| The myopic public health machine is clinging to their | | | | making up for a lack of sleep. For a more |
| anti-viral drugs and future experimental vaccines as | | | | comprehensive discussion please see my adrenal and |
| their great hope for minimizing a potential Swine flu | | | | sleep health topic pages. |
| pandemic. It is a paradigm of assistance that woefully | | | | Energetic Competence |
| falls short. What the public really needs is credible | | | | The next issue of great importance is the function of |
| immune system information that not only helps | | | | your thyroid system, as it facilitates the pace at which |
| overcome the fear of this flu, but also provides tangible | | | | energy can be produced by your body. Many |
| steps to take in addition to hand washing, hygiene, and | | | | individuals struggle with poorly functioning thyroid and |
| reducing potential exposure. In the case of a pandemic, | | | | this is a clear weakness that can handicap available |
| everyone will be exposed. The million dollar question is: | | | | energy, especially during a time of increased energy |
| What determines immune system fitness? | | | | need such as fighting an infection. |
| Our bodies are used to fighting infection and we have | | | | Relatively new science has pinpointed how the toxins |
| very advanced weaponry or we as a race would not | | | | coming from infections are a major challenge to your |
| have survived earlier battles. Your body is the | | | | thyroid function. This information shows that when |
| superpower, not the virus. Do you know how to | | | | toxic infectious particles are sensed by your |
| unleash your potential? | | | | hypothalamus gland, thyroid function is progressively |
| Fundamental to any aspect of health is energy. You | | | | turned down in response to the initial inflammatory |
| must have energy to do anything and you must have | | | | gene signals that are needed to fight the infection. This |
| lots of energy to effectively prevent an infection or to | | | | is most likely a survival system in and of itself, as |
| mount an efficient immune response. Your immune | | | | energy needs to be diverted to immune function and |
| system in a time of need is an energy intense | | | | away from general metabolic needs. However, it |
| operation. | | | | appears a line can be crossed where too much |
| Your brain coordinates your deployment of energetic | | | | toxicity can simply crash your thyroid function - |
| resources during a time of infection, as commander | | | | creating a major problem for immune function. |
| and chief. The language it uses is heavily reliant on a | | | | Additionally, infections directly inflame the thyroid gland |
| system of short-lived immune system signals called | | | | itself. |
| cytokines. Cytokines are communication molecules that | | | | This inflammatory problem will be magnified by |
| share connections between your nervous system, | | | | pre-existing thyroid problems, especially in those with |
| your immune system, your thyroid function, and your | | | | pre-existing elevated thyroid autoantibodies. Even |
| adrenals. | | | | sluggish thyroid issues are a problem, as they will |
| Cytokines are involved in inflammation and | | | | handicap general energy production. By the time a |
| anti-inflammation. Those who have so far died from | | | | person has elevated thyroid autoantibodies (5% of the |
| this new Swine flu have suffered from a “cytokine | | | | population), it means that the anti-inflammatory |
| storm” leading to mortality - meaning that this critical | | | | reserves of the adrenals are also already lacking. |
| system of natural function was unable to keep up with | | | | Leptin resistance causes a similar thyroid problem in |
| the demands of the infection. Why? | | | | your brain, as your body gets the false notion you are |
| Intruder Alert | | | | starving and so turns down your metabolism by |
| Just as you would be somewhat panicked by a | | | | deactivating TRH (thyrotropin releasing hormone). This |
| stranger entering your home, your body sends out 911 | | | | means that following the Leptin Diet is a really good |
| signals to the command and control center of your | | | | idea so as not to be placing your thyroid function in a |
| brain (hypothalamus gland) once an infection has been | | | | state of pre-existing stress based on how you are |
| identified. In essence, your body is preparing for battle | | | | eating. |
| and is going on high alert. This initial process is highly | | | | The infection anti-thyroid response targets the same |
| inflammatory and is a vital part of ramping up your | | | | TRH signal in your hypothalamus, but is orchestrated |
| defense system. It is initiated by cytokine signals | | | | by non-food signal inputs. There are special glial cells |
| cross-talking between immune cells and your | | | | called tanycytes that line key areas within your |
| hypothalamus gland. | | | | hypothalamus gland. These cells sense the infection |
| Because this process is highly inflammatory your brain | | | | particles and actually producing extra T3 within your |
| knows that it will need an extra supply of | | | | hypothalamus gland only, which makes your brain think |
| anti-inflammatory lubrication to keep things cooled off, | | | | your body has enough T3, at which point your brain |
