Genetically Engineered Foods May Cause Rising Food Allergies

Arguments made by the Environmental Protection Agency, which regulates plant produced pesticides, tell us not to worry about the thought of consuming toxic pesticides. Instead, they say that the pesticides used, Bt, are produced naturally from a soil bacterium which has a history of safe use by organic farmers who have used the solution for yeas as a method of insect control. Genetic engineers simply remove the gene that produces Bt and insert it into the DNA of corn and cotton plants, making the plant do the work, instead of the farmer. They also say that the Bt toxin is quickly destroyed in our stomach, and even if it survived would not harm humans or any other mammals. However, these arguments are solely that, arguments, which are unsupported and refuted according to a lot of research. When a study was done, spraying natural Bt over areas in Vancouver and Washington State for months, about 500 people reported reactions, mostly those being allergy or flu-like symptoms. Six of those people had to go to the emergency room, while workers who applied the Bt sprays reported that their eyes, nose, and throats were irritated. Similarly, farmers who were exposed to liquid Bt said that they had reactions such as infection, ulcers on the cornea, skin irritation, burning, swelling, and redness. One woman even reported fever, altered consciousness, and seizures when she was accidentally sprayed with Bt. This proves that the statements of Bt doing no harm on humans is extremely false. As for being destroyed in the digestive system, studies on mice disproved this as well. Results of these, and other, studies showed that plant-produced Bt is always active and much more likely to trigger an immune response than the natural version. Additional studies in 2005 reported by medical investigators in India found that hundreds of agricultural workers are developing severe allergic reactions when they are exposed to Bt cotton. This exposure includes picking cotton, loading it, cleaning it, or simply leaning against it. Some people that work at ginning factories must take antihistamines daily in order to go to work. These reactions are only trigger with the Bt varieties and the symptoms are virtually identical to those that were described by the 500 people in Vancouver and Washington who were sprayed with Bt. Another study was done on the basis that Bt-toxin is produced in GM corn and can be eaten intact. It is also in pollen which can be breathed in. Therefore, a village of Filipino people were studied in 2003 when an adjacent Bt cornfield was pollinating. 100 of these people were stricken with disease which included symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, extreme stomach pain, vomiting, chest pains, fever, and allergies, along with respiratory, intestinal, and skin reactions. The symptoms first appeared in those that were living closest to the field and then progressed to those further away. When the same corn was planted in four other villages the following year, the same symptoms returned in all four areas only during the time of pollination. All of these studies confirm that GM crops engineered to produce built-in pesticides provoke a great variety of immune responses. Allergic reactions are a defensive and often harmful reaction from the immune system to an external irritant that occur when the body interprets something foreign as harmful and offensive and acts accordingly. Since all GM foods have something foreign and different, it is easy to see why the body would react in such ways. As the GM foods arise on the market place make sure you scan each label to make sure you are not buying a GM vegetable of fruit. Check every label this way you will not be stricken with debilitating symptoms that may prevent you from going to work. Always say NO to GM foods and support your organic foods store.

Blood Typing: What the heck is it…?

Blood typing is a method of determining a person’s blood type by serological methods. These blood types depend on whether or not there are certain antigens on the red blood cells %26 if there are antibodies to these substances. Blood Typing is also known as - Cross matching, Rh typing %26 ABO blood typing etc.Different Blood Groups:The differences in blood types are due to the presence or absence of certain antigens %26 corresponding antibodies. Antigens are substances (as a toxin or enzyme) that stimulates an immune response in the body, especially antibody production. The antigens that decide blood types are located on the surface of red blood cells and the antibodies are in blood plasma. There are more than 20 genetically determined blood group systems known today, but the ABO and Rh systems are the most important ones with serious clinical implications. Not all blood groups are compatible with each other. ABO Blood Grouping SystemAccording to the ABO blood typing system there are four different kinds of blood types: A, B, AB or O i.e. the null type.• Blood group A: If you belong to the blood group A, you have type A antigens on the surface of your red blood cells and type B antibodies in your blood plasma.• Blood group B: If you belong to the blood group B, you have type B antigens on the surface of your red blood cells and type A antibodies in your blood plasma.• Blood group AB: If you belong to the blood group AB, you have both type A %26 type B antigens on the surface of your red blood cells and no A or B antibodies at all in your blood plasma.• Blood group O: If you belong to the blood group O (null), you have neither type A or type B antigens on the surface of your red blood cells but you have both type A %26 type B antibodies in your blood plasma.Rh factor based Blood Grouping SystemRh Factor is also an antigen and those who have it are called Rh+. Those who don’t have it are called Rh-. A person with Rh- blood does not have Rh antibodies naturally in the blood plasma but a person with Rh- blood can develop Rh antibodies in the blood plasma if he or she receives blood from a person with Rh+ blood, whose Rh antigens can trigger the production of Rh antibodies. A person with Rh+ blood can receive blood from a person with Rh- blood without any problems.Blood typing: How does it work?The test sample blood is mixed with three different reagents in 3 different tubes, each containing either of the three different antibodies i.e. A, B or Rh antibodies. The tube in which agglutination occurs indicates that the blood has reacted with the antibodies present in that tube. Based on agglutination patterns, it’s very easy to learn your blood type.Blood transfusions: Who can receive blood from whom?One can always give type A blood to people with blood group A, type B blood to a person with blood group B and so on. The transfusion will work if a person who is going to receive blood has a blood group that doesn’t have any antibodies against the donor blood’s antigens. But if a person who is going to receive blood has antibodies against the donor blood’s antigens, the red blood cells in the donated blood will clump.

