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Viruses are fascinating and, to be honest, a little bit creepy. However, there are good ones and bad ones and we need some of them in our system in much the same way that we need the good bacteria in our gut. Among the good viruses are bacteriophages that infect and destroy unfriendly bacteria that may get into our system. And, amazingly, targeted viruses are now being used to destroy cancer cells in the body. But, let’s face it, most viruses are not nice, and they don’t play fair.

What Exactly is a Virus?

Viruses are the smallest of all the microbes. They are said to be so small that 500 million of the virus that gives us the common cold could fit on to the head of a pin. However, they are different from all the other microbes that we interact with, like bacteria, in that they are not really alive. A bacterium is like a single-cell animal that reproduces by binary fission. This means that the parent bacterium divides into two identical cells called daughter cells that then go on to divide in the same way. This is similar to the way that are own cells divide. Some bacteria eat by absorbing organic material which we can see happening when a rotting apple grows its bacterial fur. Other types of bacteria can make their own food by either photosynthesis (using light and water like plants) or chemosynthesis (combining the compounds around them).

But viruses are very different which is why antibiotics have no effect on them.

A virus is basically a bag of genetic material surrounded by a protein coat called a capsid. Sometimes the capsid is surrounded by an additional spiky coat called the envelope. The genetic material inside is either DNA or RNA but the virus cannot really do anything with this until it gets inside the body of a living host and attaches to a cell. In a way it is like a sleeper zombie that gets activated once it contacts the membrane of a living cell. They don’t need to ingest any food, breathe or divide themselves because they are not really alive. This is one of the reasons that viruses can lay dormant in your system for many years. Like I said, creepy.

To activate, the virus first has to enter its host’s body. Viruses lie around in our environment all of the time just waiting for a host to come along and they then enter us through the nose, mouth or breaks in the skin. For example, cold and flu viruses will attack cells that line the respiratory or digestive tracts. The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes AIDS, attacks the T-cells of our immune system.

Once inside, they find a host cell to infect. The virus then attaches itself to the membrane of the target cell and starts to reproduce itself through something called the lytic cycle. The virus particles pierce the cell wall and inject their own genetic material into the cell. Once this material is inside, it hijacks the cells own reproductive mechanism and enzymes to make lots of little copies of itself – a bit like using a photocopier.

This new little virus army then eventually leaves that cell and takes off around the body to find new cells to infect and keep reproducing. It does this by either bursting out of the cell (lysis) which usually kills that cell. They can also leave by budding off of the cell wall and this takes some of the host cell’s membrane with them. This doesn’t kill the host cell, but it does mean that the virus is now ‘cloaked’, and it is hard for the host’s immune system to recognise it as an invader and deal with it.

For example, this is what happens when you come down with the flu or a cold:

  • An infected person sneezes near you.
  • You inhale the virus particle, and it attaches to cells lining the sinuses in your nose.
  • The virus attacks the cells lining your sinuses and quickly reproduces new viruses.
  • The host cells burst, and new viruses spread into your bloodstream and lungs.
  • Because you have lost cells lining your sinuses, fluid can flow into your nasal passages and give you a runny nose. Viruses in that fluid drips down your throat and attacks the cells there which gives you a sore throat.
  • Viruses in your bloodstream can attack your muscle cells which creates muscle aches.

 

So How Do Our Bodies Deal with Viruses?

This is where our immune response is so important.

In our bodies we have an army of special cells that are designed to recognise and deal with invading microbes, parasites and toxins that would otherwise harm us. When a virus is detected the body activates this immune army, known as white blood cells. White blood cells are also called LEUKOCYTES. They circulate in the body in blood vessels and the lymphatic system and are on constant patrol looking for pathogens. When they find a target, they begin to multiply and send signals out to other cell types to do the same.

There are two main types of leukocyte:

  • Phagocytes

About 70 per cent of the white blood cells are phagocytes. They are the infantrymen of the immune system as they do hand-to-hand combat with the invading microbes that enter your body. These warriors surround and absorb the pathogens and break them down, effectively eating them. They do this by using enzymes to dissolve the invader once they have wrapped it up in a vacuole. They are also clean-up crew, patrolling for any dead or dying cells from our own body.

  • Lymphocytes

Lymphocytes are like the specialists of the immune system. They help the body to remember previous invaders and recognize them if they come back to attack again.