| like making sure you have enough oil in your car engine | | | | turns down TRH production and consequently reduces |
| to keep it running faster without overheating. In your | | | | thyroid output for the rest of your body. Interestingly, |
| body, this function is performed by your adrenal glands. | | | | this is one reason why people with sub-clinical or |
| Thus, cytokines directly talk to your hypothalamic | | | | chronic low grade viral infections typically have sluggish |
| pituitary/adrenal axis and tell it to ramp up production | | | | thyroid problems. |
| of inflammation-quenching lubricant (cortisol). | | | | Another significant thyroid stress is the toxicity of the |
| What happens if you are already low on adrenal | | | | drugs used to fight viral infections. While no specific |
| lubricant? In other words, what if you are already | | | | studies exist on Tamiflu and thyroid, the fact that |
| stressed out, tired, fatigued, anxious, irritable, and in a | | | | Tamiflu causes mental derangement in a percentage |
| general trend of wear and tear? Answer - there is no | | | | of children is evidence that it interferes with normal |
| way you will make lubricant in the proper amount | | | | adrenal and thyroid function. We know that other viral |
| because your system is either out of shape or already | | | | therapies, as applied to HIV or hepatitis, can be very |
| running on a credit card that is overdrawn. | | | | toxic to the thyroid. |
| This problem is what would set you up for being more | | | | This means that viral drug treatment is likely to take a |
| at risk for a cytokine storm. During an intense infection | | | | toll on the thyroid anyway, so it is a good idea to ideally |
| your body must balance the need to make highly | | | | have your system working so well that you don’t |
| inflammatory compounds with the need to protect | | | | get sick and if you should have to battle the flu you |
| your body from the inflammation. If the infection is | | | | want to keep your thyroid as functional as possible. |
| intense, you must make a lot of inflammatory | | | | Strength training exercise helps to condition your |
| compounds. If you don’t have an adequate supply | | | | thyroid to work better, as one final end point of thyroid |
| of relaxation reserves because you have already | | | | metabolism is to combine smoothly with growth |
| spent them on day-to-day living, you could be in trouble. | | | | hormone to rejuvenate muscle recovery. It is an |
| This may be a wake up call for many people to find | | | | especially good idea to have fit muscles going into any |
| better balance in their lives, especially at the time of a | | | | potential flu pandemic, as your muscles act as a bank |
| potential pandemic flu. Depleting yourself from stress | | | | account of protein that your body will use in a time of |
| or pushing it too hard in general, especially when | | | | need to make antibodies. The more muscle you have, |
| combined with a lack of quality sleep, puts your | | | | the better chance of survival. I have noticed for many |
| immune system at a significant disadvantage. | | | | years that when people keep their muscles fit they |
| The best way to test the health of this system is to | | | | are much less prone to getting sick. |
| do some aerobic exercise. In this case the stress of | | | | Please consult my thyroid health topic page for more |
| the exercise actually activates the same higher need | | | | information. |
| for anti-inflammatory reserves - raising your cortisol up | | | | Summary |
| to five times normal resting value. Cortisol at this level | | | | Your immune systems need to activate various |
| then activates endorphins and you get a runner’s | | | | germ-killing troops in order to defend you. Fundamental |
| high (or at least feel refreshed). Too much exercise will | | | | to this task is having energy on demand, much like |
| tire you out and those who aren’t fit enough to | | | | having money in savings for a time of need. You help |
| exercise are also of questionable fitness to fight an | | | | promote this savings by living in harmony with your |
| infection. | | | | hormonal systems. |
| By the way, if you feel on the verge of fighting a bug, | | | | Eating in harmony with leptin helps your adrenals, |
| cut back on intensity or eliminate aerobics until you are | | | | thyroid, and immunity. If you aren’t aerobically fit or |
| done fighting the infection. This is because the aerobics | | | | muscularly fit, then there is no better time to get |
| demand is too intense when your body needs to also | | | | started. Even if the U.S. is spared the Swine flu this |
| activate an immune response. | | | | summer, there is a high probability it will be back next |
| There are many nutrients you can use to boost | | | | fall. This might give you a little extra time to be better |
| adrenals, including a high protein breakfast, pantethine, | | | | prepared. |
| Q10, magnesium, B complex, and vitamin C. There are | | | | Maintaining optimal function of your adrenals and |
| also numerous nutrients that can help your adrenals | | | | thyroid are key to many aspects of health, including |
| quench inflammation, including quercetin, bromelain, and | | | | immunity. |
| curcumin - to name a few. Of course, there is no | | | | |