• The Nashville Tennessean has a great column published this past week on immune system balance and the “dirt” exposure school of thought on immune system development. Good perspective and anecdotes.

• The Omaha World-Herald ran a story last Thursday on the possible return of H1N1. A new term was introduced, at least to me: “cytokine storm,” as in “some young people with H1N1 flu were sickened by their immune systems’ overreactions to the virus. That syndrome, called a ‘cytokine storm,’ can fill the lungs with fluid, among other problems. Cytokines are groups of molecules secreted by the immune system.”

• Vancouver would seem to be the most stress-free place in North America. Great scenery, beautiful city and architecture, moderate weather. I spent a little time there en route to an Alaskan Cruise. At one point it was known at the the city with the most outdoor sports enthusiasts in the Western Hemisphere.  Still, the Vancouver Sun published a piece yesterday on the Price of Stress. The story is a good tutorial on immune balance and stress.

• This Today Show video (below) has some good tips that address bacteria and inflammation, both of which are directly connected to balanced immune health.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

I was sitting next to two state economic development officers and two Iowa State University (host of the cloud conference) IT managers. We exchanged typical pleasantries and when it came my turn to tell what I do, I mentioned that I’m involved with a nutraceutical ingredient that has a steadily-building research portfolio showing how it imparts “balance” to the human immune system. What happened next seems to happen more and more, especially in the past 9 months or so. As they asked about their own health challenges and issues, and how immune health impacts them, they started writing down the immune balancer I mentioned (EpiCor) and how to get a hold of it.

The scribing gets especially furious when I tell folks that I, a lifelong ragweed/pollen allergy sufferer, have not taken a prescription or OTC allergy product now for two years. I don’t even mention my skating by two winter crud seasons now with only a scratchy throat and an extra nap here and there. Nor do I mention my baby boomer joints and muscles being able to handle a 6-month season (with 2 more months to go) of disc golf every 2 or 3 days with no inflammation-triggered arm or back strain.

This dialog is one sign of a growing interest in immune balance. This blog is now experiencing a 50- to 70-percent month-over-month increase in views, and is up over 1000 percent since this time last year. Wellsphere, one of the major online health portals, has added this blog to its “Top Health Blogger” roster.  Naturopathic physicians and wellness coaches seem to be seeking out online information on immune balance and the EpiCor ingredient (as has been confirmed to me by one of my Twitter followers). I think the concept of immune balance is forming a new cloud of its own… where information, consumer experience, research and movement of product all converge in a diffused, user-driven platform spreading across the country and in other global geographies. The only difference is that in addition to packets of data being stored and deployed, packets of immune cells are being studied, reorganized and redeployed for better health and quality of life.

However, there is something else that highly conditioned athletes should be aware of. Strenuous physical exertion, the kind that elite players experience every day whether running, hitting, lifting, rowing or whatever, can drag down the body’s immune defense response, leaving a sports star more vulnerable than normal to getting sick.

The National Strength and Conditioning Association has a very good paper on this topic, summarizing how moderate exercise can actually improve immune health, but highly vigorous exercise can lead to oxidative stress in the body that promotes inflammation and greater susceptibility to upper respiratory tract infection (URTI).

The paper explains the role of cytokins, proteins that facilitate signals between various cells and systems of the body and are also involved in inflammatory signaling. “Normally, pro-inflammatory cytokine levels are counterbalanced by anti-inflammatory cytokine levels promoting homeostasis; however if levels are unrestrained, incidences of post exercise infection may occur . It is important to note that although excess, unresolved inflammation can cause tissue damage and/or infection, it is a physiologically necessary component to properly functioning innate immunity. Therefore, the balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines is crucial in maintaining proper immune function.”

If the coach won’t let an athlete balance their workout load — can you say “three-a-days?”– at least doing everything reasonable to help balance the immune system is one way to potentially reduce the chance of getting sick from overexertion.

I’ve just read a good summary of ways to orient your mind…and ultimately your health through immune support…toward a state that can reduce the physical toll that stress can otherwise take on your health.  It’s compelling information backed by what appears to be decent research citations.  Another good angle is presented in a nurse practitioners journal from several years ago. A more recent abstract is here

My only additional thought is this:  In our breakneck-paced world, taking the time needed for meditation, visioning or self-hypnosis can be a challenge, to say the least. Finding 20 minutes or so a day (during your waking hours, not during night-time slumber) is no sure thing. That’s why other methods to optimize immune response–supplementation, exercise, etc.– are important as well. All are interdependent; no single activity can stand on its own.

