What about Whey? for Nurturing and Maintaining Immunity

What about Whey? for Nurturing and Maintaining Immunity

Little Miss Muffet most likely didn’t know what she was onto while she was busy eating her curds and whey, the by-products of cheese making. But whey has been shown to be a healthful addition to an anticancer diet, due to its immune-friendly and antioxidant effects.

An excellent source of essential amino acids, whey seems valuable on a number of fronts. For example:

• Whey protein is particularly rich in the amino acid cysteine. Women with high levels of cysteine have a lower rate of breast cancer than women with lower levels of cysteine (Zhang et al. 2003).
• Whey protein concentrate raises glutathione levels substantially. Glutathione is our own internal antioxidant that protects cells and serves as a primary detoxifier of carcinogens and other toxins. Glutathione levels are intimately tied to immune function (Fidelus and Tsan 1986). In fact, whey protein concentrates have been used for years to help improve the immune status of AIDS patients (Micke, Beeh, and Buhl 2002).
• Animals fed whey protein concentrate demonstrated an increased immune response to a variety of pathogens, including salmonella and streptococcus pneumonia (Bounous, Kongshavn, and Gold 1988).

Most whey products today come in the form of a powder that can be added to smoothies for extra protein and immune support.

THE WHATS OF WHEY

Although whey protein contains considerably less lactose than milk, people with lactose intolerance need to proceed with caution.

Because whey protein is popular with body builders, there are a great variety of whey products on the market. Find a whey product with the words “undenatured” and “cold processed” on the label. This assures you that the most nourishing components of the product have not been overprocessed or damaged.

If you put whey in your smoothie, add it just before you stop blending, to preserve its immunoglobulins and other precious nutrients.

Foods that Interfere with Immunity

Foods that Interfere with Immunity - How Foods Fight Cancer

In contrast to these healthful immune boosters, some parts of the diet
interfere with immunity. Fatty foods, in particular, impair your immune
cells’ ability to work. Researchers have fed fatty foods to volunteers,
dripped fatty intravenous solutions into volunteers’ bloodstreams, and
mixed fats with cancer cells. In each case, immune strength is noticeably
reduced.19,20 Simply put, your white blood cells don’t work very well in an
oil slick. While many people avoid animal fats—which is a good idea—
they give themselves free rein with vegetable oils. But when it comes to
boosting immunity, you’ll want to minimize all fats and oils. This includes
fish oils. Several research studies have suggested that fish oils can interfere
with immunity.21,22

Fatty foods probably affect white blood cells directly. But they also
tend to cause weight gain, and that can further impair immune function.23
Studies show that overweight individuals are at increased susceptibility to
various infections and to certain forms of cancer, especially postmeno -
pausal breast cancer.

Cholesterol also seems to interfere with immunity. In case you are confused
about the difference between fat and cholesterol: Fat is visible as a
yellow layer under a chicken skin or white streaks marbled through a cut
of beef. Cholesterol, on the other hand, resides as tiny particles inside the
cell membranes that surround each cell in an animal’s body, and it is primarily
in the lean portion. Essentially all animal products contain
cholesterol, while plant products never do.

When researchers add cholesterol to white blood cells in the test tube,
it clearly interferes with their ability to function. Because your liver makes
all the cholesterol your body needs for normal function, there is no need for
any cholesterol in the diet.

Glutathione for Nurturing and Maintaining Immunity

Glutathione for Nurturing and Maintaining Immunity

Few substances can equal the value of glutathione in maintaining overall good
health and immune functioning. As the body’s most powerful antioxidant and
detoxifier, glutathione neutralizes harmful free radicals and eradicates toxins while
supporting cellular health and energy. The result is a winning anticancer compound.

Glutathione is composed chiefly of three amino acids—cysteine, glycine, and
glutamic acid—and most of our supply is produced in the liver. Without glutathione,
our bodies would become overwehelmed with toxins, making it difficult for the
immune system to keep up. Glutathione is also used up during stressful episodes,
because excessive adrenaline curbs its production.

Eggs, legumes, brassica vegetables (such as broccoli and cabbage), asparagus,
avocado, and walnuts are rich dietary sources of glutathione or the compounds the
body needs to make glutathione. Glutathione is also available as a liposomal cream,
a formulation that is thought to enhance absorption and delivery.

