Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Whey protein may be known for supporting muscle mass, but did you know it also has benefits for cognition and metabolism? Learn more about why this blend of amino acids is important for aging people from Amanda Williams, MPH.
Human papillomavirus is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world, but many people don’t know what HPV is. Learn about this dangerous virus and what you can do to help protect your body from Amanda Williams, MPH.
autoimmune disease
InViteⓇ Health Podcast, Episode hosted by Jerry Hickey, Ph.
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There are about 80+ autoimmune diseases, diseases where your own immune system attacks your body and it can destroy your organs and tissues. For instance, in rheumatoid arthritis, your immune system attacks your joints, especially in your knuckles. This can deform your hands and cause swelling and severe pain.†
It turns out that people with certain autoimmune diseases can experience flare-ups when exposed to a lot of humidity, heat or ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Examples of these diseases that flare-up in the sun would be psoriasis, scleroderma, dermatomyositis, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. For some people with autoimmune diseases, the summer can be really rough because it can really trigger a flare-up that can make symptoms terrible.†
HOW TO MANAGE ECZEMA AND PSORIASIS – INVITE HEALTH PODCAST, EPISODE 272. Listen Now>>
People who deal with autoimmune diseases such as lupus have reported that the sun can trigger flare-ups for them. Some symptoms that they have shared included rashes on their face and body, very red cheeks, itchy scalp, headaches and even difficulty breathing.†
Dr. Jeffrey Carlin at the Benaroya Research Institute has explained that too much UV exposure can be toxic for anybody. When you get a bad sunburn, the sun kills cells on the surface of the skin. The body gets rid of these cells in a process called apoptosis, in which your cells basically self-destruct. This is followed by an immune response where white blood cells come in and get rid of the dead cells. This is when some people’s skin turns red and begins to peel until new, healthy cells replace the old ones.†
In people with autoimmune diseases, however, they have an overactive immune system, so when they are exposed to the sun and their skin cells go through apoptosis, it may trigger an immune reaction that’s too strong. Various immune cells are turned on, creating a total flare-up of the immune system that’s like throwing gasoline on a fire. Dr. Carlin said that this can cause people with lupus to have skin problems, as well as kidney issues, simply because their immune system went into overdrive and attacked healthy tissue.†
If you suffer from an autoimmune disease, you have to be careful when you go out during the summer. You don’t want to take hot showers, you want to take cold showers. You don’t want to sunbathe. You don’t want to exercise outside on a really hot, humid day. You don’t want to use a sauna or a hot tub. Stay in the air conditioning and if you want to exercise, go swimming in a cool pool. Drink cold drinks and wear loose-fitting, lightweight clothing. Make sure to wear a broad spectrum sunscreen.†
There are also some supplements that can help with certain autoimmune diseases. Bio-Curcumin 5-Loxin comes at inflammation from two avenues. Resveratrol can be helpful for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. This is an anti-inflammatory nutrient with small molecules that is very good for the thyroid. For rheumatoid arthritis, I recommend Cartilage HxⓇ, which contains undenatured Type II collagen and undenatured cartilage.†
A SUPERIOR ANTIOXIDANT: RESVERATROL – INVITE HEALTH PODCAST, EPISODE 45. Listen Now>>
In this episode, Jerry Hickey, Ph. discusses how the heat, humidity and sun of summer can impact people with autoimmune diseases. He also offers recommendations for nutrients and habits that can help protect the body.†
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Thank you for tuning in to the InViteⓇ Health Podcast. You can find all of our episodes for free wherever you listen to podcasts or by visiting www.invitehealth.com/podcast. Make sure you subscribe and leave us a review! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at InViteⓇ Health today. We’ll see you next time on another episode of the InViteⓇ Health Podcast.
Overindulging in alcohol can negatively impact your immune system, leaving you at risk for developing colds, viruses or worse. Learn about how alcohol can suppress immune responses from Amanda Williams, MPH.
The mineral magnesium performs hundreds of functions within the body. It is important for sleep, bones, immunity and more. Recent studies have continued to look at the benefits of this mineral in the human body.
immune system
Invite Health Podcast, Episode hosted by Jerry Hickey, Ph.
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Welcome to the second part of our episode looking at 10 factors that affect the immune system. In part one, we discussed the microbiome, sleep, nutrients from food and cortisol levels. Today, we will discuss additional factors that impact your body’s ability to defend itself.†
Most people get some level of benefit from a multivitamin. For instance, you get B vitamins, which have been shown to help mitigate the effects of inhaled pollution on your immune system and inflammation. Your immune system also requires a certain level of Vitamin E, Vitamin A, zinc and selenium.†
Multivitamins can be especially important for elderly people as they are missing many nutrients. They absorb zinc poorly from their food and are generally lacking three or four B vitamins, like Vitamin B12. This is why we ensure that our multivitamins contain methylcobalamin, which is an activated form of B12 that also converts to the other forms of Vitamin B that the body needs. They also lack folate, so we include methyltetrahydrofolate in our multivitamin formulations. This helps protect older people and helps the immune system function properly.†
CONSIDER TAKING THESE NUTRIENTS AS YOU AGE, PART 1 – INVITE HEALTH PODCAST, EPISODE 315. Listen Now>>
Phytonutrients are nutrients that come from plants. For instance, Resveratrol is found in the skin of red grapes and in red wine. It is also found as a supplement, where it is usually sourced from Japanese knotweed. Resveratrol works on several levels with the immune system. It helps contain inflammation, especially in the heart, lungs and brain. If you have an infection, the infection can inflame these organs. The immune system can also have a backlash against the infection, causing even more inflammation. This is what was happening to COVID-19 patients who were experiencing cytokine storms.†
Beta 1,3 glucan, which is found in mushrooms, yeast and euglena gracilis algae, is another phytonutrient that is important for immunity. It activates different parts of the immune system to attack and kill viruses and bacteria. Researchers have been studying beta 1,3 glucan for decades and they have found that it supports the body’s ability to defend itself.†
Some exercise is great for the immune system, such as taking several walks every day. But when you do intense exercise, like running or lifting heavy weights, it actually suppresses the immune system for about six hours after. Your antibody levels drop and immune cells decline.†
There are two supplements that have been shown to help prevent that from happening. One is called nucleotides. Nucleotides actually make us, but they also create energy in the form of ATP. When you take nucleotides, you make energy that can be used for healing and for immunity. A second supplement that helps offset a drop in immunity with exercise is a good probiotic. Research has shown that certains strains of probiotic help prevent the immune system from declining after exercise.†
IMMUNE-ENHANCING POWERS OF NUCLEOTIDES – INVITE HEALTH PODCAST, EPISODE 70. Listen Now>>
In this episode, Jerry Hickey, Ph. continues his conversation on factors that can impact your immune system. He shares multiple nutrients and phytonutrients that are important for promoting immunity and also discusses lifestyle choices that may impact your body’s ability to protect and defend itself.†
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Thank you for tuning in to the Invite Health Podcast. You can find all of our episodes for free wherever you listen to podcasts or by visiting www.invitehealth.com/podcast. Make sure you subscribe and leave us a review! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at Invite Health today. We’ll see you next time on another episode of the Invite Health Podcast.