Four Variables for Pathogenic Illness

Masks, social distancing, handwashing, testing: in the last few months, America has awoken to a whole new reality with an awareness that a compromised immune system is risky and dangerous. We are now talking about immune systems and compromised immunity like never before. Yet, we haven’t been talking about host immunity, and why people have compromised immune systems.

We are the HOST and we have an immune system that protects us if it is strong. Bacterial, fungal, and viral pathogens need a host to survive and thrive, yet pathogens do not cause illness in every host. Scientists and doctors agree that in order for a pathogen to cause illness, four variables must align:

A pathogen must be present
The pathogen must be virulent and capable of producing harmful effects
The pathogen load must be high enough
The HOST must be susceptible to the pathogen

Misplaced Focus on Compromised Immune Systems

Health professionals and the news media have avoided discussion of our host immune systems, which naturally protect us all the time from pathogenic threats. Instead, they talk about how people with compromised immune systems and comorbidities (such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity) are being disproportionally affected by COVID19. Our American lifestyle and diet has predisposed large swaths of our population to having compromised immune systems and comorbidities.

Masks and social distancing aim to reduce the pathogen load, yet this narrative neglects the superior aim of strengthening the host. We have little control over the strength of the COVID19 pathogen, and we can’t live behind masks forever, as we attempt to reduce pathogen load by social distancing and mask wearing But what we can do is strengthen the host, and that means strengthening our own immune systems.

The best way to immunity is through

strong immune systems.

It is rare that healthy people with strong immune systems are significantly sickened by COVID19. As more and more antibody testing is performed on broad sectors of our population, it is being found that huge numbers of people already have COVID19 antibodies, even though they had no idea that they’d been exposed. COVID19 has already become part of their adaptive immune response. “Herd immunity” is building whether we stand six feet apart, wash our hands or wear a mask….it is happening whether we like it or not. The bigger question is: Are Americans up to facing this HOST threat?

Immune System Primer

The immune system is our body’s defense system that protects us from foreign invaders such as pathogenic bacteria and viruses. Immunity is developed by the immune system, and provides protection against illness from specific pathogens. Immunity from specific illnesses is achieved through both the innate and adaptive immune systems.

The innate immune system is a rapid–response, whole body protective system that blocks, controls, neutralizes and eliminates pathogenic threats. Elements of the innate immune system include our skin, white blood cells, killer T cells, the gut microbiome, mucus producing cells, tear duct lactoferrin, mucus membranes, lymphocytes, phagocytes, MAST cells, and cytokines. Our innate immune systems protect us all the time if they are strong and functioning well. The very last thing you would ever want to do is injure or disable this system. Yet, that is exactly what we do whenever we take symptom relief medications which block mucus production or other natural systems that protect us. Antibiotics have been abused so badly that we now have tens of thousands of people that die every year from antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Our first-world innate immune systems and microbiomes have been damaged and can no longer protect us.

The adaptive immune system is a slow-response system that creates specific immunity after the innate immune system has been the first line of defense. The adaptive immune system creates a long-term memory of the invader, thereby producing specialized antibodies against each specific invader. Antibodies can be likened to battle-hardened, experienced warriors who are ready to quickly protect against any similar attack that may come your way in the future.

Vaccines aim to trick the body by introducing dead or weakened pathogens in an attempt to trigger the adaptive immune system to produce antibodies. It is possible to create immunity to a pathogen through vaccination and allowing antibodies to be created by your body’s adaptive immune response. Sometimes this works and sometimes it does not.

Creating antibodies means you must go to battle. Going into battle with a weak immune system is a serious risk! Having a strong, adaptive and resilient immune system is a powerful barrier to protect against bacterial, viral, and other threats.

We Damage Our Immune Systems

At the foundation of the immune system is the gut microbiome, which houses 70-80% of the immune system. In America we have embraced all sorts of things that weaken the gut microbiome: antibiotics, preservatives, GMOs, Roundup residues, high sugar diets, highly processed foods….these are all destructive to the gut microbiome and therefore they compromise the immune system. For instance, antibiotics weaken the innate immune system by disrupting the gut microbiome such that neutrophils and white blood cells are no longer able to react properly when threats arise. Antibiotics also weaken the adaptive immune system by reducing immunity to subsequent infection. Food additives such as preservatives effect immune cells and the inflammatory response, thus contributing to the development of comorbidities. Over the longer life experience, exposure to these foods and threats often manifests as chronic disease including diabetes, obesity, arthritis, asthma, whole body inflammation, heart disease etc.

Raw Milk and Milk Kefir Strengthen the Immune System

Nutrition is of prime importance in strengthening the immune system. Raw milk plays a very important part in building and strengthening both the innate and adaptive immune systems. Studies performed in Europe have shown that children who drink raw milk have decreased rates of asthma, allergies, eczema, ear infections, fever, and respiratory infections. These benefits are likely related to the active immune factors, biodiversity, prebiotics, intact protective proteins and other elements found in raw milk. Pasteurized milk does not confer these protective properties because the beneficial raw proteins and enzyme-based elements are denatured and inactivated by heat. Raw milk also contains antibodies which can be beneficial for the immune system.

Raw milk kefir is packed full of biodiversity and contains immune factors from the raw milk. Raw milk kefir is a powerful immune-building food which has been shown to stimulate and modulate the immune system, have a beneficial effect on the composition of the gut microbiome, and reduce allergies. Fermented milk has also been shown to reduce the duration of respiratory infections and colds in the elderly.

Raw Milk Is Similar to Breastmilk

Researchers have likened the protective effects of raw milk to those of breastmilk. Breastmilk is raw milk! Many “agents with beneficial anti-microbial or immune-modulatory effects are shared in bovine and human milk, such as immunoglobulins, cytokines, growth factors, lactoferrin, oligosaccharides, and milk fat globule membranes.”

A recent study of breastmilk from mothers with COVID19 in New York found that the breastmilk contained antibodies to COVID19. This means that infants of mothers infected with COVID19 would receive immunity-building properties directly through breastmilk. Similar effects have been demonstrated with hyperimmune cow’s milk, which has been shown to contain specific antibodies that may boost the immune system. When cows are purposely exposed to pathogens during the dry period, their colostrum contains antibodies to those pathogens for their calves at birth. Research at UC Davis is now investigating whether hyper-immune milk can be produced to protect humans from COVID19.

Raw milk is the first food of life. Its role is not just nourishment; raw milk protects the baby by building the immune system and contributing to a powerful gut microbiome. Over thousands of years of evolution, raw milk has been tested and refined by the trials of successive generations which allow only the best to thrive. The numerous immune system factors present in raw milk intentionally strengthen the baby’s weak immune system, with elements needed for both the innate and adaptive immune systems.

Personal Responsibility for Our Immune Systems

Personal responsibility is critical in building strong immune systems. A strong gut microbiome should be the goal of anyone looking for long-term immune system strength and the subsequent immunity that this brings. Doctors cannot help us with this. We must take responsibility for our own health by purposely building and keeping our immune systems strong. We can care for our gut microbiomes by providing them with whole foods which nourish our biodiversity. Like breastmilk, raw milk and raw milk kefir are self-contained immune system building super foods. Four variables must align in order for a pathogen to make you sick. You have control over the HOST variable and perhaps can reduce the load variable. You are very much in charge of your health and your ability to adapt to all threats, today and into the future. Drink up your delicious raw milk and thrive!