Exposure to 1918 influenza virus activates memory B-cells
by Scientist Live

Exposure to 1918 influenza virus activates memory B-cells

Date: 16/09/2008

Recent research has revealed that infection and natural exposure to the 1918 influenza virus made survivors immune to the disease for the remaining of their lives. Antibodies produced by cells isolated from these survivors served as an effective therapy to protect mice from the highly lethal 1918 infection. The study entitled “Neutralizing antibodies derived from the B cells of 1918 influenza pandemic survivors,” was published in the journal Nature. Dr. Chris Basler and his colleagues at Mount Sinai School of Medicine’s Department of Microbiology contributed to the research findings. Scientist LiveScientist Live spoke with Dr. Basler about his findings.Can you briefly discuss the effects of the 1918 influenza pandemic and why it was so devastating?

The big question is: why did it kill so many people worldwide? The simple answer is we do not really know. The fact is that now that we have been able to reconstruct the virus in the lab and test it in several animal models. In each case the virus has displayed an unusual degree of virulence. We are beginning to understand why this may be the case. There is some evidence that the virus over-activates the immune response and the hyper-activation of this response may account for the severity of disease. At this point, however, I would say that this is more a hypothesis hypothesis than a definitive answer.

Another thing that we have begun to do is to define the gene segments of the virus need for high virulence in mice. the virus has eight different sequences encoding eleven different proteins, and we can implicate three or four of these proteins as being important for high virulence phenotype. But we don’t at this point really know the exact mechanism that makes the 1918 virus so deadly.Can you provide an overview of the study you participated in and what you discovered?

The genesis of the study goes back to the public response we received to a paper that described the reconstruction of the 1918 virus. One thing that happened was we started receiving calls and emails from people saying that they had the flu in 1918 as young children or that they knew members of their family had been infected or died of the flu. Many actually offered to contribute to future studies of the virus. It was in interesting idea. What could you do if you had blood from people who had been exposed to the 1918 flu virus? Independently our clinical collaborator Dr. Eric Altschuler had come up with the same idea and it was: Could you obtain blood from these individuals, could you isolate cells from the blood that would make antibodies for 1918 virus and could you use those to characterize the memory immune response? The other side of that question was: can you use antibodies produced in these people as potential therapeutic against the virus? To put this all together, we needed someone who had real expertise in human immunology so we turned to Dr. James Crowe at Vanderbilt University. Then the experimental plan is very straight forward. Dr. Altschuler obtained blood from people born 1915 or earlier. We at Mt. Sinai demonstrated the presence of antibodies. Then the cells were transported to Vanderbilt University where Dr. Crowe was able to isolate memory B-cells which would make antibodies. These then used to isolate the rare B-cells that make antibodies against the 1918 flu. Then we were able to show that the antibodies specifically bind to the 1918 virus and to haemagglutinin protein in particular.

Did your findings fulfill expectations? Surprises?We knew already, based on previous studies, that people who had been alive in 1918 and who were still alive today would have antibodies against the virus. What was surprising and technically challenging was that we could isolate memory B-cells that appear to be very specific to the 1918 virus which suggests that they were derived from initial exposure to the virus and that B-cells. It’s remarkable that these cells were still present in the blood and could be isolated.

The other striking thing about the antibodies we isolated is that they are very potent. They bind to the hemagglutinin proteins with high affinity.

Can the B-Cells be used in vaccine development?For the most part, the antibodies we isolated are very specific to the 1918 virus. So they would neutralize that and another old influenza virus called Swine 30 virus. Other later human influenza viruses of the H1N1 type weren’t recognized by 4 out of 5 antibodies we characterized in detail. One of the antibodies we do have reacts with the 1918 and selectively with some other later viruses. This ability to cross-neutralize different fu viruses is interesting and we are trying to understand how that happens, what this antibody is actually recognizing. Understanding this and other cross-reactive antibodies might suggest ways to make flu vaccines more bradly protective.

