Researchers are continuously uncovering the mechanisms behind what prior observations had demonstrated about the links between our diet, our gut, and our immune systems. A recent report in Nature explains another fascinating mechanism by which bacteria in our gut take amino acids in our diet to make a sugar that influences our immune system’s natural…
With all the conflicting stories out there, you know you need to take the time to understand the science behind the recommendations. You don’t have to become a PhD in immunology or nutrition, but reading articles like this one and taking our Immune Prepper course (Sfmempoweron.com) will help you navigate the headlines and their abundant…
As discussed in the prior article, although the GI tract would appear simple as a one-way street from mouth to anus, the story of mycotoxins turns out to be a real plot twisting complexity. In part 1 we began with an outline of how our gut bacteria affect the incoming mold toxins. In this edition,…
While the GI tract would appear simple as a one way street from mouth to anus, the story of mycotoxins turns out to be a real plot twisting complexity. We had hints of this complexity by the fact that different animals demonstrate varying abilities to withstand mold toxins in their diets. The importance of what…
Given the past research indicating a correlation between air pollution and the rates of pediatric lower respiratory tract infections, this Memphis (TN) based study offers only a few surprises. Researchers utilized a variety of environmental assessments of pollution levels as compared to rates of pneumonia in different Memphis neighborhoods in order to connect the dots…
Overview The loved and hunted amino acid derivative, N acetyl cysteine, offers a number of potential benefits to those seeking to recover from or prevent the occurrence of several diseases and conditions. Those of us practicing functional medicine love its multifaceted uses (as noted below). For some reason government regulators are hunting it and considering…
Modern medicine signs its name with “allopathy” when pressed for its roots. Allopathy basically means that we come against disease (pathos). If bacteria invade our body’s sanctuary, we respond with anti-bacterials. If cancer arises, we respond with anti-cancer agents called chemotherapy. This paradigm has served us well for decades in the acute war against disease.…
As we look to launch our SFM Empower Immune Prepper Course in the coming weeks (Note: as of this re-post, available here), I can’t control the urge to share a few bits and pieces of it now. With the onslaught of COVID 19 and the fear surrounding it, this wisdom will be critical to navigate…
Correlation does not equal causation. We hear that often in medicine. For example, we know there are correlations between maternal illness during pregnancy and autism. We know that these two conditions, maternal illness and infant autism, travel together, but we don’t have a mechanism of action to prove that the former causes the latter. We…
This year has welcomed a number of new ideas and words to the public’s vocabulary including cytokine storm, lockdown, coronavirus, and now “syndemic”. Apparently, this word was coined in the 1990’s with the HIV/AIDS crisis, but I had never heard it until today’s article. We have heard multiple studies highlighting the connection between chronic diseases…