White Blood Cells

The white blood cells (also known as leukocytes) seek out and destroy the organisms or substances that cause disease.

Leukocytes are produced or stored in many locations throughout the body, including the thymus, spleen, bone marrow and lymph nodes. The leukocytes circulate through the body between the organs and nodes by means of the lymphatic vessels. Leukocytes can also circulate through the blood vessels. In this way, the immune system works in a coordinated manner to monitor the body for germs or substances that might cause problems.

There are two basic types of leukocytes:

1. Phagocytes

Phagocytes are white blood cells that chew up invading organisms. A number of different cells are considered phagocytes. The most common type is the neutrophil, which primarily fights bacteria. If doctors are worried about a bacterial infection, they might order a blood test to see if a patient has an increased number of neutrophils triggered by the infection. Other types of phagocytes such as macrophages, basophils, and eosinophils each have their own jobs to make sure that the body responds appropriately to a specific type of invader.

2. Lymphocytes

Lymphocytes are white blood cells that allow the body to remember and recognize previous invaders and help the body destroy them. There are two kinds of lymphocytes: the B lymphocytes and the T lymphocytes. Lymphocytes start out in the bone marrow and either stay there and mature into B cells, or they leave for the thymus gland, where they mature into T cells. B lymphocytes and T lymphocytes have separate jobs to do: B lymphocytes are like the body's military intelligence system, seeking out their targets and sending defenses to lock onto them. T cells are like the soldiers, destroying the invaders that the intelligence system has identified.

Here's how it works.

• Antigens are foreign substances that invade the body. When an antigen is detected, several types of cells work together to recognize and respond to it. These cells trigger the B lymphocytes to produce antibodies, specialized proteins that lock onto specific antigens. Antibodies and antigens fit together like a key and a lock.
• Once the B lymphocytes have produced antibodies, these antibodies continue to exist in a person's body, so that if the same antigen is presented to the immune system again, the antibodies are already there to do their job. That's why if someone gets sick with a certain disease, like chickenpox, that person typically doesn't get sick from it again. This is also why we use immunizations to prevent getting certain diseases. The immunization introduces the body to the antigen in a way that doesn't make a person sick, but it does allow the body to produce antibodies that will then protect that person from future attack by the germ or substance that produces that particular disease.
• Although antibodies can recognize an antigen and lock onto it, they are not capable of destroying it without help. That is the job of the T cells. The T cells are part of the system that destroys antigens that have been tagged by antibodies or cells that have been infected or somehow changed. (There are actually T cells that are called "killer cells.") T cells are also involved in helping signal other cells (like phagocytes) to do their jobs.
• Antibodies can also neutralize toxins (poisonous or damaging substances) produced by different organisms. Lastly, antibodies can activate a group of proteins called complement that are also part of the immune system. Complement assists in killing bacteria, viruses, or infected cells.
• All of these specialized cells and parts of the immune system offer the body protection against disease. This protection is called immunity.

Humans have three types of immunity:

1. Innate Immunity

Everyone is born with innate (or natural) immunity, a type of general protection that humans have. Many of the germs that affect other species don't harm us. For example, the viruses that cause leukemia in cats or distemper in dogs don't affect humans. Innate immunity works both ways because some viruses that make humans ill --- such as the virus that causes HIV/AIDS --- don't make cats or dogs sick either.

Innate immunity also includes the external barriers of the body, like the skin and mucous membranes (like those that line the nose, throat, and gastrointestinal tract), which are our first line of defense in preventing diseases from entering the body. If this outer defensive wall is broken (like if you get a cut), the skin attempts to heal the break quickly and special immune cells on the skin attack invading germs.

2. Adaptive Immunity

We also have a second kind of protection called adaptive (or active) immunity. This type of immunity develops throughout our lives. Adaptive immunity involves the lymphocytes (as in the process described above) and develops as children and adults are exposed to diseases or immunized against diseases through vaccination.