Consider Chlorella for Nurturing and Maintaining Immunity

Consider Chlorella for Nurturing and Maintaining Immunity

One of your most powerful allies in maintaining healthy immunity is a tiny,
single-celled green algae called chlorella. “Chlorella is my favorite whole-food
supplement,” says Dr. Michael Rosenbaum (pers. comm.), an immune specialist
practicing in Corte Madera, California. “It’s shown to be a potent immune stimulant,
both nourishing and detoxifying. My cancer patients report improved energy, and I
see improved white blood cell function in virtually everyone.” The reason for this
improvement, as Dr. James Balch and Phyllis Balch (1997) explain in Prescription
for Nutritional Healing, is that chlorella has more chlorophyll per ounce than any
other plant. It is made up of almost 58 percent protein and contains carbohydrates,
all the B vitamins, vitamins C and E, all nine essential amino acids, enzymes, and
rare trace minerals.

Chlorella is available in powder, liquid, or tablet form.

Experiment with Aloe for Nurturing and Maintaining Immunity

Experiment with Aloe for Nurturing and Maintaining Immunity

Hippocrates was the first to write about the virtues of aloe vera, a succulent plant
believed to have existed in Africa for thousands of years. Over twenty years ago, N.
V. Gribel and V. G. Pashinski (1986) noted that the juice of the aloe vera plant
reduced tumor mass and metastases in rats. Interestingly enough, it is the special
sugars in the gel of the aloe vera plant that seem to embody the secret of its potency.

These sugars are called glyconutrients, and unlike simple sugars, such as table
sugar, they have no adverse effect on blood sugar. Potent enzymes produced from
these glyconutrients appear to boost lymphocyte (a type of white blood cell)
production, thus powering up the immune system. What’s more, aloe functions as a
first-rate antioxidant while protecting the all-important master antioxidant
glutathione (Norikura et al. 2002). Aloe vera is available commercially as a juice,
gel, or concentrated powder. But why not buy yourself a small aloe plant, scoop a
spoonful of gel from inside its prickly leaf, and add it to your smoothie?

Garlic Is as Good as Ten Mothers for Nurturing and Maintaining Immunity

Garlic Is as Good as Ten Mothers for Nurturing and Maintaining Immunity

Thus was named a popular 1980 film homage to the wonders of the “stinking
rose.” But just what is so amazing about garlic? The bountiful bulb is rich in
antioxidants that include sulfur-based compounds, flavonoids, and dozens of other
health-promoting constituents. These constituents help quench free radicals, and
their sulfur content boosts the detoxification powers of the liver. Garlic is also rich
in selenium, an essential component of the antioxidant enzyme glutathione
peroxidase.

In Garlic for Health, Dr. Benjamin Lau (1988) writes, “Garlic apparently
stimulates the body’s immune system, particularly enhancing the macrophages and
lymphocytes, which destroy cancer cells.” In 1996, Dr. Herbert Pierson of the U.S.
National Cancer Institute noted, “Garlic is a veritable pharmacopeia. That’s why
garlic has been found in every medical book of every culture ever. For thousands of
years, garlic has been used for the treatment and prevention of disease. So there has
to be something there” (quoted in Bergner 1996, 1). Need we say more?

Learn to Love Mushrooms for Nurturing and Maintaining Immunity

Learn to Love Mushrooms for Nurturing and Maintaining Immunity

Many different mushrooms have been studied and consumed for their medicinal
properties. Of the many species of mushrooms, holistic medical practitioners most
commonly recommend these:

• Maitake. Often found at the base of oak trees and esteemed by herbalists all over the world, the maitake mushroom is best known for its ability to stimulate the production of T cells in the blood.
• Shiitake. The shiitake mushroom is the most widely recognized medicinal mushroom and is generally used as an immune system booster.
• Reishi. Used primarily as a tea or tincture because of its woody texture, this mushroom has been used by the Chinese for thousands of years as an immune system enhancer.
• Cordyceps. The extract from the cordyceps mushroom has proven itself to be effective in fighting various forms of bacteria while increasing physical stamina. The sports world took notice of the possible benefits of cordyceps mushrooms in 1993, when nine women who were taking cordyceps reportedly broke world records at the Chinese National Games.

THE MOUSE SWIM TEST: 

One way that the ability of cordyceps to increase energy was measured was through the “mouse swim test,” conducted in 1999. In this test, mice were placed in a tank of water and permitted to swim to exhaustion. The mice given cordyceps swam longer than mice that had received a placebo.
(Holliday and Cleaver 2008).

Recent research has shined a light on mushrooms and their immune-enhancing
and anticancer properties. One study of more than 350 women with breast cancer
and an equivalent number without it indicated that the women with the highest
consumption of mushrooms had a 46 percent lower risk of breast cancer, compared
to women with the lowest consumption (Hong et al. 2008). Another team of
researchers reported that dietary intake of mushrooms, in combination with green
tea, had a dramatic effect on breast cancer risk. Daily consumption of at least 10
grams of fresh mushrooms or at least 4 grams of dried mushrooms was linked to a
respective 64 and 47 percent reduction of risk, compared to a diet without
mushrooms. The women who both ate mushrooms and drank green tea daily
experienced even greater benefits (Zhang et al. 2009).

