The Immune System, Its Relation to Digestion, How to Support And Restore It According To Natural Immunity Theory

To understand the concept of immunity, immunity theory and the immune system – Think Simple!

From the Natural Point of View , the Digestive System and the Immune System are one and the same. That’s where immunity theory begins! Good digestion equates to strong immunity. This simple relationship leads to how to strengthen the immune system to prevent or remove allergies of any type, colds or similar related problems. Popular, so called Immunity boosters are little more than marketing ploys that ignore the fundamentals of immunity and good health. Not that they may not help in the moment but, the reality and solution to the problem is much, much simpler!

Talk of immunity and the immune system often don’t get to the core of the subject or the problem because they are too busy trying to see you something. What you typically get is a vague non-explanation, with the same old references to organisms the average person cannot see or examine for themselves. Expect to hear technical discussions about immunity related antibodies and similar organisms and what they do, without really explaining what they essentially are. This is critical because the answers to these questions also answer how immunity is established and maintained. This is not a very hard to do and often does not require perpetual supplementation – just a clear conceptual understanding of immunity theory and a little common sense.

A normal person does not need formal training in microbiology to understand the principles of immunity and immunity theory. The principles of immunity are very basic and easy to relate to. The natural point of view should make the complicated seem simple and easy to and work with.

The Basis Of Immunity And Immunity Theory

The condition of the blood is at the core of the immune system, immunity and immunity theory. What maintains that condition also maintains immunity. That condition is maintained through a healthy and strong digestive system. Period! Without that, the body chemistry cannot be maintained or kept stable.

Not that knowing something about the basics of human physiology is not useful to know but, just like you don’t need to know how to build a car or a computer to use one, the body you live in does almost all that it does without us having to think too much about it! No one really needs to know the complexities of the blood chemistry in full in order to maintain their own blood. Most people realize that their blood is composed of many complex substances that not even the experts fully understand. Everyone has heard of red and white blood cells, blood plasma and the like. Most know about base ingredients like iron in blood and oxygen which can vary in concentration depending on the condition of the blood. These are tangible living organisms that are part of blood. There are also intangible “life energies” that completely defy science. All of what makes up the blood, are produced by the body through the digestive activities of the internal organs. Even though the discussion of immunity often centers around white blood cells, Macrophages, T-cells and so on, all ingredients are essential and have a symbiotic relationship with each other. All are directly or indirectly responsible for protecting us from the intrusion of foreign, sometimes dangerous substances and organisms that could be injurious to our bodies.

Our body is a closed system; an environment unto itself that supports all manner of good bacteria that are essential to life. Within that system, there are many sub-systems having their own unique environments; each needing to be kept separate from all others. It is important to understand that each bacteria type needs a specific environment to live and thrive in. Within the body they are naturally confined to their own environments that are friendly to them. This concept applies to bacteria and viruses existing within, as well as outside of our bodies.

Immunity Theory Is Not About Bacteria & Viruses – Strong Immunity Never Has Been

Unique bacteria within our body is confined to various parts of the body that are sympathetic to that particular bacteria. Bacteria in the bowel is meant to stay within that environment, the same as bacteria in the Urinary Bladder is meant to confine itself to that area only. It is from that environment that they feed themselves from and maintain the environment of that specific area. If they are denied that environment they die and cannot be useful to that environment and work to keep us healthy. Should our internal bacteria find its way into areas that are not meant for it to be in, we get sick.

Should the bacteria or viruses be bad for us, to prevent them from invading our internal environment all that needs to be done is to ensure that we do not create an environment within our body’s that is friendly or beneficial to their needs. If we do we invite them to flourish should they enter, making us sick. As long as our body will not support them they can have nothing to live off and therefore will have little or no detrimental effect.

Bacteria and viruses have existed on Earth for as long as life has established itself on the planet. The fact that they have not killed everything living says that in themselves they are not problematic. All living things need something to eat that the environment they live in provides. It’s food represents the extent, or the limit of the range of that particular organism. It is when we create an environment within our bodies that can support a particular bacteria or viruses that they become a health hazard or even life threatening. When they are able to thrive within us, it is the environment that supports them that is at fault. The bacteria or virus are not the cause. They’re just doing what they always do in the environments that are friendly to them.

It is the function of our digestion in all it’s many aspects that keep our internal environment clean and sound so that anything from outside of our body will not find living inside of our body to its advantage. That is the key to strong immunity according to this explanation of immunity theory.

Many people may have heard of:

White Blood Cell

Macrophages

T- Cells . . . and so on.

