(NaturalNews) With all the talk lately about Ebola and its potential to hop continents and spark a global pandemic, it is important to keep in mind that Ebola doesn't kill just anyone -- it is particularly virulent in those who are immunosuppressed, which is why it is crucial for you and your family to take steps now to strengthen your immunity and avoid falling victim to this latest engineered crisis.

In Episode 7 of the Pandemic Preparedness course at BioDefense.com, Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, discusses practical ways to avoid suppressing your immune system and start building up your cellular defenses to withstand pandemic infections like Ebola. Pharmaceutical drugs, which the vast majority of Americans take every single day, are one of the biggest suppressors of natural immunity that leave people prone to infection.

In her latest book, Drug Muggers, pharmacist Suzy Cohen deals with this issue in great detail, highlighting which drugs tend to rob your body of which nutrients and how to prevent this from occurring. If you or a family member takes pharmaceuticals, this information will be invaluable in the event of a viral pandemic.

"Prescription and OTC (over-the-counter) drugs that cause side effects do so most often (if not always) via the drug mugging effect," explained Cohen during an interview with Life Extension. "People have symptoms that are so insidious and because they develop them months to years later, they don't often make the connection to the medication they are taking."

How to avoid losing vital nutrients if you take pharmaceutical drugs

As an example, Cohen described the side effects in women who take hormone pills for menopause. These drugs typically contain estrogen, which robs the body of nutrients like zinc, magnesium and B vitamins, all of which are necessary for testosterone production. These same drugs can also lead to depression, bone loss and other conditions associated with nutrient deficiency.

According to Cohen, the following medications are among the most common "drug muggers" that require additional supplementation to avoid deficiencies (this information is taken from Life Extension):

• Blood pressure medications -- Trace minerals
• Statin medications for cholesterol -- 100 mg CoQ10 (Ubiquinol) twice daily and 2,000-5,000 IU Vitamin D once daily
• Diabetes medications -- 1,000 mcg Methylcobalamin (Vitamin B12) once daily and 100 mg CoQ10 twice daily
• Hormones -- Vitamins B6, B12, folic acid, magnesium, selenium, and zinc
• Thyroid medications -- Selenium, zinc, and iron (take four hours after medication)
• Aspirin -- 500 mg Vitamin C per day
• Acid blockers / antacids -- All nutrients are "mugged." Take Hawaiian Spirulina, as well as trace minerals, B-complex, probiotics, and 250 mg extra magnesium daily

"The most fundamental supplement that I recommend for anyone taking any medication (prescription or over-the-counter) is a good probiotic," said Cohen. "Then, you take the supplement you need after that, based on the medication you're taking."

"If you want to know MY personal nutrient security system, which is the one that I recommend for everyone, that I feel is safe and covers pretty much all medications, I would recommend three basic supplements: probiotics, B-complex, and trace minerals (alternate Hawaiian Spirulina which restores all three at once)."

As far as other ways to avoid suppressing your immune system, Adams recommends avoiding all processed "junk" foods, eating plenty of fresh, organic produce and avoiding genetically modified organisms (GMOs). When possible and the seasons permit, also spend time outdoors doing physical activity in the natural sunlight, which will help produce natural vitamin D in your body.

Sources:

http://www.lef.org

http://www.biodefense.com

http://www.drugmuggersbook.com

http://science.naturalnews.com