Tag: immune health

ALLIE’S TOP 10 TIPS AND TRICKS FOR A HEALTHY HOLIDAY SEASON

ALLIE’S TOP 10 TIPS AND TRICKS FOR A HEALTHY HOLIDAY SEASON

ALLIE’S TOP 10 TIPS AND TRICKS FOR A HEALTHY HOLIDAY SEASON By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT   The holiday season effects just about everyone, as there are so many things going on at the end of the year. Whether it be holiday parties, over 

Olive Leaf Extract for the Heart!

Olive Leaf Extract for the Heart!

Olive Leaf Extract for the Heart! Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND             Now I know I said I’d be highlighting some unexpected products when it comes to heart health and this blog is certainly a unique take on a common supplement! This supplement is Olive Leaf! 

The Immune System made easy!, Part 1, Invite Health Blog

The Immune System made easy!, Part 1, Invite Health Blog

Written by: Dr.Claire Arcidiacono, ND
For further questions or concerns email me at [email protected]
Chronic infections are a topic I find particularly important because they are related to so many different chronic and acute health concerns. When we speak of chronic infections it is important to understand how the immune system works. To start with, there are 2 main components of the immune system. These are the innate immune system and the adaptive immune system. (1) These however are not the first line of defense against pathogens. Before I delve into the interesting world of the innate vs the adaptive immune response, I’d like to mention several “barriers “that are in place to help protect us from pathogens or as I like to say, “bad guys”. †
The first defense against infections is actually our skin. The skin is not only a physical covering that protects us from infections but also an active part of our body that secretes antimicrobial peptides. (2) There are also antibacterial enzymes in our bodily secretions such as saliva, tears, breast milk, vaginal secretions and even our stomach. (3) As I mentioned in my series on digestive health, gastric stomach acid helps to kill any pathogens that may enter through food. (4) Good bacteria also help to prevent an overgrowth of bad bacteria in a few ways including competing for space and resources. (5) Physically our body responds to the presence of pathogens by coughing and sneezing. Both tears and urine help to “wash” away any irritants in the pathway.  † (6)
After a pathogen breeches our physical barriers, they trigger a response from our innate immune system.  The innate response is immediate and strong; however, it is not specific to the particular pathogen that you were exposed to. This part of the immune system does not have a “memory”. The innate immune cells include what are called white blood cells. These cells can find pathogens and eliminate them, most commonly by contact or by engulfing them. These innate leukocytes or WBC include macrophages, neutrophils and dendritic cells. Other WBC that are important in the innate immune system include the lymphoid cells, mast cells, eosinophilic cells, basophils and natural killer cells. † (7)
What exactly do these cells do to help us fight infections? Let’s break it down, shall we? †
The Neutrophils as well as the Macrophages travel in the blood stream to fight off pathogens. Neutrophils are usually the first to arrive at the location of infections or inflammation. (8)  Please see the attached picture of a Neutrophil. † (9)
                                                                                                                                       
Macrophages are interesting because while they can and do act in the innate immune system to help protect the body they also act as antigen presenting cells that activate or “turn on” the adaptive immune system. (10) Please see the picture! † (11)
                                                                                                                                       
Dendritic cells are in places such as the skin, nose, lungs, stomach, and the intestines. What is interesting about these areas is that they are all openings in the body. In other words the outside world interacts with the inside of our body. These cells are considered to be a link between the innate immune system and the adaptive immune system. This is because one of their important jobs is to present antigens to the T cells which are an important part of the adaptive immune system. (12) Please see the attached picture. † (13)
                                                                                                                                         
The granulocytes are cells that have particles in them that are called granules and these granules that are inside of them are released as the cells do their job. WBC of this type are the mast cells, basophils and the eosinophils. Mast cells are usually seen in connective tissue and mucus membranes and help to regulate the inflammatory response. † (14) Please see the attached mast cell. (15)
Basophils and eosinophils in contrast do not contain these granules and in fact are closely related to neutrophils and secrete different chemicals that fight parasites. Unfortunately, they also have a role in allergies. (16) Please see the attached Eosinophilic cell.  † (17)
                                                                                                                                       
Lastly the Natural killer cells are part of the innate immune system which helps to get rid of compromised host cells for example those that have developed cancer. (18) Please see the attached picture.  † (19)
                                                                                                                                       
