DEPLETED IMMUNE SYSTEM

Naturopathic doctors encounter almost daily patients with sign and symptoms of a depleted immune system, a system brought to the brink of collapse by chronic stress, poor lifestyle choices and poor dietary habits.

Patients most often report catching infections way too easy at work or at home, or that the infection is taking way too much time to resolve, sometimes lingering for weeks and months. They also often complain of fatigue that comes and goes (but most of the time stays! for long periods of time), that they have skin issues that have never resolved despite trying many treatments from well-meant clinicians, that the sleep is unrestful and they feel tired in the morning and so on.

This is all coming from a Depleted Immune System and these symptoms are NOT a normal part of modern living.

Naturopathic medicine can help a lot with strengthening the immune system of these patients and bringing them back into balance. One prerequisite is that the patients must be willing to stop certain dietary habits and show a must-needed commitment to health and wellness.

Herbal medicine does wonders in this aspect. There are numerous wonderful plants that will replete the immune system if given time and willingness.

Also, key immune system nutrients will support synergistically the work of plants and will prevent and combat common infectious diseases.

Acupuncture is a must-do addition to a Treatment Plan for Depleted Immune System.

Food sensitivities should also be identified and eliminated as a means of maintaining the health and competence of the immune system. An IgG Food Sensitivity Test is highly recommended.

COLD’s and FLU’s

 

The common cold, including chest cold and head cold, and seasonal flu are caused by viruses.

Cold’s are caused by a tiny, living thing called a virus. More than 200 types lead to our misery, but the most common one is the rhinovirus, which brings on 10% to 40% of colds. The coronavirus is responsible for about 20% of cases, while the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and parainfluenza virus cause 10% of colds.

A cold begins when a virus attaches to the lining of your nose or throat. One myth that needs to get busted: Getting chilly or wet doesn't cause you to get sick. But there are things that make you prone to come down with a cold. For example, you're more likely to catch one if you're extremely tired, under emotional distress, or have allergies with nose and throat symptoms.

Influenza, commonly known as the "flu," is an extremely contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza A or B viruses. Flu appears most frequently in winter and early spring. The flu virus attacks the body by spreading through the upper and/or lower respiratory tract.

You might ask: What's the difference between a cold and flu?

The common cold and flu are both contagious infections of the respiratory tract caused by viruses. Although the symptoms can be similar in nature, flu is much worse. A cold may drag you down a bit, but the flu can make you trembling at the very thought of getting out of bed.

Congestion, sore throat, and sneezing are common with colds. Both cold and flu bring coughing, headache, and chest discomfort. With the flu, though, you are likely to run a high fever for several days and have body aches, fatigue, and weakness. Symptoms of the flu also tend to come on sharply. Usually, complications from colds are relatively minor, but a severe case of flu can lead to a life-threatening illness such as pneumonia.

More than 100 types of cold viruses are known, and new strains of flu evolve every few years. Since both diseases are viral in nature, antibiotics cannot control the cold or flu. Remember: Antibiotics only treat bacterial infections!

HIV and AIDS

At the end of 2014, the estimated number of persons living with HIV in Canada was between 63,400 and 87,600. It is estimated that 1 in every 5 Canadians infected with HIV has not been diagnosed.

The World Health Organization's Global Health Observatory provides data on HIV and AIDS around the world. It estimates that 35 million people were living with HIV at the end of 2013.

Human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, is the virus that causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). The virus weakens to the brink of collapse a person's ability to fight infections and cancer. People with HIV are said to have AIDS when they develop certain infections or cancers or when their CD4 (T-cell) count is less than 200. CD4 count is determined by a specialized blood test. Several specialized tests can also find antibodies to or genetic material (RNA) of the HIV virus; these tests are: ELISA, Western blot, PCR and IFA.

Having HIV does not always mean that you have AIDS. It can take many years for people with the virus to develop AIDS. HIV and AIDS cannot be cured. However, with the medications available today and the new improvements coming along, it is possible to have a normal lifespan with little or minimal interruption in quality of life.

