Challenging the Status Quo: Debunking 10 Misconceptions About Immunity.
Debunking 10 misconceptions about Immunity.
1. The human immune system is independent and autonomous.
FALSE!
You see this narrative more in empirical, reductionist and materialistic scientific circles. Some people in this wheelhouse think that the Immune system is a “mindless drone.” It is going to do whatever it wants, whenever it wants and however it wants.
The truth is, the Immune System exists in a symbiotic relationship with the body and its environment. It is dependant and contingent on other factors of the body systems and environmental circumstances.
The most important symbiotic relationship the Immune System has is with the Nerve System. It communicates so intimately with the Nerve System that it is often labeled as one system, the Neuroimmune System.
Important cause and effect actions and reactions occur between the Nerve and Immune Systems that heavily influence overall health outcomes. Recognizing that the systems work as an integrated unit is more of a holistic scientific understanding of how the body functions.
2. Natural immunity to infectious disease is the same as artificial immunity.
FALSE!
Natural immunity and artificial immunity are going to create two different immune responses within the body. Natural immunity is going to initiate a Th1 Cell-Mediated Immune Response. Artificial immunity is going to initiate a Th2 Humoral Response. What's the difference between the two?
When we are more naturally exposed to a pathogen and its antigen, the virus or bacteria will infiltrate our cells. This is called an intracellular infection. And once the pathogen enters the cell, one specific type of white blood cell will notify the body of this infection. That cell is a T-helper 1 cell, or Th1 for short.
The Th1 cell is going to help tell the body that it needs to create antibodies for that specific infection. The antibody production in a cell-mediated response is going to produce antibodies for that antigen for a long-term duration. More often than not, the production of that antibody is going to last the lifetime of the person.
Artificial immunity is going to initiate more of a Th2 humoral response. The Th2 Humoral immune response is seen in allergic reactions such as a bee sting, pollen exposure or food sensitivity. When an antigen is found not in the cell but floating around the cell, this is called an extracellular infection.
For this response, Th2 helper cell is going to tell the body to create a huge spike in antibodies in order to help take care of the extracellular infection. But the thing is, it's only going to produce the antibodies for that response for a short term duration. Often it will produce a larger spike in antibodies compared to a cell-mediated response but is only short term. It's going to spike and then it's going to decrease.
The greatest example of artificial immunity is found with inoculations or vaccinations. When you get inoculated, your body creates an allergic response to the vaccine. Your body thinks it's an allergen because the vaccine injects a high dose amount of the antigen into the extracellular matrix, the fluid that floats around a cell. The body is going to create a Th2 humoral response.
Because vaccines create a Th2 humoral response, vaccine schedules often include a second or third round of the vaccine. These are called booster shots. Very early on in the study of vaccines, scientists noticed that when they checked for the antibodies years later, the antibody numbers were lower compared to being naturally exposed to the pathogen. The booster shot is an attempt to “boost” up the antibody production a second or third time. But no matter what, the booster shot will still create a Th2 humoral immune response.
3. Immune responsiveness is genetically determined.
FALSE!
Yes, there are characteristics of our physiological makeup that are set in genetic stone such as eye color. They're going to be with us from the womb to the tomb. Our immune response though isn't one of those things.
Our immunity is not 100% predetermined. In fact, about 80% of our immune response is going to be epigenetically influenced. Factors that are outside of our genetics, such as diet, behavior, stress, environment, and physical activity are going to influence our immune system way more than genetic predisposition. Epigenetic influences are going to turn on or turn off different aspects of our genetics and our immune response.
4. Children expressing infectious diseases are “sick”; vaccinated children are “healthy.”
FALSE!
With a statement like this, we definitely have to take a step back and ask ourselves bigger questions: What is health? What is sickness? What are our parameters for health and sickness? What are the things that express health? What are things that express sickness?
If we look at the biggest question (what is health?) we have to break down the characteristics of what is going to be found within health. And within health, some of the biggest factors we'll find are things such as adaptability, dynamic homeostasis, healing, and optimal function.
These are all things that are expressed through our vitality. Another word for vitality is life. Health comes from within life not from without life. There is no magic pill powder or potion that's going to create health within the body.