Lymphocytes begin their life in your bone marrow.  Some stay in the marrow and develop into B cells. B cells are like the intelligence officers of the immune system and they produce antibodies which identify and remember the invaders. Other lymphocytes head to the thymus and become T cells. T cells are like the ninjas of the immune system and they destroy compromised cells and help alert the infantry (phagocytes) to come and do their job.

Once your immune system has detected the virus particles in your fluids, the B cells produce antibodies that are specific to that virus shape as they will attach to the virus like a key in a lock and then neutralise it. If this is a familiar virus, your body will already have the specific antibodies in its database which are sent out to attach to the virus particles. If it’s a new virus, this process may take a bit longer as the B Cells have to make them from scratch.

However, once the virus has entered your cells the antibodies can’t see it and some viruses are very good at cloaking themselves anyway. This is where your ninja, T cells come in to play. They can detect when one of your normal cells isn’t ‘quite right’ because it has a virus inside it, and they will sacrifice the whole cell by killing it completely. This stops the virus from reproducing and spreading itself all around the rest of the body.

During this warfare, the B and T cells will have communicated with the phagocytes to come and clean up the carnage.

While all this is going on you will probably experience a fever, which is a good thing so long as your temperature doesn’t go over 105 degrees F as this would mean that you are losing the battle. A slightly higher temperature than normal not only makes it difficult for the virus to reproduce (most of them can’t reproduce above 70 degrees Celsius), it also makes it easier for the immune army to move around the body and do its job.

You may also experience headaches, coughing, sneezing, runny nose, body aches, sore throat, vomiting depending on what virus you have and which part of your system it targets.

So How Can You Avoid Viruses?

The short answer is you can’t, they are a natural part of our environment. However, you can work on your own system to make yourself as bulletproof as possible so that when you do encounter them, they can’t take hold.

One of the best things you can do it make sure your immune system army is fighting fit all the time. There are several natural supplements that can help this:

  • Vitamin C (up to 5000mg per day if you are well)
  • Vitamin D3 combined with Vitamin K2
  • Medicinal Mushrooms like: reishi, cordyceps, lion’s mane, turkey tail and chaga mushrooms provide beta glucans which is vital for a strong immune response
  • Zinc. This is best taken in its ionic form as it is better absorbed by the body
  • Probiotics. Up to 70% of your immune system is in your gut so you need to make sure that your gut is happy.
  • B Vitamins. Many people are deficient in these anyway especially if they are under stress.
  • Garlic – natures antiviral and antibacterial gift
  • Immune System plants: astragalus, licorice, echinacea, elderberry  

 

It’s best to try and get as much of these through your normal food which means eating lots of colourful fruit and veg but, in the winter and vulnerable times, you will probably need to supplement.

How to Handle a Viral Infection

If you do get a viral infection here is what you can consider:

  • Get hot. You may have a fever anyway in which case go to bed and wrap yourself up so that you can sweat it out. Not the most pleasant thing to do but think of all the little viruses in your body that are giving up as you lie there.
  • Go to an actual sauna or steam room. Some viruses hate heat combined with humidity so a steam room would really discourage them.
  • Sip water throughout the day, especially water with some Vitamin C powder in it. Boiled water partially cooled, is great as it warms up the body from inside.
  • Take as much vitamin C as your bowels will allow. If you get loose stools you have gone too far for your body so reduce the dose until you are comfortable again.
  • Rest but don’t be immobile.
  • Mild exercise. If you are up to it, walking and even a dance around the kitchen are good and anything that moves your lymphatic system around the body.
  • Fresh air. Open the windows in your house if the weather allows for it and let the house air. Go outside if you can.
  • Vapourise your home. Add colloidal silver or essential oils (like the 4 Thieves blend) which will sanitise the air for you.
  • Sunlight it one of the best ‘doctors’ that there is. You may even just want to sit in the sunshine for 10 minutes but make sure you stay warm.
  • Don’t stress and try and stay positive. Stress is one of the key things that can reduce your immune function. Talk to positive people, read positive books or watch positive programs

I hope this gives you a better idea about what a virus is and how you can handle them. Unfortunately, viruses are just part of being alive, now and maybe even more so in our future. The corona virus outbreak is teaching us is that we need to make ourselves strong so that, not only do we see-off the familiar viruses, we are also ready for any new ones that suddenly enter our world.

Some experts you may like to check out on YouTube:

Dr Berg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2mJui47gmU 

Dr Bergman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onrWLT6XYKk

Paul Chek https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywOdtzsRrA8