Tag Archive for: immune system

Fasting and Memory T Cells

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The second paper from the journal Cell on fasting examined the longer term effects of fasting on memory T cells. Several species of mice were used in a variety of studies; these were complex experiments to say the least. Before I go further, a little about memory T cells.

Memory T cells are a class of T cells that remain after responding to a prior infection; they’re also created in response to vaccinations. The benefit is that if someone is re-exposed to the same or similar pathogen or toxin, the memory T cells mount a more vigorous attack than after the first exposure.

The mice were monitored for two weeks to establish a baseline caloric intake, then they were maintained on 50% of their caloric intake for three weeks or longer. There were several experiments. In some, while the calories were reduced by 50%, protein, vitamins, minerals, and essential amino acids were maintained at 100%. Therefore, there were no micronutrient or protein deficiencies, just calorie deficits.

The researchers found that stress hormones increased in response to caloric reduction. The memory T cells were transported and stored in the bone marrow. When the diet was returned to normal, the memory T cells were returned to their typical locations in the immune system. Other experiments showed that the memory T cells had an enhanced ability to fight pathogens.

One more study to examine on Saturday.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

References:
1. Cell 2019. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2019.07.049.
2. Translational Biology in Medicine, 2014.

Fasting and Immune Function

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Intermittent fasting is the latest health fad. When I say fad, I mean there are as many definitions of what it means as there are experts. In a recent edition of the journal Cell, three papers were published that provided some insight into the effects of three different types of intermittent fasting on three different systems involved in immune function. That’s our topic of the week. I’ll present each study and comment on the implications on Saturday.

In the first paper, researchers used juvenile mice to examine changes in immune function in sections of the intestine called Peyer’s patches (PP). These patches form an important part of the immune system by monitoring intestinal bacteria populations and preventing the growth of pathogenic bacteria in the intestines. The mice were fasted for 36 hours. Results were compared with normally fed mice that served as controls.

During fasting, immune cells were disrupted and thus compromised the typical immune response; specifically, B cells were sent to bone marrow. It’s difficult to say whether this is a protective mechanism or not. The B cells were returned to the PP during re-feeding. There were many more parts of the study, but the bottom line was that the immune system was compromised during fasting and remained impaired for a time after re-feeding.

We’ll take a look at the second study on Thursday.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

References:
1. Cell. 2019. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2019.07.047.
2. http://bit.ly/2lxYIRa.

Winterize Yourself

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The official start to winter is quickly approaching, but for most of us the cold, wet, snowy, rainy weather has already begun. Today’s Memo contains some tips on how to winterize your body by focusing on basic nutritional supplementation.

Water: Make sure you increase fluid intake during the winter. The humidity is lower because the heat is on in your home, work, and school. You breathe out more water as a result. You have to replace those fluids. Every day drink one-half your body weight in ounces of water or any other fluid; if you weigh 150 pounds, drink 75 ounces of water daily.

Multivitamin-mineral (MVMM): If you haven’t been consistent in taking your MVMM, this is a good time to begin. Your immune system needs some basic nutrients and a MVMM is a good place to start, especially if it’s one that contains plant concentrates and extracts.

Probiotics: The immune system starts in the gut. Taking a probiotic every day can help your immune system function better. In addition, taking fiber with the probiotic can help feed all the good bacteria in your digestive system.

Vitamin D: Consider adding vitamin D to your regimen because we get a lot less sun during the winter. Ask your physician to test your vitamin D levels; if it’s below 30 ng/ml, add 2,000 IU vitamin D to your supplementation. There’s no real danger in taking vitamin D, so make sure you’re getting some even without a test.

Antioxidants: Help your immune system; add additional vitamins C, E, and beta-carotene to your supplementation.

Supplementation may or may not help you avoid getting a cold or the flu, but it may help reduce the severity and duration of a respiratory infection if you do get one. That’s worth the small expense of the supplements in my opinion.

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Paula and I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving. We are grateful for your support throughout the year. This week is one to spend with family and friends, so this will be the only Memo of the week. Thanks for being a member of the Dr. Chet family.

