IMMUNE SYSTEM STRONG

IMMUNE WARRIORS
Susan Blum, MD, MPH
Founder and Director
Blum Center for Health
www.blumcenterforhealth.com
www.blumhealthmd.com
Objectives for This Presentation

• Learn about the role of oxidative stress in damaging the Immune System

• Learn nutritional and vitamin strategies for reducing oxidative stress, and for
improving immunity
Oxidative Stress
• Normal process: low levels of oxidative stress
• Balance between free radicals (also called Reactive Oxygen Species or ROS) from every

day biochemistry and immune activity, and the antioxidants we eat in our diet.

• Runaway oxidative stress:

• Imbalance between too many free radicals and not enough antioxidant activity:

• Immune cells get damaged and don’t function well

Viruses cause Oxidative Stress in the Immune System
Fighting Viruses
• Treat oxidative stress with antioxidants

• Antioxidants:
• Need a constant supply to quench the free radical fire, and help the cells to recover

• Also need to protect the local tissues from collateral damage

• Antioxidants also have direct antiviral activity

• You can get antioxidants from food and supplements

• Also need to support your entire antioxidant system:

• Uses many different enzymes, vitamins, minerals and amino acids to manage oxidative
stress, which is why diet is so important
General Strategy
• Eat foods that support:

• Detox and metabolic detoxification

• Gut microbiome and overall gut health

• Antioxidants to combat oxidative stress

• Anti-inflammatory pathways

• Eliminate pro-inflammatory and pro-oxidant foods

Avoid Sugar
• Sugar is inflammatory: stimulates your immune cells to actively release
inflammatory molecules that travel throughout your body causing damage and
irritation.
• Avoid high glycemic foods like soda, white flour and processed sugar
• Avoid over focus on carbohydrates as the main source of calories for the day
Polyphenols: Antioxidants
• Fruit: Apples, pears, all berries (especially dark red and blue), grapes,
pomegranate, oranges, peaches, bananas, lemons, limes, grapefruit, plums,
apricots
• Vegetables: red and green onions, artichoke, snap peas, and okra
• Herbs and spices: cloves, parsley, dill, thyme, capers, cacao, oregano, sage,
rosemary
• Beans: black, kidney, fava pinto
• Beverages: fresh pressed juices, black, red and green tea
• Nuts and seeds: walnuts, pecans, pistachio, cashew, flax

• See references next slide

•
Liver and Gut Loving Food
• Organic, non-GMO foods
• GMO foods can damage the gut lining
• Remember, everything you eat is the sum total of what the plants and
animals were fed
• If the animals were treated with antibiotics, those drugs get in your body and
could damage your gut
• If the plants were treated with pesticides/herbicides, they can alter your flora
and damage your intestinal lining, causing leaky gut, which in turn causes
inflammation in your joints
Improve the Flora with Food
• Cultured foods: non-dairy yogurt, kefir
• With live active cultures of lactobacillus, bifidobacteria and saccharomyces boulardi

• Fermented foods:
• kimchi, sauerkraut, other vegetables

• Prebiotics: vegetables and fiber.

• Fructo-oligo-sacharides (FOS), which are compounds found in onions, garlic, leeks, rye,
chicory, blueberries, and bananas.
• Inulins, which are found in chicory and artichokes.
SUPPLEMENTS TO BOOST
IMMUNITY
Supplement Categories: Summary
• Antioxidants:
• Vitamin A: 5000 IU/day.
• Vitamin C: 3000-4000 mg/day
• NAC: N’acetyl Cysteine: 900 – 2000 mg/day
• Immunomodulators
• Probiotics: 30-100 billion mixed strain
• Zinc: 30-50 mg
• Vitamin D: 2000 – 5000 IU/day
• Immune boosting:
• Mushroom blends:
• Echinacea/Astragalus/Elderberry
• Direct anti-viral activity:
• Vitamins A, C, and D
Vitamin A
• Required for normal innate and acquired immune cell function

• Vitamin A required for healthy function of T lymphocytes

• Direct inhibition of Epstein Barr virus activation

• Foods high in vitamin A:

• Plant foods: ingest as Beta carotene - converted to retinyl palmitate in the body

• Asparagus, beets, broccoli, carrots, green peppers, kale, turnips and collard greens,
pumpkin, squash, spinach, sweet
• Liver and Cod liver Oil: provides preformed vitamin A

• Supplementation: Vitamin A as Retinyl Palmitate: 5000 total IU/day

• Klaire Vitamin A drops: 5 drops/day

Vitamin C
• Three clinical trials in China using IV vitamin C to treat COVID-19 and Dr Richard Cheng MD
PhD, head of the IV C studies is also suggesting oral vitamin C for prophylaxis.
• Potent scavenger of free radicals
• Reduces oxidative stress in the tissues to reduce inflammation from collateral damage of
infections
• Anti viral activity: studies have shown direct action against EBV and it appears COVID-19

• Vitamin C rich food: Berries, cantaloupe, grapefruit, honeydew, kiwi, mangoes,

nectarines, orange, papaya, strawberries, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale,
red, green or yellow pepper, snow peas, sweet potato, tomatoes

