A Fascinating Lecture about the Immune System

Polly · Post by **Polly** » Sun May 27, 2007 6:51 pm

Hi Good Buddies!

Recently I had the opportunity to hear a talk by an MD who is on the cutting edge of integrative medicine. He is trained and board-certified in classical internal medicine but is one of the foremost holistic practitioners in the country. His talk was called "Ultralongevity," and he has a book of the same title coming out in Sept.

The first thing he did was to project a video on the screen behind him, which kept running/repeating throughout his talk. The video was taken under a microscope and showed an actual white cell (a major component of the immune system) in the blood chasing and attacking a bacterium (staphylococcus) in an infected patient. The video was awe-inspiring. The white cell singlemindedly chased the bacterium, around, up, between and over other cells, until it captured it and engulfed it in order to kill it. It was as if the white cell had a mind of its own - the dogged determination to get that bacterium was really something to behold!

The doc's theory is that we have within us the original immune system of our ancestors (I think he said over 15 BILLION white cells alone): however, in this day and age we don't need such incredible "power" due to antibiotics, a much safer food and water supply, handwashing techniques, etc. Thus, (and this is no surprise to us MCers), our immune systems don't have as much work to do and thus begin attacking our own cells (autoimmune conditions) or foreign proteins like food or allergens like pollen. He believes that each time we have an immune system event (cold, sinus infection, AI reaction, allergic reaction) that we age some.

The doc believes that the more immune events one experiences, the faster one ages. He says this is due to the contents of the white cells that are released when they engulf and kill bacteria and other "intruders" - chemicals like chlorine gas, mustard-type gas, etc. It is these harsh and very toxic chemicals that are released when the white cells die that he believes age the body.

Thus he believes that the emphasis should be on QUIETING the immune system - that we should not be doing things that boost it. He discussed 7 ways to quiet the immune system, and many involve holistic approaches.

I won't discuss all 7 now in the interest of time, but will be happy to if there is interest. In the next post I will discuss the step that involves the GI system, since that is our major issue. To be continued.......................

Love,

Polly

barbaranoela · Post by **barbaranoela** » Sun May 27, 2007 6:55 pm

Polly----I hope I am using the right word---my retired ER nurse friend--suggested that I should see an IMMUNOLOGIST ---being I am having so many issues erupting???

Ever hear of that term??? Sounds interesting to me!!!
luve sisB

Post by **tex** » Sun May 27, 2007 8:03 pm

Polly,

Well, I can't speak for anyone else, but you've certainly piqued my interest.

I have to agree with him about the aging effect. During the couple of years when I was regularly reacting, I could see a difference in the mirror every few weeks. I aged probably ten years worth, in those two years. It was very noticeable.

Looking forward to the next installment.

Love,
Tex

Matthew · Post by **Matthew** » Sun May 27, 2007 10:20 pm

Polly

Thanks for introducing the idea of quieting the immune system. Or better yet reintroducing it.

As you well know it has been an important part of my continuing recover.

I have written about how my earliest attempts were to make a rich chicken soup. Skim off the broth. Spend a few days in the quiet of meditation and non doing, consuming only the broth and then slowly adding back in the well cooked vegetables and meat in an attempt to give myself and my digestive system a chance to recover. To quiet my immune system. Time well spent in being good to myself.

Some time ago we had some discussions on stretching and yoga. Along with its associated breathing this daily practice brought amazing results in the first few moths and as the months have gone by still produces even though on a more subtle level. I can only guess that a quiet, relaxed body must have some effect on the immune system

I have never given up on exercise no matter how bad I felt. Breathing seems to be a big key. The stagnation of not exercising seems to be a key. Even something as simple as a brisk walk seemed to calm everything early in my recovery. Long bicycle rides and all the fresh air results in coming home with a glow of every system in my body no matter what nitnoids I have encountered in the week. Of course just the great joy of movement must produce some immune calming results.

I look forward to hearing more about the lecture and if what you learned connects to the few small things I have discovered.

Love

Matthew

hazel · Post by **hazel** » Mon May 28, 2007 4:47 am

Add me to the interested list.

Tessa · Post by **Tessa** » Mon May 28, 2007 12:17 pm

Me too, Polly

Love
Tessa :bigbighug:

annie oakley · Post by **annie oakley** » Mon May 28, 2007 1:14 pm

I Like it too....Maybe that will be a large help to all of us. :bigbighug:

Love Oma

starfire · Post by **starfire** » Mon May 28, 2007 1:18 pm

Me too, Polly............

Love, Shirley

Pat · Post by **Pat** » Mon May 28, 2007 3:09 pm

I'm listening!
Pat

barbaranoela · Post by **barbaranoela** » Mon May 28, 2007 3:15 pm

count me in also

Barb

Reggie · Post by **Reggie** » Mon May 28, 2007 6:38 pm

This is relevant for me right now. I'm doing anti yeast treatment, and it's making me sick. Supposedly it's the die off from the yeast. My wife has sweats and a low grade fever from it, and I'm mostly just more tired and a little woozy. It isn't any fun.

I also aged noticeably during my year of auto immune reactions.

Polly · Post by **Polly** » Tue May 29, 2007 8:08 am

Good Morning!

OK, to continue............. it looks like quite a few are interested in the strategies that help to QUIET the immune system.