AIDS is the more advanced stage of HIV infection. When the immune system CD4 cells drop to a very low level (<50), a person's ability to fight infection is lost. In addition, there are several conditions that occur in people with HIV infection with this degree of immune system failure - these are called AIDS-defining illnesses. Examples of these opportunistic infections are:

  • Candidiasis (thrush): a fungal infection in the mouth, throat, or vagina.

  • Cryptococcus neoformans (Crypto): a fungus that can lead to meningitis, a serious inflammation of membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

  • Cytomegalovirus (CMV): a virus that causes eye disease and can lead to blindness. It can also cause severe diarrhea and ulcers.

  • Herpes simplex: viruses that can cause severe genital or cold sores.

  • Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC): a bacterium that can cause fevers, problems with digestion, and serious weight loss.

  • Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP): a fungus that can cause fatal pneumonia.

  • Toxoplasmosis (Toxo): a protozoa that sometimes causes encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain.

  • Tuberculosis (TB): a bacterial infection that attacks the lungs and can invade other organs. TB can lead to meningitis at its most severe.

A person gets HIV when an infected person's body fluids (blood, semen, fluids from the vagina or breast milk) enter his or her bloodstream. The virus can enter the blood through linings in the mouth, anus, or sex organs (the penis and vagina), or through broken skin.

Common ways people get HIV:

  • Sharing a needle to take drugs

  • Having unprotected sex with an infected person

You cannot get HIV from:

  • Touching or hugging someone who has HIV/AIDS

  • Public bathrooms or swimming pools

  • Sharing cups, utensils, or telephones with someone who has HIV/AIDS

  • Bug bites

ADRENAL FATIGUE syndrome

Adrenal glands are largely unknown to the average person. They sit on top of kidneys and they are the size of a grape. They produce around 50 types of hormones in 3 major classes: glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids and androgens. The most important glucocorticoid is cortisol, which helps your body deal with stress and help it to survive. It is a very important hormone with a lot of actions in the human body. If your life is too stressful, your adrenal glands may not pump out enough of these hormones, leading to a wide variety of symptoms and a confusing clinical presentation.

Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome is one of the most prevalent conditions, afflicting almost every adult in one way or another. Despite effective diagnostic tools and treatment programs, most conventional physicians tend to disregard this condition and don’t take it as a serious threat to one’s health.

Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome is largely caused by stress or by a host of other factors, including dysregulation of the HPA Axis, nervous system problems, immune system problems, and metabolic-nutritional problems. It is a complex condition with complex clinical presentation, depending on the stage of dysfunction.

Signs and symptoms of adrenal fatigue are:

  • Tendency to gain weight and unable to lose it, especially around the waist.

  • High frequency of getting the flu and other respiratory diseases and these symptoms tend to last longer than usual.

  • Tendency to shake/quiver when under pressure.

  • Reduced sex drive (for both men and women).

  • Lightheaded when rising from a horizontal position.

  • Unable to remember things.

  • Mild depression

  • Food sensitivities

  • Lack of energy in the mornings and in the afternoon between 3 to 5 pm.

  • Feel better suddenly for a brief period after a meal.

  • Low body temperature

  • Nervousness and palpitations

  • Often feel tired from 9 - 10 pm, but resist going to bed.

  • Need coffee or stimulants to get going in the morning.

  • Cravings for salty, fatty, and high protein food such as meat and cheese.

  • Pain in the upper back or neck with no apparent reason.

  • Feels better when stress is relieved, such as on a vacation.

If you have many of these signs and symptoms, and you have ruled out other organic pathologies, it is time to consider Adrenal Fatigue as a possible cause. None of the signs or symptoms by themselves can definitively determine the picture of Adrenal Fatigue. When taken as a group, these signs and symptoms do form a specific Adrenal Fatigue syndrome picture or highlight a person under chronic stress (emotional and/or physical).