Health is only going to come from the individual, from the person. It’s only going to come from within. No matter what the pill powder or potion is, it's not going to create health or wellness within your body.
Also, when we're talking about being infected, you might be expressing symptoms or you might be considered “sick.” But these are still expressions of health. The greatest example I can think of is a fever. When you get infected by a certain pathogen what does your body usually do? It heats up.
Your body heats up and causes a fever to kill off the pathogen. That is an expression of health. When I get infected by a certain pathogen, I want my body to express that aspect of health. I want to have a fever. If my body was infected and my body didn't create that fever, that would be an example of being sick.
5. Antibody titers are the determinants of immunity to infection.
FALSE!
Yes, the production of antibodies is a very important aspect of your immunity and your immune health. but it's only one piece of the puzzle. There are a lot of other factors that are going to help stimulate or promote immunity.
Some examples of ways to help support your immune system are to look at things such as your gut health or your microbiome, your mental state, your emotional state, the Th1/Th2 balance, your nutrition and diet. As a chiropractor, the biggest piece of that puzzle is your Nerve system.
How is your nerve system functioning? Nerve system health is synonymous with immune system health. Chiropractic wants to help your Nerve system function better, and by proxy, your Immune system as well.
6. Microbes are entities that are “caught.”
FALSE!
Microbes such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi are here with us all the time. In fact, they've been here long before us and they might be here long after us. About 50% of the cells that make up you are not your cells but are different viruses, bacteria, parasites and fungi that live not only on you but in you.
All these different microbes that live with us make up what is called the microbiome. This microbiome is a collection of microbes that live in a symbiotic relationship with us. They help promote a lot of the functions of our body such as our digestion and immunity. This idea that all microbes are lurking around the corner getting ready to attack and kill us is a false notion.
7. A vaccinated society is a healthier society.
FALSE!
With a statement like this again we have to take a step back and ask ourselves some big picture questions: What is health? What makes a healthy society? What is our definition of public health?
One benchmark that is used to determine public health is the infant mortality rate. The lower infant mortality rate often equates with a healthier society.
If we look at the United States, the infant mortality rate in 1950 had the US ranked 3rd. In this case, having a lower ranking means having a lower rate of infant deaths. In 1986, the US was ranked 17th. In 1995, the US was ranked 23rd. In 2000, 31st. And in 2017, the US ranked 55th.
There has been this huge uptick in infant mortality rates since 1950. How does this correlate to vaccines? The start of mass vaccination programs started in 1950. By 1950-51, mass vaccination programs started to become very popular in the US.
Before the advent of mass inoculation programs, the US infant mortality rate was ranked third. Now, 70 years later, we can see that the infant mortality rate has increased dramatically. You can't make a causative link saying that more vaccines equal a healthier society because of this fact. You can correlate that there has been an increase in infant mortality deaths along with the increased prevalence of vaccines.
8. Immune system is not adversely effected by vaccinations and multiple-dose injections.
FALSE!
There has never been a randomized double-blind placebo study to prove that vaccines don't cause adverse effects. The randomized double-blind placebo study is the scientific gold standard within the scientific community when researching different drugs.
All prescription drugs follow the guidelines set by a randomized double-blind placebo study. Vaccines though do not have to follow this scientific gold-standard.
9. Vaccinating during pregnancy does not harm mom or baby.
FALSE!
Again, there have been no randomized double-blind placebo studies done to prove this statement. In fact, for the longest time, both pregnant and immune-compromised individuals used to not get vaccinated.
Why are pregnant women and certain immune-compromised individuals getting more vaccination now when there has been no study done to prove that they don't cause any harm?
10. The seasonal flu vaccine renders you more resistant to colds.
FALSE!
There have been studies that show that when you receive the inoculation from the flu, it actually increases your possibility of getting the flu. For better or worse, a vaccine will put your immune system into a compromising position. That’s why immunocompromised individuals shouldn’t get vaccinated. A vaccine will put your system, especially your nerve and immune systems, into a compromising position. If your immune system is already in a compromised position, how can it make you more resistant to different colds and viruses? In actuality, it's going to do the opposite.
- Jarek Esarco, DC, CACCP
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