Nourishing And Life Giving Colostrum Is Vital To Newborns And Adults

All female mammals, including humans, produce colostrum soon after giving birth, and before proper milk is produced. It is a milk-like substance that provides newly born infants with a boost to their immune system and gives immediate protection against the germs with which they are about to come into contact. It also, incidentally, promotes the child’s first bowel movement to rid it of the large amount of dead blood cells created when it’s blood supply was drastically reduced after the severing of the umbilical supply. It is now believed that colostrum will help not only newly born infants, but also grown adults. If your immune system is weak or you are suffering from a condition that could be helped by a boost to your immune system, colostrum might be what you need to help you fight off what is ailing you. This has become clear after the way that colostrum works has been established.Transfer factors were discovered in 1949 by Dr. H. Sherwood Lawrence of the New York University School of Medicine. He found that when he injected an extract of the leukocytes of somebody that had previously been infected with tuberculosis, the natural immunity was transferred from the donor to the recipient. He called this extract the ‘transfer factor’, and a means of transferring immune response factors between people was born. However, the sharing of transfer factors between people suffering from serious conditions such as the HIV virus or hepatitis is a high risk action, and fifty years later, in 1999, bovine colostrum was discussed at a transfer factor conference in Mexico. Bovine colostrum contains large quantities of transfer factors such as IgG type immunoglobulins and hydrogen peroxide. The latter is commonly produced by our body cells to fight off invading pathogens, and immunoglobulins are very effective in fighting some diseases that can be fatal to AIDs patients. Take Cryptosporidium parvum, for instance. This microorganism causes a form of diarrhea that AIDs patients have no defense against but that colostrum can be particularly effective against, and it is also effective against rotavirus that is the main cause of diarrhea in young children. Before discussing this further, let’s go back a step and examine how bovine milk came to be included in the equation. At one time it was believed that a baby received its immunity from the mother while in the womb and that this was extended via the mother’s milk. However, it was discovered that the milk contained no antibodies as such, only the colostrum, and these antibodies had somehow been transferred to the baby. This was explained by the concept of the transfer factor. It is not the antibodies that are being transferred from mother to child, but the transfer factor. This modulates the immune system of the recipient and teaches it how to create antibodies against the specific antigens that the donor’s antibodies protect against and to inform the recipient’s immune system when these antigens are present. The next step was to test the theory that the transfer factor should be able to be passed between species, and the cow was the obvious initial choice since not only are cattle exposed to many of the same antigens as humans, but we already use cow’s milk as a food source – particularly for babies and children. It worked! It was found that when humans were fed cow’s colostrum the specific antibodies were later found in the blood of the person given the treatment. The next step was to determine the form in which this substance could be used, and injections of various types were tried without success. It was established that the only means of administering colostrum was by drinking it, or supplying it in capsule form. It can be drunk fresh or freeze dried to kill of living organisms and then fats and sugars removed and the resultant dried product encapsulated. It is even possible to remove all large molecules, antibodies, proteins, etc, and still retain the transfer factor. It is absorbed by the gut, and the resultant message passed to the recipient. It is important to understand that it is not the immunoglobulins from the cow that are passed on, because these are species specific, and are in fact the source of most cow’s milk allergies. There is no transfer of antibodies or any other specific parts of the immune system. What are passed on are the messengers, particularly the transfer factors that are not species specific. A cow’s transfer factors would work just as well in a cat as in humans, only cats don’t get the same diseases as cows and people. The types of disease that colostrum can help to protect us from include viral and bacterial diseases, fungal diseases and parasites, and neurological and autoimmune diseases. If you have cancer, colostrum can help significantly since cancer and immune deficiency are related. Cancer cells are being formed all the time in your body, but your immune system generally disposes of them. However, if it fails to do this, then the cells can proliferate and lead to cancer as we know it. Colostrum can help your body to prevent cancer occurring, and if you have it, can help to reduce its spread. Freelance journalist Sam Wainaina studied the effects of Ebola virus in Uganda after the 2002 outbreak, and concluded that had transfer factors been available during the outbreak to transfer immunity it might perhaps have been contained sooner than it was, and saved many, many lives. Although transfer factors have been known of for 60 years, there is still a lot to be done in their application and studies on colostrum could help to accelerate this. Transfer factors alert immune cells to danger, train the system to generate the right type of immunoglobulins and boost NK cell activity to defeat the invaders. They can also moderate an over-active immune system that can be as much a danger to the body as an invading pathogen. Colostrum can also be used to burn fat and create muscle tissue, and is popular with bodybuilders but it is for its healing and immunity-boosting properties that it is most used. Biotechnology companies are now boosting the colostrum’s transfer factors by injecting cows with vaccines that create pathogens. Known as Ultra Colostrum this is an advance on the natural material.

