The Immune System Under Attack

A weakened immune system not only reduces our resistance to infectious disease, it increases the possibility that we will experience allergies and autoimmune problems. A weakened immune system can have two effects; 

• a reduced immune response- lowered resistance with increased incidence of infections OR
• an overactive immune response- increased incidence of allergies and autoimmune disease.

Both responses are harmful. In general, things that can weaken the immune system fall into the categories of nutritional deficiencies. Often they are due to:

• incomplete digestion
• food overload
• bacterial or viral infection
• immune system toxins
• high chemical exposures
• stress

During times of stress, the body releases a steroid called cortisol, which can actually inhibit the activity of macrophage cells.

Immune systems problems of clinical significance include:

• allergies or hypersensitivity reactions
• autoimmune diseases
• immunodeficiencies
• tumor control
• transplants

Allergies

Statistics show that food-related allergies and autoimmune disease are on the rise. The incidence of allergy is much higher than most people realize. In fact, it is estimated that one in three Malaysians is currently suffering from some form of allergy.

Generally speaking, an allergic reaction is the body's response to an antigen. Allergic reactions can be divided into two broad categories:

a) Reactions to foods

b) Reactions to non-food environmental antigens

The list of non-food environmental antigens seems to be ever-growing and includes such commonplace items as household and industrial chemicals, gasoline, exhaust fumes, petrochemicals, grasses and pollens, perfumes, cigarette smoke, feathers, fabric, dust, and insect bites.

An antigen might be best described as something foreign to the body, or any foreign substance which can produce the same result in all people. As we know, not everyone is allergic to strawberries, pollen, or dust. And even though two individuals may be allergic to the same substance, the severity of their antigens are in many ways different from the immune system's response to pathogens that invade the body in the form of bacteria and viruses. 

Food Sensitivities

Food allergies often seem to be the result of a poor digestive system. When the digestive system is function properly, it excludes foods that have not been properly broken down into smaller molecules. When healthy food is not completely digested, larger-than-normal food molecules are absorbed into circulation. When these incompletely digested pieces of food molecules enter into bloodstream, they are recognized by the immune system as foreign, at they are attacked. When the immune system attacks, the body experiences a food-related allergic reaction (which has a very large range of symptoms). When proper digestion occurs and food is completely broken down, no large-food molecules find their way into the bloodstream, and our immune system is much less likely to recognize digested food as foreign. It is when the intestinal barrier breaks down, either by incomplete digestion or excessive permeability of the intestinal lining, that the body experiences symptoms of food allergy.

Some of the foods that caused allergic reactions in many people are nuts, eggs, milk, soybeans, wheat, peanuts, chicken, fish, shellfish, and mollusks. According to one investigator, 91% of reactions are caused by only four major foods- nuts (43%), eggs (21%), milk (18%) and soy (9%). Sensitivity or allergic reactions to single foods are common. In order to overcome a specific food allergy, it is necessary to first identify the food causing the allergic reaction. Once identified, the suspect food may be eliminated from the diet for a period of time and then reintroduced in small amounts. This technique is called food challenge. If the allergic reaction occurs again and is severe, the food may again be eliminated from the diet and then gradually reintroduced later. Eventually, either the food allergy is overcome, or it becomes clear that the particular food will never be tolerated. Most people have experienced some type of food-related allergic response at one time or another, and in most cases the allergies resolve themselves. Many childhood allergies disappear spontaneously (such as infantile eczema).

Some of the symptoms that food sensitivities and allergies can produce affect on certain areas:

Head

• headaches, dizziness, throbbing, ringing in the ears

Upper respiratory tract

• runny nose, blocked nasal passages, canker sores, throat irritation

Chest

• asthma, congestion in the lungs, persistent cough, palpitation

Intestines

• nausea, cramps, flatulence, diarrhea, constipation

Skin

• red spots, rashes, dermatitis, hives and itching

Extremities

• weakness in the limbs, sore muscles, aches and pains, joint pains and swelling

Miscellaneous symptoms

• chronic fatigue, excessive hunger, significant fluctuations in weight

Autoimmune Diseases

In autoimmune diseases, the body turns against itself. The immune system identifies its own body tissue as the enemy and then proceeds to destroy it. This is contrary to the normal immunological reaction in which there exists self-recognition- the tolerance of all body constituents. But, in the case of autoimmune response, there is a self-destructive reaction orchestrated by the immune system.

Autoimmune disease is not a new concept. As early as the 1850's, doctors understood that lupus was a disease affected by the immune system. During the 19th century, however, so much scientific attention was focused on solving epidemics caused by infectious diseases that science had little time to devote attention to the study of autoimmunity. In addition, technological advancement in microscopes were not refined enough during this period to allow investigation at the level required for sophisticated immunological research.

Autoimmune disease are generally classified into two categories: those that affect an entire system of the body (systemic), and those that affected only on one organ (organ-specific).

