Building Immune Resilience & Managing Post-viral Fatigue Syndrome

This is a recorded presentation by Chanchal at the Plant Medicine for Modern Epidemics Summit 2020.

A healthy functioning immune system requires that it be:

Detective and defensive – proactive and preventative
Internally regulated – switch on and switch off
Restorative – healing and rejuvenating
Tolerant of non pathogens e.g. food, pollen

immune system has 4 primary levels or layers

barrier immunity – mucus, sweat, the skin itself and the linings of the gut, lung and urogenital tract, the vomiting reflex and cough reflex, the microbiome of the skin and the gut
barrier immunity works as a preventative in the moment of threat from a pathogen
- Building resilience increasing the integrity of the barrier
- Stomach acid, mucus, epithelial integrity of gut or respiratory passages – pictures, digestive enzymes, mucilage, connective tissue repair (gotu kola, calendula, liquorice)
- mast cell stabilization (chamomile, nettle leaf, ephedra, baical root, albizzia bark, quercitin, luteolin, forskolin)
innate immunity – chemotaxic agents, neutrophils, MALT, GALT (antigen presenting cells that give bits of pathogen to T cells for initiating response). takes around 4 hour’s to effect a response at this level and may last days or weeks
- Enhancing innate immunity –
  - quick fix with immune stimulants e.g. echinacea, baptisia, Ligustrum lucidum (privet)
  - anti-microbials – garlic, Oregon grape, goldenseal, pau d’arco, lomatium
  - deeper repair with tonics – mushrooms, astragalus, codonopsis (used after acute infection resolved)
inflammation and fever – involves monocytes and macrophages. takes around 6 hours to three days to activate. Necessary and useful but must be controlled and stopped before tissue damage occurs
1. Diaphoretics – Yarrow flower, elderflower, boneset, ginger, peppermint
2. Mediators of inflammation through regulating COX and LOX – willow, meadowsweet, turmeric, omega 3 fish oils, evening primrose oil, capsaicin, baical, feverfew, green tea catechins, resveratrol, melatonin, carnosol a diterpene from Rosemary, carvacrol a monoterpene from oregano
3. Proteolytic enzymes – bromelain, serrapeptase, nattokinase, lumbrokinase
acquired immunity / specific immunity – presentation of an antigen to lymphocytes what will generate either Th1 (cell mediated) immunity using the T cells and the cytokines they produced, or Th2 (humoral) immunity involving B cells and antibodies.
- move lymph to induce acquired immunity – cleavers,
- stimulate and activate lymphocytes – poke root, mistletoe
- spleen tonic – ceonothus

Researchers have found many other types of acquired immune lymphocyte strains including Th17 which specifically produces an interleukin 17 cytokine. This mediates the gut mucosal immunity and promotes chronic inflammatory responses including autoimmune diseases like ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease.

To downregulate Th17 – Retinoic acid, statins, triptolide a diterpene from Thunder God Vine Tripterygium wilfordii

Another driver of chronic inflammation is the transcription factor called nuclear factor Kappa beta. It is upregulated by sugar, tobacco and obesity and is a key driver of metabolic syndrome and cancer. To downregulate and inhibit this transcription factor

calorie restriction
Omega-3 fats and fish oils
Lipoic acid
N acetyl cysteine
Vitamins C&E
Pomegranate, echinacea turmeric green tea feverfew, baical, boswellia
Quercetin

Covid pathology

ACE2 receptors in many tissues – involved in regulating blood pressure and vasoconstriction/ dilation

Target for docking of Corona virus, hence widespread or systemic tissue effects

Cytokine storm – over reactivity of immune system and tissue damage as a result

Vascular endotheliitis

higher risk

hypertension

diabetes

heart disease

consequences of infection (acute emergency situation)

acute respiratory distress syndrome (lie prone)

vasculitis, blood clots and coagulopathy

kidney failure (avoid NSAIDs)

children – rash, high fever – Kawasaki like syndrome (multi system organ failure)

Postviral fatigue syndrome

Fighting off a strong infection can leave you run down, debilitated and depleted, and no amount of sleep seems to fix it. Long after the virus is gone you can be left struggling to recuperate and at risk of relapse. People who have suffered a severe infectious disease will often report fatigue, low stamina or endurance, Slow recovery or recuperation, possibly sensory overload from noises or bright lights or hectic activities. In the case of COVID-19 this may be quite extreme and exacerbated by polymyalgia, extreme lung damage and by a strange array of peripheral vascular damage.

Hospitalized patients in Wuhan, China – survivors had a range of complications: 42% had sepsis, 36% had respiratory failure, 12% had heart failure, and 7% had blood clotting problems.

Digestive system, heart, kidneys, liver, brain, nerves, skin, and blood vessels can all be involved. Over 60% of patients recovering after hospitalization for Covid19 have heart muscle damage and myocarditis.

possible long term consequences

kidney damage may require long-term dialysis
strokes and blood clots may lead to disability
scarred lungs may lead to permanently decreased lung function
liver damage from drug therapies

A strange metallic taste, tingling in the arms and legs, muscle weakness, nerve pain, agonising headaches, severe fatigue, numbness, heart palpitations, back pain, chronic shortness of breath, gastrointestinal disorders, a sore throat, brain fog, conjunctivitis, blurred vision and more.

Possible natural treatments

Immune tonics – deep repair with mushrooms, astragalus, codonopsis
Lymphogogues- ceanothus, cleavers, calendula, violet
Adaptogens – liquorice, eleuthero, luzea. Reserve the stimulating adaptogens like rhodiola and ginseng for occasional use if an extra push is needed
Brain tonics that are not sympathomimetic – gotu kola, rhodiola, ginkgo, periwinkle, oat seed, holy basil, bacopa, lions mane,
Cardio-vascular restoratives – hawthorn berry, bilberry leaf, horse chestnut, yarrow leaf and flower, linden, butcher’s broom, ginkgo, prickly ash
Psychospiritual approach to raise the spirits and prevent depression – verbena, damiana, rose, holy basil, chamomile, lavender, Albizia julibrissin
vitamin D 5000 – 10,000 iu
vitamin A 5000 – 20,000 iu
vitamin K2 100 mcg,
zinc 50 mg
omega 3 fats for prostaglandins
probiotics, bone broths

deep, deep, restorative and rejuvenating sleep

quiet time in nature, sunshine

walking barefoot on the dewy grass or on the beach

toning and crystal bowls

spending time with pets and animals

gentle stretching and exercise

nutrient dense, high protein foods and good fats

probiotics, prebiotics

cacao – blood pressure regulator, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory

mushrooms (reishi, lions mane, maitake and many others)

This interview is part of the 2020 Plant Medicine for Modern Epidemics Summit, a free online event.

For more information, please visit https://plantmedicinesummit.com/.