Immune Supplements Can Prevent and Cure Most of So-Called Incurable Diseases

From early 1970, existence of close relationship between the nutritional status and capabilities of immune response to pathogens has been accepted. Early work has shown that a protein-energy malnutrition, significantly affected the immune response, thereby increasing the risk of infection and the mortality rate of patients suffering from chronic diseases, cancer, influenza, tuberculosis, etc. More recently, it also appeared that obesity interfered with weak immune system. That is, people who have weakened immune system tend to gain weight more easily.The immune system is a collection of mechanisms within an organism that makes it possible to identify and kill pathogens and tumor cells. It acts as a defense mechanism against pathogens (can cause diseases), such as virus, bacteria, parasites, cancer cells, some poisonous particles. Without the immune system, the body cannot defend itself against aggression.Immunity and supplementsMany studies have confirmed that certain vitamins and supplements (immune supplements) are capable not only of boosting the immune system, but of also fighting against its aging.Malnutrition and Immune Function - It has long been known that malnourished people have a higher risk of contracting infectious diseases because of an inadequate immune response. A malnourished immune system not only cannot protect your body, but also can attacks harmless substances. It is a vicious circle. The consequences of certain diseases, including HIV, cancer and tuberculosis, are all more pejorative when your immune system is weak. A lack of protein has a negative effect on the various components of the immune system. Other nutrients and immunity - Some fatty acids (omega 3 for instance) normally found in fish oils have an effect on immune function, particularly EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), reduce inflammation by modulating the production of cytokines by T cells. The acid alpha-lipoic, an antioxidant much studied in HIV infection seems to be able to regenerate vitamins C and E, increasing their antioxidant effect. Amino acids, particularly arginine and glutamine, play an important role in immunity. The glutamine is involved in the maintenance of the intestinal wall, and thereby prevents the migration of infectious organisms in the blood stream.Vitamins and Immunity - various studies have highlighted among people living with HIV /AIDS blood low concentrations of certain vitamins, especially vitamins A, B6, B12, C, E and folate.Vitamin A - The deficit in vitamin A deteriorating function of epithelial cells, essential in maintaining the structure of tissues. On this same vitamin A depend the production of B cells and T.B Complex - It has been demonstrated that vitamin B12 improves the rate of T cells and NK cell activity in patients with a deficiency of this vitamin. Vitamin B12 and folate are both involved in the production of genetic material. The deficiency in vitamin B6 may occur following the administration of certain drugs such as isonicotinyl hydrazine (for tuberculosis). It seems to affect the function of T cells and the ability of NK cells to kill infectious agents among HIV-positive patients. The deficiency in vitamin B6 has also been associated with an increased risk of certain cancers.Vitamin C - Deficiency of vitamin C impairs phagocyte function and cellular immunity (Chandra, 1986). This includes inhibition of neutrophil mobility, which, in turn, inhibits the formation of inflammatory reactions. Studies of mega dose vitamin C supplementation in healthy individuals have found the supplement to bolster both cellular and humoral immunityVitamin E - Vitamin E plays a key role as antioxidant in cell membranes. This earned him to be regarded as a nutrient “anti-viral. The combined intake of vitamins A and E in animals has shown an improvement of the function of neutrophils to destroy infectious agents.The numerous and complex relationships between food, nutrients and specific immune system are an interesting field of study in the field of biomedical research. People with a good diet will be better prepared immunologically to fight against many modern diseases such as cancer, AIDS and tuberculosis. Several micro-nutrients have significant roles in the functions of the immune system. It is clear that maintaining a good nutritional status and adequate reserve of micronutrients in the body allows an effective immune response to opportunistic infections. However, it is very difficult to intake all those essential nutrients in a regular diet. At VitalFoodStore.com, we offer a wide variety of natural products for your health. Whether you need natural immune supplement to boost your immune system, vitamin supplements, anti aging supplements, natural herbal remedies, we can provide you with what you are looking for. Visit our immune supplements website and save 5%.

