Immune Health

Learning Outcomes

• This lecture covers the immune system, germ theory, T-helper cells, immunity levels
• Other topics covered autoimmunity, systemic lupus erythematosus, allergies, and histamine reduction

The Immune System

• It is the primary interface with the environment
• It identifies and neutralizes threats from plants, animals, or pollen
• A complex system surveils, repairs damage, and identifies damaged 'self' cells like cancerous ones
• It must be effective, proportionate, and precise to prevent health issues
• Dysfunction implications: increased infection susceptibility, autoimmunity, allergies, poor tumor surveillance

Immune System Imbalances

• Imbalances leads to inadequate or excessive immune responses
• Over-reaction to internal threats causes autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto's and Type 1 diabetes
• Over-reaction to external threats leads to allergies and food intolerances
• Under-reaction can cause cancer or viruses like shingles
• Under-reaction also leads to bacterial, parasitic, or fungal infections

Germ or Terrain Theory

• Béchamp's Terrain Theory: germs target diseased tissue, challenging Pasteur's 'Germ Theory'
• Terrain theory suggests that susceptibility varies among individuals exposed to the same pathogen
• Pathogens harm based on context: overall health, immune function, stress, gut health, microbiome
• Health is a crucial factor in resilience to infection
• Natural approaches are essential for immune support

Modern Immune Challenges

• Challenges include dysfunctional immune programming due to less diverse early pathogen exposure
• Other challenges include compromised gut/microbiome, new antigens from foods and toxins
• Reduced resilience results from unhealthy lifestyles including metabolic dysfunction and oxidative stress
• Antibiotic overuse leads to resistant infections
• This can result in potentially suboptimal immune response coupled with increased inflammation, autoimmunity, and allergy

The Complex Immune System

• The Immune System consists of the Innate (non-specific) and Acquired (specific) branches:
• Physical barriers such as skin and mucous membrane are part of the external immune system
• Chemical barriers like sebum, sweat, and tears also contribute
• Internal defenses include phagocytes like monocytes and neutrophils
• The inflammatory response, fever, interferons, and the complement system also help
• Acquired/adaptive immunity involves specific defense mechanisms
• They consist of antibody and cell-mediated (T cells)

Essential Factors for Effective Immunity

• Integrity of barrier tissue (skin, gut, lungs) is where pathogens make first contact
• Presence of secretions like tears and saliva, which have antimicrobial properties
• Probiotic bacteria need the space on the epithelial surface and secrete lactic acid and natural antibiotics
• Large numbers of immune cells, including B cells secreting slgA, are in areas of high immune activity such as MALT/GALT
• Recognition of pathogens or damaged cells by patrolling leukocytes
• Mobilization of leukocytes like macrophages and neutrophils are essential
• Recognition occurs through pattern recognition (PAMPs, DAMPs) followed by phagocytosis
• Inflammation isolates affected areas, increasing immune activity and is a reaction by innate immune cells

T-helper Cells

• Naive T-helper cells differentiate into Th1, Th2, Th17, or T-reg cells after antigen presentation:
• Th1 cells: defend against intracellular, viruses, anti-cancer/tumours (IL-12)
• Th1 activates cytotoxic T-cells (CD8), macrophages (IFN-γ and TNF-α/β)
• Th2 cells: fight extracellular threats and parasites
• Th2 cells are activated by IL-2, 4 and 5
• Th2 cells can trigger B-cell antibody production (↑ IgE) and induce eosinophils
• Th17 cells: defend against extracellular pathogens via IL-1 and IL-6:
• Th17 cells cause pro-inflammatory via IL-17, IL-6, IL-22, TNF-α
• T-eg cells: modulate and deactivate the immune response
• T-reg cells produce ‘transforming growth factor-beta' (TGF-β) and IL-10 to inhibit helper T-cells
• Most peripherally produced T-reg cells originate in the GALT

T-Helper Cells Patterns

• Imbalances in Th1/Th2 activation leads to disease:
• Excess activation of Th1 or Th2 may downregulate the other
• Th1 dominance causes chronic inflammation and autoimmunity
• Th2 dominance results in allergies, atopic triad
• A balance between Th1/Th2 responses is important

Low Immunity

• History of frequent or severe infections is a reason for clinical indication
• Case history to look at, respiratory issues, urogenital, skin infections, etc
• Common conditions and diseases, fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss, fevers, chills, aches etc.
• Symptoms depend on infection site for instance, soreness/pain, coughing, runny nose, phlegm
• Testing includes using low WBC count, low WBC stool or saliva test.
• A positive test for pathogen, and blood antigen test for hepatitis and EBV antibodies

