Balanced Immune Health

Last time, I wrote about the new Human Proteome Project, an ambitious global effort to map the protein structure of the human body. Proteins are the essential operating systems for cells. There are 5,000,000 types of proteins that are programmed and turned on and off by genes. Many classes of immune cells are proteins or engaged with proteins.

An interview in Slate magazine with Eric Topol, researcher and author, discussed Topol’s vision of the future of medicine, one where consumers are equipped with digital assets–electronic medical records, smart phone apps that house their personal genome plus up-to-date info such as cholesterol levels, blood pressure, etc.

Topol is even envisioning a nano-processor embedded in the blood stream that could detect the arrival of a single cancer cell and issue an alert.

That got me to wondering about also putting an immune response alert on that chip as well:  if a pollen grain is sensed, or a bacterium or virus, an alert goes off so that the consumer can make sure to eat well, get some exercise, drink water, get sleep, take EpiCor, chill out from daily stress. That way, the immune system may be performing better and can confront that virus or germ, or maybe back off that harmless pollen, thereby keeping the person healthier.  The chip would not regulate immune response, but could alert the person who can take steps to ensure their immune function is as balanced as possible at that time.

A pipe dream?

Filed under Allergies, antibodies, Bacteria, Balanced Immune Health, EpiCor, Germs, immune, Immune Balance, Immune System, Stress, Supplements, virus