As we enter the winter season, there is always talk about people getting sick and staying sick for long periods of time. We have viruses all around us, but why do some people seem to never get sick while others seem to be more susceptible and sick all the time?
When a virus comes in contact with us through air, food, or physical contact, our body’s great self-defense – the Immune system – typically comes to the rescue. During a viral attack, our White blood cells, called Lymphocytes, mount an attack against the foreign invader. In a bacterial attack, increased Neutrophils will be seen on lab tests, specifically a ‘CBC with Differential’.
Where does 70% of the immune system mostly reside? The gut – of course! In other words, if you want a healthy immune system, you need to have a healthy digestive tract. Digestion starts at the top with chewing your food and using the bacteria in your mouth to help break it down. If you have an infection like a fungus or yeast, you can’t fight off anything that you come into contact with very efficiently. These infections are keeping your immune system busy. Next, having adequate stomach acid is vital in fighting off viral infections. This is probably the most important part, as low stomach acid will not kill anything in the food you eat – food of which, is then allowed to enter the small intestine. Low stomach acid also does not allow the proper amount of bile to be produced and bile acts like soap to help clean up the digestive tract. If things do get past the stomach and enter the digestive tract, you want to have the immune system in there to fight off the infection. This explains why you might get an upset stomach and need to use the bathroom – your body is trying to get rid of the viral infection as quickly as possible.
So what should we do to strengthen our immune system? I like to start with improving digestion with stomach acid, bile salts, and pancreatic enzymes. Next, we look to heal up the gut with things like zinc, glutamine, and collagen. We also support the immune system with Vitamin D, Fish Oil, and Magnesium as these play key roles in fighting infections like viruses. Lastly, we populate the gut with good bacteria by taking a specific immune-boosting probiotic along with one that specifically targets bad bugs in the gut. To stay healthy this year, look to improve gut health. Get some colorful fruits and vegetables in your diet, stay hydrated, and make sure you still get some exercise on a regular basis.
-Dr. Brian Opp, Chiropractor