The pardox is this: We want to keep babies and young kids–whose immune systems are weak and still forming–free of germs and viruses, so they won’t get sick. However, it is the exposure to germs and viruses at a young age that “trains” and shapes the immune system, making it stronger and more effective as one grows older. Kids who grow up in a relatively sterile environment–no playing in the dirt, no daycare, no pets, no running around on the farm (as kids did decades ago)–do not get exposed to microbes at a young age. Therefore, when they get older, their first exposure to pathogens or antigens triggers severe over-reaction of the immune system, making for more frequent illness, and longer duration and greater severity of symptoms.

The new study mentioned above concluded that newborns not exposed to a variety of bacteria at birth or shortly after did not develop a healthy balance of microbiota (beneficial bacteria) in the gut, thereby weakening immune function  and increasing risk of developing allergies. Gut bacteria is a major determinant of immune system effectiveness.

So this holiday season, let your young kids play in the snow, pet the horses on the sleigh, maybe even get a puppy for Christmas. Their immune health may be the better for it.

@napernurse (Dawn McKinney) tweeted about some good medical advice that connects lack of sleep with immune dysregulation and inflammation in the body. Inflammation is the root of all things evil, right?

@fyiliving passed along to me a brief piece about public transit riders and exposure to germs that could result in making you sick more often. Yet, the story points to research that shows frequent riders may be exposing themselves to microbes regularly enough that they build a stronger, more responsive immune defense as a result, and may actually reduce their chance of getting sick. The Hygiene Hypothesis in action.

@Dr_Vijaya_Nair links to a story on how chiropractic can impact immune health, as the nervous system is synced with the body’s immune system at various junctures.  Since chiropractic adjustment techniques are designed to reduce misaligned pressure on nerve pathways, this may also impact immune health as well.

]]> http://www.balancedimmunehealth.com/2011/04/twitter-highlights-on-immune-health-some-cool-stuff/feed/ 0 http://www.balancedimmunehealth.com/2011/02/genes-vs-environment-vs-hygiene-habits/ http://www.balancedimmunehealth.com/2011/02/genes-vs-environment-vs-hygiene-habits/#comments Mon, 07 Feb 2011 18:26:35 +0000 Craig Maltby, Editor http://www.balancedimmunehealth.com/?p=2671 Brushing my teeth this morning, I heard this NPR story on colds. The story’s reporter was posing the question: why do some people catch everything that’s going around and other people can go the whole year unscathed? Especially when these people may live in the same home. The story interviewed medical experts who collectively postulated that science has arrived at place where 3 factors are identified as determining who might get sick and who skates through unharmed: genes, exposure to germ/viruses,  and immune system strength. Sounds pretty logical.

Some people’s genetic makeup make have endowed them with an immune function that’s just really high-performing, or low-performing. Others may have an immune system that has been well trained over the years by that person having been exposed to a number of pathogens that their immune responders “remember” and can quickly confront during exposure. It’s a form of the “hygiene hypothesis” in action. Or, some people just do a better job of protecting themselves by being vigilant in hand washing, good nutrition, sleep habits, etc.

But don’t get hung up on genes, especially if you’re blaming your body’s genome for your constant bad luck in always getting sick. As Dr. Pamela Peek, a national science and health authority, recently stated at a conference I attended, genetics comprise 30% of someone’s life/health experience. Environment and life choices make up 70%. “Genetics may be the gun, but environment pulls the trigger,” she said.

I generally don’t like to use sports analogies on this blog because this health information is for all people, not just jocks and fans. But this is special for a couple reasons:

1) Feller was a physical specimen. Not a body builder or someone with an elite physique. Rather, feller excelled throughout a 20-year career where he threw baseballs harder and faster than anyone in the game; fastballs that were clocked at nearly 107 mph (compared to today’s high range of 97-99 mph). He pitched a complete game–a full nine innings–300 times. Today, hardly any pitcher throws nine innings. 6 or 7 is about it for a starter. Gotta preserve the arm. In other words, Feller had a physical endurance and career longevity that was nothing short of astounding. People recall him taking the mound when we was 70 and 80 years old and still slinging it across the plate with some major zip.

