The story points out that even when we think we’re relaxing by plugging into some kind of digital device, we’re still taxing our brain. Here’s a great piece that gives some thoughtful guidance to dealing with overworked brains and how that may impact immune response and long-term health. Balance, it seems, is not only an immune health concept, it’s a cognitive health concept as well.

I’ve had my share of bites, though I haven’t been literally feasted on. And I’ve noticed that when some bites appear, they really don’t last long and don’t drive me crazy with itching. It got me to wondering, is there anything happening with me that makes me perhaps a bit more resistent to bites or at least to the duration of bites?

Some nutrition writers are addressing the concept that B vitamins and brewers yeast may be a turn-off for mosquitos. That really got my attention because of the EpiCor immune support supplement I take. EpiCor’s starting material is a simple yeast that goes through a unique process to render a complex yeast culture containing high concentrations of B-vitamins.

However, insect experts at North Carolina State University say that “the results of several scientific studies do not support the claims that these materials are effective repellents for mosquitoes or other biting insects, mites or ticks.” Sanjay Gupta at CNN also has a similar conclusion. Seems to be one of those things where a lot of people have similar experiences to tell about, but no study can yet provide scientific basis for those experiences.

As for general immune health, many sources discuss animals with weak immune systems as ripe targets for mosquitoes and fleas. I wonder if that goes for humans, too?

One of my Facebook friend of mine…mother of four young kids… just told me she has been training for her first marathon to be run this weekend.  She had to drop out as she is just recovering from a week with pneumonia.”Too many long runs depressed the old immune system,” she said.

What a bummer. So, I’m trying to get the immune balance story to her. I’m convinced she may benefit from a more balanced immune function that kicks into gear during physical exertion when it might normally be in retreat.

This paper from PubMed kind of sums up the problem, with no real answers to address it. “Many mechanisms appear to be involved, including exercise-induced changes in stress hormone and cytokine concentrations, body temperature changes, increases in blood flow and dehydration. During this ‘open window’ of immune dysfunction (which may last between 3 and 72 hours, depending on the immune measure), viruses and bacteria may gain a foothold, increasing the risk of subclinical and clinical infection”

How about an EpiCor trial for marathoner in training?

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!)

I think my wife had a pretty easy time of it. She was jovial the whole drive back to our home. And I don’t think she was just in denial. One day later, I’m getting along OK.  Unlike a dog or an infant, I don’t think I’m going to delve into full-tilt separation anxiety. If  a little stress does work its way in, I’m ready. Plus, heck, my daughter is only two hours away and will be back in two weeks for the Labor Day weekend.

Still, it weighs on me a little bit from time to time.

Especially when I’ve got to repeat the whole process with her twin sister at another university in two days.

Original Post OK, I feel like crap today. I’ve been in New York City the past week, walking all over kingdom come in 90 degree weather with killer humidity. In and out of air conditioning. In and out of boiling subway tunnels.

I came home to Des Moines two days ago, which welcomed me to 98 degree weather with killer humidity. Plus some flooding to boot, though my suburban area did not get hit.

Now, some kind of sinus irritation has set in. It has the potential makings of a classic summer cold. Thick feeling head, heavy chest, raspy voice. I was out to dinner tonight with my wife and kids. My daughters said I was spacing out, staring into a zone, acting kind of out of it.

The key is, can my immune system…going on 2.5 years with EpiCor… make this be nothing more than a short-lived irritation that doesn’t balloon into a flow-blown crud attack that takes 10 days to kick?  I think so. We shall see. I’ve taken no OTC meds, though I did use a little nose spray last night. I also had a beer with my brother after work, which probably did not help, either.

Rebekah Winquest

EpiCor is the immune balance supplement ingredient. Life balance can go hand in hand with immune balance. A proper balance of sleep, exercise, balanced diet, in-check stress levels, and avoidance of harmful substances can aid in achieving a healthier balance of your immune system.

Just Good Energy, a blog by natural food and supplemental nutrition enthusiast Rebekah Winquest, is asking for people to submit their stories of how they achieve balance in their lives. Rebekah will select a winner this Wednesday, Aug. 4.  Why Rebekah?  As you’ll see, her blog has a ton of posting volume on natural foods and recipes that she personally tries and recommends.  She also uses the same approach with select supplements. EpiCor is one supplement she has been taking now for several months. So she’s a fan…(as am I).

So visit her blog and enter your life balance story. And if you win, please let me know because I’d be interested in knowing about your 3-month experience with EpiCor and how it goes.

Japanese women lead the world in life expectancy at 86.44 years.

Japan male life expectancy is ranked 4th. Qatar is first, followed by Hong Kong with Iceland and Switzerland sharing third.

Where did the U.S. rank? Women ranked 35th (80.7 years) and men 28th (75.7 years).

What’s the take away? Japan likely benefits from better  and nutrition (fish, vegetables, tea, lower sugar), maybe more exercise (walking). Switzerland probably ranks high in both columns because…well…it’s Switzerland. One of the coolest regions on the planet. Who wouldn’t live longer if you had the Alps in your front yard and could dance across the mountain fields like Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music and eat the world’s best chocolate.

The stress level might come into play as well. Japan workers, in general, work long hours and have job pressures. So do U.S. workers. Somehow, Japanese may handle it better. I wonder how.

Anyway, diet, stress, quality of life. They all feed into immune health and mitigating long-term health conditions. I’ll drink a spot of sake to that.

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.