After the innate immune system is triggered, the pathogens can trigger the adaptive immune system. In our next blog I will review the cells of the adaptive immune system. I will also do a quick walk through of the immune system as its world work its way through an infection. †
REFERENCES
1. Litman GW, Cannon JP, Dishaw LJ (November 2005). “Reconstructing immune phylogeny: new perspectives”. Nature Reviews. Immunology. 5 (11): 866–79. doi:10.1038/nri1712. PMC 3683834. PMID 16261174.
2. Agerberth B, Gudmundsson GH (2006). “Host antimicrobial defence peptides in human disease”. Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology. 306: 67–90. doi:10.1007/3-540-29916-5_3. ISBN 978-3-540-29915-8. PMID 16909918.
3. Boyton RJ, Openshaw PJ (2002). “Pulmonary defences to acute respiratory infection”. British Medical Bulletin. 61 (1): 1–12. doi:10.1093/bmb/61.1.1. PMID 11997295.
4. Smith JL (2003). “The role of gastric acid in preventing foodborne disease and how bacteria overcome acid conditions”. J Food Prot. 66 (7): 1292–1303. doi:10.4315/0362-028X-66.7.1292. PMID 12870767.
5. Gorbach SL (February 1990). “Lactic acid bacteria and human health”. Annals of Medicine. 22 (1): 37–41. doi:10.3109/07853899009147239. PMID 2109988.
6. Boyton RJ, Openshaw PJ (2002). “Pulmonary defences to acute respiratory infection”. British Medical Bulletin. 61 (1): 1–12. doi:10.1093/bmb/61.1.1. PMID 11997295.
7. Kumar H, Kawai T, Akira S (February 2011). “Pathogen recognition by the innate immune system”. International Reviews of Immunology. 30 (1): 16–34. doi:10.3109/08830185.2010.529976. PMID 21235323. S2CID 42000671.
8. Actor J (2012). Elsevier’s Integrated Review Immunology and Microbiology (Second ed.). doi:10.1016/B978-0-323-07447-6.00002-8.
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutrophil#/media/File:Neutrophils.jpg
10. Mills CD (2012). “M1 and M2 Macrophages: Oracles of Health and Disease”. Critical Reviews in Immunology. 32 (6): 463–488. doi:10.1615/CritRevImmunol.v32.i6.10. PMID 23428224.
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macrophage#/media/File:Giemsa_Stain_Macrophage_Illustration.png
12. Monga I, Kaur K, Dhanda S (March 2022). “Revisiting hematopoiesis: applications of the bulk and single-cell transcriptomics dissecting transcriptional heterogeneity in hematopoietic stem cells”. Briefings in Functional Genomics. 21 (3): 159–176. doi:10.1093/bfgp/elac002. PMID 35265979.
13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dendritic_cell#/media/File:Dendritic_cell_revealed.jpg
14. Krishnaswamy, Ajitawi & Chi 2006, pp. 13–34.
15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mast_cell#/media/File:Mast_cell.png
16. Uhm TG, Kim BS, Chung IY (March 2012). “Eosinophil development, regulation of eosinophil-specific genes, and role of eosinophils in the pathogenesis of asthma”. Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research. 4 (2): 68–79. doi:10.4168/aair.2012.4.2.68. PMC 3283796. PMID 22379601.
17. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eosinophil#/media/File:Blausen_0352_Eosinophil_(crop).png
18. Sompayrac 2019, pp. 1–4.
19. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_killer_cell#/media/File:Human_Natural_Killer_Cell_(29120480442).jpg
Antiaging Benefits of Taurine, Invite Health Podcast, Episode 655

Antiaging Benefits of Taurine, Invite Health Podcast, Episode 655

Subscribe Today! Please see below for a complete transcript of this episode. ANTIAGING BENEFITS OF TAURINE, INVITE HEALTH PODCAST, EPISODE 655 Hosted by Amanda Williams, MD, MPH. *Intro Music* InViteⓇ Health Podcast Intro: [00:00:04] Welcome to the InViteⓇ Health Podcast, where our degreed health care 

Being Supplement Savvy in the Summer, Invite Health Podcast, Episode 649

Being Supplement Savvy in the Summer, Invite Health Podcast, Episode 649

Subscribe Today! Please see below for a complete transcript of this episode. BEING SUPPLEMENT SAVVY IN THE SUMMER, INVITE HEALTH PODCAST, EPISODE 649 Hosted by Amanda Williams, MD, MPH. InViteⓇ Health Podcast Intro: [00:00:04] Welcome to the InViteⓇ Health Podcast, where our degreed health care professionals 

Year Round Immune Support, Invite Health Podcast, Episode 647

Year Round Immune Support, Invite Health Podcast, Episode 647


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Please see below for a complete transcript of this episode.