What are you prepared to do today?

Dr. Chet

 

Travel Bugs: Everywhere but Planes

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Given the results of this study, where would a person most likely pick up a bug while traveling? Remember, the results of the air and physical locations of the plane that were tested and sent for analysis showed no measurable respiratory viruses of any kind, so the authors speculated about the most likely locations for picking up a virus. They believe you’re more likely to find a bug in transportation to the airport and then to the hotel. Or in the airport at a restaurant or store. In the gate area where people are less confined. In bathrooms where people are more likely to spread the virus to surfaces.

In other words, you can pick up a virus just about everywhere you can imagine but the plane. It’s a good idea to pay the closest attention outside the plane—keep your hand sanitizer handy and wash your hands often—and then don’t worry so much about the inside. Kids are a germ magnet at any time, so be extra vigilant when traveling.

You can also do what I do beginning the day before I leave for a trip: start taking echinacea, garlic, and extra vitamin C to boost your immune system. That’s my way of avoiding respiratory infections or any other form of illness when I travel. After 20 years on the road, it still serves me well. Get the details in the Health Info section of DrChet.com: Immune Boost 1-2-3. In it you’ll learn all about how to tune up your immune system to get ready to meet new germs and viruses, along with the latest info on echinacea, and one more step you can take to get your insides ready to hit the road.

What are you prepared to do today?

Dr. Chet

 

Reference: www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1711611115

 

Immune Boost 1-2-3 Cautions

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Someone recently asked an excellent question: “Is there any risk in taking higher amounts of echinacea?” I’ll extend that to include vitamin C, garlic, and probiotics. The answer is possibly. I’m not hedging, but it’s complicated. Let me give you some examples.

One factor that can apply to any supplement is allergies. Echinacea and garlic are plants, and you may be allergic to one of the components of the plant. Instead of reducing your allergic response, it may heighten the response, causing the watery eyes and runny nose you’re trying to avoid. There’s no way to know for sure other than trial and error. If something makes you feel worse, it goes without question that you’ll stop it immediately.

Another potential issue is your genetics; you may process a phytochemical from these plants faster or slower than typical. That means it could be metabolized out of your system before it really has a positive effect or it could take longer to metabolize and stay in your system longer. There are no genetic tests for how you’ll react to any supplement—it’s trial and error.

One other aspect that’s important is whether you take medications. No surprise that there’s incomplete research on the interaction of every plant with every medication, so there’s no way to know how an herb or nutrient will interact with your meds. Garlic may reduce the coagulation of your blood; if you’re on blood thinners, you may not be able to take garlic because it could thin your blood too much. Or you might be able to take it because of your genetics and how you metabolize it. See how complicated it gets?

What you should know is that most people will not have a problem using the 1-2-3 immune boost. If you do, do what any reasonable person would do and stop taking it. On Saturday, I’ll cover the issue of using echinacea if you have an autoimmune disease.

What are you prepared to do today?

Dr. Chet

 

Protect Yourself Before You Travel

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Paula’s cousin recently visited friends in Arizona, and after she flew home, she got a fever with all the trimmings of the flu. After last week’s posts on boosting the immune system to deal with colds and allergies, there’s a little more you need to know.

Spring break is right around the corner and if you’re traveling, you need to prepare for it. It’s especially true if you’re going to foreign countries but any time you travel, you should do one more thing besides use the 1-2-3 immune boost approach I gave you last week: take a probiotic supplement with prebiotics every day for a week before you go and every day you’re there.

Your immune system starts in the gut; if your gut is healthy, your immune system will be stronger. Probiotics are the good microbes that help us digest food and do thousands of other things to help our overall health. Prebiotics are the fiber and sugar that feed these bacteria. Adding a probiotic to the 1-2-3 regimen, beginning a week before you travel, will help when you eat foods you don’t normally eat and are exposed to viruses and bacteria that are not in your everyday environment.

After all, the idea is to relax and renew, not be forced to the sidelines.

