Poor immune system?
Question:
Answers:
Hi Sue,
From your description, it sounds like you've developed an auto immune disorder from the medications you were given.
There's good news once you understand what is going on in any auto immune disorder.
Many drugs promote yeast overgrowth. That overgrowth ends up creating auto immune problems. The yeast actually transforms, growing roots that poke holes in the intestinal lining.
This allows proteins from your food to pass through, instead of being broken down into amino acids first. When your immune system spots those proteins, alarm bells got off.
This might result in allergies to certain foods. With continued assaults from the invading proteins, the immune system goes haywire, resulting in any of over 100 auto immune disorders.
Meanwhile the yeast also passes through taking up camp in the sinuses, vagina, fingernails, toenails, and in other organs...even the brain in advanced cases.
Meanwhile, things like gas and bloating are common.
To fix this cadcade of problems, there are several things that need to be done. All these things are available in health food stores.
1- I'd take olive leaf extract or Candistroy to get rid of the bad yeast. They will also boost the immune system. Candistroy is a short term use product. Olive leaf can be taken much longer.
2- I'd take PB-8 or another excellent probiotic.
3- I'd take glutamine (5 gms 2x a day) or even better is IntestiNew.
4- An excellent multi-enzyme to take the stress off your digestive enzyme.
5- Sun Chlorella or Kyoto Chlorella. Kyoto is a mail order item from Swansons. The broken cell chlorella can help remove heavy metals, which are contributors to many problems including convulsions.
You might also look into doing an am/pm colon cleanse. It can help remove stuff from the liver and elsewhere.
Also look into the ingredients of the drugs you were taking, including the chemical makeup to see what might need to be detoxified from your system. For instance, was there a chlorine molecule, or nickel, etc.
If you do a google/yahoo search or talk to your pharmacist, they can probably help you with that.
Good luck and be well.
Kelley
I have the same problem. I don't go anywhere because of it. I stopped flying some time ago because I always got sick . Now I can't even go to the airport for the same reason. I no longer swim because I am so susceptible to fungal infections that are so common around public pools. When I go to the laundromat I must clean everything with bleach so I don't get sick. The machines I use, the carts I handle, the table I put my clothes on.
I wash my hands so much they look like sand paper.
I wish I could offer a suggestion but I haven't found any one thing. I do use Coptis Chinensis in tincture. But I have to take breaks from it because it's not something to take constantly.
EDIT>>>
It is similar to Golden Seal but more broad spectrum... however, I have been warned on here by herbalists not to take it long term.
There are a lot of natural supplements that are good for the immune system and are very safe to use long-term. Some of the most popular include mushrooms (specifically Maitake, Shiitake, and Reishi... all of which can be expensive), Colostrum, CoQ10, antioxidants, Chlorella, Royal Jelly, DHEA (a precursor to Estrogen and Testosterone, it's natural, but you should check the warnings first), L-Lysine, Beta Glucans, Elderberry, Garlic, and many other things that more indirectly help the immune system.
If you are already starting to develop conditions where your body is starting to attack itself, you should really check with a doctor that knows about supplements first just because if it is an auto-immune disease, taking most of these will actually do you more harm than good because they can strengthen your immune system which will in turn attack your body.. and I don't need to tell you how bad that may be. Good luck!
Zinc, echinacia, green & white tea all help the immune system.
But why don't you just ask you doctor?
Immunocal - only one I know of clinically proven and listed in the physicians desk reference
Plenty of Vitamin C would help. Two grams a day (twice one gram) or even 3 gm a day (3 times 1 gm) should be enough. Even smaller amounts would help. It is not recommended to take more than 1 gm in a single dose.
I am sorry about your poor immune system, medications unfortunately do weaken it.
If interested, here is some other reasons why the immune system gets weak. (skip this part to see some good news below)
Toxins: Most people today have excess accumulation of toxins and waste material in their bodies causing their body to be acidic and adding stress to their immune system function. The two main reasons for this is
1) People are putting hugh amounts of toxins (mostly unknowingly) in their bodies on a regular basis and
2) their elimination channels are clogged, slow or sluggish.