2) Feller grew up on a farm. He was around hay, corn, pollen, hogs and all the bacterial and allergenic exposure that goes with the farm life, and, as research shows, can significantly define your immune system for the rest of your life. The Hygiene Hypothesis. Feller said his arm really wasn’t sore during his career. He didn’t ice it. “Ice is for cold drinks,” he said.

I would wager that Feller’s immune system–shaped by exposure to immune-shaping microbes on the farm–may have played a big role in his success and long life; balanced to the point of evading any major joint and muscle inflammation, and helping him live to a ripe old age without major illness (that is, until he succumbed to complications from leukemia), and, at least in part, enabling his physical durability for all those years.

That’s just my theory. Genes may also have played a big role. Who knows. If I’m wrong, please God, don’t let a Feller fastball strike me down!

Triclosan: and EDC-classified molecule

Don’t forget that acronym: EDC. It stands for “endocrine disrupting compound.” A new University of Michigan study suggests that exposure to an EDC substance called triclosan, found in antibacterial soaps and other products like diaper bags and toothpaste, may be linked to higher instances of allergies among young people age 18 and under.

The endocrine system is the hormone production center for the body. Hormones can be a significant modulator of immune cell activity.

The author of the study had this summarizing statement about exposure to triclosan: “The triclosan findings in the younger age groups may support the ‘hygiene hypothesis,’ which maintains living in very clean and hygienic environments may impact our exposure to micro-organisms that are beneficial for development of the immune system,” said Allison Aiello, associate professor at the U-M School of Public Health and principal investigator on the study.

Keep in mind, this study is simply an analysis of data collected from 2003 to 2006. It was not a direct intervention study where participant were given a compound and compared to a placebo group. The evidence for EDCs and immune function is still being debated and far from settled.

Just when you thought you’d heard everything about avoiding germs and staying healthy during the holidays, along comes an update from CBS Sunday Morning.  I should have posted this last week when it ran, but now  is better than never. The hand washing part reminds me of one of my good high school friends.  He’s a urologist in Arkansas now. When I was visiting him at his in-laws’ home over the holidays one year, I remember watching him wash his hands in the kitchen sink before eating a meal. He scrubbed them down for minutes on end, like he was getting ready for surgery. He taught his father-in-law to do the same thing.

After watching this video, now I know why he was so intense about it.

The piece also features an interview about the “hygiene hypothesis” of exposing ourselves to basic bacteria to train our immune system to work efficiently–and not hyperactively–when it senses foreign compounds in the body. In other words, vigorous hand washing and antibacterial liquids may be over doing it. What do you think?

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.

“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.

Now comes research showing that pregnant farm wives may actually be helping their unborn babies by passing on to the fetus low level bacteria, dust and other microbes that women are exposed to on the farm. Regulatory T-cells, an important component of immune defense, are higher in number and more effective in function among infants whose mothers lived on the farm during pregnancy. 

According to the study, “Two factors seem to be particularly important for this effect. First, an early influence on the fetus’ immune system during pregnancy seems to have a strong effect on reducing later allergy development. Second, microbial exposure has been identified as a crucial “entity of allergy-protective exposure.” The microbial exposure refers to several germs found in barns and stables including on livestock, as well as milk straight from the cow.”

I didn’t grow up on a farm, but I lived near a pasture as a child. Not good enough, apparently, as I had allergies early on. Up until my immune balance supplementation started 14 months ago, that is.  Now, I’ll take on any farm boy who want to match up his corn-huskin’ leukocytes against my city-boy neutrophils any day. 

I’ve been an allergy sufferer since childhood. Mine is classic hay fever and everything that feeds that sneezing beast. Well, during these two days, there was every opportunity for me to go on a non-stop sneezing bender. I was exposed to more hay and straw–used for both feed and cow-stall bedding–in two days than I had been my whole life. Add to that the fact my exposure was in barns which all had ventilation fans running to spread the airborne particulates around.  

However, by virtue of my balanced immune system, I hardly experienced a sniffle during the tour and after. No needing to front load massive doses of antihistamine every morning. Bring on that barnyard any day!

Another interesting finding as I was snooping around for info about farms and allergies: A study showing exposure to cow manure–which I slopped through in droves–may reduce risk for lung cancer due to the body’s immune system recalibrating itself as a result of exposure. It’s the hygiene hypothesis coming through again.