Home / Medical Article / The Three Roles of Immunotherapy in Health Maintenance During an Epidemic
Article by Dr. Sitt Tienthiti, specialist in integrative medicine and anti-aging medicine
Illness is a sign that the body’s immune system is becoming weakened. The immune system plays a vital role in defending the body from foreign invaders such as viruses, bacteria, and even abnormal cells like cancer cells. It also protects us from many other pathogens that may enter the body and put us at risk for infection and disease. This is especially important during outbreaks of new viral strains, such as the one seen in 2020. Without proper preparation, any one of us could easily become one of the newly infected cases.
Therefore, the most important thing everyone should focus on now is strengthening the immune system to prepare the body for external threats. At Absolute Health, we have always emphasized the importance of immune system care within integrative medical practice, as it offers significant benefits—especially in situations involving widespread viral infections. From the perspective of integrative medicine, the roles of the immune system can be categorized into three key areas:
In integrative or naturopathic medicine, immunity is strengthened through food-based therapies. This includes the use of natural extracts such as garlic, shallots, turmeric, and medicinal mushrooms, as well as minerals like zinc and vitamin D to stimulate and enhance immune function.
At the same time, flavonoids from citrus fruits—which research shows may reduce the sensitivity of lung receptors to viral entry—are used as an additional preventive measure before illness occurs.
For patients who have already been infected, integrative medicine focuses on reducing the viral load as much as possible and stimulating white blood cell activity to strengthen immune responses against viruses.
In countries such as the United States and China, Natural Killer (NK) Cell therapy is used to enhance the effectiveness of white blood cells in fighting viral infections.
For patients whose viral infection has already reached the lungs, rapid viral replication and widespread inflammation can occur. In this stage, countries like Italy have incorporated ozone therapy, which helps rebalance the immune system.
Meanwhile, China and New York have administered high-dose intravenous vitamin C every 4–6 hours to stimulate white blood cell activity and regulate inflammatory responses. Vitamin C is known for its immuno-stimulating properties, helping restore immune balance.
With these approaches, it is clear that integrative medicine plays a crucial role in health maintenance during widespread outbreaks, particularly when it comes to strengthening the body before infection occurs. These preventive methods can be used immediately—without waiting to become ill—through therapies such as:
Integrative medicine is therefore a valuable alternative approach in healthcare—helping prevent infection, supporting the body during infection, and assisting in recovery when illness becomes severe.
However, given the current situation where everyone is at risk of infection, the best approach is still self-protection. Keeping your guard up, wearing masks, washing hands frequently, practicing social distancing, and strengthening the immune system should remain consistent habits. These measures will help keep you healthy, prevent infection, and allow you and your loved ones to safely get through this challenging time.