These well known living organisms definitely do their work to protect us and are part of the blood by design. No one has to put them there; the body produces them. They are irreplaceable but, as living, mobile organisms, they need to live off something. Specific organs in the body make them. But, bringing them into being is just the beginning; they also need to be maintained. They need a suitable environment to exist within and, they need to be provided with their own specific nourishment (food). Any remedy for the immune system must work on  specific internal organ functions to balance all aspects of blood composition which is where these microscopic organisms live, eat and work. The theory that by killing off life (antibiotic), life is made stronger, is a false theory – providing a short term gain, but a long term loss.

The “Immune system” Is Not An Organ

There is no specific organ called the “immune organ.” Immunity Theory from Traditional Herbal principles maintains that the immune system itself is a collaborative effort between all the internal digestive organs (all organs are digestive) to maintain the blood in a “clean” state; the result of which is immunity – that is to say; an ability by the body to protect itself from foreign invasion by organisms or substances that might compromise it.

The aforementioned microscopic organisms associated with immunity are very much like a mobile army within the blood that form only part of the immune system. They are just one and perhaps to most traceable, visible component of what comprises the entire immune system! Clearly, they do not and could not function in isolation. They come into being and are “maintained” organisms like so many others within a closed system.

Supposedly, there are substances, some natural and some not, that are marketed to enhance the immune system. This is interesting because from the point on view of natural immunity theory and pure Herbalism no such substances exist as such per se. At least not according to how they are being defined and marketed.

Clean Blood, General Health, The Immune System In The Context of Immunity Theory

A fundamental axiom for maintaining or restoring health in Traditional Herbal Theory has to do with keeping the blood and bloodstream “clean” of non-assimilable substances. In recognition of this, what does exist in Herbal Theory are natural substances that clean and/or fortify the blood through digestive support. These are the general categories of natural herbal products that are most often used as immune enhancers. It is amazing how these substances and their very simple mode of action are misunderstood. Even though these substances “clean” the blood they do not actually clean the blood itself directly like a detergent. Nor do they kill bacteria or viruses directly. They clean the blood indirectly through the action of the other organs whose function it is to metabolize waste out of the bloodstream.

Substances that would indiscriminately remove things from the blood itself chemically, without going through the other organs could rightfully be called poisons as their by-product is a toxin in a form that the organs often cannot work with but are nonetheless forced to deal with.

It must be understood that the blood is produced and maintained by the other main organs altogether. The blood carry’s solids, liquids and gases and “energies” within it. It is a complex compound that will never and cannot ever be reproduced artificially. It is the other larger organs and their functions that determine the blood’s composition, not the blood itself. The blood is subject to a large extent to the proper functioning and harmony of the main organs and therefore any effective natural healing substance must work on the main organ functions to safely affect the blood and ultimately clean it without altering blood chemistry detrimentally in the process of balancing it. The organs that build and clean the blood are the Kidneys, Liver, Spleen, Bowels, etc. . . and also the heart itself.

Echinacea In Context

Having said this, the very popular theory that Echinacea and other substances like it are anti-viral is flawed in spite of the fact that they might appear so in laboratory tests.[1] It should be mentioned that in-vitro experiments showing that specific bacteria are killed from exposure to certain herbal or other preparations are not entirely logical for various reasons.

Firstly, of all, the environment within the body is completely different than a petrie dish environment in a laboratory setting.
Secondly, when Echinacea is taken internally, typically it does not have direct contact with the specific pathogen because the body will digest the remedy before it will allow it into the blood.

By placing an Echinacea tincture, for instance in direct contact with a specific pathogen in a petrie dish its surrounding environment is being changed. What might be concluded from this type of experiment is that a specific organism cannot tolerate the environment produced by a specific substance, which in the case of Echinacea has to do with heat or oxidization. The bacteria or virus may not necessarily be dying because it is being poisoned but, because it is being robbed of the environment it needs to survive in a petrie dish. However, in the body a tincture of echinacea will never directly contact the pathogen. The circumstances in the petrie dish and within the body are totally different and therefore offer a poor comparison.

Furthermore, what the body does with the particular herbal preparation is overlooked and not generally understood. What is understood is the effect it may have after the fact through an ultimate effect but, what the body is doing with it and how the body is doing it; this is a nebulous area to grasp conceptually without an understanding of herbal principles. To restate this in different words; there is no way to artificially digest anything outside of the body and thereby scientifically predict what it will do inside the body beforehand without a prior knowledge of the nature of the substance at hand. Most scientific effects are based on observations after the fact through trial and error. This is why so many pharma medicines are discovered after they produce their reaction through trial and error or completely by accident. But, in this philosophical system the immediate effect is given more importance than its ultimate effect which at times can also be generally detrimental. In the art of Herbalism however, the effects must be known beforehand and this has been proven by the many very old herbal texts that give an exact explanations as to the proper application and effect of an herbal preparation. Anyone who has worked with herbs is capable of altering any herbal formula to produce a predictable ultimate effect without prior experimentation. This has been done predictably and successfully for thousands of years – trial and error are not part of the process.

