We’ve all known that stress and anxiety is something, when severe, you feel in your gut. That’s been known for centuries. However, more and more science is showing how that anxiety-driven upset stomach, if left unchecked long enough, actually can reconfigure the balance of beneficial bacteria in the gut, which can negatively impact immune function and overall health.

A very good description of gut health, stress and immune function can be found here. It’s a site about prescription meds, but the article itself is well done. In fact, they call the gut “the second brain” in this story. Very interesting.

Imagine a world years from now where life expectancy declines dramatically, and huge portions of health care dollars are spent fighting infections. That’s the scenario painted by Megan McArdle, writer for The Atlantic, in her recent piece, “How Super Bugs Will Affect Our Health Care Costs.”

The charts pictured here were in the story as well, and shows the percentage increase in antibiotic-resistant infections in the U.S. over the past 30 years. The lower chart shows in the decrease in new antibiotics coming onto the market in roughly the same time period. As the writer states, you do NOT want to see those trends moving away from each other.

As doctors prescribe fewer antibiotics to try to slow down resistant strains of germs, that means less revenue potential for pharma companies, which means fewer investment dollars directed to antibiotics.

McArdle presents a list of essential medical procedures performed today because effective antibiotics are available. Without effective antibiotics, the picture gets grim.

Write McArdle:  ”The superbugs have not only gotten bad fast–from “not really an issue” in 1980 to a major problem today–but they seem to be getting badder faster, as they merrily borrow resistance-conferring genes from each other.  Researchers now say they’re seeing resistance show up in the lab, before they even put the stuff into people.”

Stay healthy, people. Stay healthy.

The FDA announcement, however, says that that number of drugs in short supply has tripled in the past 6 years, from 61 in 2005 to 178 in 2010. “The shortages involve cancer drugs; anesthetics used for patients having surgery; “crash cart” drugs used in emergencies; electrolytes for patients being fed intravenously; and other drug products.”

And what happens if you find yourself without a medication that you need? Good luck. The FDA basically instructs you to work with your doctor to find a suitable alternative.  The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists has a whole site devoted to the shortage, listing all the drugs. One of them, amazingly, is alcohol prep pads. Huh?

I guess the lesson for today is, stay as healthy as possible so you reduce your risk of needing a drug that may not be available.

This has been a typical scenario during the rare times I get a bug or some URTI misery. It comes on steadily, in the throat, then the nose then the lungs. And after a day or so, it’s pretty much gone. Much different from the old days, before my EpiCor regimen, when something like this would last for days before I gave in and went to the doc for some antibiotics, making for a total of 10 days to two weeks before this crud was over. No more.

The EpiCor story does have science behind it supporting this exact scenario: reduction in duration and severity of symptoms.  Here it is: Alter. Comp Med. EpiCor Cold Flu

What the heck is going on in this country to cause this? What are people trying to escape from in such high numbers to drive this addiction/crime wave? I know we’ve been through a tough recession that still isn’t over for many, and I also know there are large areas of poverty and misery in these areas of the country. But something is way out of whack.

In addition to insurance and hospital administrative bureaucracy, the biggest culprit is unnecessary testing  done by doctors for patients in order to reduce malpractice lawsuit risk.  Surprise, surprise. The over-aggressive testing, of course, leads to higher claims amounts, which leads to higher health insurance premiums, which then leads to more uninsureds who, when they need care, burden hospitals with their uninsured (and unpaid) costs, which leads to higher hospital pricing, which leads to higher premiums, which….enough!

That makes me think if newborns and infants could start out their lives with finely tuned, efficiently performing immune systems, what kind of impact could that have on health care costs? How many redundant tests could be avoided if kids didn’t show up in doctor’s offices 4 or 5 or 6 or 7 times a years for ear infections or URTI episodes? How many antibiotic prescriptions, both legitimate and placebo, could be eliminated? How many family members who easily get infected by their kids or their kids’ playmates could avoid doctors’ visits and their own dubious prescriptions if they and the kids had better functioning immune systems?

How many allergy or asthma episodes could be scaled back significantly if young children had healthy, balanced immune response that didn’t over-react, as is the case with allergic reactions? And if moms’ diets and lifestyles were immune-friendly to their fetus during pregnancy, how many babies would have a head start on good health?  Oh, the possibilities. I’ll bet we could save another 50%.

