Ebola is a virus… Time to Rethink Health
A person must have a significant deficit in innate and acquired
immune response systems to become infected. Identifying and
correcting such deficits is a first line of response in infection control
currently under appreciated and under utilized.
Innate immune responses provide robust defenses against infection as
long as cells don’t become too acid or deficient in antioxidants. Protective
antioxidants get eaten up and depleted by distress and oxidative stressors.
The total or allostatic load of stressors for too many people grows in
both number and amount, leaving them susceptible to ‘whatever is
going around’.
Three Host Factors for Infection Control
1. Viral infection risk can be assessed through phagocytic index
(phagocytosis test). This test is widely available including from the
following source:
https://www.doctorschoice.net/labdocs/PhagocytosisTest_rev_
070808.pdf
2.
Assessment of oxidative stress / allostatic load
An index of oxidative stress and allostatic load is the amount of
ascorbates – of buffered, natural vitamin C – based on individual ‘C
Cleanse’. Information about the C Cleanse is available from the
following link:
http://www.perque.com/lifestyle/self-tests/ascorbate-cleanse/
3.
Assessment of cell mineral buffering capacity
Cell minerals, particularly potassium, magnesium and zinc, buffer
metabolic acids and prevent cells from loosing their alkaline reserves
and thus switching from elective protective mode with higher cell
energy to survival modes with lower cell energy.
A global, non-invasive assessment of cell metabolic acidosis risk is
available in the first urine after six or more hours rest (usually the 1st
AM urine). The goal range is if pH of 6.5-7.5. This means cells have
enough minerals to activate the catalysts that keep cells functioning
efficiently and resistant to infection.
http://americannutritionassociation.org/importance-alkalinediet-jaffe-donovan-alkaline-acid-food-chart
and
http://www.perque.com/lifestyle/self-tests/first-morning-ph/
So… only hospitable and susceptible people become infected; those
who have healthy immune systems recycle invaders without harm.
Given the increasing recognition of inflammation as a common
denominator of ill health, measurement of hsCRP is suggested as a
global indicator of at risk status. The healthy or goal value for hsCRP
is <0.5 mg/dl. Values above this level indicate increasing risk of host
hospitality to infection.
• http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=6&ved=0CDYQFjAF&
url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthstudiescollegium.org%2Fdocf%2FHSC_PredictiveBioMarke
rs_v21.pptx&ei=fDgxVJqlO6Gh8AG_roCwDQ&usg=AFQjCNEyD2I13ZWmP9F0IGtGQN2Ih5TT
zg&bvm=bv.76802529,d.b2U
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bv8h77SH9NA
Impaired immune function causes and their correction:
1. Antioxidant and mineral deficits produce metabolic acidosis and excess
oxidative stress. Cell metabolic acidosis can be assessed through urine
pH measurement (after 6+ hours of rest so that the urine in the bladder
equilibrates with the bladder lining cells). Global antioxidant status can be
measured as the cell oxidation/reduction (RedOx) potential. More simply,
the amount of ascorbate reducing substances can be measured by
dipstick in random urine specimens.
• http://www.riordanclinic.org/2014/vitamin-c-natures-viral-enemy/
• http://www.cobas.com/content/dam/cobas_com/pdf/product/Combur-Test-strip/Ascorbic%20acidVitamin%20C%20Brochure.pdf
2. Neurohormones of distress, particularly impaired cortisol to DHEA ratios and
imbalanced adrenalines to serotonin ratios. These molecules of thought and
emotion can be measured either in saliva or urine. A useful screening tool for
level of distress is galvanic skin response (GSR), an index of how well
adapted is an individual to the stresses of their life.
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychoneuroimmunology#Understanding_Stress_and_Immune_Function
3. Protein calorie malnutrition due to consumption of too much processed
and too little whole food results in long transit time and reabsorption of
harmful xenochemicals as well as quaternary amine metabolites like
cadaverine and putrescene.
• http://malnutrition.andjrnl.org/Content/articles/1-Consensus_Statement.pdf
• Mental and Elemental Nutrients: A physicians Guide to Nutrition and Health Care, Carl C Pfeiffer,
1976, Keats, 476p.
4. Probiotics crowd out pathogens. Pathogens do not even de-repress genes
for toxin production until they are present in large colonies. Daily intake of
40+ billion healthy mixed probiotic organisms can help crowd out
pathogens and promote health in the microbiome.
• http://www.gutmicrobiotawatch.org/gut-microbiota-or-gut-flora-prof-joel-dore-explains-us-whichterm-is-best/
• http://www.genengnews.com/gen-news-highlights/bad-bugs-need-fear-gutmicrobiome/81249234/?kwrd=Microbiome
Recommendation
All at risk health workers and citizens in affected areas should be given:
1. A high bioavailability comprehensive multi-vitamin multi-mineral (40 active
essential nutrients),
2.
Buffered l-ascorbate (based on use of the C Cleanse to find how much
ascorbate is needed in light of that individual’s oxidative load,
http://www.perque.com/lifestyle/self-tests/ascorbate-cleanse/),
3.
Safer polyphenolics (Quercetin dehydrate and soluble OPC ±
pomegranate juice powder) and a mineral rich diet including alkalinizing
mineral supplements as needed. The ascorbates and polyphenolics
enhance innate phagocytic cell functions. The mineral rich diet prevents
cellular metabolic acidosis and corrects potassium, magnesium and zinc
deficits among other mineral deficiencies.
Conclusion
Ascorbate sets the cell RedOx potential, a fundamental marker of oxidative
stress as well as antioxidant resilience. Ascorbate, in essence, is nature’s antiviral compound. A healthy innate immune system recycles foreign invaders and
uses their component building blocks in a ‘cradle to cradle’ highly efficient system.
The innate immune defense and repair system is part of a larger neuro-immunohormonal system, known in traditional oriental medicine as the governing vessel
or governing system.
A healthy immune system can identify, eliminate and recycle viruses like Ebola
efficiently and completely. Stressed and nutritional compromised people are at
risk. Neurohormone balanced and nutritionally competent people are not at risk.
We know enough to identify weakened immune defense and repair systems and
what to do to restore them to reduce infectious risks.
This approach is evidence based, inexpensive, low risk and able to be used in
the field as well as in the research lab.
Additional note: Healthcare workers are often the most sleep deprived and over
stressed while being under engaged in keeping their immune defense and repair
system healthier and how to know when it needs more antioxidant, mineral or
other essential nutrient.
Additional bibliography:
1. Microbial Ecology in States of Health and Disease: Workshop Summary Forum on Microbial
Health; Board on Global Health; Institute of Medicine. Washington, DC: National Academies Press
(US): 2014 Feb 18.
2. http://www.drrusselljaffe.com/#/welcome
3. Immunology, by Ivan Roitt DSc HonFRCP FRCPath FRS, Jonathan Brostoff MA DM DSc(Med)
FRCP FRCPath, David Male MA PhD, Mosby, 2001, 496p (particularly first few chapters on innate
immune functions)
4. Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology 12e, Jack Hall, Saunders, 1120p (particularly the
chapter on immune system function)
5. Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, 9e, Vinay Kumar, Abdul Abbas, Jon Aster,
Saunders, 1408p. (particularly chapter on immune system)