There are two types of addaptive Immunity:

1. Humoral Immunity- mediated by the secretion of immunoglobins (antibodies) by B cells in response to bacteria and viruses. It involves a variety of substances found in the humors, or body fluids. These substances interfere with the growth of pathogens and clump them together so they can be eliminated from the body.
2. Cellular Immunity- Cell-mediated immunity is an immune response that does not involve antibodies but rather involves the activation of macrophages, natural killer cells (NK), antigen-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes, and the release of various cytokines in response to an antigen.

3. Passive Immunity

Passive immunity is "borrowed" from another source and it lasts for a short time. For example, antibodies in a mother's breast milk provide an infant with temporary immunity to diseases that the mother has been exposed to. This can help protect the infant against infection during the early years of childhood.

Everyone's immune system is different. Some people never seem to get infections, whereas others seem to be sick all the time. As people get older, they usually become immune to more germs as the immune system comes into contact with more and more of them. That's why adults and teens tend to get fewer colds than kids --- their bodies have learned to recognize and immediately attack many of the viruses that cause colds.

Everyone is born with innate (or natural) immunity, a type of general protection that humans have. Many of the germs that affect other species don't harm us. For example, the viruses that cause leukemia in cats or distemper in dogs don't affect humans. Innate immunity works both ways because some viruses that make humans ill --- such as the virus that causes HIV/AIDS --- don't make cats or dogs sick either.

Innate immunity also includes the external barriers of the body, like the skin and mucous membranes (like those that line the nose, throat, and gastrointestinal tract), which are our first line of defense in preventing diseases from entering the body. If this outer defensive wall is broken (like if you get a cut), the skin attempts to heal the break quickly and special immune cells on the skin attack invading germs.

Vaccines do NOT work.

• Vaccine advocates often propagate the fallacy that "diseases like smallpox and polio were eradicated by vaccination." They tout vaccines as a great medical advancement and espouse the notion that we owe our disease-free lives to vaccines.

These falsehoods are NOT supported by historical data, which quite contrarily reveal:

• Smallpox was actually eradicated through efforts like isolation, improved nutrition, hygiene, and sanitation NOT because of success of the vaccine.
• Polio incidence was dramatically "reduced" because the disease was redefined, and serological testing was introduced NOT because of success of the vaccine.
• In fact, many healthy people contracted polio after being inoculated.
• When the polio vaccine was developed, a problem emerged regarding formaldehyde inactivation.
• It turned out that formaldehyde did NOT kill off ALL the polioviruses in these vaccines, which led to live polio viruses being injected into unsuspecting human "guinea pigs". As a result, many more people developed paralysis from the vaccine in 1955, than would have developed it from a wild, normal natural poliovirus.
• The corrupt medical establishment had to do something to hide this major health risk associated with their "miracle vaccine" and make it appear as though the vaccine was actually working instead. So what they did was change the diagnostic criteria for polio.
• The original polio diagnosis criteria was two examinations within 24 hours.
• This was changed to two examinations within 60 days.
• This was helpful in cooking the books, because within 60 days, most people recover from their bout with poliomyelitis.
• All those cases which were formerly called polio were no longer categorized as polio because they recovered from their paralysis within that time.
• So simply by doing the diagnostic testing and changing the diagnostic criteria, the rates of polio plummeted, whether or not there was ever a vaccine.
• There is no place what-so-ever for politics is science, but sadly it is common place. This "pseudoscience" is permeated with politics.
• Many scientists were fired if they disagreed with the program going on through the National Foundation of Infantile Paralysis (NFIP) in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

• The big flaw in the theory of vaccine-induced immunity is that:
• Vaccines primarily stimulate the humoral immune system.
• Antibodies are produced by the humoral immune system and then routinely measured to determine "immunity."
• High antibody levels are NOT an indicator of immuno-protection.
• You can have high antibody levels and still get the disease.
• Vaccines do NOT stimulate the cellular immune system.
• Stimulating the cellular immune system, would be far more immuno-protective than stimulating the humoral immune system.

Vaccines are NOT safe.