YEAR-ROUND IMMUNE SUPPORT, INVITE HEALTH PODCAST, EPISODE 647

Hosted by Amanda Williams, MD, MPH

*Intro Music*

InViteⓇ Health Podcast Intro: [00:00:04] Welcome to the InViteⓇ Health Podcast, where our degreed health care professionals are excited to offer you the most important health and wellness information you need to make informed choices about your health. You can learn more about the products discussed in each of these episodes and all that Invite Health has to offer, at invitehealth.com/podcast. First time customers can use promo code podcast at checkout for an additional 15% off your first purchase. Let’s get started. † [00:00:34]

*Intro Music*

Amanda Williams MD, MPH: [00:00:40] With the warm spring and summer temperatures. Most folks put the idea of catching a cold in the back of their mind, thinking that colds only happen in the fall in the winter. Not true, we definitely see that there is an uptick of different viral infections that occur in those warmer months caused by a different virus than the normal colds that people can acquire during the colder months, the cooler months, including influenza. We know that that’s definitely much more prevalent during the winter, but even with the rhinovirus that’s very common in the colder months, and then you have the enteroviruses that create havoc during the warm summer months. We can see these being incredibly problematic and we’re seeing actually a greater likelihood that people are succumbing to these summer viruses more so than we even could see many years ago. You know, an estimated 15 million illnesses every year, which you may look and say, oh, that’s not that high. But we’re seeing this uptick, and this is what the problem comes into play, is why is this happening? And we can start to look at immuno senescence, what’s happening with an aging immune system. But we also recognize that even in younger individuals, because of poor dietary intake and not getting adequate key vitamins and minerals that help our innate and adaptive immune system. Our diets are lacking in this. So how do we address this? Well, we can do this with a comprehensive multivitamin, multimineral formulation that’s also enhanced with nutrients to really help the immune system fight off these pesky pathogens year-round. † [00:02:32]

 [00:02:33] So I’m Dr. Amanda Williams, Scientific director at Invite Health. And today I want to talk about our Immunity Multivitamin. The immunity multivitamin is our core multivitamin. So, you’re getting all of those chelating minerals, you get those powerful active B vitamins, which are really important for immune system function. Oftentimes when people think about their immune system, they think vitamin C, zinc and vitamin D, good idea. But our immune system is also heavily reliant on other vitamins and minerals. So, by taking the Immunity Multi, you’re going to be covering those gaps where your diet is perhaps and likely leaving you short. And you’re also going to be getting a wonderful blend of European elderberry extract and nucleotide complex. These two powerhouses really give our immune system that upper hand when it comes to exposure to different viruses as well as bacteria. We can look at the scientific research and we understand that there are many studies out there now that have indicated that the use or the supplementation of elderberry extract, which are packed with all of these powerful anthocyanins, the pigment that’s responsible for their color. So, you have all these wonderful antioxidants, you get anti-inflammatory properties, but also antiviral properties. And through the scientific research done on elderberry extract, this is why it has been looked at and touted as a prevention and treatment for viral respiratory illnesses. In the British Medical Journal of Complementary Medicine and Therapies. They go into detail, they did us a meta-analysis where they looked at multiple clinical trials, looking at the efficacy and the safety of elderberry extract, and they were able to determine through the population of all of these randomized controlled trials that the elderberry extract really could help not only for those who already were exposed to a virus and were coming down with some of the symptoms. It could shorten the duration and the severity. But for those who didn’t have that initial exposure, it actually worked as a protein ctive mechanism for the immune system. It’s doing this through a few different ways, one is directly through the way the different inflammatory cytokines that drive an immune response are working, so help to mitigate that. And they go on and they talk about how its role as an antioxidant also was quite beneficial and elderberry, they concluded, would be a really safe option for treating viral respiratory illnesses. And there’s no evidence out there that it’s somehow overstimulating the immune system, which we know that there are many prescribed medications that can actually counteract the purpose of why we’re using it, so we don’t have to worry about this when we’re using the elderberry extract, which is a wonderful thing. † [00:05:50]

