You might experience summer or winter depending on where you live. Winter season is when many pathogens are more prevalent, with influenza and cold being the most common. Although sickness can occur at any time, it is more common in winter. Many natural nutrients and herbs can support your immune system and give your body everything it needs to continue on your fitness journey.
SomeNotes about the Immune System
Innate versus Adaptive Immune Response
When a trespasser enters the body immune system, the inherent immune reaction is the first line of defense. It could be a dangerous organism (germs, infection, etc.) or a food item that has made it through the intestinal wall. Within four days of becoming contaminated, the body’s immune system responds quickly and eliminates the burglar. The immune cells also send chemical signals to start recruiting more troops to assist with the intrusion.
Histamine, serotonin and bradykinin are all chemical indicating particles that are produced in this first line of defense. All of them cause swelling. This is what causes soreness, swelling and heat. When you have a cold, or a viral infection like the flu, think about the swelling in your nose and increased mucous production. These inflammatory substances are what makes you feel uncomfortable when you’re ill. They are not the germs and the infection. Infections and bacteria are just a trigger.
The adaptive immune response begins after about four days. This is the second line of defense, and it’s a little more specific. The body immune system becomes more specific to pathogen burglars as it adapts. However, sometimes things go wrong and other cells can get in the way of pathogens being eliminated. This is how an autoimmune disease can start. T and B lymphocytes are part of the body’s immune system. They can quickly clone infected cells. Every cell produced will look exactly the same as the original cell and target the exact same pathogen. If you have the flu, your immune system will produce a lot of T and B lymphocytes to eliminate it.
Humoral versus Cellular Immunity
To protect itself from foreign invaders, the body’s immune system uses 2 adaptive systems: cellular and humoral. Humoral resistance refers to the production of antibodies. Cellular resistance concerns the destruction of contaminated cells. Both can cause swelling that must be managed. Chronic swelling left untreated can cause damage to healthy cells, and lead to more serious health issues than a simple infection.
Humoral resistance occurs when the body produces antibodies against something outside of the cells that can move easily in fluids like blood or mucous. T-helper cells aid the B cells to become more specific cells. These cells then bind to the antigens of the outside intruder organisms. This is called phagocytosis. During this process, B cells are cloned using a memory of that particular antigen. It’s similar to taking a mugshot or making finger prints. While the memory B cells remain inactive, they will recognize the organism and quickly identify it if they do. This speeds up the process of getting rid of the hazard.
When pathogenic organisms are present in the cells, cellular resistance is added. If viruses get into your cells, they can replicate and make you sick. Cell-mediated reactions are the best way to eliminate virus-infected cells. T-helper cells release inflammatory elements which assist T cells to become cytotoxic T cell. This can cause cell death or apoptosis.
It is important to support both humoral as well as cellular resistance in adaptive reactions so that the body immune system can eliminate contaminated cell. However, you also need to make sure adaptive actions don’t go too far and cause excessive swelling or cellular damage. It is all about maintaining balance.
Definitions
Here are some important meanings before we move on to the top 5 herbs that boost the immune system.
- Immunostimulatory describes something that stimulates or increases the immune system. Stimulation means more B lymphocytes, more immune cells and more swelling.
- Immunosuppression prevents the body’s immune system from reacting to antigens and initiating an attack. This is sometimes necessary, for example, when you want the body immune system not to attack the new organs.
- Immunomodulation modifies the body’s immune system to bring it back to normal levels. An immunomodulatory substance will allow your body to relax its overactive immune system. This protects you from your own immune reaction and does not reduce an underactive immune system. It provides balance.
5 Herbs Popularly Known for Their Immune Support
1. Ganoderma Lucidum (ReishiMushroom)
Reishi (or lingzhi) is a large, dark, shiny mushroom that can be found on stumps or the base of trees like the maple. However, it only grows on 2-3 trees out 10,000 making it an unusual find in the wild.
It is easy to understand how this mushroom was used in conventional practices. There are approximately 400 bioactive substances. The most studied of these being the triterpenes and polysaccharides. Reishi supports both adaptive and inherent immune functions. It can support both the first-line defenses and the adaptive actions. However, it is capable of handling tension’s response. *
Ganoderma Lucidum can be taken in pill, tablet, powder, or liquid forms. However, it can also be eaten as a food. You must break down the cell walls of mushrooms to get the full benefits for your immune system. This means that you have to cook them. The same goes for supplements. Reishi’s health benefits might not be available if the mushrooms are dried and then powdered for use in supplements. To ensure a high quality supplement, the mushroom must be processed using specific techniques.
There are many recipes online that you can use to prepare Ganoderma Lucidum. Have fun!