Exposure to 1918 influenza virus activates memory B-cells
by Scientist Live

Exposure to 1918 influenza virus activates memory B-cells

Date: 16/09/2008

Recent research has revealed that infection and natural exposure to the 1918 influenza virus made survivors immune to the disease for the remaining of their lives. Antibodies produced by cells isolated from these survivors served as an effective therapy to protect mice from the highly lethal 1918 infection. The study entitled “Neutralizing antibodies derived from the B cells of 1918 influenza pandemic survivors,” was published in the journal Nature. Dr. Chris Basler and his colleagues at Mount Sinai School of Medicine’s Department of Microbiology contributed to the research findings. Scientist LiveScientist Live spoke with Dr. Basler about his findings.Can you briefly discuss the effects of the 1918 influenza pandemic and why it was so devastating?

The big question is: why did it kill so many people worldwide? The simple answer is we do not really know. The fact is that now that we have been able to reconstruct the virus in the lab and test it in several animal models. In each case the virus has displayed an unusual degree of virulence. We are beginning to understand why this may be the case. There is some evidence that the virus over-activates the immune response and the hyper-activation of this response may account for the severity of disease. At this point, however, I would say that this is more a hypothesis hypothesis than a definitive answer.

Another thing that we have begun to do is to define the gene segments of the virus need for high virulence in mice. the virus has eight different sequences encoding eleven different proteins, and we can implicate three or four of these proteins as being important for high virulence phenotype. But we don’t at this point really know the exact mechanism that makes the 1918 virus so deadly.Can you provide an overview of the study you participated in and what you discovered?

The genesis of the study goes back to the public response we received to a paper that described the reconstruction of the 1918 virus. One thing that happened was we started receiving calls and emails from people saying that they had the flu in 1918 as young children or that they knew members of their family had been infected or died of the flu. Many actually offered to contribute to future studies of the virus. It was in interesting idea. What could you do if you had blood from people who had been exposed to the 1918 flu virus? Independently our clinical collaborator Dr. Eric Altschuler had come up with the same idea and it was: Could you obtain blood from these individuals, could you isolate cells from the blood that would make antibodies for 1918 virus and could you use those to characterize the memory immune response? The other side of that question was: can you use antibodies produced in these people as potential therapeutic against the virus? To put this all together, we needed someone who had real expertise in human immunology so we turned to Dr. James Crowe at Vanderbilt University. Then the experimental plan is very straight forward. Dr. Altschuler obtained blood from people born 1915 or earlier. We at Mt. Sinai demonstrated the presence of antibodies. Then the cells were transported to Vanderbilt University where Dr. Crowe was able to isolate memory B-cells which would make antibodies. These then used to isolate the rare B-cells that make antibodies against the 1918 flu. Then we were able to show that the antibodies specifically bind to the 1918 virus and to haemagglutinin protein in particular.

Did your findings fulfill expectations? Surprises?We knew already, based on previous studies, that people who had been alive in 1918 and who were still alive today would have antibodies against the virus. What was surprising and technically challenging was that we could isolate memory B-cells that appear to be very specific to the 1918 virus which suggests that they were derived from initial exposure to the virus and that B-cells. It’s remarkable that these cells were still present in the blood and could be isolated.

The other striking thing about the antibodies we isolated is that they are very potent. They bind to the hemagglutinin proteins with high affinity.

Can the B-Cells be used in vaccine development?For the most part, the antibodies we isolated are very specific to the 1918 virus. So they would neutralize that and another old influenza virus called Swine 30 virus. Other later human influenza viruses of the H1N1 type weren’t recognized by 4 out of 5 antibodies we characterized in detail. One of the antibodies we do have reacts with the 1918 and selectively with some other later viruses. This ability to cross-neutralize different fu viruses is interesting and we are trying to understand how that happens, what this antibody is actually recognizing. Understanding this and other cross-reactive antibodies might suggest ways to make flu vaccines more bradly protective.

