What is autoimmune disease?
How a confused immune system can do harm. The immune system is brilliantly designed to protect us from the complications of infection, injury, and disease – but it isn’t perfect. In a condition known as autoimmunity, the immune system can cause harm by attacking the body’s own cells, tissues, and organs. Let’s take a closer…
What is Bowel Tolerance?
A guide to dosing vitamin C, magnesium, and other nutrients We often talk about taking vitamin C and magnesium to “bowel tolerance” – but what does that mean? Dosing a supplement to bowel tolerance means taking the highest dose of that supplement possible without causing loose, watery stools (diarrhea).[1] If you’re taking vitamin C…
Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG: A Probiotic for All Ages
The benefits of L. rhamnosus GG for gut health and immunity Today’s probiotic story began in 1983, when Drs. Sherwood Gorbach and Barry Goldin, colleagues at Tufts University, were poring over stool specimens from healthy adults – a task few of us would envy. They managed to isolate “a strain of bacteria of a…
Combating Age-Related Immune Decline: Can Nutrition Help?
A look at nutritional factors that keep immune defenses strong, even in older adults The immune system is a critical component of health throughout life. However, on the front and back end of the years we spend on this planet, our immune defenses aren’t particularly impressive. In infancy, while the immune system is developing,…
Fat-Soluble Vitamins, Immunity, Vaccinations, and Respiratory Health (Video)
How vitamins A, D, and E help keep us safe all year long In this video, Dr. Erica Zelfand explains the important impact of fat-soluble nutrients on immune function. After explaining the difference between fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins, Dr. Zelfand explores the details of how vitamins A and D and different forms of vitamin…
Vaccine Efficacy, Part 2 of 2: Can a Healthy Gut Microbiome Improve It?
The influence of probiotics on the immune response Vaccines are among the greatest successes of modern medicine, helping to protect entire populations against a wide range of infectious diseases.[1] However, there is considerable variation in the efficacy of vaccines amongst individuals.[2] The magnitude of antibody titers induced in individuals receiving the seasonal influenza vaccine,…
All About T Helper Cells (Video)
What are T cells and what do they do? No previous knowledge of immunology is required to glean inspiration and insight from this video! Family physician Dr. Erica Zelfand explains the importance of these special white blood cells. She explains how, depending on what they’re exposed to, T-cells can transform into T Helper (Th)…
Innate and Adaptive Immunity (Video)
How the immune system fights off invaders, from splinters to vaccines Our immune systems consist of two parts: the innate (or general) immune system and the adaptive (or acquired) immune system. In this video, family physician Dr. Erica Zelfand explains the basics of these two systems, illuminating how they each fight germs (like bacteria,…
Vitamin D in the News
COVID-19 and Vitamin D Deficiency Vitamin D deficiency is a global health problem that affects more than one billion children and adults worldwide.[1],[2] Vitamin D is essential not only for healthy bones, but also for the body’s defense against infections.[3],[4],[5],[6] Numerous studies have shown that insufficient vitamin D intakes are associated with an enhanced…
The Antiviral and Anti-Inflammatory Potential of Quercetin
The value of quercetin for respiratory health beyond allergies Quercetin is another well-known member of the polyphenol family. Considered a flavonoid type of polyphenol, quercetin is found in many fruits and vegetables, including onions, apples, cherries, broccoli, tomatoes, and berries, as well as green tea. We look to quercetin most often seasonally as a…
The Benefits of Berry Polyphenols
The abundant polyphenols found in berries deliver numerous health benefits Of all fruits, the consumption of fresh berries is something we oft seek out more than their somewhat more boring apple or banana counterparts. Whether it be berry smoothies; berry cobblers, pies, or crisps; homemade berry wines; or simply fresh berries eaten by the…
The Berrylicious Benefits of Black Elderberry
Pleasant-tasting purple berries provide powerful immune protection Black elderberry (Sambucus nigra), much like echinacea, takes its place in our botanical medicinal cabinet seasonally when the seasonal colds and flu are at large. Because of elderberry’s naturally appealing taste, it is a botanical that we commonly find as a pleasant tasting syrup or chewable. But…
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