Risks for Low Immunity

• Hygiene hypothesis is due to how pathogen exposure is needed to kick-start the immune system
• Antigens in neonatal systems need to be exposed to the proper immune system to develop

Programming of immune responses

• Neonates born with a TH2 immune bias need pathogen exposure to ↑ TH1

Nutrition and its effect on Low Immunity

• Poor nutrition will most often see a case of refined sugar, alcohol consumption this includes zinc and vitamin A, D, and C
• Immunosuppressant are like corticosteroids, methotrexate, azathioprine

The Gut System

• It often effects immunity and helps Commensals offer direct immune protection
• The gut can programme a healthy community response
• Most common compromise happen due to c-section, formula feed, antibiotics, overly strict hygiene

Impaired Barrier Defenses

• Poor skin quality a sign of defence, common in topical steroids, etc
• Damaged lungs often associated with smoking
• Emotional and physical stress can also affect your lymphocyte activity

Other Factors for Poor Immune Response

• Blood glucose will activate a protein kinase C (PKC) which affects immune response
• Blood glucose often spikes (hyper- → hypoglycaemia = ↑ cortisol = gluconeogenesis and so on...).
• Disrupted Methylation is also affect immune response

Vitamin D Status and its effect on the body

• Vitamin D Status includes UVB sun exposure and dietary intake
• Genetic polymorphisms and SNPs have key roles in Vitamin D regulation: -VDBP- affects adequate level that body needs to get -VDR- lower level or higher level to receive vitamin D

How to support the function of the immune system

• Naturopathic Diet and the basics to make the terrain
• Reduce sugar, alcohol, caffeine
• Good activity is important to get avoiding overexertion

Boost Immunity

• Get good sleep to keep out toxic exposre
• Vital digestion can be a key area to focus on and health the microbiome

Nutrients needed for Immunity

• Vitamin A will Maintain a barrier to protect lung function
• Vitamin C helps with infection in the body
• Zinc helps improve antiviral immunity

Treatment Options During Infection

• Vitamin A is antivirual that fights againt measels, norovirus, and can be associated with otitis media
• Vitamin C should help with cold but needs a high dose
• Echinaccea can help a person recover by decreasing severity

Cytokine Storms

• It is important to not overstimulate the immunity systems, this can trigger the storm
• Some people need extra support due to cytokine syndrome
• An Excess of pro-inflammatory cytokines can cause lung tissue damage.
• Its recommend that with a combined nutrient protocol, the immune response has synergy

Common Illnesses

• Covid 19 should be a high priority for people with existing complications
• This is a cause is mostly lead by the COVID-19 virus is angiotensin

Overarching Naturopathic Approach to health

• Diet with plant protein, red meat, and sugar can improve patients
• Try to avoid suppressing systems with high quality supplements
• Probiotics, can affect the IgA function and has no common affects with other symptoms

Chronic inflammation

• Often inflammation has a normal response to infection
• High dose is linked with, redness, heat, oedema, pain, loss of function
• Long term the immune response it is more better to protect the main function

Inadequate Response

• Is often link to some kind of allergy to something in the food like dairy

Pathophysiology Mediators

• Cytokines increase inflammation
• Histamine aids with, vasodilation
• Heavy metals, is linked to autoimmune effects

Therapeutic recommendations

• Quercetin Helps, by not allowing the body to accept inflammation markers
• It's also important to have magnesium, vitamin B6, vitamin C for the same purpose
• Probiotics Helps lower the autoimmune

Autoimmunes/ Systemic Disease

• This is a problem where the human body starts attacking its own immune system
• this comes with celluar and autoimmune response markers

Signs & symptoms

• Joint Issues, pulmonary, cardiac, cytopenia, digestive issues, fever, etc
• Should be checked for double DNA and/or nuclaire presence

Factors that increase a Auto Immune

Genetics and Hormononal Inmblanace. Environmental and diet restrictions. Medications and life style changes Dysbiosis can be helpful, lack of key microbes affect the body if they aren't present.

Supplements That Are Helpful

• Increase of Vitamin D levels
• EFAs can come from fish oil
• Turmeric Reduces joint inflammation and decrease cancer risk

Naturopath Approach To Allergies

• Dietary restrictions and elimation are helpful to reduce overall symptoms
• Balance gut microbes and work on permeability
• Good support and food diary are keys to a long term solution

Key nutrients:

• Increase Vitamin D level in the body
• .Magnesium can also decrease reactions
• .Vitamin c has co factor, and help act as an agent