Major autoimmune systemic diseases are:

• Systemic lupus, affecting many organs including skin, joints and kidneys
• Rheumatoid arthritis, affecting the lining of the joints
• Ankylosing spondylitis, characterized by inflammation of the sacroiliac and spine
• Sjögren's syndrome, characterized by dry mouth and dry eyes
• Necrotizing angitis, affecting the arteries
• Polymyositis, causing degeneration and inflammation of skeletal muscles
• Progressive systemic sclerosis, causing thickening of the skin and several internal organs such as the gastrointestinal tract, heart, kidneys and lungs.

Major autoimmune specific organ disease include:

• Autoimmune hemolytic anemias, which fight against the body's own red blood cells
• Graves's disease, which attacks the thyroid gland
• Autoimmune encephalitis, which attacks the central nervous system
• Pernicious anemia, characterized by inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract
• Crohn's disease, which affects the intestines as ulcerative colitis
• Infectious hepatitis, which affects the liver and can cause liver destruction
• Kidney diseases (various forms)
• Myasthenia gravis, a disorder of the voluntary muscles which causes muscle weakness
• Dermatitis herpetiformis, which causes aggravating lesions on the surface of the back and arms
• Lupus erythematosus, which attacks the skin tissue with lesins and atrophy
• Autoimmune disease of the eye

What Are Free Radicals?

Oxidative Stress

In chemistry, radicals (often referred to as free radicals) are atomic or molecular species with unpaired electrons. Highly instable and extremely short lived, free radical intermediates have a lifespan measured in trillionths of a second or less. Their presence in biological systems was first reported in the 1960s when scientists observed exceedingly short-lived events in enzyme-controlled oxidation-reduction (redox) reactions similar to those that take place inside our cells. Unlike ions, free radicals generally do not carry a net charge on the molecule, so their reactivity is different from the reactivity of similar ions. However, the unpaired electrons of a free radical create an activated energy state, making the molecule highly reactive chemically. Consequently, free radicals are aggressive participants in chemical reactions within the cell, reacting with other biomolecules at the instant of their creation.



During their fleeting existence, highly unstable free radicals can inflict considerable damage to the cell. Like sparks from a spitting fire that burn holes in your living room carpet, these supercharged particles leave a virtual killing field of destruction in their wake. For example, when a free radical interacts with a lipid molecule in the cell membrane, it sets in motion an autocatalytic raction that is self-perpetuating. Once oxidized, a lipid molecule interacts with and damages its neighbouring molecule. This newly formed lipid peroxide (oxidized lipid) then attacks its neighbour and the process repeats unless quenched by a membrane-active antioxidant. Lipid peroxidation is extremely damaging to the cell because it seriously impairs the selective permeability of the cell membrane and, with this, the ability of the cell to control its internal environment- nasty stuff, with nasty consequences for the cell.





Antioxidant are chemicals (both naturally occurring and man-made) that can prevent or slow cell damage. An “antioxidant” is actually not a substance; it’s a behavior. Any compound that can donate electrons and counteract free radicals has antioxidant properties.

Antioxidants are one of the first lines of defense that the body employs to keep free radicals in check and prevent them from causing a domino effect of damage on other cells. Antioxidant compounds can “donate” electrons to unstable free radicals so they don’t have to snatch electrons from unsuspecting nearby cells. Antioxidants can also help repair cell damage caused by free radicals.

Natural antioxidants are mainly found in fruits and vegetables, marine plants, and some seafood that eat marine plants. There are thousands of antioxidant compounds out there, but the most common dietary ones are vitamins A, C, and E, beta-carotene, and lycopene. Antioxidants can also be produced artificially and consumed in supplement form.

What is inflammation?

Studies show that systemic inflammation is involved in:

• Allergy
• Alzheimer's disease
• Anemia
• Ankylosing spondylitis
• Aortic valve stenosis
• Arthritis
• Cancer
• Congestive heart failure
• Diabetes
• Fibromyalgia
• Fibrosis
• Hypertension
• Heart attack
• Huntington's disease
• Irritable bowel disorder
• Kidney disease
• Lupus
• Metabolic syndrome
• Osteoporosis
• Parkinson's disease
• Psoriasis
• Stroke

Inflammation is a normal part of  the body's defence against germs. The increase in body temperature, flood of toxic free radicals and inflammation-signalling proteins, and release of killer macrophage cells are the hallmarks of an inflammatory event that is the body's long established means of defending against a clear and present danger. In modern man, however, this vigorous adaptive response, honed from millions of years of evolution, can become a source of debilitating disease. Inflammation is a double edged sword whereby it keeps us healthy when we are young but it is believed to be linked to the very process of aging.

As we age, our ability to regulate inflammation begins to wane. Then, rather than protecting us, inflammation becomes silent and systemic, morphing into a process of stealth through which degenerative disease takes root. The symptoms of silent inflammation are entirely different from the cardinal signs of acute inflammation- rubor (redness), calor (heat), tumor (swelling), and dolor (pain)- and can lie undetected until catastrophe strikes.

