5 Signs You Have Lowered Immunity
The Immune System
Your immune system is a network of organs, white blood cells, antibodies (proteins) and chemicals, that work together to protect you from external pathogens like bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi that cause infection, illness and disease. When your immune system is healthy and in balance, it can detect which cells are yours and which substances not. In response to an external pathogen, it activates, mobilizes, attacks in order to protect the body and maintain homeostasis. When your immune system is not in balance, it will not be strong enough to activate and protect you from infection or illness. In other cases of immune imbalance, it can mount an attack against a pathogen when there is none present and instead attacks your own healthy cells. This occurs in autoimmune conditions and allergic reactions. (Cleveland Clinic)
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COVID-19’s Long-term Effects On The Immune System
According to the CDC more than 40% of adults in the US reported having COVID-19 and out of those, almost one in five (19%) are still having symptoms of long-COVID.
A new and preliminary study in Australia was recently published, (but not yet peer-reviewed) where researchers looked at blood samples recovering COVID-19 patients and compared them to samples taken from participants who had not had any history of COVID-19. The study showed significant differences in multiple immune cells when comparing the two groups. This was very evident particularly after 12 and 16 weeks after infection. RNA sequencing suggests immune and metabolic dysregulation continues months after the infection. The conclusions of this study suggest that COVID-19’s affect on the cellular level can lead to long COVID. (Ryan, F.J., Hope, C.M., Masavuli, M.G. et al. 2022) COVID-19 and long haul are still very new and still being researched. Though we in the US are being encouraged to ‘live with the virus’ it is still very much in the interest of your immune system to avoid being sick and avoid letting COVID-19 ride out in your immune system. When you allow a COVID infection to stay in your system for longer, it also means the virus has more of an opportunity to compromise you long-term as well as mutate. Now that there are no longer any restrictions for covid safety this means mutated versions of the virus can be spread more readily when we go back to work too soon or refrain from isolation because it’s not required.
Mononucleosis, a common infection that is caused by Epstein Barr virus (EBV) has been found to increase the chances of triggering autoimmune conditions like lupus, celiac disease, IBS or diabetes in those who have been infected. (Healthline)
Here Are 5 Signs You Have Lowered Immunity
CAN’T SHAKE TIREDNESS “Fatigue is more than being tired or sleepy”, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Fatigue is the type of exhaustion that affects your daily functioning. Sometimes it can manifest as heaviness in the body or physically feeling tired more easily, heaviness in the head, hard to focus due to being tired or feeling foggy. Getting more sleep does not relieve fatigue and sometimes makes you feel more tired.
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WEAKENED DIGESTION Much of your immune system is in your gut. In Chinese Medicine, we consider your ability to digestion food and absorb nutrients as one of the indicators of your immunity. Signs to look out for are diarrhea, bloating, tired after eating, discomfort, difficult bowel movements or acid reflux.
CAUGHT A COLD…AND THEN SICK AGAIN SOON AFTER?The average adult gets 2-3 colds per year according to CDC. Scientists have found recently due to their studies on COVID-19 and the immune system that immunity to one threat - like the common cold, hijacks the immune response to a new and similar threat - another cold too soon or COVID-19 again. This phenomenon is called immune distraction. Being sick and then catching another cold soon after can lead to having poor immune responses and leaving you susceptible to another infection or illness. (Pallo, 2022)
BRUISING EASILY, SLOW TO HEAL Good circulation and wound healing is a sign of good health. When you begin to bruise easily and your wounds are slower to heal it indicates that your blood circulation is deficient and your immune system is no responding as strongly to repair wounds. In Chinese Medicine one of the functions of the Spleens is to keep things in your body in the proper places and in the proper form. When blood does not stay within its vessels and bruising occurs more often, this indicates a weakened Spleen. The Spleen is important for immune function in both Eastern and Western Medicine.
FREQUENT INFECTIONS In Western Medicine, the spleen is an important part of the immune system. Its job is to help you fight infections by cleaning the blood. It detects old red blood cells, bacteria and viruses and filters them out of the body. Your immune system has memory —it will remember when you’ve had a particular strain of the flu and remember how to fight off the next time you’re exposed to it —this is how antibodies work. A sign of immune deficiency is when your body does not produce antibodies to fight off an infection and you have reoccurring illnesses like sinus infections, flu’s skin infections, stomach viruses. (Cleveland Clinic)
How To Strengthen Immunity When It’s Been Compromised
There are many immune conditions like Lupus, Lyme’s Disease, Thyroid conditions, Cancer, Asthma, Diabetes and heart conditions that require working closely with a medical specialist. Please check with your specialist before seeking other treatments so that your care can be safely managed.
ACUPUNCTURE For those on pharmaceutical treatment plans, Acupuncture is a great option because it won’t interfere with medications. A 2018 meta-analysis (Zhang et al.) on Acupuncture for the treatment of Cancer-related Fatigue (CRF) showed that it was effective, safe and should be recommend for those undergoing cancer treatment. A 2017 meta-analysis (Wang et al.) concluded that acupuncture and moxibustion improve Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. A 2016 study (Kluger et al.) also showed that bi-weekly acupuncture helped Parkinson’s patients with their fatigue as well as their sleep, mood and overall quality of life.
