The immune system plays an important role in optimal health. When your body is not in optimal condition, it becomes very vulnerable to pathogens that cause a variety of diseases. Moreover, your body becomes less able to fight diseases that start inside you, such as cancer.1 Unfortunately, there is growing evidence that a weakened immune system (also known as immunosuppression) is becoming increasingly prevalent.
More Americans are becoming immunocompromised
What does immunocompromised mean? Essentially, this is a condition in which the immune system is not functioning properly. As GoodRx notes:2
“Being immunocompromised means you have a weaker immune system. This can be caused by an illness or medications you are taking. It means you are more likely to get infections. It also means you are more likely to get a serious illness. from that infection compared to people with well-functioning immune systems (this is known as immunocompetent).”
What’s worse is that the number of immunocompromised Americans is steadily increasing. In a study published in JAMA, researchers estimate that the number of immunocompromised Americans now makes up 6.6% of the population (about 18 million people). This is an increase from 2.7% in 2013.3
What causes decreased immunity? According to the New York Times,4 The reasons for this are many, including the rise in autoimmune diseases and the use of immunosuppressants to treat chronic diseases such as cancer.
Whatever the cause, “this is no longer a niche group,” according to Dr. Joshua Hill, an expert at the Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Seattle. “These are people walking around the community who don’t even know they are immunocompromised,” he added.5
An in-depth look into the immunocompromised system
A compromised immune system can manifest itself in a variety of ways. For example, a person can be born with this condition, also known as primary immunodeficiency, which can have hundreds of causes.6 As reported by the New York Times,7 Researchers have identified more than 430 primary immunodeficiencies caused by genetic mutations that weaken the immune system.8
On the other hand, you can also acquire secondary immunodeficiency, which is actually more common in adults. Health conditions that cause secondary immunodeficiency include:9
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Autoimmune disease — Commonly diagnosed autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, lupus, and type 1 diabetes |
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Chronic disease — Most chronic diseases affecting adults today weaken the immune system, such as cirrhosis and type 2 diabetes. |
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Infection — Certain viral and/or bacterial infections weaken the immune system, such as HIV/AIDS, measles, and tuberculosis. |
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cancer – All cancers cause immunodeficiency. If you receive general cancer treatment such as radiation therapy or chemotherapy, your immunity will also decrease. |
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Spleen dysfunction or removal — The spleen plays an important role in immune function. This not only filters the blood to remove microorganisms, but also removes old and damaged red blood cells. It also helps improve immune function by producing antibodies and lymphocytes.10 If you do not have a spleen or have reduced spleen function due to a previous injury, your immune system will be weakened. |
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Skin burns — Severe skin burns weaken the immune system. According to a 2022 study,11 Burns trigger a long-term, intense immune response, causing systemic damage to various organs such as the lungs, heart, blood vessels, and kidneys. |
Additionally, medications such as immunosuppressants intentionally weaken the immune system. This is usually done because the organ transplant recipient’s immune system attacks the new organ. Although transplantation prolongs life, the obvious downside is the increased risk of infection.12
In some cases, drugs can cause secondary immunodeficiency as a side effect. Again, chemotherapy falls into this category, as well as drugs used to treat autoimmune diseases such as corticosteroids, cyclosporine, and methotrexate. Drugs designed to prevent bone marrow transplant complications also cause secondary immunodeficiency.13
Your immune system recovers despite obstacles
There are many different treatments for a compromised immune system. For example, in severe cases a bone marrow transplant may be necessary. This process essentially replaces the old immune system with a new one, strengthening your natural defenses.14
This is because the bone marrow is a source of important immune system cells, white blood cells that help fight infections. Part of the lymphatic system, these cells travel throughout the body looking for pathogens (such as bacteria and viruses) to eliminate. Once discovered, they mount an immune attack.15
Apart from people born with primary immunodeficiency, the good news is that the immune system recovers after being attacked by immunosuppressants or other factors. The immune system repairs itself within weeks or months after stopping chemotherapy or immunosuppressants. However, in severe cases, it may take years for the immune system to fully recover.16
Consider Alternative Cancer Treatments
If you are immunocompromised, rebuilding your immune system is the main goal. There are several natural strategies available to you, but let’s start with the first thing you can do right away: finding alternative cancer treatments.
In my decades of practice, I have seen enough to know that choosing chemotherapy is one of the worst choices you can make. Not only is this ineffective in many cases, it also destroys any hope of full recovery.