But first, an explanation of why they work. That mighty army whose sole goal is to protect us (the immune system) prepares to mount an attack, to go to war so to speak, in specific situations...........at mealtime, whenever there is a risk of injury or infection, whenever we experience certain emotions (in particular, fear, anger, and despair). For example, whenever we feel fear, our immune system revs up because of a perceived threat to the body - and the immune system is bound and determined to protect us at any cost.

Here are the strategies:

1. proper breathing

The immune system "tunes in" to changes in breathing, is sensitive to changes in oxygen level. Proper deep breathing should result in the abdomen rising (put your hand on your abdomen to check this) and the exhalation should be twice as long as the inhalation. Many people, especially if stressed, breathe rapidly and shallowly (using the chest only), which activates the immune system.

2. diet

It is best to eat several smaller meals - "graze". The immune system majorly revs up at every meal - white cells rush to the gut in huge numbers. (In olden days, food/water were the major carriers of bacteria into the body, so the immune cells need to stand guard in that situation). The larger the meal, the greater the immune response - thus the reasoning behind grazing.

Fiber (30 grams/day). The doc said that fiber feeds the good bacteria in the gut. Interesting......does anyone know more about this?

And of course, as many fruits/veggies and fish as possible.

3. vitamin "L"

This stands for love! Apparently it is very important for quieting the immune system. And it doesn't have to be a "person" you love - it can be your job, your pet, your hobby. Just so there is something you can love every day.

4. adequate sleep

The doc mentioned that we must have absolute darkness to sleep. The pineal gland (which regulates sleep), will not begin putting out melatonin if there is even the slightest bit of light in the room. Wear a mask if you have light you cannot control, like streetlights.

5. exercise

The ideal is now thought to be an hour a day. The latest thinking is that the very best overall exercise is dancing!

6. vitamins

The doc recommends a multivitamin a day. He talked about the importance of 2 specific vitamins if one wishes to supplement (D and B6). He said the vitamin should be taken one hour before the largest meal for best absorption. He himself supplements with 1200 IU of vitamin D, which he determined after getting a blood level.

7. omega 3s

Self-explanatory.

OK, now you have it! BTW he believes that the best blood test for determining inflammation in the body (inflammation = hyperactive immune system) is the CRP (C reactive protein).

Love,

Polly

Post by **tex** » Tue May 29, 2007 9:05 am

Polly,

Hmmmmmmmmm - interesting.

Here's the only article I can find, that discusses how fiber nourishes "good" gut bacteria. I don't recognize the author's name, but this is a very good general overview of the benefits of beneficial gut fauna, and how they should be managed.

http://www.consciouschoice.com/1999/cc1 ... s1208.html

There are a lot of good observations in this article, that I had never thought about before, such as:

Probiotics produce natural antibiotic compounds or bacteriocins, proteins that kill a much narrower range of organisms — and are often more lethal to the harmful ones — than commercial antibiotics.

In the past, there has been a lot of discussion on this board about why the pH of the colon should be kept at a level above neutral, (a concept that I have never been able to embrace, since I don't see a logical reason why we should try to manipulate that balance). Now that I have been made aware of the yeast connection with elevated pH levels in the colon, I'm even less inclined to favor a "buffered" environment in the lumen:

A third defense probiotic bacteria provide against unhealthy intruders is a lowering of the intestinal pH. Probiotics produce several types of acids (including lactic, acetic, and formic), which discourage harmful organisms that thrive in alkaline environments, a main offender of which is, again, yeast.

The article also explains how the colon digests lactose, when the small intestine is unable to produce adequate amounts of the enzyme lactase:

Anyway, here's part of what the article says about fiber's role in gut fauna nourishment:

Fiber helps probiotics to thrive. The end product in probiotics’ breakdown and processing of a good high-fiber diet is short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) which are absorbed and used as energy in the colon. One such SCFA, butyrate, nourishes and energizes colonocytes, cells that make up the colon’s lining. Increased butyrate has caused marked improvements in many cases of colitis, and it is now thought that healthy colonocytes are linked to decreased chances of colon cancer.

Interesting that the doctor recommends a multivitamin, but I guess that would automatically be part of a program designed with "ultralongevity" in mind, "just to be on the safe side".

Also, I had never heard that absolute darkness was "required" for adequate sleep. Obviously it enhances the sleep environment, but I never knew that it was essential. Hmmmmmm.

Thanks for all the good information.

Love,
Tex

mle_ii · Post by **mle_ii** » Tue May 29, 2007 11:23 am

I'd have to agree with what the Dr said. Only problem with the fiber is that it can feed the bad bacteria as well. And if you have bacterial overgrowth or dysbiosis it would promote it rather than remove or inhibit it. Basically anything that goes undigested for one reason or another promotes bacteria growth. Protein, fiber, sugars, etc. Not sure about fat though.

thedell19 · Post by **thedell19** » Thu May 31, 2007 4:55 pm

Hey Polly-

That musta been one kick a$$ lecture. Do you mind if I share your post with other on another forum for Ulcerative Colitis... I will give you proper credit dont worry!!!!!!!!

So the Orioles are starting to look up eh? They have so much potential but they have to put everything together. (In case you were wondering Brian Roberts is may favorite current Oriole, with Cal Ripken topping off everyone else- Jim Palmer being a distant yet relatively close second (dose that make sense at all?)