Superbugs at Large: You must build your immune system to survive by Dr. Mark Wiley
Despite the advances of modern medicine, we are living in an age that presents staggering risks to our immune system. While we've conquered many dreadful diseases over the last century, new threats are emerging at a frightening pace. And while our multi-cultural global village has done wonders for business and trade, it has also done much to spread infectious and lethal diseases.
You're at risk
This new era of drug-resistant viruses or "superbugs" has put your immune system in a state of constant alert. Mutant species of formally harmless bacteria have been found in everything from breakfast cereal to ground beef, killing dozens of adults and qildren whose immune systems were too weak to resist them. Recent outbreaks of E. coli and encephalitis in New York offer proof positive that your immune system is under attack, and perhaps from sources you do not expect.
The New York Times recently reported that "the West Nile-like encephalitis virus, which broke out in New York City in August, travels by mosquitoes that feed on infected birds and then bite humans." And that, "the E. coli epidemic, which happened simultaneously in upstate New York, was food-borne." The result: encephalitis infected 50 people and was responsible for the death of six, while E. coli sickened hundreds, killing one.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that it had found the encephalitis virus in cows, domestic birds, and exotic pet birds in New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey. The CDC also reports that cases of food-borne, drug-resistance salmonella rose from 16% in 1979 to 42% in 1994. Moreover, tuberculosis has also unexpectedly resurfaced and is spreading to new victims in frightening, drug-resistant forms. Not to mention the recent resurgence in the number of new viruses that cause hepatitis. As a rsult, hepatitis A now occurs 100 times more frequently than typhoid fever and 1,000 times more frequently than cholera ever did.
You must build your immune system
In addition to the aforementioned viruses, industrial chemicals, smog, and second-hand smoke overwhelm your immune system's ability to combat toxins and the chemical additives and preservatives in the foods you eat. And as a result of the increased amounts of free radicals you are exposed to daily, cancer rates are once again rising. Moreover, it appears that the rampant overuse of antibiotics over the past 40 years has rendered them all but useless against these new strains of mutant superbugs.
The increasing reappearance of old infections, and the appearances of new ones--from Legionnaires' disease to Lyme disease to AIDS--are a disturbing reminder that now, more than ever, you need to maximize your body's ability to fight off superbugs, and safeguard your health against the increasing toxic environment.
But just like your heart, knees, and brain, your immune system weakens with age. Thus, you need to take more steps to bolster it. Luckily, recent advances make it possible to enhance your body's natural defenses against infections, cancer, arthritis, allergies, and other immune system disorders.
Lactoferrin: the natrural immune booster
After following the literature closely for nearly 40 years, L.A. Hanson of the Department of Clinical Immunology, Goteborg University, Sweden, found that "human milk protects against infections in the breast-fed offspring mainly via the secretory IgA antibodies, but also most likely via several other factors like the bactericidal lactoferrin." And that, "protection against infections has been well evidenced during lactation against [such things as] acute and prolonged diarrhea, respiratory tract infections, otitis media, [and] urinary tract infection." Hanson further reports that "there is also interesting evidence for an enhanced protection remaining for years after lactation against diarrhea, respiratory tract infections, otitis media, Haemophilus influenza type b infections, and wheezing illness." Hanson thus concludes that "breast feeding may . . . have a unique capacity to stimulate the immune system of the offspring possibly with several long-term positive effects."
Dozens of studies over the past decade have shown lactoferrin to be a versatile, bioactive milk protein that plays an important role in the immune system response, helping protect the body against infections. In fact, it just may be the single most important medical advancement of the 20th century.
Besides the stimulation of the immune system, scientific studies reveal that lactoferrin also prevents the growth of pathogens, exerts antibacterial and antiviral properties, controls cell and tissue damage caused by oxidation, facilitates iron transport, and controls microbial activity of organisms such as E. coli, salmonella, staphylococcis, listeria, and candida.
The properties of lactoferrin:
· Lactoferrin has antibacterial and antiviral properties
· Lactoferrin prevents the growth of pathogenic organisms in the gut
· Lactoferrin stimulates the immune system
· Lactoferrin regulates iron metabolism
· Lactoferrin controls cell or tissue damage
· Lactoferrin prevents oxidation, by binding iron
Given these properties, lactoferrin can be viewed as a promising natural health-promoting ingredient with a wide range of applications, including: hindering tumor growth and metastasis, relieving the suffering of AIDS-related complexes, and protecting the immunologically-vulnerable from deadly viruses and bacterial infections. Other research suggests that lactoferrin can inhibit tumor growth, reduce inflammation, activate neutrophil cells which surround and digest foreign bodies, prevent bacterial overgrowth in the gut to enhance digestion, and prevent viruses from penetrating healthy cells.
In healthy individuals, lactoferrin can provide near-total immunity from colds, flus, parasites, and infectious bacteria. Its healing powers appear to be unrivaled.
Based on the latest research, lactoferrin supplementation may be your key to developing the kind of "super-immunity" you need to ward off many of the health threats in this modern age. Studies further suggest that with lactoferrin, "more is better." The more lactoferrin that is present in the body, the more effectively it performs its many immune stimulating functions.
Aside from direct ingestion of breast milk, lactoferrin is proven effective when ingested through such things as infant formula and health supplements. Check online or with your local health and vitamin store for more information. It may just be what you need to stay well - naturally.