We've already established that despite the pervasive misinformation propagated by the corrupt medical establishment, vaccines are NOT effective AND can even give you the disease they are supposedly protecting you from getting.

But even worse, vaccines contain toxic adjuvants, which are associated with VERY serious health risks.

• An adjuvant (as defined by "wikipedia") is:

"a pharmacological or immunological agent that modifies the effect of other agents. Adjuvants may be added to a vaccine to boost the immune response to produce more antibodies and longer-lasting immunity, thus minimizing the dose of antigen needed."

• A glaring omission in this description is any mention of adjuvant safety.

When it comes to safety, its important to note that the vast majority of vaccine research has been designed and conducted by the vaccine industry itself and is rife with corruption. They routinely downplay the risk of adjuvants. even though many are known carcinogens. They spew nonsense about it being a case of "benefit vs. risk", and that the "benefit outweighs the risk", but this is nothing more than self-serving b.s..

For example

• Mercury is one of the most toxic substances on the face of the earth.
• It is beyond ridiculous to use mercury in dental amalgams and/or in vaccines.

yet . . . many vaccines contain the toxic adjuvant "thimerosal", a mercury-based preservative.

• There are more than six dozen studies that establish a link between thimerosal and autism.
• There are no legitimate studies that refute this link.
• Multiple studies that the Center for Disease Control (CDC) uses as "evidence" that vaccines don't cause autism are completely fraudulent
• "On the 30th of November 2009, Coleen Boyle, Diana Schendel, Joanne Wojcik, and Marshalyn Yeargin-Allsopp, along with Danish grantees, failed to report a serious ethical violation in previously published research.
• These studies include the Danish Psychiatric Central Register, which was published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, and a population-based analysis of the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine, also known as MMR, that was published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).
• These four individuals sought to cover their tracks on their failure to ensure Poul Thorsen had obtained all the needed ethical approvals for autism bio and genetic studies. Two studies were published in which legally required ethical permissions were apparently never applied for and granted, according to their notes. When repeatedly asked to provide them, Thorsen did not.
• What this suggests is that the CDC willfully ignored the publishing of false science in defense of vaccines like MMR that other independent studies have linked to causing autism. They also looked the other way in trying to right the wrong of retrieving the stolen money that was used by Thorsen and his colleagues to publish pseudoscience in favor of vaccine industry interests.
• Both papers, in other words, should have been immediately retracted and comprehensively scrutinized before even being reconsidered for republication. But instead, the CDC pretended as though nothing had happened, and continues to this very day to peddle the lie that all vaccines are completely safe and effective.
• Since thimerosal contains about 50% mercury by weight, vaccines with a ratio of 1:10,000 (or 0.01% thimerosal) have about 50 mg/L mercury, which exceeds the 0.2 mg/L hazardous waste toxicity regulatory level for mercury. According to US state and federal hazardous waste management requirements, any vaccines with this level of thimerosal which are discarded need to be treated as hazardous waste.
• Aluminum is another metal which, like mercury, is VERY harmful to human health. Aluminum is a "light" metal rather than a heavy metal like lead and mercury, but its health effects are devastating none the less. As a vaccine adjuvant, aluminum is normally mixed into the vaccine as a salt, e.g. as aluminium phosphate and aluminium hydroxide.
• This study specifically asked the question, "Aluminum vaccine adjuvants: are they safe?" and found they were not.
• Other studies have implicated aluminum in the development of impaired congnitive function, neurotoxicity, Alzheimer's and autism. (It should be noted, however, that it is possible to take aluminum into the body if it is tightly bound as a molecule and not suffer any ill effects, because it will pass straight through the body and not be released. An example of this is zeolite, a matrix of aluminum silicates, which is actually a spectacular health supplement that can safely remove toxins like mercury from your body.)

