Basics on Immunology

So how does our immune system work?

Our immune system is essential for our survival. Without an immune system, our bodies would be open to attack from bacteria, viruses, parasites, and more. It is our immune system that keeps us healthy as we live and exist is a sea of pathogens.

This vast network of cells and tissues are constantly on the lookout for invaders, and once an enemy is spotted, a complex attack is mounted.

The immune system is spread throughout the body and involves many types of cells, organs, proteins, and tissues. Crucially, it can distinguish our tissues from foreign tissue – self from non-self. Dead and faulty cells are also recognized and cleared away by the immune system.

If the immune system encounters a pathogen, for instance, a bacterium, virus, or parasite, it mounts a so-called immune response.

There are three types of immunity in humans called:

1.  Innate Immunity
2.  Adaptive immunity
3.  Passive immunity

Innate Immunity

We are all born with some level of immunity to invaders. Human immune systems, similarly to those of many animals, will attack foreign invaders from day one. This innate immunity includes the external barriers of our body — the first line of defense against pathogens — such as the skin and mucous membranes of the throat and gut. This response is more general and non-specific. If the pathogen manages to dodge the innate immune system, adaptive or acquired immunity kicks in.

Adaptive Immunity

This protects us from pathogens and develops as we go through life. As we are exposed to diseases, bacteria, viruses and or pathogens, we build up a library of antibodies to different pathogens. This is sometimes referred to an immunological memory because our immune system remembers previous enemies.

Passive Immunity

This type of immunity is “Borrowed” from another source, but it does not last indefinitely. For instance, a baby receives antibodies forth mother through the placenta before birth and breast milk following birth. This passive immunity protects the baby from some =infections during the early years of their life.

Our immune system is designed to help protect us from foreign invaders such as Covid – 19. Again, why has our government and news media not discussed how we as individuals can enhance our immune system, the only thing we have that can overall win this battle? Why have we not allowed this disease to spread throughout our society to develop herd immunity? This is for another discussion, however, this is why adding IV nutrition to your practice not only helps people but is the prefect time to do so.

The immune system is incredibly complicated and utterly vital for our survival. Several different systems and cell types work in perfect synchrony (most of the time) throughout the body to fight off pathogens and clear up dead cells. So how can we enhance this system and give our bodies the best chance to fight off infections and disease? We will discuss IV nutrition is short
order.

Below is just a small list of the things one can do to enhance the immune system.

1. Start and maintain a healthy nutrition plan: Just like you need food to function at your best, so does your immune system! Having lots of micronutrients, essential nutrients, mineral rich food and protein in your daily diet help it to perform at its best.

2. Improve the quality of your sleep: Remember, a tired body and immune system is a weak body and immune system. It’s vital you get into deep REM sleep to allow your body to shut down, destress, and reboot for the next battle.

3. Avoid Tobacco: Our lungs are extremely vulnerable and an easy target for respiratory viruses. Smoking damages your lungs, undermines basic immune defenses, and raises the risk of bronchitis, pneumonia, and more.

4. Drink less alcohol: This is two fold. Firstly, excessive alcohol consumption impairs the immune system because most of the body’s energy is being expended on flushing out your system. Secondly, drinking alcohol and socializing go hand in hand…and so do germs!

5. Improve your gut health: Did you know that up to 80% of the cells that make up your immune3 system live in your gut? You can help your immune system stay strong by giving your gut the right balance of healthy bacteria, and probiotics to nourish and detoxify it on a regular basis.

6. Increase your vitamin C: Vitamin C is one of the first vitamins to be depleted in drinkers, smokers, athletes partaking in long, strenuous events, and overweight individuals. It also has a hard time getting absorbed into your body from the foods you eat too. The problem is, low vitamin C levels suppress your immune system and leave you wide open to infection. To stay protected, introduce a vitamin C supplement into your routine.

7. Be physically active: Although it might be tempting to lock yourself away, activity hugely improves your immune system and your body’s ability to respond to attacks. Try to do 30 minutes of exercise that makes you sweat a day. Just remember to wash your hands after you’ve been to the gym, or outside.