Balance the Omega 6 Fatty Acids and the Omega 3 Oils in Your Diet

We read about “good fats” and “bad fats”. People attempting weight loss reduce their dietary fat, so it’s important that they get the “good fat” only. And now that studies show that arthritis, depression, asthma, cancer, and diabetes are related to chronic inflammation in the blood and soft tissues, the balance of your intake of omega 6 and omega 3 fats becomes a bottom line factor of health.Medical discoveries of the past decade have shown that that most major illnesses have one common factor -chronic inflammation in the body. This datum can have a hugely positive impact on your health and your ability to prevent debilitating conditions to develop in your body.The killer illnesses in modern industrialized societies that affect about 70% of the populations - are cancer, heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, and stroke. All these diseases are related to chronic sub-clinical (not easily noticed) inflammation.Inflammation is supposed to occur to promote healing from injury, and as part of our immune response in fighting invaders. These situations are acute and temporary. We get over it.Omega 3 has proven to support anti-inflammatory pathways in the body, and omega 6 has been shown to support pro-inflammatory pathways. Omega 6 is more prevalent in our diet, but it is not essentially “bad”.If our body is full of particles that are not supposed to be there - partially digested food in the blood, metals from breathing smog irritating our lungs, and fats in the blood that our liver isn’t processing because it is inflamed, then we are in a state of chronic inflammation. It never goes away. Add in the presence of omega 6 fats that don’t have the necessary amount of omega 3 fats to balance them, and inflammation is being promoted, not kept in check. Inflammation is silent turmoil, biochemically. In our tissues, in our blood, in our brain. There is a marker in the blood called C-Reactive Protein that reflects the level of inflammation in the body. This marker, CRP is easily measured by a simple, inexpensive blood test. As you increase your intake of Omega-3 fatty acids, it is necessary to cut back significantly on ingesting Omega-6 fatty acids that come from ; *any bottled oil that you buy in the supermarket other than olive oil *every bottled salad dressing that you buy * all the processed foods that you buy * all fried food that you eat (unless it’s cooked in lard or hydrogenated oil) * all of the grain fed beef and poultry that you buy. The animals pick up the Omega-6’s from the grains they eat and store it in their flesh. Grass fed beef, however, is low in Omega 6 fatty acids.A healthy old age with full muscle and brain power is so worth a lifestyle change. Preparing your own salad dressings from olive oil, flaxseed oil and lemon or vinegar isn’t so hard. You make a big bottle for the week. It is so easy now to buy trimmed and cut vegetables and salads, to cut down on preparation time, and eat lots of them raw. Grass fed beef and free-range chicken is easier to find in the food stores than it was a decade ago. Eating cold water wild caught fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna and others is easy - and yet they are polluted, so consumption must be limited.Fortunately we can get ultra purified, or pharmaceutical grade fish oil to give us the nutrients we need to avoid a chronically inflamed system.Wouldn’t you do just about anything to avoid cancer, arthritis, diabetes, lung disease and heart disease? Depression and stroke? Everything we need in the way of good food, anti-inflammatory education, and fine supplements, we have. How good is that!

Trying To Find A Cure For Herpes

Survey currently on a vaccine against herpes effective and there is a general consensus that something should be available in 3-5 years. But these vaccines will be limited in their function as will prevent infection in new patients. Those who have the virus herpes simplex already living in their bodies will probably not benefit. There have been attempts to make vaccines that will prevent HSV accident, but not with much success, unfortunately. GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals has started a trial in November 2002 in this direction and we hope we should see progress in the years to come. Isoniplex (Isoprinosine) was approved for use in HSV infections in about 56 countries because of its antiviral action and its ability to stimulate the body’s immune response. In the USA, Isoniplex is currently under investigation and testing for HSV primary and renewable. It May is not a cure now, but there are medicines help reduce the frequency and duration of an outbreak and your doctor will be able to give you a pretty good idea of your options. You natural healing process will be aided by the fact that the area is kept clean and dry during an epidemic. Hot showers are recommended to clean the infected area, then gently towel dry or with a hair dryer on low or cool. Avoid tight-fitting clothing to avoid chaffing. Creams and lotions May only irritate preference to avoid using any of these. But at the end of the day, it is a healthy immune system is important in the fight against the virus with good nutrition, exercise, and rest. Alternative solutions are now being discussed are listed in which two methods of control: immunotherapy and antiviral therapy. Antiviral therapy is the development of drugs that can identify the cells that harbour the virus and distinguish them from others. The drugs must work so that they completely destroy the virus, without leaving fragments or production of mutants May resurface later in infected cells. Basically what is required is that antivirals should be fatal to the virus and must be non-toxic to the body’s cells. Immunotherapy deals with agents in development that contribute to the fight against the virus naturally by the body by stimulating the immune response system. Some substances currently available can activate specialized white blood cells. The amino acid lysine has been found to control herpes and researchers have found that if the free form lysine is added to a diet rich in lysine and arginine poor, it seems useful. The viral replication has grown in tissue culture studies when the amino acid arginine ratio of lysine promotes arginine. A higher ratio of lysine to arginine will suppress viral replication and prevent cytopathogenicity of herpes simplex virus. L-Lysine is regarded as an effective agent for reducing the incidence, severity and recovery time for infection reoccurs HSV. Foods that are most lysine that arginine are fish, chicken, beef, lamb, milk, cheese, beans, brewer’s yeast and soy seeds. Peas, gelatin, chocolate, carob, coconut, oats, whole wheat, white flour, peanuts, soybeans and wheat germ are known to have more than arginine lysine.

