Flu Prevention

by Elizabeth J. Hall

Right now as I write this article, health leaders around the world are very concerned about a new strain of swine influenza from Mexico because it has crossed into other countries including our United States.  Unfortunately, no new vaccine has yet been developed for this new strain of swine flu.  Network health editors are admonishing people to wash their hands frequently, disinfect surfaces frequently, isolate sick individuals, and not to panic.  Is there something more we can do to prevent from getting this flu or any other one?

As important as these principles are, it seems to me, as a medical investigative journalist, that the network news channels are missing some important preventive steps.  Here is what I would add from my study of the physiology of the immune system.  Like air force bombers, Killer-T lymphocytes and natural killer cells act by destroying viruses and cancer cells.  Let me explain some simple lifestyle procedures that will boost the efficiency these two cells immune system.

Vitamin D combats influenza

Your body produces natural antibiotic-like compounds called antimicrobial peptides in the white blood cells. Bio-active Vitamin D dramatically increases the activity of these antimicrobial compounds found in white blood cells and epithileal cells of the respiratory tract.⁽¹⁾ Vitamin D deficiency also predisposes children to respiratory infections.  Ultraviolet radiation (either from artificial sources or from sunlight) reduces the incidence of viral respiratory infections.  Nutritional epidemiologists estimate that as many as 50% of North Americans and Europeans have an insufficient amount of Vitamin D.  To solve this problem, get at least 20 minutes of sunlight a day and consider taking a Vitamin D supplement, especially if you are indoors most of the day, are elderly, or have dark skin.  Also have your Vitamin D level checked annually if you are at risk for developing Vitamin D insufficiency.

A neglected remedy

Sing or hum a song.  Not only does singing improve one’s mood, but humming and singing can actually prove therapeutic!  Concentrations of nitric oxide in healthy sinuses are high and nasal nitric oxide is known to be increased 15- to 20-fold by humming, compared with quietly exhaling.  Nasal nitric oxide is known to be broadly antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial.⁽²⁾ Ask God’s creatures.  Starlings, who are robust singers, exhibit enhanced immunity when compared to their counterparts, non-robust singers.  Studies show that singing also increases IgA in the saliva.  IgA is a class of antibodies that guard the mucus membranes in the body, including the respiratory mucosa.  Of course, you might not want to sing around others if you have an upper respiratory tract infection since it could spread your germs, but otherwise, singing will improve your breathing capacity, reduce stress, and probably lift your spirits!  Incidentally, listening to chorale music reduces the hormone cortisol⁽³⁾ which exerts immunosuppressant effects when produced in excessive amounts.  A merry heart, indeed, does good like a medicine.

Another point to consider: A regular dose of fresh air is important, especially in cold weather when central heating dries you out and thus weakens the immune system.  Also, people tend to spend more time indoors during the cold weather season, which means more germs are circulating in crowded, dry rooms.

Lifestyle Shapes the Immune System

Dr. Morimoto and associates at Osaka University, Graduate School of Medicine, investigated the association between lifestyle and mental health status and natural killer (NK) cells. As I mentioned before, natural killer cells, along with killer T-lymphocytes, destroy viruses and cancer cells.  The lifestyle habits they examined included cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, sleeping hours, working hours, physical exercise, eating breakfast, balanced nutrition, and mental stress. Here is what they discovered: Participants with a good overall lifestyle showed significantly higher NK cell activities than those subjects with poor lifestyle habits.  Subjects who complained of an unstable mental status had significantly lower NK cell activity than those who reported having a stable mental status.  Consequently, when subjects were divided into four groups by lifestyle and mental health status, subjects who had poor or moderate lifestyle and reported unstable mental status showed the lowest NK cell activity and subjects who had good lifestyle practices and reported stable mental status showed the highest NK cell activity.⁽⁴⁾