Studies have shown that chemotherapy can damage your immune system, making you more susceptible to other infections. However, mainstream medical circles still advocate chemotherapy as the primary treatment option. They also completely ignore alternatives that may be less harmful to the patient.
why? The simple answer is profit. The industry surrounding cancer treatment is worth billions of dollars, and there is little reason for large corporations to explore treatments they cannot sell at exorbitant prices. And here too, chemotherapy takes center stage. It acts like a sledgehammer trying to kill small flies. You might be able to hit it, but the price you pay for collateral damage is huge. It’s your immune system.
Instead of choosing chemotherapy as a first-line treatment for cancer, we recommend that you first explore alternatives. Don’t give in to the pressure to take conventional treatments before your options are exhausted.
As mentioned in my article “Amputations, poisons, burns – is radiation therapy on its way out?” Both chemotherapy and radiation therapy have devastating effects on the body. Radiation treatment causes side effects including fertility problems, memory problems, hair loss, and blurred vision.17
Remember, your body has the ability to repair itself if given the right tools. So before resorting to conventional medical techniques, look for less attention-grabbing alternatives.
Strengthen your immune system by moving your body
Getting regular exercise is one of the best things you can do for your health, regardless of your current health status. Studies in already healthy individuals18 Exercise has been shown to help maintain hallmarks of health, including improving body elasticity, maintaining homeostasis, improving recovery and regeneration, and improving skin health.
Don’t worry, people with weak immune systems will not be left out. Studies have shown that sustained, moderate-intensity exercise helps strengthen the immune system in adults and other individuals diagnosed with chronic diseases.19 People receiving existing cancer treatment may improve their outcomes by adding exercise. According to one study20 Published in the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer:
“Because the immune system is very sensitive to exercise, one way to improve immune function is through exercise and physical activity. A single event of dynamic exercise substantially mobilizes white blood cells with increased functional capacity into the circulation. .
Chronic or long-term exercise provides greater fitness in terms of cardiorespiratory fitness and/or strength and endurance. “Higher aerobic capacity, as measured by maximal oxygen uptake, is associated with a reduction in dysfunctional T cells and improved abundance of some T cell populations.”
Movement also has a huge impact on the lymphatic system. Optimal function requires regular exercise to keep you flowing. If you sit still, your entire system will shut down.
How does movement support the lymphatic system? Each time a muscle contracts, it compresses the lymphatic vessels, helping lymph fluid move to the next node, and regular contractions keep the lymphatic system properly lubricated. The pressure created during muscle contraction and relaxation causes changes within the lymph vessels, allowing lymph fluid to flow forward. When fluid reaches the lymph nodes, pathogens and other debris are filtered out.
Don’t forget stress, another immune system destroyer. According to published research,21 “Chronic stress can alter the type 1/type 2 cytokine balance, suppressing or dysregulating innate and adaptive immune responses, thereby triggering low-grade inflammation and inhibiting the function of immune protective cells.” With this in mind, exercise is known to help restore immune function and improve outcomes in cancer patients.22
Make sunlight a priority
Vitamin D is an important factor in immune function. It acts as a master regulator controlling the activation of more than 2,500 genes. It has also been shown to lower the risk of certain cancers, type 2 diabetes, and respiratory infections that weaken the immune system.
Vitamin D does this by regulating the immune system and increasing the body’s ability to produce antibacterial peptides. Vitamin D is also essential for proper cell growth as well as being a powerful anti-inflammatory.
To maximize the benefits of vitamin D, it is recommended to achieve blood levels of 60 to 80 ng/mL. This is the range at which vitamin D works, providing the greatest protection and benefits, including strengthening the immune system. The ideal way to increase your vitamin D levels is to expose your skin to sunlight. However, there are caveats to this approach.
Most people today consume diets high in linoleic acid (LA), the most toxic component in modern food systems. When LA becomes embedded in the skin and exposed to sunlight, it breaks down, causing inflammation and DNA damage. This is why I recommend avoiding the sun for six months, slowly eliminating LA from your body, before going for a walk during peak sunlight hours (solar noon).
While your body is slowly eliminating LA, you can go out early in the morning or late afternoon and enjoy the benefits of sunlight exposure without the risk of oxidizing LA. The sunlight is not as strong during this time, so this strategy provides many of the benefits of sunlight while still keeping you safe from sunburn and skin damage.
For additional skin protection, it is recommended to take low-dose aspirin, astaxanthin and/or molecular hydrogen and apply niacinamide cream to the skin. After avoiding LA for six months, you can start going out at solar noon.
