There has been a lot of information on the news lately about our immune system and how specific germs CAUSE dis-ease. This has been a myth that has been promoted by the pharmaceutical industry as well as traditional medicine for decades. However, Louis Pasteur, on his deathbed, admitted that the germs were NOT the cause of dis-ease. The terrain or the condition of the environment in the body was the primary cause and the germs (bacteria and viruses) were secondary. 

So one of the more important things you can do to create vibrant health is to boost your own immune system. This is because your immune system is designed to seek out and destroy pathogens and maintain balance as long as it has what it needs to work properly. Here are three common conditions that may hinder your immune function and raise your risk for Breast Cancer.

Your Immune System 101

The immune system is your number one defense against any disease condition. This is because its main job is to seek out, destroy, and assist in eliminating pathogens from the blood and body.

To help people understand the immune system, I like to give a visual that I know everyone can relate to. Imagine that there is a “galactic battle” going on inside of your body (because, in fact, there is)! The pathogens, obviously, represent the “bad guys.” Can you guess what best represents the good guys in your internal environment?

You guessed it! It’s your immune system!

The fact is that all the different cells, substances, and chemical communications of the immune system (most of which exist in the intestinal tract as well as in the blood) are designed to “stand guard” over your whole body. You can think of all these mechanisms as your “first line of defense” against “foreign invaders” such as viruses, fungi, bad bacteria, and cancer cells that would love to multiply and take over your body.

For example, did you know that there are immune system cells that shoot out poisons or laser beam-like ionic particles designed to attack pathogens and protect healthy cells? Besides the digestive system, immune system cells also reside and function in the lymph nodes, in the bone marrow, in the thymus, in the spleen, and, of course, in the blood.

The immune system is a complex, intricate, body-wide system. It is pretty amazing. But it needs our help to be up to the task of defending us against pathogens day after day. Some of the “bad guys” can call in reinforcements (i.e. multiply) pretty quickly. If your immune system is not working properly or if the toxic load is too high, it will not be able to stay ahead of all the “bad guys” and keep you safe!

3 Issues That Can Hinder Immune System (and What You Can Do About It)

The immune system can be hindered, lowered, and compromised by dozens of factors, from eating too much sugar to chronic stress. Studies have found that persons who suffer from chronic inflammation or low body temperature will experience low immunity. Other experts have calculated that eating just one scoop of vanilla ice cream can lower immune system responses for up to three hours! 

 Here are 3 very common conditions that can lower immunity and raise your risk of Breast Cancer:

Cavitations

We all know about root canals and how they can be sources of a “slow drip” of some pretty nasty bacterial toxins such as Staphylococcus aureus. If you are unfamiliar with the damage that root canals can cause to your immune system and your whole body, be sure to check out THIS ARTICLE.

What a lot of people aren’t familiar with, however, are the hidden threats that cavitations can cause. Cavitation means “hole in the bone.” In this case, we are talking about hollow areas of the jaw where the infection has set in. According to some studies, cavitations can especially affect women over 60. Cavitations are more common than people think, and often go unnoticed. Simply put, consumers and dental professionals alike are uninformed and they do not know how to look for them. They most often develop as a side effect of dental surgery and can sometimes take years to develop. Unfortunately, this infectious bacteria in the jawbone and elsewhere eventually will make their way to the bloodstream and the entire body. Similar to root canals, this infectious material can contribute to many chronic diseases, especially autoimmunity.

What You Can Do About It:

The absolute best way to make sure that cavitations are not contributing to chronic disease and a higher risk of Breast Cancer is to connect with a quality holistic dentist that you can trust. Make sure that he or she knows about the dangers of cavitations and what to do about them. A truly holistic, or “biological,” dentist understands how dental health is intricately connected to the health of your whole body. A holistic dentist will also use natural modalities and procedures whenever possible.