Guidelines for Nurturing and Maintaining Immunity

Guidelines for Nurturing and Maintaining Immunity

There is much you can do to help foster a healthy immune system. The following
are guidelines that you can incorporate into your daily life.

Slash Your Stress

Along with diet and exercise, stress management is essential to staying well and
maintaining a vigilant immune system. Struggling with depression, anxiety, and
panic is exhausting to our minds and bodies. Work with a qualified health care
provider to examine food sensitivities, nutrient insufficiencies, and drug-nutrient
interactions to assess the metabolic effects of unrelenting stress and what you can do
about it.

Once you’ve ruled out or dealt with metabolic issues, try some of the many
simple and cost-free techniques to reduce stress and anxiety. Guided imagery
involves focusing on mental images, such as a serene setting. Tai chi and some
forms of yoga, combining both mental and physical exercise, can help heal mind
and body. Consider using biofeedback, a process in which you monitor certain
functions of the body, such as blood pressure, and learn to alter these functions
through reinforced relaxation. Other simple techniques include deep-breathing
exercises or taking a walk and appreciating the beauty in the world around you.

One intriguing study looked at the effects of massage on women who were in
active breast cancer treatment. Women diagnosed with breast cancer received either
massage therapy three times a week for five weeks or just standard treatment. By the
end of the study, the massage-therapy group reported feeling less depressed, less
angry, and more energetic. The levels of NK cells also increased from the first to
the last day of the study for the massage therapy group (Hernandez-Reif et al. 2005).

Factors That Influence Immunity, Part 2

Factors That Influence Immunity, Part 2

LACK OF SLEEP LOWERS IMMUNE FUNCTION

When we sleep, our bodies refresh and recharge themselves. Sleep and
immunity seem inexorably linked. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for
Evolutionary Anthropology report that animals that sleep more show greater
resistance to infection; in fact, “evolutionary increases in mammalian sleep
durations are strongly associated with an enhancement of immune defences, as
measured by the number of immune cells circulating in peripheral blood” (Preston
et al. 2009).

The importance of sleep cannot be overstated. In today’s 24-7 cycle of endless
activity, it’s even more important to honor your body with the sleep it requires. Your
immune system will thank you.

EXERCISE ENHANCES IMMUNE FUNCTIONING—TO A POINT

Exercise not only helps your immune system resist infection but also lowers
your chances of heart disease, osteoporosis, and cancer. The National Cancer
Institute (NCI) (2009) proposes that “physical activity may prevent tumor
development by lowering hormone levels, particularly in premenopausal women,
lowering levels of insulin and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), improving the
immune response, and assisting with weight maintenance to avoid a high body mass
and excess body fat.” Remember, however, that too much of a good thing is no
longer a good thing. Intensive, long-term exercise creates a great deal of freeradical
activity, which results in an increase in stress hormones and a decrease in
white blood cell activity. Moderation is key!

Exercise is absolutely essential for your lymph glands. Exercise is also a great
energizer to the lymphatic system, an exquisitely designed network of vessels and
nodes (over six hundred) that work throughout your body to normalize fluids,
allocate proteins, and scour for toxins.

But unlike the circulatory system, which is outfitted with a dedicated pump (the
heart), lymph requires bodily motion to move—another reason to adapt or maintain
a regular exercise program! Walking, biking, swimming, rebounding, weight
training, running, yoga, and even rhythmically tapping your chest will help
stimulate lethargic nodes.

Factors That Influence Immunity

Factors That Influence Immunity

The immune system responds splendidly to an Eating for Health diet, daily
exercise, targeted nutrient support, and inner work, such as prayer and meditation. A
battle-fatigued immune system becomes stronger as you provide it with a diverse,
whole-food diet that:

• Is rich in unprocessed fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, seeds, and nuts
• Is low in poor-quality fats (trans fats, overheated and rancid fats, genetically modified [GM] oils, and highly refined cooking oils) and refined sugars
• Provides lean, hormone- and antibiotic-free protein
• Is abundant in pure water green and herbal teas (we suggest eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day)

SUGAR WEAKENS IMMUNITY

The food component most damaging to your immune system is refined sugar,
which is often referred to as an immunosuppressant. In Get the Sugar Out: 501
Simple Ways to Cut the Sugar Out of Any Diet, author Ann Louise Gittleman (2008)
warns that no matter what form it takes, sugar paralyzes the immune system in a
variety of ways by:

• Hampering the pathogen-killing capability of white blood cells for up to five hours after intake
• Decreasing the manufacture of antibodies
• Hindering the distribution of vitamin C, one of the most critical vitamins for all aspects of immune function
• Creating mineral imbalances and potential allergic effects, both of which dampen immune system functioning
• Countering the action of essential fatty acids, which makes cells more susceptible to invasion by allergens and microbes

Sugar ’s harmful effects on the immune system were demonstrated in a study
(von Känel, Mills, and Dimsdale 2001) that showed a dramatic decrease in several
types of immune system cells just two hours after subjects ingested 75 grams of
glucose (slightly more than a 20-ounce cola). Keeping in mind that simple
carbohydrates break down readily and rapidly into glucose, we can see clearly that
the intake of high-glycemic foods has a profound impact on immune response.

Meet Your Immune System

Meet Your Immune System

The immune system consists of distinct cellular populations dispatched throughout
the body to protect us from invading pathogens, such as viruses, unfriendly bacteria,
fungi, and parasites. Immune cells communicate with each other through chemical
mediators that regulate and interface with many other bodily systems. The main
organs of the immune system include:

• The bone marrow (from which all the cells of the mature immune system are initially derived)

• The thymus, whose function is to produce mature T cells

• The spleen, which serves as our immunologic filter of the blood and is made

• up of various immune cells (including T cells and NK cells)

• Lymph nodes, which are found throughout the body; they house the cells that

• produce antibodies, the proteins that inactivate identifiable foreign

• trespassers in the body, and they filter the bodily fluid known as lymph

There are two fundamental branches of the immune system: innate and adaptive.
The innate, or cellular immune system, attacks any entity considered foreign (like
infectious bacteria), and is evolutionarily ancient, literally prereptilian. In other
words, it will go after any bacteria, any pathogen, any invader at all.

As we evolved in complexity as mammals, however, we needed something a bit
more specialized. The result was the adaptive immune system, which recognizes an
attacker as potentially harmful and then remembers that pathogen’s specific identity
so that the body’s defense can be better targeted next time and the attackor doesn’t
have a second chance to inflict a disease state. One such pathogen is the influenza
virus, against which we mount a defense using antibodies, or “immune arrows,” as
immune specialist Dr. Michael Rosenbaum calls them (pers. comm.), to attack and
corner the offender.

In a healthy immune system, both branches and all of their cells are well
equipped to fight the hordes of invaders (bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites) that
are looking to set up shop inside us. Because immune cells reproduce so rapidly and
some of them have such a short life span (just a few days), our bodies need to invest
substantial amounts of energy in keeping the system functioning smoothly. Good
nutrition makes this possible. A well-nourished immune system fights off invaders,
including cancer, using a coordinated sequence of events.

First, foreign pathogens that invade the body are recognized by specific white
blood cells known as macrophages, whose responsibilities include scavenging and
surveillance. Dendritic cells, which are a specialized type of macrophage, identify
the invader, and display its name on the dendritic surface, then summon “higher
authorities” to help deal with it. These higher authorities are the lymphocytes. The
first lymphocytes on the scene are called T-helper cells, which work to coordinate
the overall response. If the pathogen is already known to the immune system, the Thelper
cells will likely summon the cytotoxic T cells (“killer T cells”) to help finish
off the enemy. If an unknown threat, such as cancer cells, should appear, elite forces
known as NK (natural killer) cells are called into action. NK cells, part of our innate
immune function, specialize in dealing with new threats. And unlike T cells, they
don’t need to have had a previous encounter with an invader to go after it; they will
attack anything that appears to present a danger. For this reason, NK cells are the
most active of all of the immune cells when it comes to facing down cancer. Once
the immediate threat has passed, suppressor T cells do the job of calming the
immune system down.

Adequate nourishment for all components of the immune system is essential for
ensuring that all of these jobs are carried out with maximum effectiveness. Nutrient
insufficiency in the face of a bodily threat inevitably leads to immune weakness,
increasing our susceptibility to cancer occurrence or recurrence.

Nourishing Immunity

Nourishing Immunity

On a planet teeming with microorganisms, the only thing standing between “us”
and “them” is the immune system.
—Dr. Robert Rountree and Carol Colman

Goal: Maintain a strong immune system

The immune system is the most diverse system in the body. If you imagine a
fortress, then the immune system consists of the walls outside and the soldiers
within. The soldiers have a hierarchy of many different functions. Each has a
particular job, and yet they interact with one another as a team to effectively defend
the fort against invaders like cancer cells.