ICYMI:CIRCULATION SOLUTIONS & TIPS FOR HEALTHY VESSELS, INVITE HEALTH PODCAST, EPISODE 646>>LISTEN NOW

 [00:05:51] And certainly the scientific research on elderberry extract continues to bolster why it is so incredibly beneficial. There was a fascinating study done all the way back in 2009, where they were assessing the use of elderberry extract for the, just the regular seasonal flu and the protection that elderberry extract was actually yielding folks was incredibly impressive. So now you’ve got the elderberry extract. Its powerful anthocyanin contained in the immune multivitamins. So, the Immunity multivitamin getting all of those key vitamins, minerals, antioxidants to support both your initial and your delayed immune response. You get the extra power punch coming from that elderberry extract and then you have the nucleotide complex in this. Now the nucleotides, very beneficial. We recognize what are nucleotides. This is the nucleic acids that make up our DNA. The immune system is very much so reliant on the power of those nucleic acids. So, if we want to create balance within the intestines, we want to have a healthier microbial environment. We need to make sure that we have adequate exposure to those nucleic acids. The physiological effects of nucleotide supplementation have been well-established across many different aspects of human health. In the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, they talk about how the use of nucleotide supplementation can actually reduce post-exercise immunosuppression. This is very important, folks, because what does that mean? A lot of big words there. Post-exercise immunosuppression. We know that through high endurance activity, marathon runners, for example, there is a window of opportunity that viruses love to try to target in those individuals or the immune system kind of takes a real big dive. It may be a short window, 24, 36, 48 hours. But in that time, we are much more likely to fall victim of an upper respiratory infection. So even if you’re going and you’re working out, it would be advantageous to make sure that we are getting those nucleotides on board. Now, in the setting that you don’t work out, that’s okay, because we also know that there’s other factors that can lower our immune system and create that immunosuppression such as stress. †[00:08:27]

 [00:08:29] Many individuals deal with high amounts of daily stress. So, taking a daily multivitamin that fills in the gaps that your diet isn’t providing, gives you these powerful nucleic acids to help to enhance our immune defenses. Help us recover quicker, even if it is the muscle overuse. And we have kind of muscle cramps, the nucleotides very beneficial for that. We’ve seen the studies on nucleotide complex being incredibly promising as a treatment option for those who have irritable bowel syndrome. In the nutrition journal close to two decades ago, they talked in detail about how nucleotide supplementation really can help those who have this systemic chronic inflammation, in particular looking within the intestines, the intestines,70% of your immune system is located within the intestines. If we can help to support the intestinal lining, the integrity, the function of the intestines with the use of these nucleic acids. We are doing ourselves a favor and now we’ve made this incredibly easy by having the Immunity Multivitamin that is helping our body power itself up every day for a proper cellular function. Fight off free radicals, keep our immune system nice and regulated, but also at the ready in the event that we are exposed to a particular virus. Having that elderberry extract shown to be highly effective and safe, having the nucleotide complex which once again shown to be incredibly supportive for the intestinal microbiota, your intestinal microbiome, want to call it that, for our overall immune system. And this is something that we know through all of the research that the effects of the supplementation of nucleotides, really helps our system respond in a much more efficient and effective way. So definitely check this one out, remember, colds are not something that are just linked to the colder months. There are viruses that exist in the spring and summer. So having a daily multivitamin that includes this enhanced immune system support is a really good option. So, I want to thank you so much for tuning in to the InViteⓇ Health Podcast. Remember, you can find all of our episodes for free wherever you listen to podcasts or by visiting, invitehealth.com/podcast. Do make sure that you subscribe, and you leave us a review. You can follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and we will see you next time for another episode of the InViteⓇ Health Podcast. † [00:08:29]

STAYING HEALTHY WHILE TRAVELING WITH THESE TIPS, INVITE HEALTH PODCAST, EPISODE 607>>LISTEN NOW

*Exit Music*