TH-2 Immune Dominance
You can’t feel good without a well-functioning immune system. I have never seen a chronically ill patient who does not have an imbalanced immune system. The immune system is made up of different parts like the different soldiers in an army. In a previous article, I wrote about Natural Killer cells which are the first line of defence against viruses, bacteria and cancer. This article is about a common imbalance between the Th-1 and Th-2 parts of the immune army which is called Th-2 dominance.
Pathogen load
We all harbour toxins (metals and chemicals) and pathogens (viruses and bacteria) in our bodies. However, if we have a healthy immune system, these pathogens remain asleep and don’t cause a problem. The majority of infections that cause people to feel chronically ill don’t mount a sudden overwhelming attack on the immune system like the plague or meningococcle meningitis. Instead, such infections remain dormant for years until something wakes them up. They smoulder, slowly undermining our immune resources and energy, causing the low-grade chronic infections I see in most chronically fatigued patients. This type of smouldering infection includes commonly infections such as Coxsackievirus, Lyme, Bartonella, Babesia, Epstein Barr Virus and other herpes viruses, Cytomegalovirus and much more. This is why they are called ‘stealth infections.’
Immune threshold
The immune system should be able to handle these low grade infections pretty easily as they are not as overwhelming as most acute infections. It is important to realise that infection symptoms are created by the immune system’s response to invaders, not by the invaders themselves. If the pathogens and toxins stay below the level where the neurological and immune systems can still work well, there is no problem. If you reach a certain threshold for pathogens and toxins where the load on the immune and neurological system is too great, infections then wake up and the immune system begins to fight. A good analogy is a toilet which gradually becomes blocked until one day it will not flush without spilling its toxic contents over the bathroom floor. Without unplugging the drain, you can’t fix the toilet. Without removing the factors that causes the immune overload, you can’t restore the person back to health.
Immune overloads
So, what factors tip the balance of that threshold and cause the immune system to become overloaded? What happens in the body as a result? In most people, the virus that is dormant in the body like Epstein Barr (glandular fever) or Coxsackievirus, doesn’t turn back on. But in other people, it does turn back on. They will simply have too many of the following factors present which have overwhelmed their immune system over a period of time:
Poor sleep
Chronic stress
Heavy metal exposures
Dental mercury fillings
Root canal fillings
Unhealed, infected dental extraction sites
Chemical, pesticide exposures
Standard western toxic diet/excess sugars
Excess wifi exposures
Too much alcohol exposure
Too many drug exposures
Food allergies/asthma
Indoor mould exposures
Chronic hollow space infections (gut, sinuses, UTIs, lungs etc.)
Excess histamine production/MCAS
Microplastics exposures
Toxic relationships
Concussion (increased stress chemistry)
Advancing age
Th-2 dominance
These factors gradually wear down our first line immune defences - Natural Killer cells and the Th-1 immune system. Post Covid, the majority of people I see in my clinic have low Natural Killer cell counts. The chronic depletion of Natural Killer and Th-1 cells tends to promote a greater immune response from the Th-2 immune system. If the immune overload persists, this can result in a ‘stuck' Th-2 immune response called Th-2 immune dominance.
What are some of the clinical clues I look out for in Th-2 immune dominance?
History of allergies/food sensitivities
History of asthma with steroid inhalers
Increased chemical sensitivity
Hollow space infections (gut, sinuses, UTI’s, lung)
The person who has become sensitive to everything!
Exposures to heavy metals/pesticides etc.
Exposures to indoor moulds/biotoxins
Yeast infections
History of parasites
History of autoimmunity
The Way Out
Targeted lab tests are useful in confirming the stuck immune hypothesis. This gives us an immune roadmap or plan that guides the way out of immune overload and on the road to immune recovery. This usually involves doing the following steps:
Support Natural Killer cells and Th-1 immune system.
Reduce the severity of the Th-2 immune response.
Reduce excess inflammation.
Test for and address active infections.
Good nutrition.
Remove enough of the overloads keeping the immune system suppressed. These could include:
Toxic/inflammatory foods
Toxic metals
Dental infections
Gut infections
Sinus infections
UTIs
Environmental mould
Toxic relationships/thoughts
Poor sleep patterns
Excess Wifi
Chemicals/pesticides
Drugs
Excess alcohol
Systemic infections
Fix thyroid, adrenals, energy production
I am sure this list is not exhaustive but it gives you a good idea of the things that can tip the immune threshold. I should also add that, in my opinion, the human spirit is the greatest healing tool of all. I have seen this work especially well when a person has a goal or purpose in life helping to pull them through their healing journey. When the person’s attention goes back onto life and away from their symptoms, that is an important milestone in their recovery.
If you are concerned about your immune function, please get in touch with the Good Health Clinic on goodhealthclinic@outlook.com to request a free 30 minute Enquiry Call or book an appointment.
Please note that an Enquiry Call is not a consultation but an exploratory call to see if this a clinical approach you wish to pursue.
To your very good health,
Suzanne Jeffery (Nutritional Medicine Consultant)
M.A.(Oxon), BSc.(NMed), PGCE, MNNA, CNHC
The Good Health Clinic at The Business Centre, 2, Cattedown Road, Plymouth PL4 0EG
Tel no: 07836 552936/ Answer phone: 01752 774755
Disclaimer:
All advice given out by Suzanne Jeffery and the Good Health Clinic is for general guidance and informational purposes only. All advice relating to other health professionals’ advice is for general guidance and information purposes only. Readers are encouraged to confirm the information provided with other sources. Patients and consumers should review the information carefully with their professional health care provider. The information is not intended to replace medical advice offered by other practitioners and physicians. Suzanne Jeffery and the Good Health Clinic will not be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages arising therefrom.