I don’t know. I remember while back reading a  about the research POM was investing in to validate the health profile of pommegranites. I’m sure a lot of that research demonstrated some fairly good antioxidant properties of the product and maybe even some condition specific benefits. But I’m trained and conditioned to be diligent in not making outright disease claims about a supplement product, especially in consumer advertising or packaging, even if there are human studies that may show a condition-specific benefit. A product may support certain biological functions, like immune health, etc., but to say a nutritional supplement  reduces risk of cancer, man that’s getting out there. That is, at least until there are some significant changes in health claims rules.  The closest we’ve seen to allowable language on that front is here, with selenium. But it’s still very qualified language that’s allowed.

Bottom line: claims or no claims, do your research or consult with a qualified health professional.

From time to time I like to round up some of the more notable Twitter chatter on immune health that I’m seeing out there. My Twitter handle  is ImmuneDude. And my comments to some of these tweets are in italics:  Here they are:

RawHealer @ImmuneDude EpiCor is amazing! One of my favorite immune boosters!  (I agree, Raw, but it’s “balancing,” not boosting.)

NotOprah : 6 #Foods that boost your #immune system : apple, yogurt, zinc/beef, whey protein, garlic, carrots. (Balance, balance, balance!!!)

NotOprah :  Certain types of #bacteria boost the #immune #system. #Health #science http://bit.ly/9pji6p (I gotta follow this NotOprah.)

E_PenEbus_Unum Word to the wise: if something says that it “enhances digestive & immune health” stay away from it. Unless you want your tummy to rebel! (Now why do you say that, E Pen??  Do you have a wimpy gut?)

tweetinggenie Health: thank the universe for your own healing. Laugh, stress free happiness will keep you healthy. Immune system will heal itself  (I can dig that. However, very few people live a totally happy life totally free of stress. That’s where we need a little help to mitigate immune deficiencies due to stress.)

Thee_Gemma I gotta start takingg better care of myy health.. myy immune systems SUCKS. smh.  (Next time, plain English, please.)

yournutrition Probiotics; Healthy Digestion = Healthy Immune System – http://bit.ly/9zcxV #health #wellness

(Yes, yes!)

The study examined the body of published research for several nutritional supplement compounds – Lutein, Calcium, Vit. D, Fish Oil. Based on a well-described methodology, the study’s authors predicted the dollar savings based on preventive benefits that could be realized if people who were ideal candidates (based on health/demographic profiles) to benefit from these ingredients would consume them as recommended by manufacturers.

The most recent study update came out this summer. Total cost savings are now estimated to be $24 billion. Gosh, I wonder what would happen if an ingredient such as EpiCor were to be added to the study. Could there be a monetary metric applied to reductions in cold and flu symptoms that are evidenced in various clinical trials? Dollars saved through less sick time from school or jobs could be one measurement. Who knows?

Wouldn’t it be great if they walked into the doctor’s office, and had their up-to-date Google Health profiles– their records of prescriptions, supplementation, vaccines–on their I-Touch ready for the doc to download and view. And any additional services the doc provides would be added to the record at the time of service. This very simple information transfer could reduce the chance for diagnostic errors, drug interaction hazards or misappropriated diet and exercise recommendations.

After taking a few minutes to finally peruse Google Health, I’m wondering if this health service platform could not only be a difference maker in preventive health, but also a difference maker in health care cost reduction, outcome improvement and service delivery efficiency (er…commonly known as health care reform).

Google Health is much more than maintaining Web-enabled health records.  It’s a suite of services ranging from personalized consultation with world-class physicians to competitive drug pricing options, doctors on demand, even clinical trial participation opportunities for testing new drugs.

I’m sure these added service options will only expand. Wouldn’t it be great if there could also be a supplement advisory service, helping consumers sort out the good stuff from the bogus material, and providing personalized guidance on total nutrition and lifestyle. “Hmmmm, let’s see Mr. Maltby. Your serum results indicate you have an active, balanced immune response, a low level of inflammation, but you need to get off the couch more often, especially now that March Madness is over, and work up some sweat and pulse rate by walking or jogging a few times a week. And lay off the chocolate. I know the research says it has health benefits, but you’re overdoing it, according to your food diary and your blood workup I just viewed on your account profile. I’ll see you again online in 6 months.”

I’m sure that can happen now in many online locations. But when it’s all packaged under House of Google and linked to Google’s growing, distributed health databases, it could take cost-efficient, preventive health to a new level.