STRESS, CORTISOL, AND THE IMMUNE SYSTEM: WHAT MAKES US GET SICK?

The Case of the Poor Student: Sick after Exams

It’s happened to all of us. Tom was staying up late for the last two weeks cramming for his barrage of final exams, and finally his last exam was over. After one more late night—this time partying—he woke up with that all-too-familiar soreness in his throat, along with that annoying stuffy nose. “Great,” he thought. “I’m sick in time just for Christmas shopping. Must be that pesky cold bug going around again.”

What is Psychoneuroimmunology?
Just how exactly stress affects our immune system has long been debated, but the field of psychoneuroimmunology is still relatively new. Coming from the Latin roots psych- (meaning mind), neur- (meaning nerve or nervous system), and immuno- (meaning immune), psychoneuroimmunology is the study of how the mind can affect immune system functioning. Drawing upon many disciplines of science including immunology, psychology, and physiology, psychoneuroimmunology is a very integrative field with scientists studying a wide variety of things. Although many discoveries have been made, not many people are aware of just how significant they are. In order to understand just how stress can affect our immune system, you must first understand how the immune system responds under normal circumstances to invading pathogens.

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Dementia Research

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor so I cannot diagnose or offer treatments, I am sharing this information that is considered educational. Much of the research on dementia/Alzheimer's is centered on what is referred to as Tight Junction Proteins. These are proteins that act like clamps that hold tissues together in terms of neurological, these "clamps" hold the blood vessels together. And when the tight junction proteins become damaged, the blood vessels begin to "leak". Science refers the tight junction proteins as barrier as in the blood brain barrier. They will also refer to as barrier integrity. AI says this: Tight junction proteins are vital for various physiological processes, including the formation of barriers in the brain (blood-brain barrier), intestines, and other tissues. They also play a role in disease mechanisms when their function is disrupted. The barrier function occurs in the blood vessels, and they think that when they leak, this is affecting co...

Microbiome SCFAs & AutoImmunity

Does SCFA impact immune and inflammatory pathways? Show thinking Yes, absolutely! Short-Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs) are major players in controlling immune and inflammatory pathways, both within the gut and systemically. This is one of the most significant and exciting areas of research on SCFAs. Here's how they exert their control: Interaction with G-Protein Coupled Receptors (GPCRs): GPR41 and GPR43: These are the most well-studied SCFA receptors, found on various cell types throughout the body, including immune cells (e.g., neutrophils, macrophages, T cells), gut epithelial cells, and adipocytes. When SCFAs (particularly acetate, propionate, and butyrate) bind to these receptors, they trigger intracellular signaling pathways that can influence immune cell function, cytokine production, and inflammatory responses. Histone Deacetylase (HDAC) Inhibition: Butyrate (and to a lesser extent propionate) are potent inhibitors of HDACs. HDACs are enzymes that modify histones, proteins aro...

You can buy most of this at Kroger's, I listed the pictures below. The idea is that you are targeting the gut, the microbiome to be exact. I am not going to list out all the studies but they have discovered that the right bacteria in the gut can change a lot of things including metabolic, neurological, immune responses, weight gain and many other things. Increasing the good bacteria such as bifidobacteria etc. can also suppress the bad bacteria which have been linked to numerous problems. There are products that you can buy on Amazon and these will also support the microbiome by giving the nutrients they need. Kroger's has the ones in the pictures below, you will find the Cleveland Kraut in the refrigerated section and so is the Kefir. Both of these are live foods meaning they contain the good bacteria. Sauerkraut as canned does not work since there are no live organisms. You will have to experiment with the doses; I do a couple of tablespoons of the kraut and ju...

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