If you already have a holistic dentist, that is great! Be sure to make an appointment to specifically discuss cavitations. If you do not have such a health professional on your healing team, you can learn about how to connect with one HERE. In addition, all of the articles in these blogs pertain to Essential #5, Embrace Biological Dentistry, and provide valuable resources  Remember that dental health is a key component of your overall Healthy Breast Journey!

Autoimmune Disease

In conventional terms, “autoimmune disease” is a condition where a person’s immune system “mistakenly attacks” healthy mechanisms and substances in the body. As anyone who has ever suffered from an autoimmune condition will tell you, however, in reality, autoimmune disease is a lot more complicated than this.

Currently, there are millions of people in the United States alone who have been diagnosed with autoimmunity, and (I believe) many millions more who suffer from symptoms but go undiagnosed. There are also dozens of different kinds of autoimmune diseases, including Type 2 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.

Some experts also describe autoimmunity as an immune system that is “hyper-vigilant.” This description can often cause confusion among patients.

“If my immune system is hyper-vigilant, then that means it is working extra hard?” you may ask. “And does that mean that the natural protocols for helping the immune system wouldn’t apply to me?”

Nothing could be farther from the truth! Boosting immune health naturally means you are rebalancing your immune system. Taking supplements, lowering stress, eating a healing diet, and participating in easy, natural modalities like light exercise can all help your overall health and are tickets for healing any disease, including autoimmune conditions. Interestingly, as natural health experts and patients alike learn more about autoimmunity, we are discovering that the key characteristics found in all disease conditions also apply to those with autoimmune conditions. This includes chronic stress (and the high cortisol levels and adrenal burnout that comes with it). It also includes systemic inflammation. Most glaringly, however, is the role that gut imbalance and Leaky Gut play in autoimmune responses.

There is also a correlation between autoimmune conditions and a higher risk of Breast Cancer, according to a 2012 study at Thomas Jefferson University.

What You Can Do About It:

There is still a lot of debate when it comes to how autoimmune conditions work and how best to heal them. There is one thing that pretty much everyone agrees on, however. That is the connection between autoimmune disease and a condition known as Leaky Gut. In addition, protocols that balance gut microbiota and clear up Leaky Gut are vital for healing any kind of autoimmune condition. Current studies also suggest that sealing and strengthening the gut lining can also prevent the spread of cancer.  For more about gut health and some great tips for both healthy digestion and healthy elimination, be sure to tune in to my podcast interview with Dr. Marisol Teijeiro.

Epstein-Barr Virus

According to current surveys, between 90-95% of Americans have been exposed to EBV. If you look for information about Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) from any conventional source, you will most likely hear about how it is a very common, mild virus that is most known for its manifestation as mononucleosis, or just “mono” (i.e., the kissing disease).  

In reality, EBV is a lot sneakier (as well as a lot more serious) than most conventional sources make it out to be. The reason is that EBV can actually turn genes on and off, in particular genes related to the immune system. Chinese researchers writing a 2018 study published in the journal Nature Genetics found that EBV can affect a type of white blood cell called a “B cell,” which is responsible for producing antibodies.

This is one of the reasons why other research has made the connection between EBV and autoimmune conditions such as lupus, MS, rheumatoid arthritis, IBS, Celiac and even Type 1 diabetes.

Recent investigations have also found a link between EBV and Breast Cancer. A 2015 study published in PLOS One found a significant correlation between the presence of EBV among women, most of whom were between the ages of 40-54, with invasive Breast Cancer. Based on their findings,  writers of the New Zealand investigation urged further study on the correlation.

What You Can Do About It:

There are many experts out there that offer whole programs for healing from Epstein-Barr as well as dealing with the symptoms. Just like with any disease, gut health plays a vital role. In particular, however, most EBV experts suggest boosting up on natural anti-viral substances such as vitamin C, elderberry, garlic, echinacea, and especially zinc.

Zinc has been shown to boost immune system function and lower infection rates, especially after low-dose long-term use. In addition, zinc has been connected to lowering rates of IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor). High IGF-1 is linked to cancer and other chronic diseases in older adults.