Give germs the BOOT with this spicy ‘kick’
When you think of your immune system, you might imagine a squadron of troops that have emerged from boot camp… fully prepared to DEFEND against whatever might try to ATTACK.
But some of the germs that are waging WARFARE on our health don’t play fair.
They fight dirty!
They find ways to DODGE our natural defenses… including EVOLVING to resist drugs and MUTATING to go “incognito.”
That means we’ve got to stay a step ahead of them.
We can’t rest on our laurels… and assume that our bodies will know how to fight some new mutant bug we might come across in the future.
Fortunately, there may be a way to “program” your immunity so it can be read to fight even an UNKNOWN assailant.
And the key may be in a substance locked away in a humble… but powerful… spice.
Fine-tune your innate immunity
I’ve shared with you before right here in eAlert how curcumin… the active compound in the curry spice turmeric (Curcuma longa)… can help keep diabetes and even cancer at bay…
And how its anti-inflammatory powers can benefit your bones and your brain.
No wonder folks in India have incorporated this spice rack staple into their cuisine for over 4,000 years!
Well, today I want to introduce you to yet another trick that curcumin has got up its sleeve.
It supports a healthy immune response!
The latest science shows how this spicy substance can even beat back a form of a devastating disease that drugs FAIL to treat.
I’m talking about tuberculosis.
Strains of the bacterium that causes it… called Mycobacterium tuberculosis… have evolved to resist drug treatment.
That means even when antibiotics SHOULD work… sometimes they DON’T.
But a recent in vitro study showed how curcumin STIMULATED human macrophages… a.k.a. the “germ-eaters” of our immune systems… to kick the bacteria to the curb!
Researchers think it has something to do with this compound’s ability to INHIBIT nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) – a pro-inflammatory, protein-based substance that’s part of our innate immunity.
Excessive NF-κB activation has been linked to the formation of tumors…
And the overactive immune response is why some infected people feel “sicker” than others with the same disease.
The key to EFFECTIVE immunity is a system that recruits just enough troops to fight the infection – ones whose tactics are only as aggressive as needed.
But sometimes, we need a little outside help in curbing their enthusiasm.
Here’s another thing about TB…
There’s a chain of amino acids (or “peptide”) found in humans’ innate immunity that can DESTROY the bacteria that causes the disease… as well as other viruses and fungi… even if you’ve NEVER encountered them before.
That way, your body doesn’t lose PRECIOUS time trying to “learn” how to fight new and novel pathogens (a.k.a. “acquired” immunity).
It’s called CAMP – and this one-of-a-kind antimicrobial protein works by DISINTEGRATING germs’ cell membranes.
Curcumin has been shown to nearly TRIPLE its levels!
Fortunately, you can find curcumin in supplement form at your local health food store and online. Look for one with a standardized percentage of curcuminoids.
One patented curcumin extract… called BCM-95 Bio-Curcumin… is touted as having 7X the bioavailability of regular ol’ curcumin.
It’s a fat-soluble nutrient… so it’s best to take it with food.
To the gift that keeps on giving,
Melissa Young