What are you prepared to do today?

Dr. Chet

 

Immune Boost 1-2-3: Vitamin C

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The third part of our immune system boost is vitamin C. Also known as ascorbic acid, it’s best known as an antioxidant. From the research of Linus Pauling until today, vitamin C has been researched extensively. Even though vitamin C hasn’t been proven to prevent a cold, it does seem to reduce the symptoms of a cold. That may be the result of its antioxidant capacity to reduce inflammation.

When the body is exposed to viruses or allergens, the immune response is triggered. That’s desirable, of course, but what we don’t like are the symptoms associated with the response such a watery eyes, runny nose, congestion, and on and on. While the exact mechanism is unknown, what may be happening is that vitamin C may be clearing up the free radicals on immune response cells, thereby allowing them to function better. No one knows but it makes sense.

Take 250–500 mg three times a day. Some people increase their C to 10 times that amount, but my strategy is always to take the lowest amount to get the result I want.

CGE123Let’s summarize our immune boost 1-2-3:

250–500 mg vitamin C; usually 1 tablet
600 mg garlic; usually 2 tablets
500 mg echinacea; usually 3 tablets

Just remember C-G-E-1-2-3; check the label to make sure you have the right strength. Take this combo three times a day until the symptoms are resolved. Whether a virus or seasonal allergies, I’ve found this works best. Of course, genetics may make one immune booster more effective for some people; that’s where trial and error come in.

What are you prepared to do today?

Dr. Chet

 

Immune Boost 1-2-3: Garlic

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The second part of our immune boost supplements is garlic. Garlic has been noted to have beneficial properties for over 5,000 years. Garlic thins the blood, thereby benefiting blood pressure, and helps lower cholesterol. Garlic does many things, but what benefits our immunity is its ability to boost the immune system while reducing inflammation.

There is little question that garlic helps the immune system. It’s been used as a dietary treatment to help the immune system recover from chemotherapy; it’s also been used in supplement form to help the immune system get and stay stronger. That’s an obvious way it helps with viruses and allergies, but it also acts as an anti-inflammatory. It’s important to remember that inflammation occurs whenever our body is under attack—not broken-leg inflammation but the release of negative hormones. Garlic helps reduce that type of inflammation.

Just as with echinacea, it’s important to begin as soon as the first tickle occurs. The quantity would be 600 mg taken three times a day. That gets our immune system starting to work better, but there’s one more thing we need. I’ll cover that on Saturday.

What are you prepared to do today?

Dr. Chet

 

Immune Boost 1-2-3: Echinacea

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The cold and flu season is still around. The seasonal allergy season is right around the corner and may have started depending on where you live. When you feel that first tickle in the back of your throat, that first nasally sensation, that’s when you have to take action. That’s what we do in my house, and that’s what I’m going to cover this week.

It begins with echinacea. The research on echinacea is equivocal when it comes to treating colds, but when it comes to boosting the immune system at the beginning of immune challenges, the research supports its use. There are three key factors.

  • Echinacea must be started at the first hint of a symptom, as I suggested above.
  • The dose must be high enough to stimulate the immune system; I recommend 500 mg of echinacea derived from both the root and aerial parts three times per day.
  • Echinacea works best for those with a compromised immune system. Even the healthiest person will catch a cold or have seasonal allergies, but if you have a weak immune system to begin with, or it’s been weakened by illness or stress, echinacea will be even more effective.

That’s where you begin. There are two more to go coming the rest of this week.

What are you prepared to do today?

Dr. Chet
Reference: Adv Ther. 2015 Mar;32(3):187-200.

 

Rule 1: Eat Less

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The holiday season is full of tradition, and I hope you celebrated according to your beliefs and spent the time with family and friends. But as the end of the year approaches, it’s time to get ready for 2017. This week, I’m breaking with tradition and doing a message a day to help you get ready. In addition, I’m doing a Detox Weekend via Facebook January 6–8.

One of the things that we should all do is eat less. I’m not talking about losing weight. That’s important if you need to, but I mean . . .

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