It’s important, especially these days, to prioritize your health and immunity, not only because of the pandemic but also to enhance your longevity. Recent years have provided knowledge that the immune system is critically important in a quality, healthy life in all individuals.
Because public health is focused primarily on saving lives and treating current illnesses, it’s up to the individual to prioritize their health and well-being through proactive and preventative interventions that can boost the immune system.
In what follows, we’ll discuss methods that can strengthen the immune system, including some medications and supplements, foods, liquids, and physical activity. We’ll also discuss the elimination of bad habits that decrease immunity.
The Immune System
The immune system is a complex network comprising cells, organs, tissues, and substances that defend the human body against disease and infection.
With two primary parts of the immune system, the innate and adaptive systems, the immune system works by both natural immunity, which is something that we have always had, and acquired immunity, which is created when the body fights off disease or infection.
Tips for Strengthening the Immune System
As the body’s first line of defense, the immune system is incredibly powerful on its own. However, with a few lifestyle interventions, the immune system can be strengthened dramatically.
The following are several tips and lifestyle interventions that can help strengthen the immune system:
Exercise Frequently
It’s already understood that regular exercise is the backbone of living a healthy lifestyle. Not only does it increase lean muscle mass and bone density, but it improves cardiovascular health and mood and improves body homeostasis, which has correlated with a strong immune system.
After considering age, health status, and fitness experience, a general recommendation for the average individual involves a minimum of 150 minutes of physical activity per week.
It doesn’t matter what you do for physical activity. Whether it’s participating in sport, going for a walk, or going to the weight room, exercise continues to be shown through research to be paramount for solid immune system function.
Prioritize Restful Sleep
An often-overlooked aspect of health, sleep is arguably one of the most important things to prioritize for physical performance, mood, and cognition, as well as the strength of the immune system.
The general recommendation for a restful sleep is to achieve 7-9 hours of sleep each night while prioritizing REM sleep, the stage at which the most restful sleep is accomplished.
To avoid insufficient sleep quality, consider avoiding screen time before bed, reducing or eliminating caffeine and alcohol consumption, setting the bedroom temperature to a comfortable level, and seeking to have the same bedtime and wake-up time each day.
Consume Sufficient Amounts of Water
Water is an excellent source of hydration, and it also plays a major role in helping the body flush out toxins. This cleansing effect is directly related to strengthening the immune system.
The majority of individuals today, however, are under-hydrated, failing to drink a sufficient amount of water daily.
While the minimum daily recommendation for the average individual is 8 cups of water daily, a more suitable daily recommendation, especially for those physically active, is about 3.7 liters for men and 2.7 liters for women.
Follow a Healthy, Immune-Friendly Diet
In combination with hydration, the immune system requires the proper nourishment in order to remain strong and healthy. Contrastingly, malnourishment is the ultimate enemy of the immune system.
While there isn’t any ONE diet that is the most optimal, and although the gut microbiome is quite complex as it pertains to diet and nutrition, following a generally healthy diet comprising real whole foods is the most effective method.
Some of the most important nutrients to help strengthen the immune system include:
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin B12
- Zinc
- Magnesium
- Iron
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- Protein, Fats, and Carbohydrates (Macronutrients)
While most of these nutrients can be consumed sufficiently through whole foods, supplementation may be required where deficiencies are prevalent or nutrients are lacking from the diet.
Not only do these nutrients play a role in optimal human function, but many are correlated with fighting toxins, decreasing inflammation, maintaining cell integrity, and these processes help the immune system to function optimally.
Some of the most common and effective food choices for strengthening the immune system include citrus fruits, dark green vegetables like broccoli and spinach, nuts and seeds, ginger and garlic, turmeric, probiotic yogurt, and lean meats and fish.
Stay Up-to-Date with Necessary Vaccinations
Although there are arguments for both sides of vaccination, we don’t live in a perfect world, and natural immunity is not quite adequate for certain diseases or infections. The research continues to show the effectiveness of vaccinations for specific diseases, whether for Influenza, COVID-19, MMR, or others.
The best help for the immune system defense against illness is the many natural lifestyle interventions discussed. Where your immune system lacks, vaccinations can make up for the deficiencies, especially in more dangerous, vulnerable circumstances.
Final Thoughts
Although the immune system is robust on its own, it’s best to be proactive in helping to strengthen the immune system to prevent disease. Lifestyle interventions such as a nutritious diet, exercise, and the elimination of unhealthy habits are keys in this process.