• Formaldehyde is a known human carcinogen, yet it is commonly used as an adjuvant in vaccines
• Formaldehyde is a foul-smelling chemical used a preservative and biocide. The IARC categorizes it as a class 1 definite carcinogen, and the National Toxicology Program concluded in this study that:

  "Formaldehyde is known to be a human carcinogen based on sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity from studies in humans and supporting data on mechanisms of carcinogenesis. Formaldehyde was first listed in the Second Annual Report on Carcinogens in 1981 as reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen based on sufficient evidence from studies in experimental animals. Since that time, additional cancer studies in humans have been published."

• Squalene is another toxic adjuvant used in vaccines.
• It was experimentally used on unsuspecting soldiers who fought in the first Gulf War.
• Squalene has been implicated in GWS (Gulf War Syndrome) in this study, and the DoD (Department of Defense) conveniently "lost" (destroyed) 700,000 immunization records, which might have told us why squalene was showing up in Gulf War veterans" blood samples.

ProjectCensored.com commented:

A military lab researcher interviewed by Insight was quoted as saying, "We have found soldiers who are not sick that do not have the antibodies, and we found soldiers who never left the United States, but who got shots (administered by the military) who are sick and they have squalene in their systems. We found people who served overseas in various parts of the desert that are sick who have squalene. And we found people who served in the desert but were civilians who never got the shots, who are not sick and do not have squalene."

• There are other toxic adjuvants used in vaccines as well.
• Their safety can not be relied on
• Those who promote them should not be trusted

Immunodeficiency Disorders

Immunodeficiencies occur when a part of the immune system is not present or is not working properly. Sometimes a person is born with an immunodeficiency --- these are called primary immunodeficiencies. (Although primary immunodeficiencies are conditions that a person is born with, symptoms of the disorder sometimes may not show up until later in life.) Immunodeficiencies can also be acquired through infection or produced by drugs. These are sometimes called secondary immunodeficiencies. Immunodeficiencies can affect B lymphocytes, T lymphocytes, or phagocytes. Some examples of primary immunodeficiencies that can affect kids and teens are:

• IgA deficiency is the most common immunodeficiency disorder. IgA is an immunoglobulin that is found primarily in the saliva and other body fluids that help guard the entrances to the body. IgA deficiency is a disorder in which the body doesn't produce enough of the antibody IgA. People with IgA deficiency tend to have allergies or get more colds and other respiratory infections, but the condition is usually not severe.
• Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) is also known as the "bubble boy disease" after a Texas boy with SCID who lived in a germ-free plastic bubble. SCID is a serious immune system disorder that occurs because of a lack of both B and T lymphocytes, which makes it almost impossible to fight infections.
• DiGeorge syndrome (thymic dysplasia), a birth defect in which children are born without a thymus gland, is an example of a primary T-lymphocyte disease. The thymus gland is where T lymphocytes normally mature.
• Chediak-Higashi syndrome and chronic granulomatous disease both involve the inability of the neutrophils to function normally as phagocytes.
• Acquired immunodeficiencies usually develop after a person has a disease, although they can also be the result of malnutrition, burns, or other medical problems. Certain medicines also can cause problems with the functioning of the immune system.
• Secondary immunodeficiencies include:
• HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection/AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is a disease that slowly and steadily destroys the immune system. It is caused by HIV, a virus which wipes out certain types of lymphocytes called T-helper cells. Without T-helper cells, the immune system is unable to defend the body against normally harmless organisms, which can cause life-threatening infections in people who have AIDS. Newborns can get HIV infection from their mothers while in the uterus, during the birth process, or during breastfeeding. People can get HIV infection by having unprotected sexual intercourse with an infected person or from sharing contaminated needles for drugs, steroids, or tattoos.
• Immunodeficiencies caused by medications. Some medicines suppress the immune system. One of the drawbacks of chemotherapy treatment for cancer, for example, is that it not only attacks cancer cells, but other fast-growing, healthy cells, including those found in the bone marrow and other parts of the immune system. In addition, people with autoimmune disorders or who have had organ transplants may need to take immunosuppressant medications. These medicines can also reduce the immune system's ability to fight infections and can cause secondary immunodeficiency.

