A little info digging on my part came up with some interesting theories–even a little research–on how and why we give off our natural scent, before the Old Spice is applied. Seems the immune system and its state of health might play a role.

One report–which sounds pretty legit on the surface but doesn’t cite any real sources–says a poorly functioning, even overactive, immune system interacting with the bacteria it’s fighting may cause body odor.

Another article says immune system genetics create a scent that is noticed by women much more so than men. The more divergent a man’s immune genetics are from a woman’s, the more attracted she may be to him. That’s nature’s way of fortifying offspring with the most robust, diverse and adaptive immune system possible.  Hmmmm. I don’t know, especially when “sniff tests” of shirts were used to gather data. But, crazier things have happened.  Another piece also cites the immune sniff theory as well, plus gets into everything from ovulation to foods to ethnicity as contributors to body scents.

I also just read a theory that in cultures where people don’t shower every day–and hence probably have a stronger odor than us American hygiene freaks–healthier, more balanced immune systems and overall better health may prevail. Those people are not washing away bacteria every day, and therefore are giving their immune systems fuel to exercise themselves and build up better function and performance. Kind of dovetails on the hygiene hypothesis.

So hey, Old Spice guy, keep up the good work. God knows between garlic, bacteria, immune cell genes, gender-based olfactory sensitivity, we’ll need your help.

Now look at me. Now look away.

A lot has been written about health benefits of dark chocolate. What about immune health benefits? Here’s some consumer information that’s a good, quick read.  Another source lays out the case for a number of health benefits, but admonishes us to steer clear of milk chocolate. Milk chocolate doesn’t count as a healthy food, and is just as junky as any other junk food.

Here’s a pretty informative video about chocolate. Basic advice: go dark (over 70% cacao content), choose lowest possible sugar, don’t eat too much at one time….a square or two, not a whole bar every day.

I know that we’re (generally) not scientists here. But before you give this post the heave-ho and move on to another Web page, just give this a chance. The papers each are given a brief summary that really helps you quickly get the main points of each piece of research.

And just to make it even easier to grab onto, I’ll give you my summary of each summary for the top seven.

1. An enzyme involved with cell “signaling” may be linked with autoimmune disorders.
2. Some stem cells may be able to tailor their offspring to fight certain diseases.
3. New role for “memory” cells – they can do more than recall earlier infections that trigger their activity
4. Immune cells residing in the gut may attack certain bacteria first…then back off and call a truce.
5. Certain immune cells that “hunt” for invaders may be able to switch between random scavenging and a directed, planned attack.
6. Making more “killer cells” out of T-cells.
7. Processes for creating a new kind of “helper” cell may hold clues for inflammation that comprises allergic reactions.

These are just seven of scores of papers published each year detailing the complex relationships and communication among various classes of immune cells.  Imagine the health benefit when all of the these cell communities work in balance and proper proportion.

Stuart will wrap the topic into an interesting package of anecdotes and examples that anyone can understand. He does this very well, despite the fact he’s a scientist and researcher. I’m sure he’ll also expand on some the newer research involving immune balance and EpiCor, which we’ve also touched on here. Yet, we have not had Stuart’s original prose so eloquently breaking down the data into compelling scenarios and illustrations that make the science of immune balance hit home.

So I recommend tuning in July 19 or downloading the podcast later. You’ll need to register (free) to use the site and access the audio programs, but it takes about 30 seconds to do that.

So what about gut bacteria and immune health, amid all this?  This is where inflammation comes in, which we’ve also covered here.  Begley states: “…the precise way in which gut bacteria affect weight is a matter of intense dispute. The idea that different bacteria extract more or fewer calories from the food we send their way, as Gordon’s studies suggest, is only one possibility. Another possible explanation is that gut bacteria contribute to obesity (as well as to type 2 diabetes, which often goes along with being overweight) by altering the immune system. The idea here is that gut bacteria interact with intestinal cells in a way that causes them to secrete cytokines, molecules that can cause low-grade inflammation. This inflammation can, in turn, trigger insulin resistance (the mark of type 2 diabetes) and increased appetite, which is an effective way to put on weight.”

