As our country has watched the whole Ebola drama unfold in the news, the inability of our government and healthcare system to deal with such viral diseases has been exposed. In the past 50 years, our healthcare system has moved to one of “symptom management,” which works wonderfully well in acute cases like accidents, heart attacks, etc. It is, however, woefully inadequate in the fight against pandemic and epidemic diseases, such as Ebola. Americans are now taking a strong second look at how this crisis is being handled, and want to take more secure measures of prevention and protection into their own hands.
What to do then?
Let’s first to understand what Ebola is: A serious, usually fatal virus that can spread when you come into contact with the blood, bodily fluids or organs of an infected person. Symptoms include fever, headache, joint and muscle pain, sore throat, and intense muscle weakness, and usually develop after 2 to 21 days of exposure. Vomiting, diarrhea and rash typically follow, along with decreased functioning of the liver and kidneys, and possible bleeding both internally and externally (World Health Organization, 2014).
Just like all viruses, though, if and when a person is exposed, it doesn’t mean he or she will necessarily contract it. The media has led us to believe that exposure means 100% contraction of the disease, but that isn’t the case. Mortality also isn’t certain, as fatality rates have varied from 25% to 90% in past outbreaks (World Health Organization, 2014).
Instead of focusing all of our efforts reacting to the disease itself, let’s move to our strongest weapon available to us; our immune system. The most vulnerable pathway into our bodies is via our gut and respiratory systems, since both are completely exposed to the environment. For this very reason, more than 80% of our immune system is housed in these two areas.
Naturally, it makes the most sense to focus our first efforts here.
Ways to Boost Gut Health
I’ve been recommending two very specific probiotics from Nature’s Remedies to my patients, which help populate the gut with “good bacteria” to fight pathogens and other harmful bacteria. Most common store-bought probiotics are not regulated and often do not contain active strains in therapeutic quantities that actually survive digestion. Both of these products, on the contrary, have been third-party tested for quality. I’ve also seen incredible results from use with my patients.
The first probiotic is Ultra Flora Immune Booster™, a new probiotic designed to enhance our army of good bugs in the nasal, sinus, and lung areas. Clinical studies show a dramatic enhancement of respiratory health with use.
The second probiotic is Ultra Flora Spectrum™, a dramatically powerful probiotic that provides multidimensional support to the upper and lower digestive tract and immune system.
Ultra Potent-C® 1000 is another critical way to protect the immune system. Most vitamin C products on the market today first depress the immune system for 4 to 6 hours after ingestion, which, of course, can have unfortunate consequences. The unique and plant-based formulation of Ultra Potent-C® 1000 negates this effect, and is also buffered to help prevent potential stomach upset that is sometimes associated with high vitamin C intake. Scientific research suggests that Ultra Potent-C™ 1000 has a 18% to 25% higher uptake in white blood cells than plain vitamin C, and promotes natural killer (NK) cell activity and white blood cell function.
Typically, I take at least 2 per day, but take up to 8 when my immune system is under attack.
Immucore™ is another important component to boost the immune system, as it contains phytonutrients from very specific mushrooms to sharpen the immune response. Two per day has been proven to greatly reduce viral susceptibility.
Also, Hi-D contains 5,000 IUs of vitamin D3, the most bioavailable form of vitamin D, and is a crucial part of immune, cardiovascular, bone, and neurological health. With the coming winter and decreased sunlight, taking 1 per day is especially important to keep the immune system strong, but up to 5 per day can be utilized short-term during illness.
Finally, Essential Defense® is the last essential component that every household should have on-hand. This Chinese formula promotes immune function after seasonal changes, and when taken at onset of flu or cold, it can rally the immune system to totally thwart the virus. My experience with this Ayurvedic herbal combination is that when a patient feels illness coming on, taking 2 per hour can help them overcome the virus altogether.
Also, don’t forget the basics!
- Avoid sugar, as it poisons the immune system.
- Boost your diet with lots of phytonutrients from a mostly plant-based, Mediterranean diet, preferably from your local farmers market!
Remember that you have the ability to powerfully boost and maintain an extremely strong immune system with these tips!
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