to have a less pronounced effect on acquired immunity. Nevertheless, studies show improved vaccination responses in individuals taking probiotics, as reviewed elsewhere. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses confirm that probiotics (or prebiotics) enhance the antibody response to seasonal influenza vaccination in adults. The immune effects observed suggest that probiotic organisms could protect against infections. Recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses report that some probiotics can reduce the risk or duration of diarrhoea, including antibiotic-associated diarrhoea and Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhoea. Effects of probiotics on gastrointestinal infection may not be a surprise, but probiotics may also be protective against respiratory infection. Studies in mice have reported that depletion or absence of gut microbiota leads to impaired immune responses and worsen outcomes following bacterial or viral respiratory infection. Studies of probiotics, particularly lactobacilli and bifidobacterial, provide some evidence for reduced incidence, and improved outcomes, of respiratory infections in humans. The totality of the evidence demonstrating that probiotics (especially lactobacilli and bifidobacteria) may improve immune function, enhance the response to seasonal influenza vaccination (which mimics a viral infection), reduce the incidence of respiratory infections, including those caused by viruses, and improve outcomes in those with respiratory infections would favour the use of these organisms as a strategy to reduce the risk and severity of viral respiratory infections, including SARS-CoV-2. In this context, intestinal dysbiosis, with low numbers of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, has been reported in patients with COVID-19. Treating patients with COVID-19 with a cocktail of drugs plus antibiotics or the same plus oral probiotics (five lactobacilli plus two bifidobacteria plus Streptococcus thermophilus): found better resolution of diarrhoea and of other disease symptoms including respiratory disease in the group receiving probiotics.
Covid-19 Long Tail. What is it, and what can be done about it?
What about the aftermath and physical impacts of the virus on those who caught it? There has been a lot of discussion on the news about the so-called ‘long-tail’ of the COVID19 virus. It is estimated that around 1in 10 have a long, often painful and unrelenting recovery. The long-term symptoms are often strange and unpredictable, with a mix of reports ranging from bursts of flu-like symptoms, fatigue, headaches, dizziness, upset stomach, to re-emergence of historical pain / symptoms (some people reporting that pain from childhood accidents have resurfaced after many years). The impacts of this virus also seems to be causing flare-ups in autoimmune conditions and even triggering autoimmunity for the first time.
I have seen clients come to me with the above symptoms and what is very clear is that each person requires different support and an individual approach.
I know this all sounds scary. And it is. It is all new to us and there is still so much we don’t know about the virus. But there is information that we do know, and every scientist in the world is working overtime to try and understand it more.
So what are our current thoughts?
Firstly, it is likely that the long-tail effects are due to the disruption of the virus on the immune system and body, rather than the virus still being active. Presentations such as fatigue and headaches are possibly due to the body working hard to fight and clear the virus and therefore leaving the individual with reduced mitochondrial function (mitochondria is the energy producing part of every cell in the body). This can be supported through specific nutrients, or if there has been stomach upsets as a result of the virus it could mean that the digestive mechanisms are not functioning as efficiently as they should be and therefore key nutrients for mitochondrial health are not being absorbed. This can be rectified.
The inflammatory impacts such as resurgence of previous pain or autoimmune flare ups still remain a mystery. It is likely to be due to the huge demand on the immune system that the virus has caused. An individual may have been in remission from pain or autoimmunity due to working really hard to calm down inflammation but getting a virus (not just COVID) causes a spike in immune activity and a big process takes place and this causes a disruption to the whole body.
The effects of this virus are due to the individual’s immune response that was triggered by the virus. We have a bank of antioxidants that are stored for this exact situation. So replacing these antioxidants through diet and supplementation is a great way to start. It is also something fundamental to keep in mind for the purposes of prevention. However the virus impacts the individual – whether that’s a nasty flare of IBS or continued fatigue – we do know that this is due to an inflammatory response, so calming inflammation on every level is absolutely key. You can do this in several ways:
- Removing inflammatory foods (processed foods, sugar, gluten, dairy and any food intolerances)
- Focusing on wholefoods (foods in their whole form; fruit and vegetables, pulses, beans, good quality meat and fish)
- Replenishing key immune nutrients (getting Vitamin D tested, addressing specific immune nutrients such as glutathione, selenium, zinc)
- The nervous system and immune system are intimately linked. Focusing on relaxation and reducing any stress is fundamental.
- Sleep hygiene. Many repair processes take place when we sleep, so getting proper sleep post-illness is very important. To improve sleep quality you can stop looking at screens 2 hrs before sleep, wind down with a book, try meditation.
And while the reason for this still remains unclear – and there are some scientists that believe the virus could still be active – if there is ongoing diarrhoea, I think that in the more long term cases that it is more likely to be a post-viral symptom which is a result of the disruption the virus has caused to the ecosystem of the gut while it was passing through when the body was clearing it. The picture we are left with is known as ‘dysbiosis’ which basically means an unbalanced microbiome community. This can be corrected, below are some ways to improve gut health:
- Eat plenty of fibre, aka Prebiotics (root vegetables, legumes, wholegrains, onion, leeks, garlic, asparagus)
- Eating a rainbow of colours in the form of fruit and vegetables (aiming for as many different colours every day will ensure your body gets an abundance of vital polyphenols)
- Eat slowly, aiming for 25-30 chews per mouthful
- Taking apple cider vinegar in a little warm water 15 minutes before a meal can really improve digestion
- Eating probiotic foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, miso, kombucha
- Avoiding sugar, processed foods, gluten and dairy products
If you suspect you have Covid-19 and are displaying symptoms such as high temperature, a new, continuous cough and a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste, contact your primary care provider immediately.
Covid Vaccines may increase the risk of other diseases:
Covid vaccines increase the risk of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), a serious neurological disease, by as much as 40 percent.
AstraZeneca’s Vaxzevria and the Johnson & Johnson and Janssen Covid jabs have both been linked to the raised risk, and it’s suspected that the ‘Trojan Horse’ delivery system they all employ is responsible. Similar technology is also used by most of the childhood vaccines, such as the MMR, and GBS is a recognised adverse reaction with those.
GBS is most likely to happen within two to four weeks of getting a Covid jab, say researchers from University College London, who analysed countrywide data collated by the National Health Service. There were 140 cases of GBS during a two-month period, when usually there are around a hundred, and 20 percent of them happened within six weeks of a Covid vaccination.
The researchers suspect the adenovirus from monkeys, which is used as the delivery system for the vaccines, may be tricking the immune system to attack the nerves.
But American researchers found a similar link to GBS with other Covid vaccines, such as Pfizer’s mRNA jab, that don’t use the adenovirus as a delivery system.
Typical symptoms of GBS include pain and numbness, while walking, swallowing, and breathing can become more difficult.
(Sources: Brain, 2022; doi:10.1093/brain/awac067; JAMA Network Open, 2022; 5: e228879)
Please get in touch with you in order to start improving your Immune System.
Kate Fitzpatrick Dip ION BA Hons.
Telephone: 07917170465