See more on this in Wired and in a drug industry trade. Also, an interesting Q&A in the Wall Street Journal Health Blog has some additional angles.

Maybe this is the core secret on why some people can eat anything they want every day and never gain an ounce.

The answer is….I don’t really know. Certainly, a weak immune function can contribute to skin problems. This same source also says that sunlight on the skin can trigger “immune system cells to come to the skin surface to repair any UV damage that occurs in response to sunlight…If we don’t damage it too much, the skin pretty much takes care of itself.” I like that.

On the other hand, in keeping with the immune balance tenets, one paper suggests that suppression of immune response in the skin after sun exposure may be a good thing. Over-reactive immune response in the skin can lead to various skin problems. Yet on the other hand, too much immunosuppression–perhaps caused by large amounts of UV light that damage the suppressor cells that normally would be suppressing– may lead to malignant and pre-malignant  lesions.

So who the heck knows. I think the better balanced you are, the better your chances to stay healthy in the sun as long as you don’t overdo it.

1. I’m a coffee addict, at least during the work week. 5-6 cups a day is easy for me.
2. The whole field of brain health, especially the impact of brain function on other health conditions in the body, is of growing interest to researcher and consumers.
3. The data showing benefits of coffee on health just seems to be growing and growing. It apparently has a huge antioxidant profile.
4. The role of brain function in immune health, and vice versa. Some recent evidence shows there is an actual presence of immune cells in the brain that may act as an early warning system for brain abnormalities long before symptoms appear.  And, to the converse, mental function may, in turn, impact how the immune system responds to a host of health issues throughout the body, not just in the brain.

This story continues to show that, while  mind over matter is a legitimate, science-based health frontier, matter helping  mind (antioxidants and maybe caffeine) is also a way to make sure that the mind is a healthy mind so it can be at its best when it’s over the matter. Did I just make any sense?

“He (a doctor interviewed in the story)  says that an allergic response is sort of a false alarm. Like an army launching an attack against a harmless enemy.  Somehow the immune system has gotten confused – and treats things like pollen, dust, mold or the proteins on the hair of your beloved pet as if they were a dangerous parasite or virus.”

That’s good. The story goes on to describe the hygiene hypothesis:  “The immune systems of non-allergic people detect ragweed and pet hair too- they just don’t sound the alarm.  The number of people with allergies in the United States and Europe has risen over the last several decades. One of the prevailing theories on the cause is that modern western societies are too clean.” Click the “hygiene hypothesis” category tag on the left column of this page.

But then, the story ends with a summary of treatments: OTC products like Claritin, cortosteroids, and homeopathic approaches such as allergy shots.

Too bad it did not discuss ways to balance immune response in the first place:  to retrain immune cells to let pollen pass and not attack it, thereby avoiding all the gunk that comprises allergic reactions.  Oh well, the world will catch on….some day.

1. many chronic conditions and;
2. immune response that is out of balance.

In fact, many experts deduce that disproportionate immune response is the underlying driver of inflammation, so therefore, immune balance may help mitigate a number of health symptoms.  One paper terms it, “chronic activation of innate immunity.” That means your  immune system is constantly amped up, even when it doesn’t need to be. Hence, inflammatory conditions.

Anything you can do to help balance immune response–diet, exercise, sleep, EpiCor supplementation, may help counter such chronic inflammation.

The result of immune balance? The possibility of fewer sick days, fewer “dragging” days, fewer physical problems due to chronic stress’s impact on immune cells.

So what simple things can you do to balance and maintain your immune system?  Here are five:

1. Eat smart. Reduce processed sugar, increase fruits and veggies. The Mediterranean Diet is considered a very good immune health diet.
2. Get sleep. Research shows lack of sleep increases stress levels and weakens immune function.
3. Get exercise.
4. Wash hands often.
5. Take supplements containing 500 mg dosing of EpiCor. Human clinical trials show EpiCor balances immune response.

There you go. The Immune Balance Five. Go forth and do them.