8. Soak up the sunshine: We need Vitamin D to help our bodies produce antibodies, keep us energized, and reduce the risk of respiratory problems and infections. The sun is one of the best natural producers of vitamin D, and going out in it for just 10-15 minutes a day will do wonders for your immune system. Most Americans are vitamin D deficient.

9. Reduce stress: This is easier said than done right now given the circumstances. However, high stress levels of all kinds, including emotional, physical, and psychological, quickly damage your immune system and can even make you sick. Try to take some time to relaxes often as you can.

10. Supplementation: In today’s environment it is a must. I highly recommend vitamin C, vitamin D, B12, Zinc and glutathione supplementation.

The above 10 is just a few ways to help boost your immune system. Unfortunately, too many of us do not eat well, are eating food that is poor in nutrients, spend most of our days sitting, not moving our body etc…

What are you going to do to prepare your immune system for the next virus? At Downtown’s Healthcare we have created an immune system boosting programs from Vitamin injections to Vitamin IV’s.

Survive or Succumb?

As of this writing there is a clear delineation between who survives Covid 19 and who succumbs.

The average person who succumbs has 2.5 comorbidity’s with a common factor of immunocompromised conditions.

Adding this service could literally be life or death for your patients in this new era of super bugs! 

IV nutritional background

 So, what is IV nutrition?

When a person receives an IV vitamin treatment, they’re receiving a liquid mixture of
vitamins and minerals through a small tube inserted into a vein. This allows the
nutrients to be absorbed quickly and directly into the bloodstream, a method that
produces higher levels of the vitamins and minerals in your body than if you got them
from food or supplements. This is because several factors affect our body’s ability to
absorb nutrients in the stomach. Factors include age, metabolism, health status,
genetics, interactions with other products we consume, and the physical and
chemical makeup of the nutritional supplement or food. Higher levels of the vitamins
and minerals in your bloodstream lead to greater uptake into cells, which
theoretically will use the nutrients to maintain health and fight illness.

THE BENEFITS OF IV THERAPY

One of the main benefits of intravenous treatment is that nutrients are infused directly
into the bloodstream. Intravenous treatments therefore are exceptionally powerful
because they circumvent issues with oral administration, including stomach upset,
absorption issues, and loss of potency. In addition, since the nutrients are infused
directly into the bloodstream and avoid the gastrointestinal system, very large doses
can be administered without gastrointestinal side effects which can limit dosing. A
perfect example of this is vitamin C, which can only be taken in fairly small amounts
orally before causing stomach upset. In contrast, very large doses of vitamin C, which
can be very beneficial for the immune system, can be administered safely and without
stomach side effects with an intravenous delivery route.

IV Therapies have been known to be beneficial for the following conditions:

• Autoimmune Conditions
• Neurological Conditions
• Memory Enhancement
• Depression
• Infections
• Dementia
• Lyme disease
• Mold Exposure
• Migraines
• Fibromyalgia
• Detoxification
• Heavy Metal Toxicity
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Chronic Fatigue
• Anxiety
• Low Immune System

Health Benefits of IV Drip Treatments

• Benefit # 1: Improved Wellness
• Improve immune health
• Boost energy levels
• Improve symptoms of depression
• Improve anxiety
• Improve mental clarity and cognitive function
• Reduce the symptoms of migraines
• Improve symptoms of asthma
• Improve allergies
• Combat fatigue
• Accelerate wound healing
• Maintain the strength of muscles and tissues…and much more
• Benefit #2: Accentuate Beauty
• Prevent the damaging effects of free radicals
• Slow the aging process
• Strengthen hair, nails, skin, and eyes
• Brighten skin / improve blemishes
• Reduce the appearance of wrinkles
• Benefit #3: Improve Athletic Performance
• Provide fast and effective hydration
• Improve athletic performance
• Reduce recovery time
• Support muscle recovery
• Maintain healthy muscle and tissue
• Flush out free radicals naturally produced by exercise
• Act as a pre-exercise endurance boost
• Act as part pf a recovery plan after a competition or workout
• Benefit #4: Fast Hangover Relief
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Nausea, vomiting
• Stomach pain
• Dizziness
• Increased heart rate
• Muscle ache
• Sensitivity to light and sound
• Changes in mood