Determine Whether Vitamin A Enhances Immune Response

Several approaches have been taken in an attempt to determine whether Vitamin A supplementation enhances immune response and resistance or recovery from infection. In some investigations, researchers have attempted to correlate plasma concentrations of beta-carotene or retinol with immune response or susceptibility to infection. One limitation of this approach is related to the fact that plasma concentrations may have depressed plasma retinol levels as a result of disease. Therefore, it is not possible to establish whether low plasma retinol levels resulted in suppressed immune response or if plasma retinol levels decreased in response to disease or infection. Another approach used is to supplement the diet with retinol precursors and examine immune response at a later time point. This approach may be useful in examining the particular aspects of immunity that may be altered by supplementation, but additional studies are necessary to determine whether these effects have clinical significance in terms of disease outcome. Vitamin A has been fairly well studied in terms of its immunomodulatory effects, and we will review the evidence from randomized controlled trials as well as potential mechanisms of action. Vitamin A supplementation may afford some protection from infection in malnourished individuals, but the potential benefits of supplementation in normal wellnourished individuals remain to be established. There is evidence from several studies that suggests that vitamin A deficiency is associated with depressed immune function and an impaired response to influenza infection. Supplementation of vitamin A is associated with a reduction of mortality and morbidity among certain populations. It appears that populations suffering from malnutrition may benefit from adequate or additional vitamin A supplementation. However, it is less clear if normal, healthy, well-nourished individuals will benefit from additional supplementation with respect to enhanced immunity. The results from several studies involving beta-carotene supplementation in the diet of healthy individuals suggest that certain aspects of innate immunity, such as NK cytotoxicity and monocyte production of the cytokine TNFcx, are enhanced. It appears that lymphocyte subsets or the lymphocyte response to mitogens are not altered. In addition, one study of healthy older individuals found that vitamin A supplementation was associated with a reduction in the number of T lymphocytes. Whether these observed changes of immune function in response to supplementation actually result in reduced susceptibility to infection in healthy individuals is not well established. The results from one study demonstrated no association between vitamin A supplementation and incidence of bacterial infection. we are not aware of any long-term, randomized clinical trials that have evaluated the incidence of viral infection in response to supplementation with vitamin A alone. However, several studies have examined the possibility that supplementation with several multivitamins and or trace elements such as zinc, may alter susceptibility to infection. In general, the findings from these studies show no protection from infection in association with vitamin intake, but a slight decrease in the incidence of infection in those individuals consuming supplemental trace elements such as zinc and selenium. At this time, the potential benefits of vitamin A supplementation for healthy well-nourished individuals regarding susceptibility to infection remain to be established. A high beta-carotene intake has also been associated with a reduced risk of cancer. Earlier epidemiological studies suggested a high natural (fruits and vegetables) intake of beta-carotene was associated with reduced risk of cancer. However, more recent studies have not observed any benefit of beta-carotene intake on incidence of cancer and two studies actually observed an increased incidence of lung cancer in those participants consuming beta-carotene supplements. The presence of other carotenoids in fruits and vegetables has been suggested to be the protective factor in regards to cancer incidence in the early epidemiological studies based on the findings from these recent studies, dietary supplementation with high doses of synthetic beta-carotene may be contraindicated for smokers. As a reminder, it has been known for some time that a high intake of vitamin A results in adverse effects (neurologic, dermatologic, musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, birth defects) and the results from the most recent studies suggest a potential risk of high doses of synthetic beta-carotene in certain populations. At this time it is probably safest to follow the National Cancer Institute recommendations that suggest five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Immune Effects and Exercise We are currently aware of only one study that has examined whether vitamin A supplementation is associated with a reduced incidence of infection in athletes. Several studies have shown that the risk of upper respiratory infection is increased following competition in marathons or ultramarathons However, vitamin A supplementation before marathon competition did not reduce the incidence of infection in the postrace period. Therefore, to our knowledge, vitamin A supplementation has not been associated with enhanced resistance to infection in healthy athletes.

