Respiratory & Immune

The Immune system is a key biological process

The most important biological process is the defence system or immune system. Very few pharmaceutical medicines improve the immune system. When stressed, injured or affected by toxins, the immune system responds with inflammation. Most symptoms arise from the immune system trying to correct the pathology. Drugs, such as “anti-inflammatory medicines” and ‘antibiotics’ attempt to minimise these symptoms (and are essential in severe infections), by reducing or suppressing the inflammation process and reducing the immune system’s response to the insult on the body.

A good example is how the immune system responds to an upper respiratory viral infection (URI). The symptoms are fever (anti-viral response), increased nasal discharges (attempt to expel the virus and increase immune cells in the area of invasion), sneezing and coughing (to expel the virus and prevent its deeper invasion). All these symptoms are good immune responses.

Now, let’s look at what happens when pharmaceutical medicine is applied to this case. The conventional practitioner will prescribe antipyretic medicines (to reduce fever, which is the immune system’s natural anti-viral response), antihistamine medicines (to reduce nasal discharges and sneezing – which allows the virus to penetrate deeper) and anti-tussive medicines (to reduce coughing – which also allows the virus to penetrate deeper). Drugs are effective at symptom reduction and the patient feels better during the illness. However, the drugs may actually push the disease deeper, causing the patient to need more drugs for possible viral or bacterial bronchitis or pneumonia. Because the immune system may be weakened, the URI can recur and even deeper illnesses can occur.

As a natural medicine practitioner i would treat this patient with bioregulatory (Homotoxicology) medicine. This promotes a stronger immune response to shorten the disease process and to support, rather than reduce, the immune response to the illness. By maximising the potential for disarming invaders (immune system) and regulating physiologic feedback systems, clients can gain quick recovery and prevent ongoing illnesses.

Colds and flu are an occasional occurrence, for example a cold at the beginning of winter primes the immune system and cleanses the body. A flu may be experienced once in four to five years to also strengthen the immune system. This is called ‘acquired’ immunity and is perfectly healthy and a necessary for survival.

However, when we are constantly experiencing colds, flu and respiratory conditions including hayfever and sinusitis, it may be due to exhaustion, stress and/or burnout. This is known as the PNEI connection.