The Acquired Immune System

This is Part 2 of the immune system, if you missed part 1, you may want to just pop over HERE first.

So, what we have is the invaders have managed to cross over the bridge, destroy and overcome the defense of the fort and managed to wade through the water in the moat.

If you have low stomach acid (known as hypochlorhydria, or if you are on antacids) or you have had your tonsils removed or some of your lymph nodes, this primary defense is weakened i.e. this innate immune system is compromised.

Also taking certain medications can do that too. If you are taking steroids, especially at this time of the year when ‘hay fever’ may be kicking in over this side of the world or anti-histamines, they can ‘paralyze’ the attacking cells or more specifically the tools of the attacking cells. Anti-histamines stop the mast cells from throwing up the histamine, this histamine is actually a vital part of the INNATE immune system, the outside defense of the castle. Steroids tend to ‘maim’ a whole host of chemicals produced by various immune cells such as the cytokines which are basically chemicals produced by immune cells to tell other cells to ‘stop slacking and get on with the job’ at hand. The communication network between these TWO immune systems is beyond any communication system known to mankind.

Mother nature is not only a mother (nurturing, caring and healing) but mother nature is also the best CEO going. No internet super network required as this is NATURE’s internet supernetwork.

So once the invaders have gotten in, which they most likely do, the ACQUIRED IMMUNE SYSTEM is now ready. It has been waiting for this moment as soon as the INNATE immunity started to release its chemicals of ‘warfare’. BTW, in most cases that involve a serious heavyweight invader, WE WANT THE CASTLE FOLK TO TAKE POSITION AND FIGHT not just let the INNATE immune system do it all.

WHY DO WE WANT THIS TO HAPPEN? It may sound a little crazy, as you may be asking then what is the point of the INNATE immune system…this is where mother nature has her own ‘genius’ response.

The innate immune system by itself is FAST and not so ‘skilled’ as it ‘goes for’ everything that looks like an invader. It is slightly, just slightly naive.

Those attackers on the fort, the bridge of the INNATE immune system although less skilled, they are ready to attention 24-7, they are less discriminating than the ‘kings and queens and prince and princesses’ inside the castle. The ones in the castle take some time to ‘wake up’ but when they wake up WOW, a superpower is awakened like NO OTHER.

The ACQUIRED immune system is MUCH more specialized, it is so picky that it has to recognize a specific part of a VIRUS or pathogen. So B (B cells produce antibodies) cells that recognize the measles virus WILL TOTALLY IGNORE the MUMPS virus, the B cells that recognize the influenza virus from 2018 will not recognize the influenza virus of 2019. I did say the acquired immune system is picky right?

So this ACQUIRED IMMUNE SYSTEM, is also known as the ADAPTIVE immune system, as it ADAPTS and develops over time and age and more precisely with EXPERIENCE. So the innate immune system does the job of calling out the invader.

We cannot live in a bubble, we do not want to be spraying all sorts of antimicrobial agents all over the ‘show’ because some exposure is good exposure. Otherwise, the immune system does not progress, it’s growth is stunted, that is when we become vulnerable to toxins/invaders/microbes, call them what you will.

So on the first exposure the B cells are triggered to produce these antibodies by the INNATE immune system as well as the T cells of the ACQUIRED immune system…now just hold on, I am nearly finished in case your feeling a bit ‘immunized by information overload’…I just needed to explain all this so you have a better understanding of 21st-century immunity.

So say you have had NATURAL measles once, the B cells that produce the antibodies to the virus will be ready for the next time. So if there is another measles ‘outbreak’, the B cells (now called the memory B cells) are like ‘ah, I see you, I know you from X years ago, your name is not on the list of acceptable guests, out you go’. The antibodies do their wonderful efficient job of clearing out this virus promptly, efficiently and at the same time the immune system becomes more ‘resilient’.

PLEASE NOTE immunity involves the INNATE and ACQUIRED ..and INNATE involves the microbiome as well as the nervous system. At the end of the day the WHOLE purpose for all these magnificent systems is to co-operate and keep you healthy and well. Whether that includes a fever, some local pain (inflammation), some headaches, some sweating and so forth. Do sign up for my newsletters as I will be running workshops online over the foreseeable future to spread the news of HEALTH and take the MIS out of MIS-information.

We have scientists that are searching for parts of the flu virus that stays the same from year to year to year called the INvariant sites of the virus. By injecting these invariant sites straight into the body (which bypasses the innate immunity) they are hoping that the antibodies that are produced by the B cells to these invariants will always be the same ones needed every year. Although this sounds amazing to some, it is disheartening for the development of the immune system. It is like going to the gym, you exercise, do some weights and you develop some muscle tone and some definition. Then you stop going, you lose this definition, lose the muscle. But someone else comes along and says ‘no need, I can give you some steroids to build the muscle faster and you do not have to work out as much’. Does that work in the long term?

Our immune system needs to be nurtured, encouraged, and fed. Bypassing the innate immunity and triggering the ACQUIRED means some serious short-cuts have been taken which can actually be detrimental long term.

We have so many wonderful herbs, nutrients, homeobotanicals, homeopathic remedies, breathing exercises that we can build a strong, robust immune system.

To health and happiness! 

Khush