By increasing nutrient uptake, decreasing sugar intake, reducing stress levels, and improving overall fitness, immunity can strengthen, and individuals can become healthier and more resilient.
Prevention of Diabetes
The number of individuals with type 2 diabetes is growing dramatically due to the rapid rise of obesity in the world. Many individuals have the risk of developing this illness.
Prevention of Diabetes
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Approximately 537 million adults have diabetes worldwide. The number of individuals with type 2 diabetes is growing dramatically due to the rapid rise of obesity in the world, in addition to some other factors. In addition, the fact that diabetes is the most common cause of kidney disease makes it an even greater health problem.
A disappointing concern with type 2 diabetes is that many individuals have the risk of developing this illness, but they don’t realize this risk. Some people live with chronically high blood sugars for prolonged periods of time before they even realize they have an issue. This may be due to a lack of symptoms or not realizing the significance of certain symptoms.
Diabetes is also directly or indirectly responsible for a huge expenditure of health resources around the world. Therefore, a reduction in these numbers would have tremendous economic benefits.
In what follows, we’ll be detailing the characteristics of diabetes with a focus on type 2 diabetes, the main causes and risk factors, and the methods to implement to prevent the condition or reverse it if possible.
Characteristics of Diabetes
Diabetes is classified into two types: type 1 and type 2.
Type 1 is the condition in which the pancreas does not produce insulin because of autoimmune destruction of certain cells in the pancreas.
Type 2, or adult-onset diabetes, is the condition in which the pancreas produces less insulin, and the insulin that is produced is resisted at the cellular level leading to inadequate glucose metabolism.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common and is the condition in which preventative measures can be the most effective.
In the condition of diabetes, individuals can have some specific signs and symptoms, including:
- Polyuria – increased urination
- Polydipsia – increased thirst
- Nocturia – the need to get up at night to urinate
- Blurred vision
- Fatigue
- Headaches
Causes and Risks of Diabetes
The factors that lead to diabetes are related to insulin resistance and impaired insulin production.Insulin Resistance
Insulin resistance is defined as a condition in which the response to insulin by the tissues of the body is inadequate. This can be seen most frequently in cases of obesity. Pregnancy can also lead to impaired insulin response due to the production of hormones by the placenta, which counteracts insulin effects. In some individuals with type 2 diabetes, there are insulin receptor abnormalities that can lead to problems with insulin resistance.
Impaired Insulin Production
One of the issues that hyperglycemia can cause is a worsening response of the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. The increased glucose levels have a toxic effect on these pancreatic cells, and they produce less insulin.
Another thing that can happen with the pancreas is that it does not respond adequately to insulin resistance that occurs peripherally in the cells. The pancreatic beta cells don’t realize that the insulin levels in the blood are not controlling the hyperglycemia, and they don’t produce additional insulin to help the situation.
Prevention of Diabetes
It takes proactive motivation to prevent diabetes, and those that are aware of their risk of the condition will do well to adopt this behavior. If you know that you have a family history of diabetes, you should understand that you need to do what you can to prevent it from occurring in your life. Being aware of the biggest risks for diabetes, such as obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and poor diet, will be helpful knowledge for your life.
If you know that you have a family history of diabetes, it is also very important to see a primary care provider and be evaluated. They will do testing to assess your glucose homeostasis, which will include a hemoglobin a1c test. They will also perform glucose tolerance testing and compare the results to standard levels. Knowing this information will help you to make a plan to manage your risk effectively.
In addition, it will be important for any individual who is pregnant to be very careful about the risk of gestational diabetes. Also, for those who have had a history of gestational diabetes, it is imperative to be under the close management of an obstetrician for preventative management and appropriate proactive management in cases of recurrence of gestational diabetes.
A critical aspect of diabetes prevention will be to avoid smoking at all costs. Many studies have demonstrated the increased risk of developing diabetes in those who smoke. If you smoke, you must quit, and if you don’t smoke, then never start. Never even run the risk of getting addicted to nicotine. Smoking will only cause you bad health, and you must avoid it by any means.
Some of the best methodology for the prevention of diabetes is a lifestyle that includes exercise and healthy eating. This will decrease overall body fat, which is the culprit that instigates many problems with insulin resistance and production.
The dietary management of those at risk who wish to prevent diabetes can be made easier by following diet examples such as the DASH diet or the Mediterranean diet. In some clinical trials, these diets have correlated with a decreased incidence of diabetes.
