Understanding Natural Immunity: Strengthening Your Body’s Defense Against Viruses

[Dr. Song’s Vegan News]

Date: November 9, 2023, 13:45
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It has been 4 years since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Although most quarantine restrictions have been lifted, many people are still wearing masks when they go out. Despite having the highest vaccination rate in the world, why are we still so afraid of viruses like the coronavirus and flu? Can we truly survive by avoiding viruses?

The battle against bacteria and viruses has been ongoing for centuries. Diseases such as the Black Death, smallpox, cholera, Spanish flu, SARS, and MERS have left lasting impacts, but humans have managed to overcome them without vaccines or antibiotics. This is due to the incredibly powerful immune system of the human body that can fight off infectious diseases. Our natural immune system is truly remarkable, so why are we so afraid?

Immunity is the process of recognizing and eliminating foreign substances, such as bacteria and viruses, that enter the body. It involves developing antibodies to prevent future infections, similar to a building’s security system that stops harmful microorganisms. The human body has a complex, three-layered immune system that works tirelessly to keep us healthy.

Thanks to this sophisticated immune system, most people are able to overcome viral infections like the coronavirus and flu without vaccines. This is the power of natural immunity. It is important to note that the coronavirus is not a completely new virus, but rather a strain of a common cold virus. Similar viruses like SARS and MERS have also been overcome without vaccines.

Experts have emphasized the importance of natural immunity, stating that it provides better and longer-lasting protection compared to vaccines. The key to strengthening our immune system lies in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including avoiding smoking, excessive drinking, stress, lack of sleep, and unhealthy foods. Good blood circulation is also crucial for immune cell function.

Surprisingly, the majority of our immune system resides in our intestines. Eating a plant-based diet rich in fiber can support the beneficial bacteria in the gut and improve immune function. On the other hand, consuming animal-based foods containing high levels of protein, saturated fat, and cholesterol can weaken immunity and increase inflammation.

Studies have shown that individuals following a plant-based diet have a stronger resistance to viral infections, including coronavirus. The various vitamins, phytochemicals, and antioxidants found in plant foods are essential for producing immune substances and antibodies. Therefore, a healthy vegetarian diet is essential, especially during a pandemic.

In conclusion, it is important to focus on developing our natural immunity in order to overcome viral infections. By maintaining a healthy lifestyle and consuming a plant-based diet, we can significantly improve our immune system and protect ourselves against various viruses.

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Entered 2023.11.09 13:45 Views 2 Entered 2023.11.09 13:45 Modified 2023.11.08 20:00 Views 2

It has been 4 years since the coronavirus pandemic began. Almost all coronavirus quarantine restrictions have been lifted, but if you go out on the streets, there are still many people wearing masks.

Whether it’s corona or flu, why are we so afraid of viruses in a country with the highest vaccination rate in the world? Can we really survive by avoiding viruses?

[사진=게티이미지뱅크]The war against bacteria and viruses has been with mankind for a long time. The Black Death, smallpox, cholera, Spanish flu, SARS, and MERS all left deep scars, but mankind overcame them well and they did not go away.

How did we overcome such a terrible disease in a time when there were no vaccines or even antibiotics? This is because the human body has an extremely powerful immune system that can overcome these infectious diseases.

Our body’s amazing natural immune system… What makes us afraid?

Immunity is the process of recognizing and removing foreign substances (antigens; bacteria, viruses, etc.) that enter the human body, and developing antibodies that can stop immediately even if the same antigen will overcome in the future, thereby developing resistance to prevent disease. .’ . Simply put, like a building’s security system, it prevents microorganisms that attack our bodies in advance to prevent them from causing problems.

The human body has a dense, three-layered immune system. The first defense blocks harmful viruses through interferon in the respiratory mucosa. [1].

If the epithelial cell wall of the mucous membrane, which is the first line of defense, collapses, white blood cells collect and the secondary defense, which is a fight against the virus, begins (Figure below).

