On a physical level, the first line of defence is the healthy terrain of our skin, mucus, tears, saliva and stomach, whose function is to stop the germs entrance into the body. However, even with all of these defences, sometimes the pathogens get in anyway. This is when herbs can have a powerful and beneficial effect on the immune system by assisting the body's internal response to eliminate or suppress unwanted pathogenic germs. Echinacea, garlic, and oregano are just a few to mention that work in this way.
Your immune system will kick in during all of this as it perceives foreign energy entering its sphere. It will flood the wound area to wash out any nasties and quickly send out a clean-up crew to kill everything that is not recognized. This is happening throughout your entire body. If the immune system has not encountered a specific virus, it will tirelessly understand the key to invading the invaders and killing them off. That is why sometimes it takes a few days to feel better as the immune goes into overdrive to fix the problem.
This article was written in the years of Covid 19. Unfortunately, there is no natural immunity at this time as this is a novel virus that no human has encountered, and our immune systems do not hold the keys. Thankfully, the vaccines have been out for six months now.
Just as s a note of interest, most bacteria are friendly, not all, of course, whereas all viruses are usually a problem. This is because viruses need a cell host to replicate themselves and can be viewed as parasitic. So when your immune system figures out how to invade them, the game is over.
It would make sense to keep that fantastic immune system you have been blessed with strong and healthy. Keeping your stress levels down is a good start as stress takes it out of the immune system. Exercise, good food, having fun with friends and family all support the immune system. However, there are times when a little help may be needed. This is a practical application for herbs called adaptogens, which increase the body's ability to resist the damaging effects of stress on the immune system. Astragalus, Reishi mushroom, America Ginseng, Ashwagandha and Licorice are some common adaptogenic herbs.
If you are experiencing a lot of stress and keep getting every cold or flu that goes by or your allergies are driving you crazy, this may be a time to consult with a herbalist or natural practitioner. All herbs have a personality profile, and one will be a better match than another.
