In my practice, questions about the relationship
between the immune system and food are commonly asked. I see in the
news, grocery stores, and advertisements words like pre-biotic, pro-biotic,
and vitamins and claims for improved immune function. Patients complain
about digestive issues, abdominal pain, bloating and possible
allergies. Many are concerned about gluten sensitivity, wheat
allergy, and foods to increase their immune system. This month's Nature
Reviews in Immunology is dedicated to research talking about "how dietary
choices affect immune cells". More and more research is being done
in this area and thought with the eating season of the holidays rapidly
approaching it was worth spending a few posts on this fascinating area of
research.
I couldn’t start this topic without a bit of a
tribute to Jean Antheleme Brillat-Savarin – a French lawyer, author, and one of
the first foodies. More than any individual,
Brillat-Savarin was a proponent in the role of food, digestion, and
health. He had so many wonderful quotes
about food, life, and eating, but his adage “Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who
your are.” illustrates the important
relationship between food and our immune system. I might modify it to say, tell me what you
eat, and I’ll tell you what kind of bacteria live within your intestines and
how they impact your immune system.
The movement of local farming and farm to table
dining illustrates the interest that our society has in
the relationship with food and their bodies. There's an
abundance of information out on the Internet and in grocery stores about ways
to increase your immune system through food products and improve the health of
your intestines. It's difficult to tell how to navigate the system
and what's true. Over the next few weeks we'll start with the basics and
move gradually through the topic in the hopes of helping you navigate the
system, keep a healthy immune system, and survive the holiday eating push.
I hope you enjoy!
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