Posted in Immune system

We know from experience that having a good laugh can help put us in a good mood, but there’s actually a lot of science behind the benefits of laughter. Research shows that laughter can help relieve stress, boost happiness, and even improve the immune system. Which of these ideas will you try? Listen to a comedian you love: “Listening or watching to stand-up comedian Jim Gaffigan always makes me laugh! It’s even better when I can do it with my family. Having us all laugh t...

Fungi are extremely diverse in terms of morphology, ecology, metabolism, and phylogeny. Approximately, 130 medicinal activities like antitumor, immunomodulator, antioxidant, radical scavenging, cardio protective and antiviral actions are assumed to be produced by the various varieties of medicinal mushrooms. The polysaccharides, present in mushrooms like β-glucans, micronutrients, antioxidants like glycoproteins, triterpenoids, flavonoids, and ergosterols can help establish natural resi...

T cells are the immune system's SWAT team. Their job is to constantly patrol the blood, lymphatic system, tissues, and organs. If they come across cells that are contaminated with or damaged by pathogens, they eliminate them. They can also recognise and destroy cancer cells. The problem, though, is that the tumour cells find ways of escaping this line of defence. Researchers around the world are working to prevent these evasive manoeuvres and harness T cells for targeted immunotherapies a...

Zinc plays a pivotal role as a catalyst for metabolic activity, with over 200 enzymes being identified as zinc-dependent. Zinc is essential for growth, physical development, and for the metabolism of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Most aspects of reproductive biology require zinc, making this nutrient critical for female and male fertility.  Zinc deficiency is typically due to inadequate dietary consumption, chronic stress, vegetarianism, or excessive alcohol intake. Severe defici...

Stress increases cortisol, which may have a profound impact on the gastrointestinal (GI) microbiota and metabolome, selectively decreasing beneficial bacteria and secretory IgA (sIgA). Thus, it is not surprising that clinical interventions implemented to resolve GI symptoms may not be completely successful if stress is not considered as a potential root cause. Chronic stress directly effects our gastrointestinal health via hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation. Stress can adve...

Despite thousands of peer-reviewed reviews and studies showing otherwise, many continue to treat food as a simple mix of macro and micronutrients, a composite of fats, proteins, carbs, vitamins and minerals that should be viewed primarily through the lens of portion control. This neglects the incredible biochemistry of our bodies. And it ignores the vital role of the gut microbiome, as well as the effects of phytonutrients like quercetin and rutin on our health. What Is Our Immune System? O...