*Source: Foundation for Basic Science iBS 2020

White blood cells (neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, monocytes, lymphocytes, NK cells), a group of immune cells, are mobilized and secrete chemicals such as histamine and cytokines, causing an inflammatory reaction, dilating capillaries and promoting blood circulation, stops the blood. viruses reproduce by producing fever in the body. [2].

Most viruses are eliminated during this process, and the human body builds a third line of defense based on information about the virus learned through this process. It takes about 2 to 7 days after the infection starts and is called adaptive immunity or acquired immunity.

Adaptive immunity is primarily responsible for lymphocytes. B cells make antibodies, and T cells kill infected cells to stop the virus from spreading. In addition, it creates cells (memory T cells, etc.) that remember information acquired during a battle, allowing B cells to quickly produce antibodies in case of future re-infection with the same virus . [3].

Thanks to the body’s highly sophisticated and perfect primary, secondary and tertiary immune system, we have easily overcome the many viral infections we have encountered since birth. So, although there are differences in degrees, most people overcome the coronavirus or the flu well without a vaccine. This is the power of ‘natural immunity’.

Revisiting the identity of the COVID-19 virus

Although the coronavirus was thought to be a new virus, it is actually the second most common virus (about 15%) among over 200 types of cold viruses, following the most common rhinovirus (about 40%). [4].

SARS and MERS, which were feared by the whole nation, are viruses from the same family as Corona and they have all died out without a vaccine.

Professor Martin Kulldorff, an epidemiologist at Harvard University Medical School, emphasized the importance of natural immunity, saying, “Natural immunity provides better immunity than vaccines, so mandatory vaccination is scientific nonsense.” [5].

The natural immunity that a healthy person develops after being infected with a virus is much better than a vaccine that has to be given repeatedly, as immunity to the virus lasts for life. In other words, it is much more advantageous for healthy people to have natural immunity using innate immunity.

It is an old medical fact that natural immunity is much more powerful than artificial vaccines without side effects. Even in the early days of the coronavirus, the world’s leading experts, including Harvard University and Oxford University, proposed the ‘Great Barrington Declaration’ in October 2020, calling for the use of natural immunity to overcome the coronavirus crisis. [6].

What should we do to strengthen our individual immunity? Humanity, which has won the war against viruses for a long time, has already evolved perfectly to a state where it can fight viruses well if only the factors that suppress immunity are removed.

Dietary supplements or vitamins that are said to boost immunity do not improve immunity. All you need to do is create a good environment for your innate immunity to function properly by avoiding smoking, excessive drinking, stress, lack of sleep, lack of exercise, and eating unhealthy foods that reduce d immunity.

What really improves our body’s immunity?

Why are so many elderly people with chronic diseases dying from coronavirus? This is because patients with diabetes, obesity, hyperlipidemia, and high blood pressure have circulatory problems caused by inflammatory conditions in the microcirculation of blood vessels, making it difficult for blood to flow to all corners of the body.

Only when blood circulation is good can white blood cells, which are immune cells, travel to the extremities of our body and fight viruses. If blood circulation is poor, immune cells that can fight and defeat viruses cannot easily get to the wound area, so even if they have excellent weapons (natural immunity), they cannot fight the enemy (virus), which increases the mortality rate in chronic illness. patients.

Immunity is closely related to various lifestyle habits, and among them, the food you eat every day is the most important.

Surprisingly, 70-80% of our immune system resides in our body’s intestines. As many as 40 trillion intestinal micro-organisms are closely linked to the immune system present in the intestinal epithelial cells, so when the intestinal environment deteriorates by eating animal foods (without fiber) that are bad for r intestines, harmful intestinal bacteria that cause various diseases proliferate. and immune function is impaired.

On the other hand, when you eat plant-based foods (rich in fibre), which are good for the gut, the beneficial bacteria in your gut break down the fiber into down and produces short chain fatty acids (SCFA). most nutrients are healing in nature and support immune function, healing [7,8].