Autoimmune Disorders

In autoimmune disorders, the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's healthy organs and tissues as though they were foreign invaders.

Autoimmune diseases include:

• Lupus is a chronic disease marked by muscle and joint pain and inflammation. The abnormal immune response may also involve attacks on the kidneys and other organs.
• Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is a disease in which the body's immune system acts as though certain body parts such as the joints of the knee, hand, and foot are foreign tissue and attacks them.
• Scleroderma is a chronic autoimmune disease that can lead to inflammation and damage of the skin, joints, and internal organs.
• Ankylosing spondylitis is a disease that involves inflammation of the spine and joints, causing stiffness and pain.
• Juvenile dermatomyositis is a disorder marked by inflammation and damage of the skin and muscles.

Allergic Disorders

Allergic disorders occur when the immune system overreacts to exposure to antigens in the environment. The substances that provoke such attacks are called allergens. The immune response can cause symptoms such as swelling, watery eyes, and sneezing, and even a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis. Taking medications called antihistamines can relieve most symptoms.

Allergic disorders include:

• Asthma, a respiratory disorder that can cause breathing problems, frequently involves an allergic response by the lungs. If the lungs are oversensitive to certain allergens (like pollen, molds, animal dander, or dust mites), it can trigger breathing tubes in the lungs to become narrowed, leading to reduced airflow and making it hard for a person to breathe.
• Eczema is an itchy rash also known as atopic dermatitis. Although atopic dermatitis is not necessarily caused by an allergic reaction, it more often occurs in kids and teens who have allergies, hay fever, or asthma or who have a family history of these conditions.
• Allergies of several types can occur in kids and teens. Environmental allergies (to dust mites, for example), seasonal allergies (such as hay fever), drug allergies (reactions to specific medications or drugs), food allergies (such as to nuts), and allergies to toxins (bee stings, for example) are the common conditions people usually refer to as allergies.
• Anaphylactic shock - Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that occurs rapidly and causes a life-threatening response involving the whole body. This reaction can lead to difficulty breathing and shock ultimately leading to death. For an anaphylactic reaction to occur, you must have been exposed in the past to the substance that causes the reaction, called the antigen. This is called "sensitization."
• A bee sting, for example, may not cause an allergic reaction the first time.
• Another bee sting may produce a sudden, severe allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis or anaphylactic shock.
• These reactions usually occur within seconds to minutes of exposure. Occasionally, they are delayed. You may develop sensitivity and anaphylaxis to a substance that you have been exposed to many times in the past without a reaction, and often people don't recall the previous exposure.

Cancers of the Immune System

Cancer occurs when cells grow out of control. This can also happen with the cells of the immune system. Lymphoma involves the lymphoid tissues and is one of the more common childhood cancers. Leukemia, which involves abnormal overgrowth of leukocytes, is the most common childhood cancer. With current medications most cases of both types of cancer in kids and teens are curable.

Although immune system disorders usually can't be prevented, you can help your child's immune system stay stronger by staying informed about your child's condition and working closely with your doctor.

One example of the result of macrophage activation is the appearance of gamma interferon which increases the production of nitric oxide and superoxide, directly leading to an immunological war on microorganisms.

Nothing rivals beta glucan for immune enhancement. There is no other substance man-made or natural that has the published studies, as does beta glucan, to back up it's immune system supporting ability.

And, unlike many other immune support supplements, research suggests that beta glucan does not over stimulate your immune system.

Scientific studies on animals and humans, originating from such prestigious institutions as the University of Saskatchewan in Canada, Baylor College of Medicine, Brown Medical School, Tulane University and Harvard Medical School have demonstrated the great value beta glucan has to support our immune systems

In four different published studies, performed at the University of Saskatchewan (Microbiol. Immun. 41, 1997), (Microbiological Immunity v. 42, 1997), (International Journal of Parasitology v. 27, 1999) and (FEMS Immmunology v. 35, 2003) researchers repeatedly demonstrated the amazing power beta glucan has to stimulate the immune system. Dr. Joyce Czop, at Harvard University, described the mode of action of beta glucan in stimulating the immune system: "there is a specific receptor for beta-1-3-glucan on the surface of certain cells, called macrophages that when activated, stimulate a cascade of events turning the body into "an arsenal of defense".

