COLOSTRUM, THE NATURAL VACCINE ALTERNATIVE By Zoltan P. Rona, M.D., M.Sc.
Most health conscious people these days are seriously considering alternatives to commonly prescribed vaccines. The major reason for this is the potential for adverse reactions to some of the ingredients of vaccines such as mercury, aluminum, formalehyde, foreign genetic material and other man-made chemicals. In children, the connection between certain vaccines like the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) and the exploding incidence of autistic behaviour, asthma and other immune system disorders has made many parents think twice before having their children vaccinated. What is the alternative? My usual answer to this is first milking bovine colostrum.
Colostrum is the first mammary secretion nourishment that any mammal, including man, provides for its newborn for the first 24-48 hours of life. It does not contain milk as we know it. In choosing a bovine colostrum supplement, make sure it comes only from the first milking, ideally within the first 6 hours after birth of the calf. Choose your colostrum carefully as most brands combine the first milking (which is pure colostrum) with several subsequent milkings (which are mostly milk), resulting in products that more closely resemble milk or whey powder than true colostrum.
First milking colostrum contains numerous immune system and growth factors which trigger at least fifty processes in a newborn, ranging from the development of the immune system to the growth of all body cells. Laboratory analysis of immune and growth factors from bovine colostrum show them to be virtually identical to those found in human colostrum and bovine colostrum is totally safe, with no known drug contraindictions or negative side effects at any dosage level.
Conventional medical doctors were, at one time, enthusiastic about using colostrum for antibiotic purposes. This occurred prior to the introduction of sulfa drugs and penicillin. In the 1950s, prior to the wide scale use of corticosteroids as anti-inflammatory agents, colostrum was used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Polio vaccine developer, Dr. Albert Sabin, discovered that colostrum contained antibodies against polio and recommended it for children susceptible to catching the disease. Bovine colostrum has been used therapeutically in India for thousands of years by Ayurvedic physicians, and still is to this day.
In the past five years, North American scientists and health care practitioners have rediscovered this natural, whole food supplement. Bovine colostrum is gainingprominence because of its myriad of clinical and preventive applications in humans, a fact which has not escaped the notice of drug manufacturers who have tried to copy (genetically engineer), patent and market several of the individual components of colostrum.
Well known colostrum components like interferon, gamma globulin, growth hormone (GH), IgF-1 and protease inhibitors are all used by conventional medical specialists in the treatment of cancer, chronic viral infections including HIV and autoimmune diseases. There are now over 4,000 clinical studies from around the world detailing research that has been done using colostrum in the treatment of dozens of different diseases.
It’s never too late to take colostrum. With the recent SARS and West Nile scares and fears of the some of the dire consequences of synthetic vaccines, first milking bovine colostrum is the ideal vaccination alternative. The reason is obvious when you look at its components.
Components
The two major components of colostrum are immune factors and growth factors:
Immune Factors
* Immunoglobulins (A, D, E, G and M) - neutralize toxins, viruses and bacteria in the lymph and circulatory systems. * Lactoferrin - antiviral, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, iron-binding protein with therapeutic effects in cancer, HIV, cytomegalovirus, herpes, chronic fatigue syndrome, candida albicans and other infections.
*Proline-Rich Polypeptide (PRP) - a hormone that regulates the thymus gland, stimulating an underactive immune system or dampening an overactive immune system as seen in autoimmune disease (MS, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, scleroderma, chronic fatigue syndrome, allergies, etc.).
*Leukocytes - white blood cells that stimulate the production of interferon which slows viral reproduction and penetration of cell walls. *Enzymes - lactoperoxidase-thiocyanate, peroxidase and xanthine oxidase destroy bacteria through their ability to release hydrogen peroxide.
*Lysozyme - a hydrolyzing agent and immune system booster capable of destroying bacteria and viruses on contact.
*Cytokines - interleukins that regulate the duration and intensity of the immune response, are responsible for cell to cell communication, boost T-cell activity and the production of immunoglobulins.
Interleukin-10 is strongly anti-inflammatory, especially in arthritic joints.
*Trypsin Inhibitors and Protease Inhibitors - prevent the destruction of immune and growth factors in colostrum from being broken down in the GI tract; they also prevent H. pylori from attaching to the walls of the stomach and can have a beneficial role in the treatment of peptic ulcers.
*Lymphokines - hormone-like peptides produced by activated lymphocytes which mediate the immune response.
*Oligo Polysaccharides and Glycoconjugates - attract and bind to pathogens (Strep., E. Coli, Salmonella, Cryptosporidia, Giardia, Entamoeba, Shigella, Clostridium Difficile Toxins A & B and Cholera) preventing them from attaching or entering the mucous membranes.
*Other immune Factors - some of the documented immune factors include orotic acid, secretory IgA, IgA Specific Helper, B Lactoglobulin, Lactalbumin, Albumin, Prealbumin, Alpha 1-Antitripsin, Alpha 1-Fetoprotein, Alpha 2-macroglobulin, Alpha 2-AP Glycoprotein, C3, C4 and Orosomucoids.
*Vitamins - A, B12 and E are found in small amounts while traces of all others are also present in colostrum.
*Sulfur - a mineral with multiple uses in metabolism and as part of many structural body proteins.
Growth Factors
The growth factors found in bovine colostrum all boost cell and tissue growth by stimulating DNA and RNA formation. Studies show that these growth factors are capable of increasing T-cells, accelerate healing, balance blood glucose, reduce insulin need, increase muscle and bone growth while metabolizing fat. Colostrum growth factors include:
*Epithelial growth factor (EgF) *Insulin-like growth factor-I and II (IGF-1 and IGF-II) *Fibroblast growth factor (FgF) *Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) *Transforming growth factors A & B (TgA and B) *Growth hormone (GH)
Fighting viruses with the use of conventional medical approaches is, at best, problematic. Standard vaccinations and antiviral drugs can all cause significant side effects including death. On the other hand, hundreds of studies indicate that colostrum is a safe and effective agent for both the prevention and treatment of common viral illnesses.
Colostrum benefits over 60 known immune and auto-immune diseases including the following:
Colostrum may well be the only practical protection on the planet against autoimmune disease, cancer and other incurable diseases. As a completely safe and natural whole food, colostrum is free of any side effects and an excellent alternative to hundreds of drugs. If you are worried about vaccinations, AIDS, hepatitis, biological warfare, herpes, allergies and chronic fatigue syndrome, colostrum is definitely worth your consideration.
For more information on colostrum, see references below.
REFERENCES
Clark, Daniel G. and Wyatt, Kaye. Colostrum, Life’s First Food. Salt Lake City:CNR Publications. 1996.
Heinerman, John. Dr. Heinerman’s Encyclopedia of Anti-Aging Remedies. Paramus:Prentice Hall, 1997; pp.85-86.
Jensen, Bernard. Colostrum: Man’s First Food, The White Gold Discovery.Escondido:Bernard Jensen, 1993.
Rona, Zoltan, P.. Bovine colostrum emerges as immune system modulator. American Journal of Natural Medicine; March, 1998, pp. 19-23.
Rona, Zoltan, P. Natural Alternatives to Vaccination. Vancouver: Alibe Books. 2000.
Dr. Zoltan Rona is a medical doctor with a private practice in Toronto. He is the author of 10 books on nutritional medicine and the medical editor of The Encyclopedia of Natural Healing. He contributes articles frequently to Alive magazine, Vitality and other publications.
Zoltan Rona
Author