How To Support The 3 Stages Of Immunity

How To Support The 3 Stages Of Immunity

The immune system is complicated and can be supported in a variety of ways. Using medicinal herbs to better our dog's health is a way for them to stay vibrant, active and happy throughout their life.

Lets break it down in a simple way to understand...

Think of the immune system as a castle. There are multiple aspects of the same system that work together to keep the immune system (the castle) strong. These systems have different jobs in fight ing off invading pathogens.

When we think about what different herbs do for immune system, the above analogy is my go-to in explaining how herbs work. There is not a one stop shop for "I want a better immune system". It's all dependent on where the body is at and what situation the body is in.

Builders: Building the defense mechanism

First we have "building" herbs, which are incredibly important as the first line of defense. These herbs work in a way that build the immune system up on a deep level BEFORE any sickness or infection is starting to creep in. I like to describe these types of herbs as helping the immune system build up stronger, brick by brick. Imagine a castle wall. When these herbs are taken daily, the immune system (or castle wall) is being built slowly but surely, one brick at a time, until the immune system is built so tall and strong that bacteria and viruses that are circling around won't be able to "invade the castle".

Some of our Immune building herbal pet blends are:

Some Other Building Herbs:

Activators / Stimulators: The bodies fighters

Herbs that activate or stimulate the immune system can be looked at like the warriors protecting the castle. These herbs are the most well known. When there is a threat around (other people are sick or a bacteria/virus is just starting to enter your body) the body will turn itself onto "warrior mode" to try to fight the pathogens off. The body does this naturally. We can either support this stage or ignore this stage. There are a lot of herbs that are used to support this stage. These herbs are not necessarily antibacterial or antiviral. Yet, some do have this added property. They are used more to active the immune system and support the bodies personal defenses so it can fight off intruders. These are beneficial at the beginning stages when symptoms first appear or aren't very serious yet. Bacteria will enter the body through any opening it can i.e the mouth, nose, ears, eyes. As an example, this is why you tend to get a sore throat or stuffy/runny nose first. For our dogs, conditions like kennel cough, bronchitis and pneumonia are common situations where we would use immune activating herbs.

Some of our immune activating pet blends are:

Other Activators / Stimulator Herbs:

  • Echinacea (also a light lymphatic cleanser)
  • Elderberry
  • Vitamin C
  • Garlic

Bombs - Antibacterial / Antiviral:

Antibacterial and antiviral herbs are the heavy hitters. These are the bombs being thrown towards the invaders of the body. They are used to come into destroy pathogens. Some are more intense than others, in how much they affect the body. As an example, Oil of Oregano is incredibly good at killing pathogens but it also kills off hte good beneficial bacteria in the digestive system, meaning consuming a quality probiotic afterwards is important. This feels like an easy way to go since it will kill the invading pathogens. Yet, the downfall is that once the bacteria or virus is killed, your immunity is still low. These herbs do not activate or build the immune system. This makes it easy for another bacteria or virus to enter the body right after. The bodies defense mechanisms are still at a low point and it is necessary to rebuild and strengthen immediately. In this scenario, after the bacteria is killed off and you start feeling better, it is useful to start using activators to fight off surrounding bacteria while you build your immunity back up with building herbs.

Some of our immune system bombing herbal pet blends are:

Antibacterial / Antiviral Herbs:

  • Oregano Oil
  • Olive Leaf Extract
  • Grapefruit Seed Extract
  • Goldenseal

The stronger your dog's immunity is, the less time you'll have to spend fighting off cold or the flu. If our "kingdom" is supported and strong, the less likely we'll have to fight off invaders through the rough months. When we create a strong, healthy environment within our bodies, bacterial and viruses have a much less chance of being able to invade. Being aware of how to properly take care of our bodies sets us up for success throughout these cold, winter months.

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