When inflammation turns silent, things turn ugly. Silent inflammation causes the body to turn on itself, its immune defences attacking its own organs. Over time, dangerous proinflammatory cytokines (specialized signalling proteins), such as C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 and inflammation-producing eicosanoids (oxygenated essential fatty acids), such as prostaglandin E-2 and leukotriene B-4, begin to destroy tissues throughout the body. In response to this systemic attack from within, the body produces even more inflammatory cytokines and damaging free radicals, creating a self-perpetuating cycle. Like a smouldering fire that slowly consumes itself, silent inflammation damages arteries, destroys nerve cells and organs, compromises the immune system, and promotes cancerous growths. If you have silent inflammation, despite how well you may feel today, you are on a fast track towards degenerative disease tomorrow.

Cancers Facts

• The development of most cancers are tied to lifestyle plus exposure to environmental and occupational risk factors.
• Genetics factors for cancers only account for approximately 30% of total cancer risk.
• Poor dietary habits, smoking, alcohol consumption, lack of exercise and exposure to environmental toxins are the main causes of cancer.
• Change in diet alone could prevent 3-4 million cases of cancer worldwide every year.
• 30% - 35% of all cancers are related to diet.
• Fruits and vegetables in the diet provide huge protective effect against almost every type of cancer.

Rational? Think Again.

If you had an aquarium and the fishes were sick, the veterinarian would not say 'show me the fish'. He would say, 'Give me a cup of the water and I'll tell you what's wrong with the fish!'

Rational? Think again...

Why then would you take medicine for so many degenerative disorders without identifying and eliminating what is degenerating it? So many diseases has so many fancy names but the underlying cause is INFLAMMATION!

Have you ever asked why and what is causing the inflammation? 

Every time you saw a house burning, firemen were always there also. The correlation between a burning house and the presence of firemen is statistically significant. Do you then make a conclusion that firemen causes house fire? 

Irrational? Think again...

Why cholesterol gets the blame for causing heart attack and stroke by virtue of causing blockage of the blood vessels? It does not make sense if you think of the house on fire as the disease and the cholesterol as the firemen. I pity cholesterol for being the scapegoat. If cholesterol is so dangerous why is it that...

• cholesterol is found in every cell membrane.
• when the baby was born, a cheese-like whitish substance call 'vernix caseosa' covers the baby. This substance is full of cholesterol.
• when a woman is pregnant, her cholesterol levels increase by 25 to 50%. 

If Cholesterol is a health enemy that needs to be controlled with medicine, why then God made the liver to produce cholesterol? If you don't believe in God and prefers to call it Nature, would natural selection of the 'fittest' by evolution allows the propagation of this 'defective gene' that makes cholesterol?

If the kitchen in your house breaks down, you can still cook at your back yard if you want. If the TV in your living room spoils, you can still watch TV in your bed room. But if the toilet in your house is permanently damaged, then you've got to move! The most unpopular organ, the colon happens to be a very important organ to keep the body functioning properly. The human colon is 5 feet long, how much stool in that 5 feet long colon do you pass out each day? 

Rational? Think again...

The human gastrointestinal tract constitutes 70% of the body's total immune system. The surface area of the digestive tract is estimated to be similar to the surface area of a football field. With such a large exposure, the immune system must work hard to prevent pathogens from entering into blood and lymph. 80% of the bacteria that lives in our gut is also helping us to keep our gut immune system functioning normally.

Every time you complete a course of antibiotics, you actually killed many 'good' and 'bad' intestinal bacteria at the same time. That is why many antibiotics comes with the warning of causing diarrhea. 

Every time a child is given an antibiotic unnecessarily, the child's gut flora diminishes and many parents notice that their children are prone to skin allergy, asthma and allergic rhinitis. And they wonder why this happens to their children despite raising them obsessively in an almost-sterile environment. 

Our Children Need More Probiotics, Not Antibiotics For A Better Immune System

If you have a thief in your house, you can bomb the house or inject a poison in a mosquito and put the mosquito in the house. Both will get rid of the thief. But in the latter, you still get to keep the house.

Rational? Think again...

90% of adult cancer is environmental and lifestyle related (Pharm Res. 2008 Sep; 25(9): 2097–2116). But many chose to kill those cancer cells by just cutting (surgery), burning (radiotherapy) or poisoning (chemotherapy) with significant collateral damage to the healthy cells. Cancer patients do die from cancer treatment and not from the the cancer(Br J Cancer. 2006 Dec 18; 95(12): 1632–1636). 

A more holistic approach to cancer is needed. The holistic treatment caters for the treatment of the Body, Mind and Spirit of the patient.Treating the patient as a whole being. Total diet modification, lifestyle resetting, change of mindset, detoxification, chelation therapy, anti-oxidant supplementation are all significant aspects of INTEGRATIVE ONCOLOGY.