The obvious importance of our immune systems.
Well, not to belabor the self-evident, without our immune systems we’d be in big trouble, and quickly.
Some body systems and organs are not essential for life; hearing, sights, taste, etc., but the immune system is.
It sustains our lives.
Our immune cells protect us from the microbial world, they orchestrate they healing of damaged and worn-down tissues, and are one of the cornerstone layers of defense against the outside world.
The immune system unceasingly scans the body, detects, and then fights against anything that it deems as strange, foreign, or dysfunctional (i.e. malignant cells).
Again, it’s so important. We would die without it’s constant presence.
How important is it during cancer treatments?
During conventional oncology treatments the protection and support of the immune system is of particular importance. The high priority to keep white blood cell counts strong is always on the list of goals for both conventional and integrative oncology docs.
In the setting of cancer, a strong immune system plays a pivotal role in influencing treatment success, survival, as well as recurrence of disease.
The increasing use of immunotherapies (therapeutic antibodies delivered as a treatment to unleash a patient’s own immune system against tumors) underlines this point. Historically, only a few types of cancers like melanoma and renal cell carcinomas were treated with immunotherapy. However, it is now proving itself powerful in almost every type of cancer that is seen clinically. Some immunotherapies have been shown to outperform traditional chemotherapy in many instances.
So our immune systems fight against tumors and cancer cells.
On the other side of the coin, immune deficiencies during treatment can lead to dose reductions and/or treatment delays. These delivery hiccups to standard treatment are now well known to decrease their success and impact survival rates.
A compromised immune system during treatment also leads to clinical issues of fatigue and a propensity for a patient to struggle with opportunistic infections throughout their treatment course.
Integrative Oncology: – additional options for Immune-Boosting
So, as a naturopathic doctor specializing in complementary integrative oncology it is always encouraging to know, and share with my patients, that there are so many things that can be brought safely into a patient’s supportive plan to boost their immune function.
The options from this field of medicine are often unique to conventional medicine and offer angles that are otherwise left untouched.
So, what are these additional options?… Here they are!
A comprehensive integrative treatment plan to boost immunity does more than throw a natural supplement at some faltering blood work. That strategy can work on occasion but those of us that support patients in real-time as they move through conventional treatments learn that there are many other factors that can interfere with getting those counts up.
So, understand of these factors in an individual’s case requires a well-done survey to identify influential aspects to improve. Patients are relieved to know that they often do not have to make any drastic changes to their lives.
It can be as easy as adding a few essentials to what one is eating, or starting some changes as to how one is keeping their body moving, and perhaps implementing so great strategies to improve sleep quality (* all of these are tailored, of course, to where a patient is in their case and how individually able they are to implement the suggestions).
In addition to these, an integrative doctor can also utilize some other amazing angles and strategies to boost the immune system directly.
The complete list of factors that I survey and address with each patient is listed here below.
*** ALL of the following factors can be implemented at any time with the exception of the herbal strategies. Herbs have the potential to interfere with the concentration and activity of many chemotherapies and targeted therapies. An integrative doctor ideally should oversee their use.
Immunity Factors to Optimize:
- Sleep (establish adequate quality and duration)
- Exercise (to the ability of the patient during treatment)
- Inner Peace (via direct support people, support groups, counseling, activity, supplementation, and personal practices)
- Protein intake
- Health food choices overall
- Vitamin D (serum levels)
- Essential nutrients (zinc, selenium, vitamin C)
- Herbs & Mushrooms
- Herbs: astragalus, ginsengs, Echinacea
- Mushrooms: Coriolus versicolor (Turkey tail), Grifola frondosa (Maitake), Ganoderma lingzhi (Reishi), Inonotus obliquus (Chaga), Cordyceps sinensis/Cordyceps militaris (Cordyceps)
Other organs and glands that indirectly support proper immunity and immune strength. * These can be clinical supported during treatment when indicated.
- Thyroid gland
- Adrenal glands
- Gut (microbiome and gut-associated lymphoid tissues)
Putting all of these pieces together…
In clinical practice and in life, often the simplest and most foundational of strategies deliver the greatest benefit.
For instance, if I have a patient that is not eating well, is highly stressed, and is not sleeping, an herbal immune-boosting supplement will likely not have its full impact due the underpinning compromise of these other factors.
These foundational aspects to immune health are non-negotiable in many instances and can veto the benefit of other attempted strategies.
This is actually encouraging and helpful!
There are many lifestyle and dietary adjustments that we can all fine-tune with a little guidance. Providing a few tasty ideas to increase protein, or using a pre-bed supplement to lock in a good night’s sleep (i.e. melatonin for sleep), can be some simple ways a naturopathic doctor can help create a good base so that the herbal immune boosters can have their impact.
This understanding of the foundational factors of strong immune function also helps set clinical priorities (what to do first) and can help explain why an individual’s immune system has been struggling without improvement.
Final thought…
Most of us can certainly look at our lives and apply the basics that steer our immune function to a better, stronger, place.
Am I sleeping well and enough?
Am I being physically active?
Am I eating intentionally with wisdom, or am I eating cheap alternatives?
When is the last time I had my vitamin D levels checked?
The solutions and adjustments to be made are often slight in degree as well.
Set an earlier bedtime. Turn off the screens at a certain time of night.
Start walking every other day to get the ball rolling.
Make a healthier shopping list and stick to it for 1 month.
Some of us need more assistance. Certainly, patients going through active cancer treatments often do.
Be encouraged.
There is a lot of simple boxes that can be checked off to know that you are doing right with your own immunity.
The addition of an herb or mushroom that fits your case can deliver a big impact, as well.
For more information on integrative oncology and the clinical services of Oster Oncology please visit us at www.OsterOncology.com, or reach out to us directly at (720) 987-9888.