Body get rid of viruses

Part of the problem is the nature of viruses themselves. They exist like freeloading zombies — not quite dead, yet certainly not alive. The odd makeup of these infectious agents is part of what makes them difficult to defeat. Compared to other pathogens, such as bacteria, viruses are minuscule. And because they have none of the hallmarks of living things — a metabolism or the ability to reproduce on their own, for example — they are harder to target with drugs.

Full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak. Antibiotics, which are used to fight bacterial infections, attack the bacteria's cell walls, block protein production and stop bacteria from reproducing. But they aren't effective against viral infections, because viruses don't carry out any of those processes on their own. Rather, viruses need to invade and take over host cells to replicate.

But a virus can't break into just any cell in the body. Instead, one of its proteins will bind to another protein — akin to a key fitting into a lock — which then allows the virus to hijack certain cells. With this outbreak, the coronavirus' so-called spike protein primarily fits "locks" that are present on lung cells, which is why COVID, the disease it causes, is mainly a respiratory illness. It is a non-stop feedback loop.

The virus is telling your immune system, "You can kill me. Activate more and more and more. Then, if the brakes stop working because the suppressor cells are not getting their message across, any vulnerable organ can be damaged.

At that point, the virus may be not only in the upper respiratory tract but in the lungs or heart. So then you have a flood of immune cells going to those places. Some of those immune cells are called cytotoxic T cells, because they release toxic compounds meant to kill a virus. But if they release them in a place where they shouldn't be, then they damage the organs.

And that's what some people are dying from. If you cannot turn off your immune system, your own immune system can end up killing you. The coronavirus appears to be more dangerous for people who have heart or lung disease, which makes sense, but also for people who are obese or have diabetes. How does having those conditions affect your immune response to a virus? Obesity and diabetes are strongly associated with a dysfunctional immune system. The immune system needs selenium to work properly and to build up the white blood cell count.

Berberine is an alkaloid compound found in several different plants, including European barberry, goldenseal, goldthread, Oregon grape, Phellodendron, and Coptis chinensis.

It has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, anti-parasitic, and immune-enhancing properties. Probiotics are always helpful in maintaining gut health, especially when the body is under a viral attack that involves the digestive system.

Probiotic foods and drinks without added sugar can help maintain a healthy balance of bacteria. Garlic is anti-viral, anti-fungal, and antibacterial. You can take garlic in a tonic or if you can handle it, chew raw garlic.

It not only will help fight the virus, it will help kill any secondary infections trying to take root. Echinacea not only supports the immune system, it also has been proven to reduce the severity and duration of viral infections.

Colloidal silver is believed to interfere with the enzymes that allow viruses bacteria and fungi as well to utilize oxygen. Elderberry has also been shown to inhibit replication in four strains of herpes viruses and reduce infectivity of HIV strains. The flavonoids in green tea are believed to fight viral infections by preventing the virus from entering host cells and by inhibiting replication. Though double-blind clinical trials are needed, olive leaf extract has been shown to inhibit replication of viruses.

In one study, of patients had a full and rapid recovery from respiratory tract infections while of had a full and rapid recovery from viral skin infections such as herpes. One of its compounds, lapachol, has proven effective against various viruses, including influenza, herpes simplex types I and II and poliovirus.

It is believed to inhibit replication. Studies have shown that glycyrrhizin, a compound found in licorice root was more effective in fighting samples of coronavirus from SARS patients than four antiviral drugs. It is also being used to treat HIV. This is absolutely imperative. Everyone who is chronically ill has an abundance of Candida. Yes, everyone. Provided your gut is healthy, or if you just feel the need to skip that part, here are the supplements to take in order to make sure your immune system is able to fight off viruses:.

While there are most supplements listed above, the combination of these listed here is more than enough to balance out the body and ward off viral infection. Link Find a Mistake? We have great editors, but we only have a few. We appreciate any and all help we can get in regards typos and any other mistakes. Please contact us and let us know if you find an error. Your Name required. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.

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