Recent independent experiments completed at Baylor College of Medicine in the laboratory of Professor Phil Wyde, Ph.D., also indicate the oral effectiveness of Beta-1,3-glucan in stimulating non-specific immunity. Peritoneal macrophages doubled their phagocyte activity in mice fed with Beta-1,3-glucan. This systemic effect of oral application is comparable to that achieved by injection, which makes this material a unique and very valuable oral immunostimulant.

Medical Doctors and researchers at Brown Medical School and Rhode Island hospital have discovered that beta 1,3-D glucan, binds to receptors on neutrophils, the most abundant type of immune cell in the body. The beta glucan caused the neutrophils to take a more direct path to the site of infection rather than the indirect route normally taken.

Neutrophils are attracted to the site of an infection by blood proteins called chemoattractants and are among the first cells of the body to respond to a challenge due to infection or injury. Normally, neutrophils use such chemoattractants as interleukin-8 to travel to the site of infection. However, when neutrophils were treated with beta 1,3-D glucan, the neutrophils bypassed the IL-8 and went directly to the source of infection. Beta 1,3-D appeared to accomplish this by increasing the neutrophils ability to sense complement fragments emanating from the site of an infection. As a result, beta glucan helps neutrophils locate the epicenter of the bacterial infection within tissue.

This ability to make neutrophils bypass IL-8 and go directly to the site of infection can result in a more rapid immune response.

Beta glucan is recommended before and after cancer surgery to support healing.

In general, beta glucan stimulates macrophages and improves all immune functions, including phagocytosis (ability to engulf foreign cells and particles) release of certain cytokines (intercellular hormones) IL-1, IL-6, GM-CSF, interferons, and the processing of antigens.

The macrophage stays in an alert or ready mode until the presence of "non-self" invaders are detected, at which time the macrophage is activated and becomes the first line of defense against these invaders.

Unlike many other immune support supplements, research suggests that beta glucan does not over stimulate your immune system.

In addition to serving as the hub of the body's antioxidant network, lipoic acid is the only antioxidant that can boost the level of intracellular glutathione, a cellular antioxidant of tremendous importance.

Besides being the body's primary water-soluble antioxidant and a major detoxification agent, glutathione is absolutely essential for the functioning of the immune system. Scientists have known for over two decades that maintaining a high cellular level of glutathione is critical for life and crucial for health.

Raising glutathione levels has been shown to alter the cytokine balance in favor of a Th1 immune response mode (the anti-cancer and anti-viral mode of the immune defense) (Peterson JD et al., 1998). Agents that deplete glutathione, such as ethanol, have been shown to impair the body's immune defense. TNF-a (tumor necrosis factor alpha), which increases in many diseases of aging, has been shown to be involved in depletion of cellular glutathione. and is thought to be a major factor in the immune decline associated with aging (Phelps DT et al., 1995).

People with chronic illnesses such as AIDS, cancer and autoimmune diseases generally have very low levels of glutathione. White blood cells are particularly sensitive to changes in glutathione levels, and even subtle changes may have profound effects on the immune response. It was shown that glutathione deficiency in HIV-infected individuals correlates with decreased survival (Herzenberg LA et al., 1997).

Dr. Packer and Chandan K. Sen, researchers from Finland, have described how alpha-lipoic acid regulates aspects of the immune system, and in particular, T-lymphocytes. They have discovered that ALA boosts glutathione levels in T cells, These two researchers, along with other scientists, have reported how alpha-lipoic acid may help people with HIV or other immune suppressed conditions.

In a pilot study, supplementation with 150 mg of ALA 3 times per day was shown to increase plasma ascorbate, glutathione and T-helper cells and to optimize the ratio of T-helper cells to T-suppressor cells. Other studies have demonstrated the ALA helps to inhibit HIV replication by decreasing the activity of reverse transcriptase and to delay apoptosis (programmed cell death) of Thymus cells - the immune system's number one line of defense.