* Image source -> Reference 4.

In fact, animal foods (meat, fish, milk, eggs) contain too much protein, saturated fat, and cholesterol, which burden the body during digestion and metabolism, and there are free radicals and various toxic substances and produced during metabolism causes inflammation. in blood vessels, this causes blood circulation to decline and immunity to weaken.

On the other hand, a vegetarian diet which mainly consists of plant-based foods (brown rice, vegetables and fruit) contains many healthy ingredients such as antioxidants, phytochemicals, dietary fibre, various vitamins and minerals, which n reduce inflammation and improve blood circulation, thereby improving immunity. [9].

In fact, vegetarians who eat mostly plant-based foods have been reported to have a much stronger resistance to coronavirus than meat eaters who enjoy eating animal foods.

According to a joint study by Johns Hopkins, Harvard, and Columbia University published in the world-renowned academic journal BMJ (British Medical Journal), 568 people infected with coronavirus among 2,884 hospital workers in six countries ( US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain) were investigated.

As a result of analyzing the eating habits of 430 mild patients (less than 38 degrees, mild symptoms) and 138 severe patients (high fever, difficulty breathing, pneumonia), the probability of vegetarians becoming seriously ill was only 1/4 of coronavirus more than 1/4 of meat eaters. [10].

The reason why vegetarians are more resistant to coronavirus is because the various vitamins, phytochemicals, and antioxidants contained in plant foods are good at producing immune substances and antibodies. This is why a healthy vegetarian diet is important even during a pandemic.

Immunity of meat eaters vs. herbal immunity

It is realistically impossible for us to completely avoid the many viruses that float in the air that are invisible to the eye. Therefore, it is wiser to develop the strength to overcome any incoming virus.

To increase immunity, you can prevent viral infections by stopping smoking, drinking alcohol, getting enough sleep and rest, regular exercise, sunbathing, managing stress, and eating fruit and vegetables that are rich in various nutrients good for immunity. , you can easily recover.

This way of strengthening immunity does not require great knowledge, taking expensive medicine, or making a lot of effort.

In fact, anyone can do it easily, starting today. Immunity, which is the last weapon to overcome another pandemic in the future, depends not on vaccines or masks, but on you, which determines good lifestyle habits and the food you eat every day.

The most important of them all is food. “You are what you eat.” (What you eat is your body).

addresses
1. SN Hong, HJ Kim. Reactive Oxygen Species, Interferon and the Antiviral Innate Immune Response in Nasal Mucosa. Korean Journal of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery 2015; 58 (11): 739-743.
2. iBS Institute for Basic Science https://www.ibs.re.kr/cop/bbs/BBSMSTR_000000000971/selectBoardArticle.do?nttId=18243&pageIndex=1&mno=sitemap_02&searchCnd=&searchWrd=
3. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adaptive_immune_system
4. T Heikkinen, A Järvinen. The common cold. The Lancet 2003; 361:51-59.
5. The hub https://thehub.ca/2021-09-23/martin-kulldorff-vaccine-mandates-are-unnecessary-and-will-sow-distrust/
6. M Kulldorff, S Gupta, J Bhattacharya. Great Barrington Declaration. 2020.
7. C Martin-Gallausiaux, L Marinelli, HM Blottiere, et al. SCFA: mechanisms and functional importance in the gut. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 2021; 80: 37-49.
8. CH Kim. Regulation of lymphocyte functions by gut microbiota-derived short-chain fatty acids. Cellular and molecular immunology 2021; 18: 1161-1171.
9. A Tomova, I Bukovsky, E Rembert, et al. Effects of vegetarian and vegan diets on gut microbiota. Frontiers in Nutrition 2019; 6: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2019.00047.
10. H Kim, CM Rebholz, S Hegde, C LaFiura, et al. Plant-based, pescatarian diets and severity of COVID-19: a population-based case-control study in six countries. BMJ Nutrition, Prevention and Health 2021; 4(1):257–266.

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