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CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINE Herbal Medicine can really excel for lowered immune conditions, especially in the cases of sequelae from COVID-19 or other illnesses. After being sick it can take sometime before you get back to feeling like yourself. Chinese herbal medicine can be customized to the different ways lowered immunity can be manifesting in your specific situation. A randomized control trial that looked at the use of Chinese herbal medicine for the treatment of IBS showed improvements of IBS symptoms across the board after 16 weeks of treatment. (1998, Bensoussan et al.). A 2013 research analysis looked at the use of a particular formula and its modifications for the treatment of IBS according to Chinese Medical theory and concluded that with proper diagnosis and modifications of the formula, Tong xie yao fang can be used for the treatment of IBS. For those on medication it is important to speak with your specialist as some herbal components could interact with your medications. Please do not take herbal medicines without consultation with an experienced professional.
What You Can Do At Home
PRIORITIZE REST It might not be accessible for everyone to take time off from work or taking care of others to get more rest, however when your body asks for it, it is worth it to make an effort to find that time. Maybe this is the time to reach out to your friends and family to ask for help with childcare or switching shifts with a co-worker so that you can get better sleep. Use a personal day or vacation day. When you’ve been run down, this is not the time to begin bootcamp work out! Walking, gentle exercises or shorter periods of exercise can be helpful but don’t overdo it until you’ve fully recovered.
Photo by AMANDA LIM from PEXELS
EAT WELL Notice what your body wants and what it’s sensitive to. Eat foods that are nutritious and easier to digest while you’re still recovering. Eat slowly and mindfully so that you don’t overwhelm your digestive system. Supplementation could be a good idea for some people but be sure to speak to an experienced provider on this especially if you’re on medications or have medical conditions.
DE-STRESS Not everyone has 20 minutes a day to meditate and you certainly don’t have to! Try to avoid stressful situations when you can. Sometimes de-stressing can look like tuning out by watching a show that makes you laugh, taking a 10 minute walk, journaling, taking a few deep breathes every hour of the day.
MASK UP The one thing we, as a society has learned in the last 2 years is that masking really works! Wearing a mask in crowded indoor areas or when you’re around people who are feeling sick can make a huge difference. Masks can and should also be used when you’re in places where you might be exposed to allergens, dust, chemicals or pollutants.
When it comes to the culture of prevention and health maintenance that exists in Chinese Medicine, we should try our best to do what we can at home to take care of ourselves in order to try to avoid needing further, more extensive interventions.
recommended products (links will lead you to kamwo store affiliate links):
These products are not recommended when you are already feeling sick/unwell, but rather good for prevention or during your recovery phase.
Read my other posts on Immunity THIS IS NOT MEDICAL ADVICE.
Written by Dr. Emily Siy, DACM, L.Ac., September 19, 2022
Sources:
Bensoussan A, Talley NJ, Hing M, Menzies R, Guo A, Ngu M. (1998) Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome With Chinese Herbal Medicine: A Randomized Controlled Trial. JAMA. 1998;280(18):1585–1589. 85
Kluger, B.M., Rakowski, D., Christian, M., Cedar, D., Wong, B., Crawford, J., Uveges, K., Berk, J., Abaca, E., Corbin, L. and Garvan, C. (2016), Randomized, Controlled Trial of Acupuncture for Fatigue in Parkinson's Disease. Movement Disorders, 31: 1027-1032.
Immune System, Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/21196-immune-system
Nearly One in Five American Adults Who Have Had Covid-19 Still Have Long-Covid National Center For Health Statistics, CDC https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/nchs_press_releases/2022/20220622.htm
Pallo, Susanne (2022) ‘Immune Distraction’ From Previous Colds Leads To Worse COVID Infections, University of Rochester Medical Center March 4 https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/news/story/immune-distraction-from-previous-colds-leads-to-worse-covid-infections
Radcliffe, Shawn (2018) How ‘Mono’ Virus Can Raise Your Risk of Lupus and Other Autoimmune Diseases Healthline: News Updated April 26, 2018 https://www.healthline.com/health-news/how-mono-virus-can-raise-risk-of-lupus-and-other-autoimmune-diseases
Ryan, F.J., Hope, C.M., Masavuli, M.G. et al. (2022) Long-term perturbation of the peripheral immune system months after SARS-CoV-2 infection. BMC Med 20, 26
Spleen, Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/21567-spleen
Wang, T., Xu, C., Pan, K., Xiong, H. (2017) Acupuncture and moxibustion for chronic fatigue syndrome in traditional Chinese medicine: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Complementary Alternative Medicine 17, 163
Zhang, Y., Lin, L., Li, H. Hu, Y., Tian, L. (2018) Effects of acupuncture on cancer-related fatigue: a meta-analysis. Support Care Cancer 26, 415–425
Zhang BH, Gao R, Li ZH, Li BS, Wang FY, Tang XD. (2013) Treatment of irritable bowel syndrome by Chinese medicine and pharmacy: an analysis of data mining on experiences of experts Chinese Journal of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine. 2013 Jun;33(6):757-760.