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Colostrum |
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A healthy body depends heavily on a healthy immune system. Functions of the immune system include both recognizing and remembering alien substances such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites; and also responding when an invading agent is present. A balanced and healthy immune system is essential to the body's ability to defend against infections; anything we can do to strengthen our immune system will help to assure our well-being and longevity. Today, however, there are a dizzying array of factors that contribute to the general weakening of the body's defenses. Current research indicates that antibiotics have begun to fail as the resistance of many infectious strains increases. The extensive spread of infectious diseases has made it increasingly more difficult to fight these same diseases. Fortunately, recent research has uncovered a natural agent that can potentially save lives and increase the quality of life for many people. Colostrum, and its various constituents, is this newly discovered agent, and represents an exciting and natural way of aiding in the prevention and curing of disease. The discovery of how colostrum can effectively train one's immune response is a very exciting development in today's health world. The principal role of colostrum's communication agents (sometimes referred to as transfer factors) is to transfer immune recognition signals between immune cells and thereby assist in educating naive immune cells about a present or potential danger. At birth, an infant is immunologically naive. In the new and hostile environment, invading microorganisms could rapidly overcome and destroy the new life. So Nature has provided steps that must be taken to rapidly and repeatedly educate the body as to which cells are friends and which are foe. It is now apparent that colostrum plays a big part in this process. The process begins as the newborn is fed colostrum, the first milk provided by a mother to her child. It is an exceedingly rich and nourishing drink. It used to be thought that colostrum contains only nutrition in the conventional sense: fats, protein, carbohydrates, minerals, etc. We now know that colostrum is much more than simply nutritious drink. Prior to delivering a baby, the body of an expectant mother prepares a natural immunizing mixture that is included in the colostrum provided the new baby. This mix includes immunoglobulins large immune system proteins that are species-specific. This means that immunoglobulins (antibodies) are effective only within the creature that made them. Consequently antibodies from cows, for example, only work with the immune systems of other cattle. They do not work within the human immune system. In fact, immunoglobulins can (and do) cause allergic reactions in other species. They are the source of most cow-milk allergies in humans. So, you may ask how colostrum from a cow can be beneficial? Only recently has it been recognized that colostrum also contains immune system messengers other than antibodies. The most important of these are what are commonly referred to as transfer factors. Transfer factors do not elicit an allergic response, nor are they species specific. In other words, transfer factors produced by a horse are just as effective in cats or humans as they would be in another horse. Needless to say, the recent discovery of how colostrum can work in humans could change how we view the health of our immune system. So, what specific conditions can colostrum be taken
for? The list is long and comprehensive. But they include the following:
Conditions Helped by Colostrum Herpes: In a group of thirty-seven patients, 62 percent showed marked improvement by either a decrease of the frequency of recurrence and/or a shortening of duration. To put this in perspective, this group was suffering an average of twelve herpes relapses per year. After the therapy, however, the number of relapses decreased to about 4 per year. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Because of the multiple infectious agents that can contribute to chronic fatigue syndrome, some researchers have used leukocyte-derived (white blood cell) transfer factor from household contacts. In an initial study success was reported in 35 of 39 cases as measured by normalization of both immunological status and work schedule. Epstein-Barr/Cytomegalovirus: A study using colostrum (and specifically transfer factor) with known potency for Epstein-Barr and cytomegalovirus demonstrated total remission in two subjects, marked improvement in seven subjects, and no significant response in five subjects. A placebo under the same protocol yielded no clinical improvement. Hepatitis: The use of colostrum transfer factor has been shown to be highly effective and to not result in any cases of viral disease or flare up of existing disease. AIDS: An international Transfer Factor symposium highlighted the recent work of a group of scientists. Using colostrum transfer factor, an 80 percent inhibition of HIV was demonstrated in vitro. Other Viruses: Other viral caused conditions that have been beneficially treated by colostrum preparations include the chicken pox virus, measles virus, and even the common cold. Fungal Infections: Infections caused by candida have been treated with Transfer Factor. Bacterial Infections: It would appear from the results to date that transfer factor therapy may be able to slow the initial rate of bacterial growth, allowing the slower humoral immune system more time to arm itself and generate the needed antibodies. This should result in shorter and milder courses of bacterial infection. In essence, the research surrounding colostrum and its various immune function enhancing agents is both exciting and impressive. Investigators are optomistic about the many potential uses colostrum has in treating a wide variety of infectious and other diseases. With more time and data, we will ultimately see how valuable this supplement can be in promoting overall great health.
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