Today, many medical specialists realize that abnormalities of the immune system play a significant role in the deterioration of various bodily systems, fundamentally contributing to conditions such as arteriosclerosis; cardiovascular and cerebral vascular diseases; diabetes, and many other medical conditions both major and minor. Appropriately, the immune system has been likened to an army of warriors tasked to protect the body from foreign invaders, and more.

In the case of infection, our body’s are subjected to various microbes and other foreign substances —generally from external sources. These foreign invaders typically take the form of one or more of the following: 1) viruses, 2) bacteria, 3) fungi, 4) parasites, and 5) toxins

Viruses. Viruses are very small, submicroscopic particles that are said to be in a grey area between a living and non-living state. In order to multiply and be infective, viral particles must attach themselves to living cells. Both cold and flu viruses are transmitted by contacting respiratory secretions of an infected person (by shaking hands, touching an infected doorknob, etc., and then touching the mouth, eyes, or nose), or by breathing infective particles which can linger in the air for several hours.

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There are several different types or “families” of viruses. The Paramyxovirus family includes the mumps virus, measles virus, and pathogens of the respiratory system called parainfluenza viruses. The Picornavirus family includes the so-called rhinoviruses, most often the cause of the common cold. The Orthomyxovirus family includes the influenza viruses types A, B, and C, with type A being the most common and typically causing the most epidemics and severe illness.

The “Spanish Flu” pandemic of 1918 is perhaps the most well-known example of influenza’s “worst case scenario,” in which 20-50 million people world wide and more than 500,000 Americans perished within a span of less than 12 months. The outbreak of Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and “bird (avian) flu” viruses sends a chilling reminder that we’ve not yet defeated these formidable opponents of diminutive proportion.

It is well known that viruses cause many types of sickness, including:

AIDS Chicken pox Colds Cold sores Ebola virus infection Epstein-Barr virus infection Genital warts Herpes Hepatitis

Influenza Measles Mononucleosis Mumps Polio Rabies Shingles Smallpox Yellow fever

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Bacteria. Another type of foreign invader is bacteria, single-celled microorganisms found in air, water, soil, and food. While there are thousands of varieties of bacteria, relatively few cause disease in humans. Those that do are at the root of many familiar-sounding ailments, including:

Anthrax Bronchitis Cholera Chlamydia Diarrhea Food poisoning Gonorrhea Hemorrhagic E. coli

Leprosy Lyme disease Pneumonia Sinusitus Syphilis Tuberculosis Urinary tract infections Typhoid fever Whooping cough

Fungi. Fungi are a group of parasitic plants that inhabit the air, land, and seas of Earth. These organisms include molds, mildews, and yeasts. In total, more that 500,000 species of fungi inhabit Earth. These organisms can cause:

☞ Candida albicans ☞ Finger & toenail fungus ☞ Jock itch ☞ Diaper rash ☞ Thrush ☞ Secondary infections that frequently occur concurrently with other major diseases such as AIDS, diabetes, and cancer

☞ Yeast syndrome symptoms can include allergies ☞ asthma ☞ diarrhea ☞ heartburn ☞ constipation ☞ headaches ☞ hives ☞ gastritis

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Parasites. A parasite is any organism that lives within or upon another living organism—its host—and contributes nothing to its welfare. Parasites can harm their hosts by releasing poisonous toxins into the body, destroying tissues, and irritating and interfering with organ functions. Although viruses, bacteria and fungi can be considered parasites, protozoa and helminth worms are the two main organisms belonging to this category.

Protozoa (including amoebas, trypanosomes, sporozoans, and paramecia) are single cell organisms ranging from 1-10 millimeters (mm) in length. Malaria is an example of a well-known disease caused by at least four different species of the protazoan Plasmodium. Helminth worms such as the tapeworm, roundworm, and hookworm are multicellular organisms much larger in size than protozoa (although these worms do not multiply within the human host.) Common symptoms of either protozoa or helminth infection include: allergies; anemia; chronic fatigue; constipation; diarrhea; gas and bloating; irritable bowel syndrome; joint and muscle aches; nervousness; and sleep disorders. Parasitic infection by protozoa and helminth worms is the single greatest cause of sickness and death on Earth, largely resulting from the serious diarrheal diseases they cause. Up to 99% of the populations of underdeveloped countries are known to have some type of parasitic infection. From 30-75% of the populations of the United States and European countries are believed to harbor some type of parasite.

Toxins. This topic is discussed under Accumulation of Environmental Pollutants.

With both the internal and external environments so heavily laden with viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites and toxins, it is only the body’s immune system that protects us from pathogenic infection, sickness and death. Particularly, it is the state of one’s immune system, i.e., how well the immune system is functioning, that governs our susceptibility to illness and disease. This is why some people succumb to an illness such as a cold, the flu or cancer, while others remain completely unaffected—and why some are continually ill while others are continually healthy. The state of our immune system defines the level of our ‘inner fitness,” and is the ultimate arbiter of our state of health. In a very real way, the immune system is like a bureaucratic Immigration Department whose primary task is to differentiate between “self”—the body’s own cells and tissues—and “non-self,” any and all foreign substances the body doesn’t recognize as self. There are both detection and response systems within the immune system. When non-self is detected, the immune system attempts to respond by eliminating the substance.

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In addition to the forgoing, a healthy immune system performs a surveillance function on damaged, mis-formed, or mutated cells which may become cancerous. Immune suppression has been linked to the increased risk of certain types of cancers. This subject is discussed below under Oxidation.

It was once believed the brain has a fixed number of cells at birth which progressively degenerate and die as a person ages, without the possibility of cellular regeneration. However, research by Dr. Michal Schwartz1 of the Neurobiology Department of Israel’s Weizmann Institute of Science has recently disproved this assumption. Schwartz’ new research has shown that our body’s immune cells play a part in the renewal of nerve (brain) cells, thus contributing to the maintenance of cognitive function throughout life. Therefore, by promoting an optimally-functioning immune system, it may be possible to prevent or retard the premature age-related loss of brain function, including memory, learning skills, and other day-to-day cognitive functions we take for granted in youth.

The immune system is an intricate system of cells, tissues and organs. It is the continuous, synergistic functioning between these components that protects us from illness and disease. Its major components include:

Adenoids Antibodies Appendix Bone marrow Complement system Hormones

Lymphatic system Peyer’s patches Thymus gland Tonsils Spleen

There are many factors in our everyday lives that weaken the immune system, including:

• Aging
• Air pollution
• Alcohol (and other drug) abuse
• Digestive disorders
• Exercise (either lack or excess thereof)
• Exposure to environmental toxins (such as industrial and household chemicals)
• Insomnia (poor sleep habits)
• Malnutrition (poor eating habits)
• Medical therapies (such as anti-cancer drugs, corticosteroids, and antibiotics)
• Radiation
• Stress/Depression