The Cold Virus

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the common cold is one of the leading causes for doctor visits in the United States. The National Center for Health Statistics estimates that 62 million cases of the common cold occur each year, costing 20 million lost school days and 22 million lost workdays.   These statistics also reveal that the *average* child contracts three to six colds a year, and adults two or three. [5] That’s a lot of misery, and a lot of lost time and lost income.

A virus is a strange duck.   They consist solely of genetic material (RNA or DNA) surrounded by a protective capsule. They are unique because they lack any of the characteristics that we normally use to define a living organism. They don’t eat, breath, or multiply by themselves. [6]

Unfortunately, they do mutate periodically, causing new strains which may be either weaker or more virulent than the original “parent” virus. [7]   More about that later.

How Do We Fight Viruses?

When the body's immune system detects a viral infection, it first responds in a generic way.
A process begins called RNA interference, which is crucial to fighting viruses, because it degrades viral genetic material, enabling hijacked cells to survive the infection.

After cellular attack, our immune system produces specific antibodies that can bind to the virus, making them non-infectious. Then T-cells are sent to destroy the virus (or bacteria).

Understanding this complete process is what encourages us to explore holistic methods for strengthening our natural immune response by taking immune-boosting nutrients.




Building Natural Immunity

The Department of Agriculture estimates that more than 50% of Americans
are deficient in the following immune nutrients:

This is partly because of our daily food choices, and partly because of how we grow and process our food supply.

That’s why we need to pay close attention to a randomized trial published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, because it demonstrated that even a simple, basic nutritional (supplementation) program dramatically increased immune function, specifically T-cell-mediated immune function, in an elderly (over 65) population.   [9]

A previous issue of HealthQuest discussed the internal or cell-mediated immune system in depth. The important take-away from that review is that robust immune function is completely dependent on a constant supply of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in our blood stream.

We also learned that diets high in cholesterol, and lives filled with chronic stress also depress immune function. That’s why a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, boosted by a sensible supplementation regimen supports immune function, thereby reducing the incidence of infection in the short term, and chronic disease in the long term.

The statistics from Shaklee’s “Landmark Study” [13] and the NHANES database [14] provide irrefutable evidence that people who used Shaklee supplements maintained better overall health, and experienced the lowest incidences of the diseases of aging:

heart disease, cancer, stroke, pulmonary diseases
(including pneumonia), and stroke.

Those are the top 5 killers of everyone above the age of 55. [15]

The cold, dry air of winter also imposes significant stress on our external immune system because it dries out and thins our mucus membrane barrier. During this same time period, we also celebrate 4 major holidays within 2 short months that involve foods loaded with sugar and fat, and are accompanied by oceans of sweetened drinks and/or alcohol.

These 3 “pseudo-food groups” (sugar, hydrogernated fats and alcohol) weaken our internal, or cellular immune system, partly by suppressing immune cell function (fat) [16], and partly by gobbling up important immune nutrients that are diverted to help us metabolize and excrete them (sugar and alcohol). [17] This combination of nutrient loss and the thinning of our mucus barrier is why the winter months generate the highest incidence of colds and flu.




How to Keep Your Family Healthy All Winter

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