Maintaining a strong immune system.
Herbalists and other practitioners speak of the benefit in maintaining a strong immune system. An experienced herbalist can explain the difference between immune tonics and immune stimulants. Herbs like astragalus, echinacea, and calendula are discussed. The long-term benefits of adaptogens extolled. The number one choice you can make to maintain a strong immune system is to do everything to you can to avoid contracting Covid-19. We are still in a pandemic. It is more dangerous now because most mitigations are gone and there is a lack of transparency with the data. Removing all the smoke detectors from a building does not change the fact that the building is on fire.
Covid-19 infection.
Regardless of how mild your experience of Covid-19 is (and let’s hope that it is mild) the virus that causes Covid-19 does long term damage to your immune system. This is a fact not up for dispute. Post-viral syndrome is a thing. You may have only been sick for a few days, but your future is not secure. Covid-19 damages every organ in your body. A person can catch Covid-19 numerous times. Each infection is like playing Russian roulette. Each infection is another opportunity for the virus and increases your risk of developing serious chronic health conditions.
Immune system.
Natural Killer cells – a type of white blood cell. They kill infected cells. Natural killer cells do not need to be trained to recognize a specific antigen. Covid-19 reduces the signaling that alerts natural killer cells to the need for action. The virus also acts to divert NK cells to healthy uninfected cells leaving the virus infected cells free to carry on replicating virus.
T-cells – another type of white blood cell. T cells react to specific antigens. When a cell is infected it will slap a part of the antigen it is infected with on its surface. This acts as a signal to T-cells who recognize this antigen to come and kill. Post infection you have a reduced number of T-cells. This leaves you open to other infections.
Dendritic cells – these immune cells call to other immune cells for help and act as trainers for T-cells by presenting antigens on their surface. T-cells learn to recognize the antigens and then act to destroy them. Covid-19 reduces the number of dendritic cells we have, and it impairs their ability to present antigens.
Back to my building on fire. Covid-19 damages your immune system so that infected cells cannot pull the fire alarm. The virus damages your immune system so that your immune system can’t smell the smoke.
Post infection there is increased risk of almost every single autoimmune disorder known. Autoimmune disorders are when your own immune system turns on you. When your immune system turns on your thyroid you get Graves’ disease – or Hashimoto’s. If your immune system turns on your pancreas you get Type 1 diabetes. I could go on, but it is too depressing.
I believe we will see increase in cancers as a result of the damage that Covid-19 does to the immune system.
Actions to Take.
Get a vaccine. Get the boosters and get the bivalent. We do not yet have a vaccine that provides durable immunity, but the vaccines are excellent for preventing severe disease.
Wear an N95 mask when sharing indoor air with those outside your household.
Rapid test – best practice is to swab the back of the throat, inside of cheeks, and then each nostril. You can have covid-19 and be asymptomatic. Rapid tests help you protect those who are more vulnerable. We are all vulnerable. If you test positive on a rapid test you are infectious and should not be around others. It does not matter how many days you have had Covid-19 for – if you are testing positive on a rapid test you are infectious.
Reasons to Wear a Mask.