3) toxins like "junk" food, medications(drugs), sugars, excess alcohol, allergens all stress your immune system, thus making it weak and unable to fight the germs when exposed to them.
Nutritional Deficiency:
When your body lacks nutrition, you will have a weak immune system.
Since our bodies can not produce nutrients needed for optimal health, quality food plays a major factor in keeping our cells healthy and our immune system strong. Food not only provides energy to your body, but all the nutrients that are essential for a healthy immune system.
Lack of drinking healthy water:
Dehydration means the cells just simply do not have enough fluid. Dehydration cause medical problems including pain, arthritis, asthma, and allergies, among other medical issues. It can affect your energy and your sleep, and the ability to get toxins/waste material out of the body.
Lack of physical activity:
Lack of regular, moderate exercise appears to slow down cleansing the body of certain toxins and waste products
Lack of sufficient rest:
lack of sleep will stress your immune system and thus increase the risk of catching a bug.
The good news is that I think you can help control or reverse your condition by doing as many as possible of the following list.
The good news is you can strengthen your immune system by doing as many of the following list as possible.
1) keep practicing good personal hygiene care, wash your hands!
2) get plenty of rest. During deep sleep, our body release potent immune-enhancing substances that strengthen your immune system function. By not allowing our body sufficient rest, the immune system will sputter, and as a result, not function at full capacity. We then are more likely to become ill with common illnesses. A healthy, deep sleep allows our body to release a significant amount of growth hormone that boost the immune system and aids in the growth and repair of the body.
3) get moderate and regular exercise
An increase in blood flow associated with moderate exercise helps to circulate antibodies along with white blood cells necessary to fight infection more quickly. As a result, this provides our bodies with an early warning system to ward off potentially damaging germs. In addition, the increase in body temperature as a result of physical activity may aid in inhibiting the growth of bacteria; thus allowing the body to fight infection more effectively.
4) Receiving a Regular Body Cleansing.
Body cleansing is essential because our bodies need to properly eliminate the toxic build up that has formed in our intestines (colon), which may lead to sickness and disease. Our body organs and tissues must be free of toxins for the immune system to function optimally thus enabling our bodies to receive the essential nutrients our bodies need.
5) Boost immune system by drinking plenty of filtered water.
Water is essential for all living things and keeps our immune system operating optimally while improving the way we feel, look and live. Without sufficient amounts of water, you may experience routine fatigue, dry skin, headaches, constipation, and a decrease normal bodily function which may lead to your body unable to fight off diseases. Without water we would literally dehydrate which could result in the shutting down of vital organs and ultimately end in death.
6) Eliminate all sugar and allergens from your diet.
Just a small amount of sugar has been proven to impair white blood cells up to 50% for very short periods of time. By discovering what our personal food allergies are, then eliminating or desensitizing them will help strengthen your immune system. By removing these triggers, our immune cells are strengthened in order to combat other invaders such as influenza rather than the allergen. The elimination of sugar from your diet can also strengthen immune system.
7) Eat nutritiously
Good foods to eat include organic fruits and vegetables, chloretta, medicinal mushrooms like maitake, shiitake, reishi, or turkey tail. Besides water, wheatgrass juice, aloe vera juice, or green tea are good drinks. My favorite is MonaVie juice.
8) Take supplements
Supplements are needed because our bodies can not produce the nutrients necessary to maintain optimum health. There are many nutrients needed in order to maintain a strong immune system. It is very challenging in the world we live in to obtain sufficient nutrition with the foods available to us. They are over processed and void of many essential nutrients. Additionally, food is grown in soils that have been over-planted and saturated with synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Vitamin and mineral deficiency subjects us to more diseases, aging, sickness, and the weakening of our immune system.
Best herbs include echinacea, goldenseal, garlic, olive leaf extract, elderberry, or astragalus.
Best vitamins include Vitamin A, C, or E. These are a good source of antioxidants, which will boost your immune system.
The minerals zinc and selenium also help with boosting your immune system.
As you can see, there is no one magic cure, one supplement, or one way to reverse your condition, but there are many things you can do to help your situation,
More details can be found at the website in the source box.
More Questions & Answers...