Exercise: Another Immune Booster

Moderate exercise helps to protect us from influenza, but strenuous, exhaustive exercise increases susceptibility to influenza and other respiratory infections.  Hong Kong researchers discovered individuals that never or seldom exercise increased their risk of dying from influenza from between 5½ to 8 times.  In contrast, those who exercised frequently, decreased their risk by 4 to nearly 6½ times.⁽⁵⁾ Researchers at the University of South Carolina found that exercise stress in mice was associated with an increase in susceptibility to infection in the form of morbidity, mortality and symptom severity on days 6 and 7.⁽⁶⁾ Serum IgG is important in protection against influenza infectionand is considered to be a good predictor of resistance to infection.  In a study done by scientists at Iowa State University, the subjects who exercised vigorously following a flu vaccine, hada higher concentration of both IgG and IgM, suggesting a greaterdegree of protection, and our data on symptom incidence isconsistent with this possibility.⁽⁷⁾ Clinical data in humans support the concept that heavy exertion increases the athlete's risk of upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) because of negative changes in immune function and elevation of the stress hormones, epinephrine and cortisol.^(8),(9) Interestingly, strenuous exercise in elite endurance swimmers has more inflammatory cells in their airways.⁽¹⁰⁾ On the other hand, there is growing evidence that moderate amounts of exercise may decrease one's risk of URTI through favorable changes in immune function without the negative attending effects of the stress hormones.

Moderate exercise also increases antibody production, improves T-lymphocyte function in the elderly, and slows down the aging of the immune system.^(11),(12) This means that with moderate exercise even older people can develop an increased resistance to viral infections, reduce the formation of cancer cells, and slow down the aging of the immune system.  Following strenuous, exhaustive exercise, however, the number of natural killers and T-lymphocytes is decreased and their activity is depressed for several days.⁽¹³⁾ 

Temperance

Temperance is the abstinence from all injurious agents and harmful habits, and the moderate use of all good substances and activities.  Alcohol suppresses natural killer cell activity.

Smoking decreases natural killer cells activity and cessation of smoking improves it. Smoking also dries out your nasal passages and paralyzes cilia, the delicate hairs that line the inside of your nose and lungs that help keep germs out of the body.  Just one cigarette can paralyze cilia for as long as 30 to 40 minutes.  Exposure to other’s smoke can increase susceptibility to upper respiratory and lung infections.  Deep breathing improves the circulation of the blood and consequently of the white blood cells that circulate in the blood.

Nutrition 

Obesity suppresses the immune system.  Wise calorie-restriction and vitamin E actually slow down this aging of the T-lymphocytes.  A high fat diet slows antibody production and suppresses the immune system in general.  When the total fat is decreased from 30% to 25% of the total calories, T and B-lymphocyte activity increases significantly.  Reduction of fat intake from 32% to 22% of the total calories also improves the activity of non-specific lymphocytes called natural killer cells.^(14),(15) Sugar is an immune suppressant too and promotes influenza as well.  Stay away from junk foods if you want to seriously reduce your risk of influenza.

Eating foods rich in antioxidants gives the immune system an extra boost.  If you are taking a little extra vitamin C, don’t forget vitamin E as well.  Studies show that vitamin E-induced enhancement of immune functions was associated with significant improvement in resistance to influenza infection in both aged mice and a reduced risk of acquiring upper respiratory infections in nursing home residents.^(16),(17) Remember, too much of one antioxidant vitamin with marginal intakes of the other actually creates more free radicals in the body, a condition we don’t want. 

Sleep 

Partial sleep deprivation reduces natural killer cell activity per number of natural killer cells.  Even a modest sleep deprivation for part of the night can reduce the killing ability of the natural killer cells by almost 30%.⁽¹⁸⁾  Sleep deprivation also reduces the effectiveness of flu vaccines.

You are what you think:

Psychosocial factors have been shown to influence immune responseand alter susceptibility to infection.  Chronic stress wasrelated to reduced antibody titer and influenza-specific IL-2following influenza vaccination in older adults.  Researchers at Iowa State University found that high stress was a significant predictor of reducedanti-influenza IgG and influenza-specific IL-2.⁽¹⁹⁾ In their study,greater optimism and a greater number of social interactionswere associated with higher levels of influenza-specific IL-10 following the flu vaccine. They also found that individuals with a greater number of social ties may have decreasedsusceptibility to infection and optimism has been linkedto improved immune status.

