Boost Your Immune System this Holiday Season
A study out of the scientific journal Chiropractic and Osteopathy was designed to see if certain blood cells would produce more of an immune substance (Interleukin-2/IL-2, specifically) after chiropractic adjustments. IL-2 is a signaling molecule that is produced by certain blood cells and is instrumental in the body’s natural response to microbial infection and in discriminating between foreign (non-self) and self. In essence, if the blood cells produce enough IL-2, the body can fight infection more readily. This IL-2 molecule is important in helping the body to know what is a foreign threat of infection and what is naturally inside the body.
More specifically within the study, 76 individuals had blood samples taken and tested in a culture dish to see if they produced IL-2 when exposed to bacteria. Future, the subjects were separated into three groups. One group was used as a control and received no adjustments. The other two received adjustments, one group receiving an adjustment with a familiar popping sound and the other in which the adjustment made no sound at all.
Blood samples were taken from the group just prior to the adjustment, immediately after, and again at twenty minute and two hour intervals post-adjustment. Cells from the blood samples were then again place into culture and infected to see the level of IL-2 that would be produced in response to the introduced infection.
And the results…
Both groups receiving some form of adjustment showed an increase in IL-2 at both the twenty-minute and two hour times. The group that was tested at those same time intervals but had not received a chiropractic adjustment did not have a rise in IL-2 levels and therefore would not have been as receptive to fighting an infection.
In additional support, research performed by Dr. Ronald Petro, PhD (chief of cancer prevention research and New York Preventive Medical Institute) looked at populations of people suffering from cancer as well as those under long-term chiropractic care and those not under care at all. When they looked at the population of people under long-term chiropractic care, their rate of immunity was 200% higher than the average population and 400% higher than those with suppressed immunity suffering from cancer. Dr. Petro stated that, “chiropractic care gives maximum efficiency to whatever genetic abilities you posses so your system can completely endure to the best of your potential.