Vitamin D

Vitamin D is necessary for a healthy immune system; a deficiency will hamper the “cell eating” (phagocytic) functions of the white blood cells. In large amounts, however, vitamin D can suppress the immune system.

Vitamin D is made in your body by the action of sunlight on the skin. This vitamin is also added to milk, milk products and flour. Most people get enough vitamin D naturally. I don’t generally recommend more than the RDA of vitamin D for my patients unless a condition such as osteoporosis makes it necessary.

Check with your physician before taking vitamin D supplements.

Magnesium

There is plenty of evidence to indicate that the immune system suffers in animals who are deprived of magnesium. A deficit of magnesium causes an unhealthy enlargement of the thymus, which leads to reduced T and B-cell response. Some of the immunoglobulins may also be lowered. An increased incidence of a particular cancer, called malignant lymphoma, has been reported in magnesium-deficient animals.

Like copper, magnesium helps to fight free radicals and cancer as part of the SOD molecule.

Magnesium intake has been reported to be low in the general population, especially among our elderly members.

Manganese

A great deal of research has focused on the relationship between manganese and the immune system in animals. Growth and reproduction are greatly reduced by a manganese deficit. Adequate manganese in the body allows antibody levels to elevate in response to challenges. Manganese is important to humans as well, for it is part of the very important SOD molecule that protects the body against free radicals.

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VIRAL PNEUMONIA: viral infection that involves the lungs and respiratory passages. In schools and the military, viral pneumonia is responsible for 75 percent of all lung^ infections. CMV and herpes are two of the many viruses that can cause viral pneumonia.

Signs and Symptoms: usually headache; loss of appetite; fever; aches in muscles. Patient feels weak and tired. There is a cough, usually with yellow sputum; rarely bloody.

The diseases I have listed aren’t meant to be a respresentative cross section. They are simply a few of the immune-system problems I’ve treated over the past 20-plus years. Any of the signs and symptoms I’ve described could signal impending immune-system failure.

For all its prowess, the immune system is very fragile. There are so many ways to harm it. And the signs and symptoms of immune-system failure may not become evident until the disease is firmly entrenched in your body. An innocent cough that lasts too long may be nothing. But what if it’s signaling tuberculosis or cancer? And that fever—is it nothing, or the first sign of AIDS? That’s why I feel it’s so important to get persistent signs and symptoms checked out by a physician, even if they seem trivial. Better still, adopt the Immune For Life program and prevent the signs and symptoms from occurring.

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Breast cancer may or may not produce pain. Symptoms of the cancer may be severe or may not appear until later on. There may be tenderness in the breasts, hardening or thickening of the breast or a sore on the breast. A lump may be discovered, and there may be swelling under the arms. The nipple may be ulcerated or inverted (turned in). There may be a discharge from the nipple, which can contain a bloody or a nonbloody fluid.

Pancreatic cancer may cause severe symptoms or no symptoms, although there is generally a loss of appetite and loss of weight as the disease progresses. The cancer may be characterized by severe abdominal pain, often in the center but spreading out to both sides of abdomen. In many cases the pain goes through to the back. In fact, back pain may predominate, causing the person to be treated for a back problem. If the head of the pancreas is involved, the bile ducts can be obstructed, and there is usually a painless jaundice (the skin and the whites of the eyes become yellow, the urine becomes dark and the stool becomes light in color). The liver or gallbladder may enlarge, and pain may be experienced under the lower right ribs or the right upper side of abdomen.

Uterine cancer may be indicated by vaginal bleeding from a woman who hasn’t had a period for a long time, or periods may become longer and irregular. There may or may not be pain.

Prostate cancer grows very slowly, so signs and symptoms occur gradually. There may be difficulty in urinating, frequent urination, or some trouble in starting or stopping urinatation. Later on there may be blood in the urine, pus or obstructions to urination. If the cancer spreads to the bones of the pelvis and lower back, there may be severe pains in those regions. In fact, many low-back problems in men over 65 are due to cancer of the prostate.

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Lymphocytes are special kinds of white blood cells associated with the lymph tissue of the body. (“Lymph” refers to lymph tissue, “cyte” to cells.) Lymphoid tissue is a specialized complex of tissue in the body.

There are two main categories of lymphocytes: Tlymphocytes and B-lymphocytes. Tlymphocytes are called T-cells because they receive their programming from the thymus gland. Like the phagocytes, T-cells engage the enemy in hand-to-hand combat. B-lymphocytes, called B-cells, are more like artillery. From their positions in the lymph tissue, B-cells set in motion the machinery that manufactures “guided missiles” (antibodies), which home in on and destroy antigens.

The lymphoid tissues of your body, where the T- and B-cells “live,” include the bone marrow, spleen, gastrointestinal tract, pulmonary tract, tonsils, the many lymph nodes all over the body, and the thymus gland. (Tap the middle part of your breast bone with your finger. The thymus is located right under your finger.)

Picture a lymph gland in your mind; imagine that it is a fort, full of T-cells and B-cells awaiting instructions. When they get their battle orders, they eagerly study them, scrutinizing and memorizing the features of their enemy: the antigens.

Then an amazing thing happens. Certain T and B-cells swing into action, and the lymphocytic “assembly lines” spew out weapon after weapon. Meanwhile, other lymphocytes are acting like computers, receiving and storing information about these antigens. If they ever come back, your immune system will be ready for them.

What are these marvelous weapons? Sensitized T-cells and B-cell antibodies. Let’s begin with a look at the T-cells, then examine the B-cells.

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