Quercetin Non-Allergenic Bioflavonoid to Fight Histamine

Quercetin is one of the more powerful of the body’s antioxidants, and it can also be used to reduce the rate of histamine release by the body normally initiated by contact with an allergenic substance (for which your immune system has designed an antigen). We shall examine the biochemical mechanism which this is achieved, but first let’s have a closer look at quercetin and what it actually is. Quercetin is what is known as a phytochemical, which is simply the scientific name for a chemical that is naturally produced by plants. Other phytochemicals include vitamin C and omega 3 fatty acids, so the term is very broad ranging for any substance that is produced by plants. It is commonly known as a flavanol, one of a family of compounds known as flavonoids that give color to plants. It is a very active flavonoid, with very powerful antioxidant properties, in addition to acting as an anti-histamine and anti-inflammatory. Histamine is an amine released as part of the body’s immune response to allergenics, and quercetin inhibits its manufacture and release. This amine is an irritant and can itself cause inflammation and the other symptoms associated with allergies such as runny and itchy eyes, a stuffy nose, sneezing and itchy spots. Quercetin can be used to alleviate these symptoms by blocking the manufacture in the body of the histamine that causes them.It demonstrates other anti-inflammatory properties such as alleviating the symptoms of arthritis, and also helps to destroy free radicals in the body through its strong antioxidant properties, but before we discuss how it does this we shall have a closer look at the mechanisms used in its effect in inhibiting histamine.Calmodulin is a protein that is used to transport calcium ions, Ca++, across the membranes of certain cells in the body, and by doing so it helps to mediate a number of biochemical processes within the body, among them the immune response and inflammation. It should not be thought these are always unwelcome responses: on the contrary, they are the body’s way of reacting to foreign bodies and preventing more serious conditions from developing.However, there are instances where the body can become sensitized to certain substances and overreact to their presence leading to conditions such as hay fever or, considerably more serious, asthma. These are just two of the undesirable manifestations of the human immune system that we would be better without. What quercetin does is to prevent calmodulin from properly binding to certain enzymic proteins and so suppress the effect of these proteins. Among these are the enzymes that control the secretion of histamine from mast cells.Mast cells are found mainly in areas prone to injury and at the interface between internal tissues and outside world, such as the nose, mouth, lungs, eyes, blood vessels and feet. They contain granules rich in histamine that degranulate and released the histamine when the immune system detects foreign bodies such as pollen grains and dust mites, especially when the body has created antigens against them.Quercetin suppresses the release of histamine from the granules in the mast cells by preventing the degranulation. The release of the histamine is not completely halted, but its effects are reduced and quercetin is used in the treatment of asthma where it is believed to help reduce the symptoms by reducing histamine-induced swelling in the airways. A similar application of this flavonoid is in reducing the inflammatory response to arthritis, the main cause of the swelling of this painful condition. Your skin can also be affected by inflammation that is partially controllable by quercetin. Collagen and fibronectin biosynthesis is increased that help to maintain not only healthy joints, but also to speed up the healing of wounds and repair damaged nerves. It is also believed that quercetin can hold back the effects of aging on the skin, and slow down the formation of wrinkles. There are other applications of this versatile flavanol, including its effect on acute prostatitis where it reduces oxidative stress and the accompanying inflammation of the prostate gland. In fact, it is believed to have positive effect on many conditions caused by free radical oxidation and excessive reaction by the immune system causing inflammation. Apart from the allergies and arthritis previously referred to, quercetin is believed to have been effectively used in the treatment of gout, macular degeneration and heart disease, and it can also help to prevent the oxidation of low density lipoproteins (LDL) responsible for transporting cholesterol to where it is needed to repair major blood vessels.When these lipoproteins become oxidized by free radicals then the cholesterol associated with them tends to be excessively deposited in the arteries it is meant to be repairing, and lead to atherosclerosis. This condition can lead to heart failure or to strokes if the blood vessels are in the brain. Studies have indicated that the flavonoid might help to prevent certain cancers by preventing the nutrition of some types of cancerous cells, effectively killing them. Due to its phytoestrogen properties, quercetin can be used to bind to the sites in cancerous cells that are receptive to estrogen and so prevent their growth. Many types of cancerous cells need estrogen for their growth and proliferation, and phytoestrogens mimic the effect of this hormone. However, these are laboratory studies, and more work is required.More certain is the effect of quercetin on heart disease due largely to the aforementioned control of cholesterol deposition in your arteries, but also through its ability to strengthen the capillaries. However, when all things are considered, it is in the properties of this non-allergenic bioflavonoid to fight histamine release that it finds it’s most popular and effective use.So what is the best way to take quercetin? Like most bioflavonoids, it is available naturally in the majority of plant foods. Particularly rich sources are broccoli, red onions, red apple skins, black tea, red wine, red and purple berries and almost all dark green leafy vegetables. However, the name of the game these days is to take measured doses, and while you should continue to eat these foods, you can also receive controlled doses by use of supplements. From 200 to 500 milligrams thrice daily is a good average dose, depending on the severity of your immune reaction or allergy. Bromelain is believed to improve its absorption in the gut, and quercetin is frequently provided with bromelain, which itself is also a good treatment for allergies and excessive response of your immune system to irritation. Bromelain is an enzyme, generally extracted from pineapple, and treatments higher than the above doses of quercetin with or without bromelain are available online, although like any natural remedy you should inform your own physician of the dosage you are taking. There is no better non-allergenic bioflavonoid to fight histamine and its potentially unpleasant effects on your body than quercetin.