• Supplementation: 3 grams daily during times of high risk, 6 grams for treatment.
• Perque Vitamin C powder: 1 tsp/day provides 3 grams
NAC and Glutathione
• NAC:
• N’acetyl cysteine is the supplement used to boost glutathione levels in the body
• Glutathione is the most important and powerful antioxidant in the body, protector of tissues
from damage
• NAC is also well studied as a respiratory protectant in people with chronic respiratory
illnesses and is a good choice for protection from respiratory infection

• Sulfur rich food: contains cysteine to make glutathione

• Cysteine is found in most high protein foods:
• Animal sources: pork, chicken, turkey, duck, deli meat, eggs, milk, whey protein,
ricotta, cottage cheese, yogurt
• Plant sources: red peppers, garlic, onions, broccoli, brussel sprout, oats, granola
wheat germ, sprouted lentils

• Supplementation: NAC 900-1800 mg/day

• Designs for Health 900 mg/capsule.
Immunomodulators: Probiotics
• Over a century ago, Nobel Prize laureate Elie Metchnikoff proposed using
yogurt with active bacterial cultures to improve both gut and human health.
• Probiotics are influencers:
• Improve number and function of T regulators, which improve function of the
immune system
• Help repair the gut lining and tight junctions
• Reduce inflammation

• Zeng MY, Inohara N and Nunez G. Mechanism of inflammation-driven bacterial dysbiosis in

the gut. Mucosal Immunology. Online publication 24 August 2016. doi:10.1038/mi.2016.75
Vitamin D
• Considered one of the most important immunomodulators
• Vitamin D receptors in all lymphoid organs and cells
• Critical for the healthy development of Lymphocytes
• Direct inhibition of the viral envelope in EBV studies

• Supplementation:
• Based on your blood tests: 2000 - 5000 IU/day
• Orthomolecular makes a good 5000 IU/day.
Immunomodulators
• Probiotics
• Support intestinal barrier
• Support T regulator cells and overall functioning of immune system
• Recommend 30 – 100 billion CFU of mixed strains.
• Supplementation: Klaire labs Therbiotic complete, or Therbiotic factor 6

• Zinc
• Needed for lytic activity of NK cells
• T cell proliferation in the thymus
• Helps balance Th1/Th2 and improves T cell signaling
• Deficiency leads to increased risk of infection.
• Recommend 30-50 mg/day for immune protection or treatment if ill.
• Supplementation: Orthomolecular Reacted Zinc: 54 mg zinc.
Mushrooms
• Most mushrooms have immune boosting properties
Maitake:
• Beta-glucan polysaccharide: immunomodulator
• Increases phagocytosis and Natural Killer cells
• Anti-viral: herpes, hepatitis B
• Maitake D fraction: anti-tumor
Shiitake
-Lentinin: compound found to boost T cells, natural killer cells and macrophage activity

• Supplementation: Immune Builder from Mushroom Science: 2 daily for prevention,

up to 6 if you get sick. Immunitone Plus from Designs for Health
Additional Immune Boosting Herbs
• Many herbal formulas with herbs that directly boost the immune system
• Includes Elderberry, Echinacea, Astragalus
• We like:
• Immunoberry Liquid from Designs for Health, which is a potent and convenient blend of
these. 1 dropper each day in your shake, or in a little water, is all you need for ongoing
protection. Or Immunitone plus also from Designs for Health.
• This supplement dose can be doubled or tripled if you are concerned that you had exposure
or feel you have early symptoms of a viral illness.

• A note about herbs and mushrooms:

• Do not take if you are pregnant or nursing
• Autoimmune disease: it isn’t clear if it is safe to take for people with autoimmune conditions
and would recommend focusing instead on the Antioxidants and Immunomodulators.
Trusted Brands
• Our favorite brands that you can get on Amazon very easily:
• Designs for Health
• Orthomolecular
• Metagenics
• Thorne
• Pure Encapsulations
• Seeking Health
• Vital Nutrients

• Why we like them:

• No gluten, dairy, soy, corn, eggs
• No fillers, artificial ingredients or anything I don’t like
• They are GMP certified
• I have used them for many years and their products work, which make me believe they
have the ingredients that they say they do!
Next steps...
• EXPECT AN EMAIL FROM US!
• Link to the 3 Videos and slides
• Invitation to join our Facebook Group where you can post questions
• Information about our upcoming Immune System Strong Online Program

• Immune System Strong Online Program: Begins September 29

• 9 Weeks, Interactive classes with Dr Blum, and coaching sessions with Melissa Rapoport.
• Follows the 4-Step Program from The Immune System Recovery Plan
• We can help you follow an anti-inflammatory food plan, manage stress better, heal your gut,
lower your toxin load, reduce oxidative stress, add immune boosting herbs if desired, and
overall improve your immunity to viruses.
• Start now by reading and following the book!
4 Step Functional Medicine
Program to Repair the Immune
System:

1. Using Food As Medicine

2. Balancing Stress Hormones
3. Healing the Gut
4. Supporting the Liver

Learn more about Blum Center at:

www.Blumcenterforhealth.com

Online programs:
www.blumhealthmd.com