2. Artemisia Annua (SweetWormwood)
Sweet wormwood (also known as Chinese wormwood or qinghao) is an ancient herb with standard uses that date back to 168 B.C. It has been used in Chinese culture for over 2,000 years. Not all Artemisia species have the same action. This is a referral to the Artemisia Annua range.
Artemisia Annua has a great track record of regulating the body’s immune system. This means that it can stabilize immune actions and prevent overstimulation and excessive swelling. Its actions target adaptive resistance actions, which usually begin 4 days after an infection. *
Wormwood is bitter tasting and used to make liqueurs and other alcohols.
3. Ursolic Acid
Although technically, ursolic acids is not a herb, it is an active substance found in apple peel, other fruit peels and older flowers, rosemary, thyme and other herbs and plant.
It has been shown that ursolic acid can increase interferon-gamma production (IFN-g), which is involved in adaptive resistance and the cellular immune response. [1] Interferon-gamma (IFN-g) is an important immune element. It activates many genes and proteins that support the body’s immune system to function at its full potential. *
Ursolic acid seems to have a strong system to manage inflammation, which may be useful in helping your body properly react to stress and intense workouts. You would likely need to eat a lot of these foods in order to obtain the amount of ursolic acids used in these research studies. However, food is good and delicious. *
4. Curcuma Longa (TurmericRoot)
Although turmeric is most well-known as the yellow spice used in curry powder, curcumin supplements, also known as turmeric or curcumin supplements, are among the most popular organic supplements in the U.S. Many people use it to treat delayed-onset muscle pain. Research has shown that curcumin can also be used to improve immune function. It regulates activation of T and B cells as well as other immune cells. This is in addition to all the usual players that are involved in adaptive and inherent immune actions. [3] *
Most curcuma longa supplements in the market focus on bioavailability of turmeric and its absorption by adding black pepper to it or changing turmeric into nanoparticle or liposomal forms. However, the benefits to your body’s immune system may be more dependent on how your gut germs interact with turmeric and whether or not they are absorbed into the bloodstream. Research shows that turmeric has “prebiotic-like” effects on gut germs, despite not being a prebiotic. This is due to its inability to provide energy for the germs. It appears to have a more modbiotic effect by altering the gut structure and increasing the number of bacterial species. *
Your gut wall contains 70% of your immune system cells. A healthy microbiome is responsible for ensuring that you have the right bacteria types to provide you with a variety of beneficial results. The release of systemic benefits can be activated by compounds that are produced in the gut from the processing of turmeric or other herbs. This is how many foods and herbs support the immune system. *
5. Boswellia Serrata
Boswellia serrata or Indian frankincense is a very underrated herb. Technically, it isn’t a herb, but a resin from a large branching tree of the household Burseraceae. It grows in the dry mountainous regions ofIndia. Its primary active components are 11– keto-beta–boswellic acids (KBA) & acetyl-11– keto-beta–boswellic acids (ACETYL-11-KBA). It has been used extensively in supporting healthy immune system and inflammatory action as a (5-LOX) inhibitor 5-lipoxygenase [5] *
ButBoswellia Serrata is not just an anti-inflammatory. It appears that it can increase antibody production in the adaptive immune response. Also, lower doses may cause an increase in B and T lymphocyte production to combat cellular resistance. This is how Boswellia Serrata, an immunomodulator can increase the immune response when it’s most needed and help keep your inflammatory reactions under control. *
Boswellia Serrata is not recommended to be taken as a liquid. It can cause a stickiness to your taste buds and make it difficult to swallow. It is definitely better to take the pills.
*These declarations were not evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This item is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent, or mitigate any illness.
Refer to
- Jang,Sun-Mi, et al. (2009). Ursolic acid improves the cellular body immune system and pancreatic beta-cell function in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice fed a high-fat diet plan InternationalImmunopharmacology, 9(01), 113-119
- Chekcer,Rahul, et al. (2012). The potent anti-inflammatory properties of ursolic acids, a triterpenoid antioxidant, are moderated by suppression of NFKB, AP-1, and NF–AT . PlosOne February 20, 2012.
- Jagetia,Ganesh Chandra, & & Aggarwal, Bharat B. (2007). “Spicing up” the body’s immune system with curcumin Journal of Clinical Immunology. 27 ( 1 ), 19-35
- Peterson,Christine T., et al. (2018). Effects of turmeric and curcumin dietary supplements on human gut microbiota: a double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled pilot research study Journal of Evidence-BasedIntegrative Medicine, 23, 2515690 X18790725
- Gerbeth,Kathleen, et al. (2013). Permeation and brain accessibility of 6 important boswellic acid compounds from Boswellia Serrata gum resins Fitoterapia.84, 99-106
- Ammon, H. P. T., (2010). Modulation in the body’s immune system by Boswellia Serrata extracts and Boswellic Acids Phymedicine,11. 862-867