The practical problem for those who wish to maintain healthful glutathione levels is that taking glutathione itself as a supplement does not boost cellular glutathione levels, since glutathione breaks down in the digestive tract before it reaches the cells. Therefore, the discovery that lipoic acid can effectively boost glutathione levels has very important implications We actually get very little Lipoic acid in our food, Broccoli (one of the best food sources) for example, contains a mere 100 micrograms per 100 gram serving. This means you would have to eat over two pounds of broccoli to get one single milligram.

ALA supplementation is the only way to get the benefits of this powerful universal antioxidant and to enjoy the resulting increase in intracellular glutathione, which may help support a healthy immune system.

TMG has got all the properties of DMG but because it has one extra methyl group, it is known to be a more efficient methyl donor than DMG. After methyl donation, it stays useful in the metabolism as DMG thus having a double benefit. This is also known as BETAINE.

DMG is an amino acid that is predominantly found in grains. It is a member of the family of nutrients that include choline, betaine (trimethyl-glycine), sarcosine (methylglycine) and glycine. This family of compounds supplies the body with an essential biochemical group (a methyl group) that allows conversions of substances in the bodies intricate biochemical pathways.

In two independent studies, researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina and at Clemson University, have both suggested that TMG supports a healthy immune system.

• The first research project, done at the Medical University of South Carolina yielded the following results. Using 120 mg. DMG for eight weeks resulted in an average of a four-fold increase in antibody production in-vivo (in the body, not a test tube) when exposed to pneumovax-SSS and a "significant" increase when exposed to streptokinase -streptodornase antigen. A third antigen, concanavalin A showed little difference in the control and DMG treated groups response. This antibody response, or humoral response, is accomplished by the B-lymphocytes. A second part of this project demonstrated the T-lymphocyte response. In normal subjects the T cell activity was increased by more than 50%. Even more important was the fact that subjects with a less than normal lymphocyte activity, in this case due to sickle cell anemia or diabetes, there was a two- to three-fold increase in lymphocyte response. As these patients are more susceptible to infections, DMG may be an especially important nutrient.
• A second study at Clemson University showed similar results. The anti-body production to typhoid and influenza antigen in rabbits increased three- to five-fold. T cell populations were also increased. Further, the study demonstrated a doubling of the interferon production of T cells.
• Other effects of DMG have been studied for over fifty years. The earliest interest in this nutrient stems from it's effect on athletes. In 1965 it was established that DMG increases the oxygen utilization within the cell. This alone will increase the amount of exercise one can perform. It also is useful for people travelling to higher elevations. Research at USC School of Medicine in 1979 showed that the amount of lactic acid buildup in muscles after exercise is decreased with the use of DMG. Lactic acid is thought to be one of the factors in muscular soreness after exercise.
• DMG causes the adrenal glands to secrete more corticosteroids, which can effect blood sugar levels, as well as the metabolism of protein and fat. It has been found to enhance liver function and to support healthy cholesterol levels by increasing synthesis and secretion of bile. The supportive effect of DMG supplementation on skin conditions, such as psoriasis and eczema is a hot research topic. DMG also acts as an antioxidant preventing the actions of free radicals which may damage the cells of the immune system.

We know that cow's milk provides our bodies with vitamin D and calcium, but our four-legged friends provide an even more powerful substance for our health, -- bovine colostrum. Colostrum is the nutrient-rich, pre-milk fluid that is secreted by the mammary glands of female mammals to nourish their young.

Bovine (cow) colostrum is nearly identical to human colostrum but research suggests it is four times richer in immune factors than human colostrum. Best of all, bovine colostrum may help support a healthy immune system to all mammals -- humans -- and pets as well!

Immune factors in colostrum can help balance and support a healthy immune system; which is the key to good health.

