CDC says vaccine only 62% effective — Is it time to send in the killers? (Natural killer cells, that is…)
An interview with health educator Dr. Jennifer Morganti
As we move past the half-way point of the flu season, the CDC is reporting that the flu vaccine is showing “62 percent effectiveness”.
This means for every 100 persons who get the flu shot, 62 stay well, while 38 develop the flu or flu-like symptoms.
“Influenza vaccines typically don’t have high effectiveness because they only provide protection against 2 or 3 viruses out of the hundreds of viruses in circulation,” says health educator Dr. Jenifer Morganti. “A recent study determined that over a 12-year-period, vaccines were only 59% effective in preventing flu, with effectiveness dipping as low as 16% during one particular year.” *
For those of us who are looking for a better-than-62% chance of completely avoiding the flu this year, (and in future years, as well), Dr. Morganti reports that an innovative approach for fighting influenza and other viruses has emerged from Japan and is now making its way into the US marketplace.
“Researchers at the Tokyo-based pharmaceutical company, Daiwa, discovered that a molecule extracted from rice bran known as RBAC is able to triple the activity of the human immune system’s natural killer cells. Natural killer cells are the body’s first line of defense, and when they are fully functioning, it’s very difficult for a cell infected by any strain of virus to survive,” says Dr. Morganti.
Dr. Morganti says that natural killer cells are able to recognize the “face” of every healthy cell in the human body, but when a cell becomes infected by a virus or bacteria, or when that cell becomes damaged or reproduces itself improperly, (like a mutant cancer cell), the killer cells no longer recognize it.
“Infected and mutated cells are viewed as “intruders”, and the natural killer cells literally dissolve and eat them,” says Dr. Morganti.
Dr. Morganti says the rice bran extract molecule (commercially available in the US as Peak Immune 4), also increases the number of T-cells and B-cells in the blood, further boosting immune health and protecting against the harmful presence of a variety of disease-causing pathogens.
“With a flu shot, you’re protected against 3 influenza strains. By tripling the activity of your natural killer cells and T-cells, you’re protected against all the strains of viruses and other pathogens,” says Dr. Morganti.
A PROTOCOL FOR 100% IMMUNITY
To start building your immune system toward the goal of 100% resistance to any and all viral and bacterial infection, Dr. Morganti recommends the following regimen:
Get sufficient “quality” sleep: Sleeping is when the immune system is most active, and can best fight off invaders.
Maintain a non-inflammatory diet: Avoid foods containing additives and allergens like gluten which can trigger a chronic immune response and deplete your immune system. Clean proteins, healthy fats, and fresh fruits and vegetables of every color should be consumed daily.
Drink plenty of clean water: Water flushes out metabolic waste, diseased cells and pathogens inactivated by your immune cells.
Eliminate stress: This takes the immune system off continual “high alert” and allows it to fully respond to actual emergencies.
Increase natural killer cell activity: To help your immune system search out and kill viruses and pathogenic intruders before they can multiply and make you sick, supplement your diet with RBAC
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ABOUT JENNIFER MORGANTI, ND
Dr. Jennifer Morganti earned her naturopathic medical degree from Bastyr University in Seattle, Washington. A health educator and 15-year veteran of the natural products industry, she is the Director of Education at the popular Internet health and wellness portal, needs.com. She also serves as spokesperson for Daiwa Health Development, makers of the immune-modulating dietary supplement, Peak Immune 4.