The Stomach, Spleen, Immunity and Immunity Theory

In Herbology jargon, what Echinacea and other herbs like it do is increase what is referred to as the “degree of heat” of the Spleen, the Spleen being the first stage of blood production and maintenance and the source of several of the immune organisms like white blood cells etc. This affect on the Spleen affects the blood positively – end result – you get relief without a side effect.[2] That these causes and effects can be produced is elementary. But, there are also times when Echinacea, for example, will not be effective. This happens because Echinacea is being used based on modern medical conventions of thought and presumptions ignoring the actual cause of the problem rather than herbal theory.

Another common presumption is the idea that if a good natural product is very beneficial when needed, then, if taken on an ongoing basis it will produce even more benefit. This too is based on a flawed logic and marketing interests. Very few substances are like this. What is lacking here is an understanding of the natural underlying principle of action that actually strengthens “immunity.”

Good Food Plus Good Digestion To Create The Ability To Feed Your Whole Body Equals A Strong, Healthy Immune System In Natural Immunity Theory.

The fundamental principle that is being overlooked is that our body and everything in all it’s parts and organisms are alive and could not exist unless every part and organism is being properly fed and each metabolizing their own specific foods. This is a natural law; nothing can exist or do any work without the energy to do it with. In living organisms this energy comes in the form of a food specific to that organism. There is and cannot be any substitute for this.

What is overlooked is that the organisms that do the work of immunity must also be fed themselves in order that they may do their work. In the outer world of nature you could not expect a work animal to do its work if it were not fed. Even if you use a tractor on a farm to do the work do not expect it to do any work without its fuel.

The many named and unnamed components, ingredients and organisms in the blood stream that we attribute to the “immune system” must be fed in order to be healthy and have energy themselves before they can protect you. When we eat we not only replenish our body and its blood, we are also feeding our entire body inclusive of these billions of organisms that are within it. If we are not fed properly, the whole body inclusive of these organisms suffer. We eventually get weaker and more subject to ailments. This is obvious and does not need to be explained further.

In some cases, even though we are eating, our whole system may be specifically compromised in that it is unable to properly distribute nourishment to all parts and organisms of the body. To re-establish this is at the core of proper and complete immunity theory.

The people of Northern Europe traditionally strengthened their immune system by eating Red Beets. Their color tells you exactly what they are for. They are for your blood and support its proper composition and vitality. And, by extension, the vitality of all other organs and body parts. By eating judiciously and aiding your digestion you will also strengthen your immune system.

This leads to the conclusion that if your digestive system is kept in good functioning order, digesting and eliminating its waste, your immunity will be maintained and be kept strong through little more than the proper food and clean air. This can be said because the digestive system is what actually converts foods and air into blood with which the entire body is fed. But, before the blood can feed the body it must, so to speak, be “fed itself” – first by organizing its composition in the proper proportions through the effect of the other organs. The organisms in the blood are created for the blood and living in the blood and must be fed by the blood. Immune system support would therefore consist of improving digestion first to ensure proper blood composition.

What the body does not eliminate through proper digestion and elimination often is left to circulate in the bloodstream displacing other essential components or it can precipitate out of solution to produce other problems.

Conclusion: Your Digestive System Is Your Immune System!

In Natural Immunity Theory, what ever impedes digestion produces what have come to be known as allergies. What ever might be causing a Cold or similar problem is best removed through enhanced digestion. The net result being, that the bacteria or virus are themselves digested and rendered harmless. All other mechanisms and organism at the bodies disposal to protect itself are all weakened when digestion is compromised.

A Healthy Attitude Equates To A Healthy Life In Any Immunity Theory

There is also a mental/emotional factor to the immune system. There are people who, by just watching an episode of some medical drama where a set of symptoms are being described or by non-stop news flashes insisting that a particular virus is on the way will create the ailment within themselves or imagine that they have it. This is kind of like placebo effect in reverse – They are assuming the suggestion.

Love And Hate As Factors In Immunity Theory

Positive states of mind are a non-quantifiable ingredient not only in life but, also directly in health. To put it simply, all states of mind that are positive are associated with some aspect of love while all negative states of mind are associated with hate. The effects of these states of mind manifest inwardly as thoughts which intern create outwardly the reality of ones life. This unquantifiable energy is carried within our organism by manipulating the “life energies” of the blood itself and their consequence upon all organs. Through the blood’s life energy “love” and its various positive attributes can and does actually heal. Not only can it do this within our own organism but, if the love is strong enough, it can be projected into others to heal or comfort them as well. The exact opposite is also true.

A good healthy attitude is not to be overlooked in all matters of life – including physical, emotional and mental health.

The Mystical Side of Blood In The Context of Immunity Theory

There is a further component that is far more esoteric in the matter of immunity theory that has to do with the very nature of blood itself, completely apart from its chemistry. Spiritual texts speak of it. In the West the Bible states in two areas about the nature of blood.

“But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.” Gen 9:4

“For it is the life of all flesh: the blood of it is for the life thereof” Lev 17:14

The concept being presented here is that the life of all creatures is dependent upon its blood and that the blood is the very life of living things to a degree that exceeds its physical makeup and to include an added intangible essence.

The blood of any animal has always been regarded as something special, as something apart from the coarseness of the organs and body of the animal. The Alchemists and Hermetic Adepts regarded it as the Quintessence within the body that kept the body alive; it was what gave life itself to the body. They also wisely ascribed and classified the various organs and functions of the body to the activity of either the Fire, Water, Air or Earth Elements. The blood however was ascribed to the the Akasha – the Fifth Element – the “Quintessence.” This Fifth Essence is also known as the “God” Principle. That is why all living things depend on their blood for life. Although this is an accepted scientific fact; this point cannot be quantified scientifically. Nor does it appear that it will be now or at any time in the near future. It is something that a sensitive person knows and understands in their heart.

Your body is self-sustaining and, it is your digestive system that sustains it. Your digestive system is responsible for the physical part of your blood and therefore the primary maintenance system of your immune system. Through it your blood is maintained as it gives you life. Immune system support has to do with the health of the blood. This is the core concept at the center of immunity theory.

This is being mentioned here, even though these latter concepts may not and cannot be regarded as materially scientific, among some, it is recognized that there is a point to where the physical must yield and admit its inherent limitation and acknowledge that there is a much finer degree of existence having its own corresponding knowledge, science and source. To this the material science meets its limitation by its inability to quantify what is unquantifiable because it enters into a separate dimension.

Synopsis

Immunity theory acting in physical immunity can universally be ascribed to the digestive functions on multiple levels: mentally, emotionally and physically.

• Exposed to all manner of information the ability to mentally digest (think clearly) creates a mental immunity from false information that would otherwise contaminate our thinking process and conceptual clarity.
• Exposed to all manner of emotional situations, the ability to digest (feel) through them with a sound emotional compass creates immunity against immorality.
• And, exposed to all manner of foods, a strong digestive system will separate the actual food substance from the toxin, which is in even the best of foods, to protect against all manner of physical ailments.

In natural and holistic immunity theory, all three; the mental, emotional and physical aspects of digestion work together, one helping the other create either a healthy sanctified whole or sickly disharmony. In this context digestion is nothing more than the ability to separate the truth from falsehood, the good from the bad, the toxin from the actual food. Universally, after the separation has been made through digestion, the negative is discarded and your being is, from the retention of what is good, made strong, resilient and whole – completely human and healthy.

[1] A sterile dish in a laboratory is a good environment to establish a narrow proposition through experiment as it is not necessarily a reflection of an absolute reality. Life does not exist in a sterile environment or in isolation from all other life. What is sometimes observable in a lab might reflect what a substance might be doing but, what remains illusive is how it may be doing it. A living organism must digest a substance in order to safely release what it contains in order to produce its effect.(example: Cayenne is generally regarded as hot. The question is, where is the heat coming from. The first response will be, “the capsaicin of course!” The reality is that the presumed active ingredient “capsaicin” has no heat of its own, if it did it’s heat would transfer to whatever vessel it was contained in and could be felt by touching the container – a glass jar for instance. Instead, heat is its effect upon a living organism through its digestion which it must draw out of or at least concentrate from a living organism’s own heat substance that it comes in contact with, rather than transferring its heat into that organism. The heat felt from cayenne is your own heat manifesting provoked by the cayenne – not the cayenne’s heat.) Note: what is often non-digestible may often also be a poison.
[2] Heat is the ultimate cleaner and separator of waste in the body. It disinfects. As a proof of concept and practice In Traditional Herbal theory alcohol is nothing more than fire in liquid form. It is analogous to but, not to be confused with caloric heat.