We’re sharing information from Dr. Isaac Eliaz about herd immunity and what it can do for your immune system. We want our readers to be informed about the many ways that herd immunity can help aid your body as well as any tips to be aware of when considering other factors in helping your immune system. – the HHN Team
By now you’ve heard the term herd immunity. But what does it actually mean? Essentially, herd immunity occurs when a large part of a population (the “herd”) develops acquired immunity against a specific virus. This widespread “community immunity” is what is required to prevent the virus from spreading rapidly among the population. But the question is, how much of the population needs to be immune in order to prevent the spread? Experts say it depends on the virus, and how contagious it is. For highly contagious viruses, experts say that 85-95% of the population needs to have immunity in order to significantly reduce the risk of spread. When this many people in a community are immune, the infection risk decreases significantly—enough to prevent infection even in the small percent of people who have not yet developed immunity.
How do We Reach Herd Immunity?
There are two ways to achieve herd immunity: By direct exposure to the virus, leading to infection and the development of immune antibodies to defend against future exposure. By immunization that triggers your immune system to produce antibodies that are ready to prevent infections or minimize severity of infection if you become exposed. Herd immunity is key to controlling aggressive viruses. The problem is, when viruses mutate and change quickly, herd immunity is not as effective. Essentially, we can’t wait for herd immunity when we are faced with new viral variants that can outsmart the body’s acquired immune defenses.
Variants are Why We Get Colds and Flus
Just like us, viruses want to survive. To do so, they need to mutate and outsmart acquired immune defenses. These mutated forms are called variants, and their severity and contagiousness, compared to the original virus, can range from mild to severe. This is why we’ve all had more than one cold virus in our lives, and the reason the flu shot needs to be upgraded every year. And, most importantly, this is why we need to be vigilant about keeping our immune systems primed and ready. A well-trained, balanced, and optimized immune system is our best defense against viruses and their variants.
How Your Immune System Adapts to Variants
An optimized immune system can develop antibodies to fight new viruses and their variants. How quickly it does this depends on how well your immune system functions. As soon as your immune cells detect an invader (aka an antigen) your whole immune system mounts an attack. If you already have antibodies to that specific virus, these antibodies latch onto antigens like a key in a lock, identifying them to be destroyed. But when your immune system encounters a new virus or variant, it has to develop new antibodies. In the meantime, the new antigen gets tagged, and macrophage immune cells are sent to fight and destroy it. It can take a few days to several weeks for your immune system to produce specific antibodies to a new virus, but when it does, your body will be able to quickly and efficiently deal with it, so you don’t get sick or develop serious symptoms if you do get infected. For all of these processes to function seamlessly, you need a robust and adaptable immune system that knows how to attack and defend against invaders, without going overboard and overwhelming your body with inflammatory cytokines, leading to a cytokine storm. A nourishing, anti-inflammatory diet, healthy stress relief, adequate sleep, and regular exercise are the foundations for a health and balanced immune system. But many times—especially in today’s age—our immune systems need additional support. Probiotics and medicinal mushrooms are powerful natural solutions that continue to prove themselves as effective immune support ingredients for healthy immunity and long-term wellness.
Probiotics and Immunity
More than 70% of your immune system is in your gut—and your microbiome plays a key role. For optimal immunity, you need a healthy balance of probiotic bacteria that offer targeted immune benefits that are essential for keeping you healthy and free of infections. Probiotic bacteria actually direct and teach your immune system how to respond to threats. This includes:
- How to differentiate between healthy cells and harmful invaders
- When to boost antibody production to address a threat
- How to recognize pathogens you’ve encountered before
- How to address infectious microbes including viruses and harmful bacteria
- How to react appropriately, without going overboard and creating excess inflammation, autoimmunity, or cytokine storms
This is why taking an effective, high-quality probiotic can be so important for your immune defenses. The right probiotic supports a healthy population of beneficial bacteria that work to improve immune function and deliver a wealth of additional benefits for gut health, brain and mood, healthy weight, and more.