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How To Have a Healthy Immune System

by Dr. Alexander R. Lees

How did we all get into such a state of confusion about a health issue? Maybe it's due to the flood of information in the media. Maybe it's because it is flu season again. Or, it's the push by authorities (around the world) for everyone to be vaccinated, especially for the N1H1 flu, yet at the same time, the news is citing a shortage of the vaccine. Whatever the reason, our office has been flooded with concern regarding the immune system. Last week, I was interviewed for an upcoming health conference, and I bet you can guess what the topic was that the interviewer wanted me to talk about. If you said, "Gee, let's see now. Let me guess... the immune system?" you're correct! So, let's have a look under the hood, as it were, and find out how the immune system works.

During the first three hours of life on your own, a series of signals are generated, and the T cells of the immune system now have their orders: Travel through the entire body, and as you do, record everything you encounter. Once the entire territory is duly mapped and recorded, we will call the results SELF. This will become the reference blueprint. Thereafter, anything you encounter that isn't on that original map, you will consider it non-self, or hostile. You will then, as good little soldiers, destroy non-self.

Just to give the whole thing a fighting chance, 50% of these soldiers are preprogrammed with useful information. This information was passed down the line to you and is about viruses, bacteria, and other potential nasties encountered by your ancestors, and serve as a built-in protection. These guys are in effect battle hardened from previous invasions, and are a welcome addition. The other 50% are to learn as they go, which is especially useful when a new virus or bacteria emerges. Remember both viruses and bacteria don't necessarily fight fair. Once they realize their picture is on CNN and every post office wall, the sneaky little devils seek to disguise themselves. This is called mutation. No problem. If you've taken good care of your immune system, it will in turn, take good care of you.

How, you may ask? There are three ways.

  1. Certain foods contain nutrients that boost the immune system. There isn't enough space in this article to list them all, but not to worry. You can simply Google something like: food for the immune system and you will find a wealth of information and you can proceed from there. However, if you run into a recipe requesting you boil bat wings at midnight after blending in some herb only available on the east side of Tibet, keep searching. You will easily find foods, supplements, etc., readily available at grocery stores, drug stores and health food outlets.
  2. The second way to boost the immune system is exercise. Study after study has documented that a 30 minute brisk walk, three or more times a week, is an excellent way to accomplish this.
  3. The third way is to reduce your stress, especially emotional stress.

For the longest time, medical students were taught the immune system was autonomous, that is, it operates without being affected by conscious processes, or emotional states. They reasoned that any emotional response was due to learning you had a disease or a certain medical condition. We now know a lot more than we did then about the immune system, and the following is a synopsis (and paraphrased) of the new information.

Dr. Margaret Kemeny - Professor of Psychiatry at UCSF. When we are sad, lonely, afraid, or angry, specific measurable changes occur within the brain. These changes in turn produce changes within the body, which more easily allow for colds, flues, infections, inflammation and so on.

Dr. David Felton - former Professor of Neurobiology and Anatomy at the University of Rochester, NY. Discovered nerve cells within the immune system. This discovery quickly led to others; that is the immune system has its own nervous system (communication) and is capable of memory, and acting upon those memories.

Dr. Candace Pert - Neuroscientist and was a a Research Professor in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics at Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, DC. Mapped the pathways of neuropeptides, only to discover these information substances are the biochemical equivalent of emotions.

Dr. Robert Ader - Professor of Psychosocial Medicine, Professor of Psychiatry, Clinical and Social Psychology, and of Medicine - University of Rochester, NY. Also a pioneer in the Centre for Psychoneuroimmunology Research. Was involved with various experiments that provided even more insight - the immune system can learn, and is therefore trainable.

Now, let's take what we've covered so far and put it all together.

  • The immune system can be boosted and quickly learn to protect us against new threats by proper intake of certain foods, exercise and reduced stress.
  • The immune system has a memory and a nervous system. This allows it to communicate with the head honcho, the brain.
  • Emotional stress compromises the immune system's ability to protect against invaders.
  • If the emotive stress is of sufficient intensity and/or lasts over time, then even the ANS (Autonomous Nervous System) becomes involved. The sympathetic side is activated.
  • This activation can result in depression, anxiety, etc., due to the release of stress hormones - cortisol, adrenalin, etc.
  • Blood is shunted from the inner core of the body (digestion, for instance) to the large muscle groups, ready for flight or fight. (The old, "Where's the saber toothed tiger or wooly mammoth?" routine.)
  • This shift borrows energy from the immune system, weakening it in the process. Increased anxiety, depression, heart arrythmia, diabetes, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue are all examples of a chronic emotive stress state, along with a compromised immune system, and we haven't really touched on auto immune diseases.

Dr. Deepak Chopra tells us that humour is a great defense strategy when talking about our first line of defense, the immune system. He also says that if you want to immediately produce a few dollars worth of serotonin, make sure you have a good belly laugh daily. (Yes, serotonin, the feel good neuro transmitter, is made in the gut!).

And finally, make a decision to reduce/resolve emotional stress. There are plenty of tools and techniques available to help pump up our immune system. Just to remind you, here's a list of a few well tested ones.

  • Meditation.
  • Guided imagery.
  • Tapping specific acupuncture points.
  • Listening to relaxation music.
  • Practice compassion, and giving to others.
  • Hypnosis (all hypnosis is self hypnosis, even if you use another person to guide you).
  • Massage.
  • Warm baths, preferably with lit candles.

Something I like to recommend: Remember the past, live in the now, plan and think positively about the future.

After all, they are your thoughts, therefore you are the thinker, and this is true, regardless of whether the thoughts are good ones, or pessimistic ones. It all begins when you decide, never before. Once you decide to support your immune system, it will do the rest. It will look after you. By the way, Berit and I have been together for 33 years. In the last twenty or so, we've had neither a cold nor the flu. Nor have we been vaccinated, or taken any medication to ward off either.

So, make that decision, and reap the benefits. And, say goodbye to the H1N1 flu as well.

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