Psychological influences not only influence the effectiveness of the flu vaccine, but directly impact the immune system itself.  For example, studies show that loneliness appears to have a significant impact on physical health being linked detrimentally to worse sleep and immune stress responses over time in the elderly.⁽²⁰⁾  In college students elevated levels of loneliness throughout the semester and small social networks are independently associated with poorer antibody response to the influenza vaccine.  Those with both high levels of loneliness and a small social network had the lowest antibody response.^(21),(22) Individuals who chronically experience social isolation actually change the genes so that more pro-inflammatory activity predominates.

Mental attitudes also significantly influence the efficiency of the natural killer cells, as well.  Early in the last century health educator, Ellen White observed, “The relation that exists between the mind and the body is very intimate.  When one is affected, the other sympathizes….Grief, anxiety, discontent, remorse, guilt, distrust, all tend to break down the life forces and to invite decay and death.”⁽²³⁾

Scientific studies confirm these observations.  They show that major depression, for example, reduces NK cells’ effectiveness.  A persistent negative outlook erodes both the ability of the NK cells and killer T-lymphocytes to destroy viruses and cancer cells.  The emotions and reactive thinking common in depression—helplessness, loneliness, hopelessness, lack of social support, and unhealthy suppression of these feelings—not only depresses the mind but also the immune system.

Both chronic and acute stress decreases the percentage of T-helper lymphocytes and decreases the numbers and function of natural killer cells.⁽²⁴⁾ Stress reduces the ability of NK cells to make interferon, a chemical that substantially decreases viral replication.  However, problem-solving techniques and coping skills improve NK activity in stressed individuals.  If the individual possesses high emotional stability and low anxiety, stress actually improves NK cell activity.⁽²⁵⁾ On the other hand, the same stress can result in a significant decline in NK cells if the individual possesses high anxiety and low emotional stability.  Fortunately, realistic optimism, self-confidence, trust, and faith improve the natural killer cells’ job performance.⁽²⁶⁾ When you have been exposed to a virus or your immune system is down, sip some immune-bolstering tea and take time to count your blessing and reaffirm your love to those who have encouraged to you.

Immune-bolstering herbs:

Garlic enhances immune functions and has antibacterial, antifungal and antivirus activities.⁽²⁷⁾ Aged garlic improves natural killer activity and is extremely useful for preventing psychologically-induced immune damage.⁽²⁸⁾  If you have been exposed to the flu virus, try this cocktail: 1 quart of water, 1 peeled garlic clove, and 1 lemon or grapefruit; blend it up and drink.  Black elderberry activates the healthy immune system and is effective against eight known strains of flu viruses.  Also it reduces the duration and severity of symptoms if the flu is contracted.⁽²⁹⁾ According to expert herbalist, James Duke, elderberry can actually help to prevent viruses from entering the respiratory tract.  There is some evidence that astragalus root can help to restore depressed immune function.  It, too, has antiviral properties.  Several laboratory and animal studies show that echinacea contains active substances that enhance the activity of the immune system, relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and have antiviral effects._(³⁰⁾  For general immune enhancement, use 1 - 2 grams dried root or herb in a tea or 2 - 3 mL of standardized tincture extract.  Individuals with autoimmune disease should not take elderberry or Echinacea.  As always, if you are taking any medicine, check with your pharmacist before taking any herb in medicinal amounts.

Water: another biologic hero:

In flu prevention the use of water should be emphasized.  Drink at least 8 glasses of water, including herb tea, every day.  Adequate hydration is essential for the immune system.  If you do not have circulatory or other serious medical problems, alternate hot for 1 ½ minutes and cold for 20 seconds.  Do this three times.  This stimulates the circulation of the immune cells throughout your blood.

In conclusion,—proper nutrition, water, good hygiene, exercise, temperance, exposure to sunlight, rest, fresh air, and a positive, trusting attitude—form a chain of optimal health. You immune system is only as strong as your weakest link.

References

(1). Cannell J.J., et al, Epidemic influenza and vitamin D. Epidemiol Infect, 134(6):1129-40, 2006.

(2). Weitzberg E., Lundberg J.O., Humming greatly increase nasal nitric oxide. Am J Respir Crit Care Med, 166(2):144-5, Jul 15, 2002.

