In recent years, the #microbiota has been linked to many aspects of human health, but until now its impact on the #immune system has only been assumed because of data from animal studies. Scientists from Memorial Sloan Kettering have now, for the first time, shown that the #gut #microbiome directly shapes the makeup of the human immune system, with the results of their study published in Nature.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Dear practitioner Vitamin D is now firmly on the map for COVID-19 prevention but what about vitamin C? We urgently seek your support by means of a signature, for a timely and important initiative. Let me explain. My co-authors and I  (Professor Paul Marik – Chief of critical care medicine at East Virginia Medical School;

The #COVID-19 pandemic has challenged biomedical scientists to develop effective therapeutics for the treatment and prevention of acute #viral diseases. Due to a lack of evidence into the safety and efficacy of herbal preparations their potential to aid in prevention and treatment has been underestimated. This is especially significant when the reality is that synthetic antiviral and immunotropic drugs generally have a higher risk of adverse effects than most herbal preparations.  Published by the Molecular Diversity Preservation International (#MDPI) journal is a review of The Role of Adaptogens in Prophylaxis and Treatment of Viral Respiratory Infections.

The popularity of sugary soft drinks has rapidly increased worldwide over recent years, but with growing research and awareness into the dangers of a diet high in #sugar, particularly in regards to #cardiovascular disease, we see more people reaching for #artificially #sweetened #beverages.   A study recently published in the Science Direct Journal has shown that despite claims they are the healthier option, artificially sweetened drinks may be just as bad for our heart as their sugar filled  counterparts.

In a major new study, researchers have found a link between lower #plasma #zinc levels and an increased risk of death in #Covid-19 patients. The study was led by Dr Roberto Güerri-Fernández from Hospital Del Mar, Barcelona, and the results presented at the 2020 ESCMID Conference on Coronavirus Disease (#ECCVID).  The study involved a retrospective analysis of symptomatic Covid-19 patients admitted to the hospital between 15^th March and 30^th April 2020.

Current #antibody tests for #coronavirus are conducted using samples of blood. Relatively little research has been done into the presence of any antibody responses in #saliva. These tests are crucial to determining whether we have had the virus already and even more importantly, if and for how long we may be protected from contracting it again. Researchers from the University of Toronto have just had their study published in Science Immunology (October 2020) which compared the antibody levels from both blood and saliva samples from #COVID-19 patients for three months after initial symptoms.

We all know that lack of #sleep can leave us with feelings of lethargy and in a bad mood, but if this becomes prolonged it can be to the detriment of our overall physical health.  Continuous lack of sleep can put you at risk of serious illness including #obesity, #heart disease and #diabetes, all impacting upon life expectancy. New research from the University of Missouri has now shown that lack of sleep is also altering our #gut #microbiome and may be promoting the aforementioned morbidities.

Reading Time: 6 minutes

Ivy Leaf for Lung Health By Erica Zelfand, ND Rattle, click, puff, inhale. So goes the pithy song of the rescue inhaler. By mimicking the effects of epinephrine and norepinephrine, β-agonist drugs cause the smooth muscles lining the airways to relax and allow more air to pass into the lungs.1 In conditions like asthma, acute

Reading Time: 13 minutes

Quercetin, Naringin, and Berry Polyphenols Provide Powerful Immune Protection In 2020, the year of “all things immune,” it often feels like we have listened to or read research on just about every imaginable topic surrounding the immune system. In FOCUS, between the fall and winter of 2020, we’ve covered essential vitamins and minerals, glandulars, antiviral

Reading Time: 9 minutes

The Benefits of Dead Probiotics for Balanced Immune System Function and More At this point, pretty much everyone has a basic familiarity with probiotics and the general digestive and immune benefits they may offer. Functional foods spanning far beyond the dairy industry are now enhanced with probiotics; at retail stores, we even see probiotic-enhanced snack