Final Thoughts
Prevention of diabetes is an excellent goal, and anyone at risk should make every effort to achieve it. If more healthy-minded individuals had this attitude, diabetes could be thought of less as a disease and more as a complication. If the focus is placed on prevention of diabetes, the number of individuals who can benefit is overwhelming.
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Title: An Illness That Potentially Can Be Prevented – Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)
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Although the prevalence among the generally healthy population is not clear, Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) is predominant in those with pre-existing gastrointestinal conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and Crohn’s disease. To illustrate its prevalence, it’s suspected that nearly 36 million individuals in the U.S annually are impacted by the condition, which is about 84% of those living with IBS or Crohn’s.
SIBO is a serious concern, posing the risk of causing further health complications if left untreated. Because of its prevalence in certain vulnerable populations, SIBO can be a difficult problem to prevent. However, over recent years, new information from ongoing research has been helpful in identifying some preventative measures.
In what follows, we’ll discuss this condition, detailing its most common characteristics inclusive of its etiology and symptomatology, and then we’ll discuss insight into potential solutions for prevention.
Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth
SIBO, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, is a condition whereby the gut experiences an imbalance in its bacterial population, particularly in the small intestine. SIBO is also sometimes referred to as blind loop syndrome.
Its root cause is typically related to a consequence of surgery or other disease processes. These conditions impair the normal passage of material through the digestive tract, ultimately resulting in bacterial overgrowth, particularly bacteria that isn’t commonplace in the small intestine. It is understood that certain bacteria such as E. Coli and Klebsiella become overgrown and more prominent when the small intestine becomes stagnant and has less motility.
Other potential causes include low stomach acid levels, decreased production of digestive enzymes, structural irregularities of the small intestine, and overuse of some medications such as narcotics.
Untreated, SIBO can result in a variety of unpleasant signs and symptoms such as bloating, cramping, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and malnutrition. In addition, in some cases, individuals have had the development of kidney stones.
In the most severe cases, SIBO can result in the exacerbation of underlying health conditions such as celiac disease and irritable bowel disease.
While SIBO can develop in anyone, it’s most commonly reported in individuals with pre-existing gastrointestinal conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn’s disease. Other patients who have had previous abdominal surgery and have developed adhesions, which are adhesive bands that can develop between membrane surfaces, are at risk of having SIBO. It can also be seen in individuals who have unrelated health issues like obesity and diabetes.
Potential Solutions for Treatment and Prevention
Because the most common cause of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth is previous surgery of the abdomen, it’s difficult for an individual who has this history to be able to change their risk by themselves. Additional surgical intervention with adhesiolysis, which is repairing or removing adhesions, would be a possible treatment.
In many cases of SIBO, medical treatment with antibiotics is appropriate. Rifaximin is FDA approved for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome and has been very useful for patients that have SIBO. One advantage of rifaximin is that it has decreased activity in the colon. This quality is protective to the individual by lowering the risk of overgrowth of the bacteria Clostridium difficile in the colon.
Preventing SIBO from occurring requires an introspective look into the underlying causes of SIBO. For example, avoiding weight gain and the possible development of diabetes is imperative. In addition, if digestive issues are identified due to pancreatic insufficiency, pancreatic enzyme supplementation can help prevent SIBO development.
Since SIBO is often a consequence of another existing health condition, the existing condition should be managed or prevented to avoid SIBO. In addition, it’s best to avoid foods that can increase the risk of developing SIBO, such as sugar, dairy, some fruits and vegetables, and grains. Further, lifestyle interventions to improve diet, exercise, and stress reduction are also helpful in the prevention of SIBO. It may also be beneficial to supplement with vitamins and minerals that are most commonly deficient in many individuals.
In some cases of SIBO, the use of antibiotics for prophylaxis is appropriate for prevention of the condition. The specific regimen of antibiotics will often need to be adjusted in order to prevent antibiotic resistance.
Finally, other possible suggested treatments include probiotics and the use of statins, but current studies have not conclusively shown their benefit.
Final Thoughts
Though some medical conditions that place a patient at risk of developing SIBO are uncontrollable, some cases of SIBO do allow for the individual to be proactive in prevention.
Once the underlying cause of SIBO is identified, potential options for management and prevention can be considered. If SIBO does develop, proper treatment with antibiotics can often be the solution.
The good news is that much more has been learned about this difficult illness that affects a large number of people, and there is hope for treatment and prevention of the many debilitating issues that SIBO can cause.
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