My travels in search of traditional cures have taken me to some of the most remote areas in the developing world…
Places where there is no access to clean water and sanitation could be nothing more than a hole in the ground.
I’ve slept in dirt-floor huts in the middle of the Amazon rainforest, been bitten by disease-carrying mosquitoes in the urban jungles of Africa, and eaten foods handed to me by street vendors who have no refrigeration.
But I’ve never gotten sick while traveling.
In fact, the discoveries I’ve made – and the connections I’ve formed with traditional healers – have allowed me to keep my immune system armed and loaded at all times. And as a result, I rarely get sick…
I want to help you achieve this same immune strength. Which is more important than ever right now.
As we end 2020, we must take responsibility for our own health… without relying on government “experts” who’ve been wrong about our ability to fight infectious diseases more than they’ve been right.
You see, you were born with all the defenses your body will ever need. It’s called “Shield Immunity” or innate immunity.
And if you keep your immunity strong you will never have to worry about any disease – even during what is predicted to be a brutal winter.
What advice are the experts in charge giving? Stay inside.
This bad advice is only going to make the flu season longer and harder.
One of the problems that comes from being confined to your home is that you’re missing out on vital doses of sunshine and vitamin D each day.
And, we’re missing out on the immune conditioning that comes from being a part of a community.
I was introduced to anamu by a traditional healer in the Amazon.
It was on my travels to some of the most remote places in the world that I learned how you can kickstart your immune system using medicinal plants.
The mainstream establishment discounts the benefits of traditional herbal remedies because they can’t profit from them. And, if it hasn’t been “proven” by a clinical study, they don’t want to hear about it. But here’s what they just don’t get…
Herbal remedies have been developed through trial and error over many centuries. These important cures are passed down verbally from one generation to another. Like the “magical healing leaf” I was introduced to a few years ago.
I was on the way to meet with a curandero. These are the Amazon’s traditional shaman healers. And their knowledge of medicinal herbs dates back thousands of years.
For two days, my guide and I hacked a narrow path through the underbrush. When we finally arrived at the small village, the curandero prepared a healing bath for me. It smelled like garlic, but the effects were amazing. I immediately felt energized and revived. The curandero told me he uses the herb to bring down fever and eliminate pain. But this magical plant called anamu does so much more…
Once I was back at my Florida clinic, I dug into the research. I discovered anamu has the power to shield you from invaders that break down your body’s defenses.
In one study, anamu increased natural killer cells by a dramatic 100%.1 These are the cells that kill disease throughout your body. Anamu also increases chemicals like interleukin and interferon. These help protect you against future infection and disease.2 I suggest taking 500 mg of dried anamu twice daily for an impenetrable defense shield. Don’t use it if pregnant or on a blood thinner.
Ways you can shield your immune defenses to survive the winter
Anamu isn’t the only Amazon flu-fighter I discovered on my trips…
- Supplement with these 2 rainforest fruits. Acai is loaded with polyphenols and polysaccharides, which have been shown to increase antioxidant ability in the blood and enhance T cell immune response.3 When taken directly, acai boosts the production of myeloid cells, a type of white blood cell which ensures your immune system is healthy.3
And camu camu is a potent, flavonoid-rich plant from the Amazon rainforest. Flavonoids are antimicrobial agents found in brightly colored fruits, vegetables and plants that serve as a natural defense system against microbes and insects. Studies have shown that they may produce a higher immune response in the body.4 - Take mountain high maca. I left the Amazon rainforest and headed high into the Andes Mountains with my friend Octavio Zolezzi. Octavio has lived among the indigenous people for years while he studied their customs and plants. I was searching for maca. This root is traditionally used to support energy, stamina and oxygen transport, which is why athletes turn to it. But that’s also necessary when it comes to improving immunity. Along with vitamins B1, B2 and C, calcium, omega-3, selenium and proteins, maca contains beta-sitosterol—one of the most powerful plant antioxidants.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD, CNS
1. Jovicevic L. “In vitro antiproliferative activity of petiveria alliacea L., on several tumor cell lines.” Pharmacol Res. 1993;27(1):105-106.
2. Queiroz M, et al. “Cytokine Profile and natural killer cell activity in listeria monocytogenes infected mice treated orally with petiveria alliacea extract.” Immunopharmacology and Immunotoxicology 2000. 22(3):501-18.
3. Holderness J., et al. “Polysaccharides isolated from Açaí fruit induce innate immune responses.” PLoS One. 2011 Feb 28;6(2):e17301.
4. Yazawa K, et al. Anti-inflammatory effects of seeds of the tropical fruit camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia). J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2011;57(1):104-7.