Wednesday, April 29, 2020
Our Immune System and COVID-19
We won’t know for sure whether there had always been pathogenic viruses when God created this world, or only after the “curse” when mankind fell to sin. But it is likely God had installed an immune system in his design of humans for we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalms 139:14).
For millennia upon millennia, our immune system has been there for us. It is our fortress against pathogenic invaders. Viruses had always mutated and our defense system has evolved and adapted. This is nothing new!
The Bible mentions “walls” many times and certainly walls were erected to protect God’s people from foreign armies, and often when the walls were breached, they were overwhelmed and invaded. Likewise, on a personal level we need walls to separate us from temptation lest we sin. Constant reading of God’s word maintains the wall, while prayer sustains the wall.
FORTRESS BREACHED
From an immunological perspective, our immune system is a wall against disease, and the immune cells are the soldiers guarding the fortress within.
But then, if God created the immune system which helps humans fend off disease, why didn't he just make us all immune to diseases including COVID-19?
It’s because today our immune system is compromised compared to our forefathers. Not only are our walls broken but not well-maintained. “I went by the field of the lazy man, and by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding; and there it was, all overgrown with thorns; its surface was covered with nettles; its stone wall was broken down” (Prov. 24:30–31).
There is a lot of talk about the “cytokine storm” that leads to Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) which will lead to exudate build up in your lungs, disabling your ability to transfuse oxygen. This is how COVID-19 kills you! But if our immune system was strong enough in the first place there will be no cytokine storm. We breathe in pathogens every day, from our nasal passages to our trachea, to our bronchioles and to the smallest lung unit called the alveolus where oxygen exchange takes place. Alveolar macrophages (frontline soldier) which are concentrated in the alveoli, are our first line of defense against these pathogens, and will be the first to attack these viruses. Our second line of defense is the Natural Killer cells should that be breached before the antibody specific armies are called in.
WHY IS OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM NOT AS GOOD AS OUR FOREFATHERS?
Global warming and greenhouse effect have certainly affected the quality of the air we breathe and the water we drink. Just look at the pictures of the Klang River during the MCO shutdown. The water is actually clear and not murky.
Undoubtedly our constant exposure to electromagnetic fields from mobile phones and rampant use of antibiotics are also reasons for our compromised immunity in the 21st century.
NUTRITION
The quality of the food we eat is no way near as nutritious as our forefathers. The soil we plant our crops are depleted of vital nutrients. Yes, we are increasingly seeing organic products being offered, but for years we have used tons of chemical fertilizers and insecticides on our crops. My grandparents ate truly organic veggies that are grown wildly in their own farm in Hulu Langat. Hydroponics and vertical farming have come a long way, but are they really that nutritious and have similar vitamin profiles as those grown on good soil? Even if you add in the minerals and vitamins, it won’t have the same balance and profile as those grown naturally from good soil (UNLESS YOU ARE GOD).
Malaysian are born to eat. Just look at the junk that they are eating in the mamak and fast food stores. Frankly, the hawker stalls serve lots of delicacies that void the essential nutrients for our protection.
The MCO has morphed some of us into cooks and I see many previously undiscovered Michelin star talent suddenly popping up on Facebook postings during the lockdown. But unlike our grandparents who cooked most of their meals, we take the quality of our nutrition for granted and often eat in calories without the important nutrients for our immune system.
Recently, I read that they are developing a synthetic palm oil which is funded by Bill Gates. Surely it can’t replicate the complete vitamin profile and balance of naturally grown palm oil.
SUGAR KILLS!
After a high Glycemic Index (GI) or sugary meal not only do we feel sleepy, but our White Blood Cells (immune cells) are lethargic. Foods with a high glycemic index (GI) contain carbohydrates that will dramatically raise your blood-glucose levels, while a low GI food will raise it much less.
Industrialization has changed our diet. Our ancestors ate carbohydrates in the form of beans, vegetables, fruits and whole grains. They ground the food between stones and cooked it over heat, and the fibre was still intact. As a result, the carbohydrates eaten were digested and absorbed slowly resulting in a low glycemic response in the blood.
Today, we eat new foods based on these whole grains – but the original grain has been ground down to produce fine flours of small particle size that produce fine-quality breads, cakes, cookies, crackers, pastries, cereals and snack foods. Just go the the malls and look at the amount of shops dedicated to providing you with refined sugar – cake shops, bubble tea, candy and chocolate shops etc
Our bodies quickly digest and absorb these “refined” carbohydrates resulting in a high blood-glucose and insulin response. Refined carbs/sugar not only makes us age faster by forming Advanced Glycated End Products (AGES) but suppresses our immune system.
OBESITY
Our kids are more sedentary than ever. They spend so much time on the computer. I grew up cycling to school in Perth, catching frogs in the river, fishing off the jetty and beaches. Due to the hustle and bustle of life most of us don’t exercise regularly. It is important to do so.
“A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls” (Prov. 25:28 ESV). Yes, we must not overeat also.
Fasting is a virtue in most religions and in the Bible. I am not asking you to do 40 days fast like Jesus, but occasional days of Intermittent Fasting per week to reduce insulin resistance. You can try 16/8, then gradually increase to 20/4 or one meal a day. It is not only good for the soul but the body and immune system.
NATURAL PLANT BASED FOOD THAT GOD GAVE US
I am not here to promote the wellness industry and Direct Selling/MLM companies as most of them are a rip off and over claim on their products. But it is good that they are raising the awareness of good nutrition.
