THE 3 I’s - Drivers of Chronic Disease
The 3 I’s that drive modern chronic disease are Infection, Inflammation and Immune dysregulation. ‘Dysregulation’ refers to lack of proper control of one’s immune system. Today, more and more people, including young people, are presenting with chronic fatigue, brain fog, anxiety and other issues which is hampering their lives. The 3 I’s are driving this epidemic. The key message is that if you have a chronic condition, you are unlikely to see improvement unless you address the 3 I’s.
INFECTION
We all carry viruses within our bodies. Some of the most common ones are Epstein Barr, Coxsackie, chickenpox and herpes viruses. If we have a strong immune system, we are able to control these viruses and keep them dormant. We then remain symptom free. If we lose control of our immune system i.e. certain parts become over active and other parts go to sleep. This causes sleeping infections to wake up and then bloom, causing symptoms. This is called viral reactivation and is one of the most common causes of chronic fatigue.
There are other pathogens which can get reactivated e.g. Lyme and other co-infections can lie dormant for years before reactivating and triggering symptoms. Other pathogens like mould and yeast use ‘pathogen-evasion strategies’ to overactive one part of the immune system, allowing another part to go to sleep. This allows pathogens to flourish in the host and the condition continues. Medical literature now reflects that infections of all kinds are a major underlying driver for conditions of all kinds, ranging from Alzheimer’s, M.S. and other neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, chronic fatigue and cancers.
IMMUNE SYSTEM
One of the key jobs of the immune system is to defend us from invaders like viruses and bacteria. In the book The Infection Game, Life is an arms race, Dr Sarah Myhill writes, “You and I are a free lunch for bacteria, yeasts, viruses, fleas, flies, ticks, worms and …what else?” She goes on to say that in response to this challenge, we have developed a fantastic immune system with intelligence and the ability to make decisions.
One of the key decisions the immune system has to make all the time is distinguishing ‘self’ from ‘non-self’ in the body. Anything tagged as ‘non-self’ is tagged as an invader and targeted for destruction. The problem arises when the immune system makes an error and targets the tissues of its own body. This is known as autoimmune disease. How does that occur when the immune system is programmed not to attack self? If tissues are invaded by pathogens or become contaminated with toxins like heavy metals, they no longer seem like ‘self’ to the immune surveillance. The immune system then launches an attack. However, as the pathogen or toxin is embedded in the host’s tissues, both get targeted for destruction. Another way the immune system can make an error and attack self-tissues is by mistaking those tissues for the pathogen or toxin. This is called ‘molecular mimicry.’
The immune system is not one thing that goes up and down. It is made up of many parts like the different instruments in an orchestra, all doing different jobs. However, like an orchestra when the trumpets are playing too loud and the oboes are drowned out, the immune system can get stuck with one part in overdrive and another part going to sleep.
In chronic fatigue and other conditions, this type of stuck immunity can mean that the parts which defend the cells against viruses and bacteria (and cancer) have gone to sleep. Dormant viruses and bacteria can then reactivate and bloom. This is the scenario that I see in most chronic conditions.
Recovering from chronic conditions therefore involves a two-pronged strategy: rebalance the immune system and get the infections to go back to sleep. That is why simply ‘boosting’ the immune system can backfire if you are boosting the trumpets which are already playing too loudly!
INFLAMMATION
Inflammation is the response of the immune system to harmful stimuli like pathogens, cell damage, toxins and radiation. Inflammation acts by removing the injurious agents and starting the healing process. Therefore, it is a mechanism vital to health. However, inflammation becomes a problem when it doesn’t stop and the tissue damage becomes chronic. Inflammation is a driver of most modern diseases from arthritis to diabetes to cancer.
Inflammasomes are structures inside cells that assemble in response to pro-inflammatory signals given out by cells. They are invoked in cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, chronic kidney and liver disease and infections. It was inflammasome assembly that sent some people up in flames when suffering from Covid. If you are already going up in flames, the risk of developing a severe inflammatory response to something new is even greater. Signs that you are chronically inflamed include: stiff, creaky, painful joints, aches and pains, brain fog and fatigue.
REVERSING THE 3 I’s TRIANGLE
There are some key actions that you must take to reverse the triangle of the 3 I’s - Infection, Immune dysregulation and Inflammation.
Stop consuming inflammatory foods and drinks like gluten, cows’ milk, refined sugars, high fructose corn syrup, commercial juices, excess alcohol and start eating real foods like vegetables, fruits, good fats, a variety of proteins.
Tailor your diet to your individual biochemistry based on lab results, not guesswork or politics.
If symptomatic, test for immune function and key chronic infections. I use specialist lab Armin Labs for this. Work with your practitioner to address key findings.
Address hidden dental infections and toxins like mercury fillings and root fillings. See a Biological dentist, not a regular dentist, for this. This can be a life saver.
Address the root causes of conditions instead of squashing symptoms with either drugs or natural agents. Get to know the principles of Functional Medicine and apply them to your life.
Adopt a proactive, rather than passive approach to your health. Don’t leave it all to the ‘experts.’ Practice informed, rather than uninformed consent.
If you need medical drugs, keep this under review. Work towards handling the condition so you may not need the drug indefinitely. Always wean off drugs under proper medical supervision. Know the risk/benefit ratios of each medical intervention.
Clean up your home from chemicals, mould and wifi. Switch to ethernet plug in connections and avoid using pesticides in the garden.
Have a spiritual detox if needed. There are some toxic personalities who try to control others. They may be very convincing, trying to help you ‘for your own good.’ In the media, they are known as ‘Merchants of Chaos.’ If you feel you are doing things in life ‘just to please others or keep them on side’ take a look at how you can reduce the influence of these people over your life.
Negative thoughts have a negative effect on biochemistry - In the minutiae of daily life, make time for things that get you out of yourself and make you feel good - this might be a walk in Nature, a swim, spending time with loved ones etc.
Reach out to others and see if there are ways of helping them.
If you feel you are going up in flames and would like to address the root causes of your condition, rather than simply suppressing symptoms, please contact 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.