(3).Kreutz G., et al, Effects of choir singing or listening on secretory immunoglobulin A, cortisol, and emotional state. J Behav Med, 27(6):623-35, 2004.

(4). Morimoto, LiQ, et al, Healthy lifestyles are associated with higher levels of perforin, granulysin and granzymes A/B-expressing cells in peripheral blood lymphocytes. Prev Med, 44(2):117-23, 2007.

(5). Wong C.M., et al, Is exercise protective against influenza-associated mortality? PLoS ONE, 3(5):e2108, 2008.

(6). Murphy E.A., et al, Exercise stress increases susceptibility to influenza infection.

Brain Behav Immun, Jun 21, 2008.

(7). Kohut, M. L., et al, Exercise and Psychosocial Factors Modulate Immunity to Influenza Vaccine in Elderly Individuals. The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 57:M557-M562, 2000.

(8). Nieman D.C. Exercise, upper respiratory tract infection, and immune system. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 26(2):128-39, 1994.

(9). Nieman D.C. Exercise and resistance to infections. Cn J Physiol Pharmacol, 76(5):573-80, 1998.

(10). Bermon S., Airway inflammation and upper respiratory tract infection in athletes: is there a link? Bermon S.Exerc Immunol, 13:6-14, 2007. Review.

(11). Nehisen-Cannarella, S.L., et al, The effects of moderate exercise training on immune response. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 23(1):64-70, 1991.

(12). Hall, E.J., Bolstering Your Immune System. The Journal of Health and Healing, 23(3):16-19.

(13). Shek, P.N., Strenuous exercise and immunological changes; a multiple-time-point analysis of leukocytes subset CD4/CD8 ratio, immunoglobulin production and NK cell response. Int JSports Med, 16(7):466-67, 1996.

(14). Kelley, D.S., Dietary fat and human immune response. Inform, 7:852-58, 1996.

(15). Blakenship, J., How much fat do we need? Journal of Health and Healing, 20(1):8-11

(16). Han, S.N., Meydani, S.N., Antioxidants, cytokines, and influenza infection in aged mice and elderly humans. J Infect Dis, 182(Suppl 1):S74-80, 2000.

(17). Meydani S.N., Han S.N., Wu, D., Vitamin E and immune response in the aged: molecular mechanisms and clinical implications. Immunol Rev, 205:269-84, 2005.

(18). Irwin, M., et al, Partial Sleep Deprivation Reduces Natural Killer Cell ActivityinHumans, www.psychosomaticmedicine.org/cgi/reprint/56/6/493.pdf. 

(19). Kohut, M., L., et al, Exercise and Psychosocial Factors Modulate Immunity to Influenza Vaccine in Elderly Individuals. The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 57:M557-M562, 2000.

(20). Luanaigh C.O., Lawlor B.A., Loneliness and the health of older people. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry, 23(12):1213-21, 2008.

(21). Pressman S.D., et al, Loneliness, social network size, and immune response to influenza vaccination in college freshmen. Health Psychol, 24(3):297-306, 2005.

(22). Cole, S.W., et al, Social regulation of gene expression in human leukocytes. Genome Biol, 8(9):R189, 2007.

(23). White, E.G., The Ministry of Healing, Pacific Press Publishing Association, Mountain View, CA, 1942, p. 241.

(24). Kennedy, S., et al, Immunological consequences of acute and chronic stressors: mediating role of interpersonal relationships. Br J Med Psychol, 61( Pt 1):77-85, 1988. Review.

(25). Borella, P., et al, Emotional stability, anxiety, and natural killer activity under examination. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 24(6):13-17, 1979.

(26). Hall, E.J., Bolstering Your Immune System. The Journal of Health and Healing, 23(3):16-19.

(27). Iciek M., et al, Biological properties of garlic and garlic-derived organosulfur compounds. Environ Mol Mutagen, 50(3):247-65, 2009.

(28). Kyo E., et al, Prevention of psychological stress-induced suppression by aged garlic extract. Phytomedicine, 6(5):325-30, 1999.

(29). Cho W.C., Leung D.N., In vitro and in vivo immunomodulating and immunorestorative effects of Astragalus membranaceus. J Ethnopharmacol, 113(1):132-42, 2007.

(30). www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/echinacea-000239.htm