Growth factors supply the necessary building blocks for the newborn, enhancing the growth of cells, muscles, tissue, bone and cartilage. As we age, our bodies produce less and less of these vital factors, increasing signs of aging, and making it more difficult for us to fight disease.

Pollution, toxins, carcinogens, smoking, alcohol and overuse of antibiotics can lead to a decrease in our immune response, resulting in disease. Colostrum supports the body's ability to function properly in both newborns and adults, even for our pets!

Most experts agree that the majority of disease and illness begins in the gastrointestinal tract. Pathogens (viruses, bacteria, yeast, and fungus) enter the body through our nose, ears, and mouth and can attach themselves to the lining of the bowel, where they grow and multiply, causing a huge variety of diseases. Colostrum helps inhibit the binding of pathogens to the bowel lining, so they are unable to proliferate.

All humans are exposed to these deadly invaders throughout their lives. Unfortunately, these days, they are in the air we breathe and the food we eat. When our bodies are healthy, our immune system fights off these pathogens without needing any help. However, if our immune system is compromised in any way (which is unfortunately true for most of us), colostrum can help our bodies support proper immune function.

In animal and human clinical trials, Armenian scientists have demonstrated that andrographolides are readily absorbed into the bloodstream following the oral ingestion of andrographis herb extract.

In Sweden, scientists conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of standardized andrographis extract in the treatment of upper-respiratory tract infections (the common cold). More than 200 patients participated in the clinical trial.

Russian researchers conducted a similar randomized trial of an andrographis extract preparation for the treatment of acute upper-respiratory viral infection.

Scientists in Thailand conducted a systematic review of the published literature and a meta-analysis of all randomized, controlled trials of andrographis for the symptomatic treatment of upper-respiratory tract infections. By pooling results from a number of disparate trials, they were able to arrive at an "overall estimate of effect." The studies included in their statistical analysis featured results from 433 patients.

Researchers in all of these studies have concluded that andrographis support a healthy immune system.

Vitamin C can be found in fruits such as oranges, grapefruits, tangerines, lemons, limes, papaya, strawberries and cantaloupe. Vitamin C and bioflavonoids - the water soluble substances that help to protect your capillaries - are found in the white linings of these and other plants. Many vegetables also pack in vitamin C including tomatoes, broccoli, green and red bell peppers, raw lettuce and other leafy greens.

Vitamin C is absorbed by an active transport system located in the gut and then reabsorbed through the kidneys. Since the absorption mechanisms in the gut and kidneys can reach a saturation point, it is better to take multiple doses of vitamin C throughout the day than one large dose.

Vitamin C supports the immune system by stimulating the activity of antibodies and immune system cells such as phagocytes and neutrophils. As a constituent of collagen, vitamin C may contribute to our immune defenses in an even more fundamental way: our skin and the epithelial lining of the body's orifices, both of which contain collagen, serve as our first line of defense against foreign invaders. They prevent these invaders from entering the body in the first place, where the immune system would have to go to war against them.

Beyond that, vitamin C supports the body's fight against the toxic effects of environmental pollutants by stimulating liver detoxifying enzymes. It also stimulates the production of PGE1, a prostaglandin which assists lymphocytes, the defender cells in our immune system.

The immune system process called phagocytosis, in which certain cells "eat" invading bacteria, is stimulated by vitamin C. In addition, the nutrient may reduce the suppressor activity of the mononuclear leukocytes, which weakens the overall effectiveness of the immune system.

As an antioxidant, vitamin C's primary role is to neutralize free radicals. Since ascorbic acid is water soluble, it can work both inside and outside the cells to combat free radical damage. Free radicals will seek out an electron to regain their stability and Vitamin C is an excellent source of electrons; therefore, it "can donate electrons to free radicals such as hydroxyl and superoxide radicals and quench their reactivity," states Adrianne Bendich in "Antioxidant Micronutrients and Immune Responses".

Much like the immune system itself, which operates at a cellular level, the hardworking vitamin C reaches every cell of the body. The concentration of vitamin C in both blood serum and tissues is quite high.