I like its basic approach: Balance. Not just immune balance but balance in how your manage your kids’ health. The clip instructs people not to ignore vaccines and antibiotics –they’re important. But also, don’t try to protect your kid from every microorganism out there. It’s foolish and won’t work anyway. Wash hands, exercise, get good nutrition, all the basics that your mom preached are good things to do now and in the future to help build a high-performance immune system. 

Germ Proof Your Kids (MWV26) from microbeworld on Vimeo.

So that leaves one physical activity I can partake in:  walking.  I enjoy walking. I can do it by myself with my ear buds firmly in place listening to March Madness or the Cubs on the radio. Or I can walk with my wife, tell her about my day, and pretend I’m listening to her talk about her day. All without huffing and puffing or much sweating.

But, you say, is walking good for achieving immune balance? Naturally that’s the first question most people ask.  I can proudly say, you bet your Rockports it is. Here are some citations:

http://walking.about.com/od/healthbenefits/a/preventcold.htm

http://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/ijshs/4/Special_Issue_2_2006/4_508/_article

So walk it up. It’ s just one more thing you can empower yourself to do in achieving great immune health.

First, I grabbed the heavy rake and pulled up dead grass from my lawn. That was back-breaker, not to mention a forearm breaker. Next day I played my first round of golf of the season. Then I proceeded to three days of disc golf, where I wreaked havoc on my left throwing shoulder. It was probably totally stupid for me to be putting that kind of pressure on my shoulder with no stretching warm-ups, or no resistance training  in the “off season.”

Bottom line: I was sore immediately after each activity, no doubt. But each night and the next day after, I had no real pain or stiffness at all. Is my nutritionally supplemented immune system in fightin’ shape so as to minimize muscle and joint inflammation after physical exertion?

Dr. Stuart Reeves

Wanna experience one of the most beneficial half hours of your life? Listen to Embria Health Science’s Stuart Reeves as he is interviewed about immune balance on a Latrobe, PA radio station.  Stuart hits the big points on immune health and quality of life, from colds and flu to stress and travel  to extreme exercise vs. moderate exercise. He also gives some great detail on how EpiCor is produced

Click here for the interview.

It seems that Windows Media Player works well for this.  If you need to grab it for your machine, download it here.

(Editor’s Note: Dieting happens. Especially after the holidays. While taking off excess weight is a good thing, doing it the right way…or the wrong way…can have a lasting impact on immune health. Larry Robinson, Ph.D., Vice President of Scientific Affairs at Embria Health Sciences, manufacturer of immune balance ingredient EpiCor, answers a few questions on how losing weight and immune system health are connected. )

What is important to know about the immune system when thinking about dieting?

First, if weight loss is too rapid, there can be a temporary compromising of the immune system, so slow and steady is better. Second, a variety of vitamins and minerals can affect immune function, so it is important to ensure that a sufficient level of these are in the diet, either naturally of via supplementation

In what ways might dieting compromise the immune system?

There have been studies that show that a gradual loss of weight and maintaining that weight are good for the immune system. However, yo-yo dieting (repeatedly losing and regaining weight) may have a lasting negative impact on immune function.

How do you diet with the least impact on the immune system?

The scientific research at the moment suggests that slow steady weight loss, good nutrition, maintenance of the lower weight and regular exercise are the keys to maintaining a healthy immune system

Moderate exercise and maintaining a reasonable level of fitness has been shown to improve immune function. The mechanisms are not yet clear, but the effects are well established.

What is new in research on the immune system that people might not be aware of?

There are a huge number of studies of the immune system being carried out at the moment, many of them sorting out small details of what happens in the immune response and how. To me, one of the more interesting areas is that of the interactions between the innate (non-specific and rapid) and adaptive (slower and specific) immune systems. It used to be considered that the innate system was the poor cousin of the immune response, but many studies now have demonstrated its importance, and the essential interactions of the two systems in defending the body.