Immune Care, a daily priority
Hello my friends!
I’d like to share some thoughts and information with you today about a subtle but powerful way to add daily immune support to your regimen; especially for those who deal with and heal chronic illness.
Many people hold an overly narrow perception of their immune system and it’s role in our health. We may not even pay attention to our immune system until we succumb to an illness, where we can’t ignore annoying symptoms like congestion, sore throat, fatigue, coughing and headaches. Only then, we might alter our diets or add basic supplements or, in most cases, turn to over-the-counter drugs.
The problem with this “run to the fire” approach is that once the fire is put out, further investigation as to why the fire began (or why it continues to flare up) generally stops. To take this analogy a little further, if the conditions for a fire are favorable and measures like controlled burning or clearing are neglected, fires will continue to burn, then eventually get out of control.
Taking daily care of the immune system is not too different. The consistent effort here is to create very unfavorable conditions for pathogens, viruses and toxins.
If we step back and think about the deep influence of the immune system on every aspect of health, we realize that immune health is everything. Here are just a few examples of the relationship between immune function and health conditions;
· Periodontal disease is a risk factor for coronary heart disease. This is caused by lowered immune and microbial health in the mouth. 1
· Heavy metal and mold toxicity and viral infection are now well known risk factors for developing Alzheimer’s disease. 2, 3
· Chronic inflammation (inflammation is a function of the immune system) is involved in multiple psychiatric disorders like depression, OCD, bipolar, schizophrenia and PTSD. 4
· Rheumatoid arthritis, often associated with aging, is actually an autoimmune disease, a breakdown and dysregulation of the immune system. 5
“Opting for assuming daily immune supporting practices creates an internal terrain that defends and detoxes efficiently. ”
Opting for assuming daily immune supporting practices creates an internal terrain that defends and detoxes efficiently. If you’re dealing with chronic health conditions, this is especially important!
Daily movement, optimal nutrition, avoiding inflammatory triggers, spiritual and emotional work are all examples of positive practices that support your immune system. Because this list can sometimes get overwhelming, I like to find small and delightful habits or recipes that I can thread through this process.
One of those delightful recipes uses a powerful, anti-viral herb called cistus incanus or Pink Rock Rose. This herbs polyphenolic compounds have been shown to inhibit glycation, one pathology in chronic conditions like NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, atherosclerosis, obesity, metabolic syndrome, pre-diabetes). 6 What’s more compelling to me, is the literature on the anti-viral properties of cistus incanus. One study demonstrated that “Cistus incanus extracts show potent and broad in vitro antiviral activity against viruses that cause life-threatening diseases in humans and are promising sources of agents that target virus particles.” 7 It is even purported to be effective in cases of Lyme infection. 8
While it’s not exactly something you’ll find in your local natural health store, it can be found online as a tea or tincture. I really love including this in a daily iced tea recipe!
Rock Rose Iced Tea
Light and earthy immune and detox refreshment
Makes about 4
Ingredients:
2-3 TBPS loose Rock Rose tea (check out polanaherb.com or lindenbotanicals.com)
2 TBPS dried burdock root
2 TBPS fresh, peeled chopped ginger
2-3 TBSP (or 2 bags) green tea of your choice (switch for rooibos if sensitive to caffeine)
2-3 slices of lemon and lime
Organic stevia powder (to taste)
Bring about 32oz of water to a boil, then add the rock rose, burdock and ginger. Bring to a simmer, cover for about 12 minutes. Then add your green or rooibos tea, cover for another 5-6 minutes.
Strain out the herbs and roots (I use a large French press or colander with cheese cloth) and pour tea into large pitcher or large mason jar. Let cool for about 5 minutes, then add about 12-16oz filtered water.
Then squeeze lemon and lime and add stevia to taste. Refrigerate overnight and drink about 8-12oz daily!
Sources
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2596495/
2. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/bn/2015/620143/
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8033564/
4. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41398-019-0570-y
5. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2021.689044/full
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9032239/
7. https://www.nature.com/articles/srep20394
8. Feng J, Leone J, Schweig S, Zhang Y. Evaluation of Natural and Botanical Medicines for Activity Against Growing and Non-growing Forms of B. burgdorferi. Front Med. 2020;7