Did God made us to be vegetarian? I believe so.
When mankind fell, God made clothes from animal skin to cover Adam and Eve. Before the fall of mankind, there were no killing of animals and they lived in symbiosis with each other. Killing an animal means “death”. Jesus ultimately paid for the price of our sin when He died on the cross. He paid it all, once and for all. For all the sins of the past, present and future.
There is even suggestion that when Christ comes back to restore His millennial kingdom we will be vegetarians again.
The wolf will live with the lamb,
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling together;
and a little child will lead them.
The cow will feed with the bear,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
The infant will play near the cobra’s den,
and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.
They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea (Isaiah 11:6-9)
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling together;
and a little child will lead them.
The cow will feed with the bear,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
The infant will play near the cobra’s den,
and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.
They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea (Isaiah 11:6-9)
SUPERFOODS VS SUPPLEMENTS
Every morning when I wake up, I blend green apples, celery, pineapple, cucumber etc to drink. I also add turmeric powder I bought from Bentong, and crushed pink Himalayan salt for its Trace Minerals and Apple Cider Vinegar.
God had put these plants on earth for a reason. There is no need to buy expensive supplements to improve your health. If buying expensive supplements was the only way to stay healthy and ahead, then only those rich enough to pay thousands of Ringgit can beget good health. No! this is not true. God is fair and made these plants so even the poor can have a strong immune system.
My Indonesian maid has worked nearly 2 years for us and she had turned our backyard into an orchard. She prefers to eat her own produce than what I buy and shuns meat. I have learnt a lot from her and she is probably healthier than me. It is little wonder TCM is reportedly just as effective if not more effective than modern medicine in treating COVID-19. TCM has been around before Christ. TCM prevents mucus and exudate build up in the alveoli and boost the immune system.
I do not intend to go into all the superfoods like garlic, ginger, ganoderma, ginseng, turmeric, lemon, aloe vera etc.
What I do take regularly are Vitamin C, Tumeric, Omega Fish oil, Garlic, B complex, Calcium/Magnesium, Astragalus and Spirulina.
MEATS
Saturated fats and trans-fats not only raises blood cholesterol but kills your immune system.
We all like like BBQ, and roasts but overcooked meat loses its nutritional value.
Meats make our blood acidic which in turn stuns the immune cells. It is also known that cancer cells thrive in an acidic environment. Try to eat more plant based food than animal based (including milk). Don't be harsh on yourself and change slowly. Drastic changes to dietary habits are unsustainable and one usually rapidly reverts to old entrenched habits.
Our ancestors ate meat from wild animals which contained 4% fat. Today, commercial meats like beef and pork contain around 30% fat as they are fed grains to beef them up. Worse still these days they are treated with antibiotics, growth hormones, or growth enhancers.
The main problem is not the fat in the meat but the fat which we can skin off or cut out, such as the pork belly. This we should cut out from our diet.
Humans were designed to eat more plant than animal foods. For instance, we have 20 molar teeth for grinding plant foods, 8 frontal incisors for biting fruits and vegetables and only 4 canine teeth for eating meat. A true carnivore like the tiger has predominantly canine teeth and its jaws only move vertically unlike the human jaw which also moves horizontally. The tiger’s intestinal tract is 3 times shorter than the humans for a rapid transit of rancid meat and a much bigger kidney to flush out the uric acid.
No doubt meats provide a good source of protein, but many beans and plant produce are also a good source of protein. Bear in mind, two of the strongest animals in the world are herbivores (plant eaters) – the elephant and the gorilla.
Unclean meats
Seafood Restaurants are very popular throughout the country. Essentially there are two types of seafood: those with fins and scales, and those without.
If you ever watch National Geographic on Astro, you realize that fishes swim across all levels of the sea as they have fins and scales. Imagine the ceiling of your house as the sea-level while the floor is the sea-bed. Rubbish will settle at the sea-bed as the specific gravity is higher than water. Those without fins and scales such as shellfish, crabs, lobster, prawns, oysters, clams and mussels are usually on the sea-bed and become nature’s vacuum cleaners to keep the sea-bed clean. In the ecology of the sea, they are designed to clean up all the rubbish, toxins, bacteria, viruses and parasites on the floor of the sea. Crabs are even known to eat dead things. These meats should be avoided for healthy living. Little wonder these foods are associated with gout, high cholesterol and allergies (contain many toxins). If you simply can’t resist these foods, then limit them to once a week and in small quantities.
Pork consumption is high among the Chinese. It is one of the fattiest meats, rich in saturated fats. The organs of any animals are high in cholesterol, but the Chinese seems to spare no part of a pig, not even the intestines. A swine if left on its own will eat itself to death. Firstly, pigs eat a lot of rubbish. Secondly, even commercial pigs are full of toxins as by eating a lot, the hydrochloric acid in the pig’s stomach is diluted and bacteria and parasites can thrive. If you don’t believe this, just visit a farm where they are bred. It is best to minimize or avoid this unclean meat.
STAY SAFE
Last but not least, stay safe. I am always reminding myself to control the alcohol as excessive intake depresses the immune system as does poor sleeping habits. Fortunately I have had the discipline to exercise regularly though indoors during the ongoing MCO. Exercise does boost your immunity.
Although we all like the idea of an imminent COVID-19 vaccine it is really not a fortress like the one God gave us. Not only is the vaccine 12 months away but will it work? Be reminded there are still no vaccines for SARS and MERS.
