I hope you had a wonderful summer.
Fall is upon us. It is a transition time when infections increase.
People tend to get sick with the change of seasons, especially summer to fall, fall to winter, and winter to spring. And now research has shown that climate change with its exposures from heat, air pollution, wildfires, and toxins etc. is disrupting our immune systems, and actually affecting our physical mucosal membranes.(8)
It’s a good time to evaluate our lifestyle habits to enhance our resilience and immunity to prevent infection.
Knowing why we get sick can help us manage our health and behaviors optimally.
Here are Factors That Impact Our Immunity:
1. Seasonal Allergies–can cause inflammation in the nasal mucosa, weakening the immune response.
2. Genes and Immune Function–some genes increase inflammation in winter months, increasing infection risk. (3)
3. Cooler temperatures–decrease immune function and viruses such as Coronaviruses and the common cold thrive in less humid and cooler temps. (2) (4)
4. Age–Getting older can cause decrease immune response–“Immunosenescence.” (9)
5. Environmental Factors: changes in barometric pressure can affect the nasal passages.
6. Smoking and Alcohol consumption— weaken immune function.
7. Day length–Shorter days as in the winter time can actually improve immunity however, other factors during winter can override this to increase illness risk.
8. Chronic Stress from life and cold weather–increase cortisol, one of the stress hormones that can impair the immune system. (5)
9. Sleep–Poor quality sleep leads to decreased immune function. (7)
10. Microbiome–an imbalanced intestinal and nasal microbiome impairs the immune response. (6)
We must build resilience and improve immune function to decrease the risk of illness.
These Tips Below Can Help You:
1. As always, the Don’t Mess with Stress™ Core 4 —healthy diet, stress management, physical activity, and quality sleep and rest build resilience.(10)
2. Hygiene–Hand Washing is key. Wash your hands before touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Wearing a Mask—probably decreases risk of infectious transmission. (11)
3. Exercise–moderate daily exercise is an Immune Booster.(14)
4. Stress Reduction Lowers Cortisol, which decreases inflammation.
5. Functional Foods and Supplements–like Curcumin, Quercetin, Resveratrol, Sulforaphane, Dietary Fiber, Chicken soup, Omega 3 Fish Oil from fatty fish, Vitamin D, and Vitamin C (evidence varies for Vitamin C supplementation but may have benefit for individuals)–have been shown to positively impact the immune system, especially in allergy. (12) (13) (15) (Please consult your physician/health provider before starting any of these supplements/foods.
6. Low Glycemic (Sugar) diet–Sugar impairs the microbiome, which decreases immune function.(16)
Remember, making changes to your diet and lifestyle can seem daunting. Start with small steps. Add an extra vegetable or walk around the block and go from there.
I hope this edition of the Newsletter has given you good insights and tools to improve your health and well-being.
To Your Health,
Dr. Jill
References:
1. Seasonality of viral infections: mechanisms and unknowns Fisman, D. Clinical Microbiology and Infection, Volume 18, Issue 10, 946 – 954
2. Nichols GL, Gillingham EL, Macintyre HL, Vardoulakis S, Hajat S, Sarran CE, Amankwaah D, Phalkey R. Coronavirus seasonality, respiratory infections and weather. BMC Infect Dis. 2021 Oct 26;21(1):1101.
3. Xaquin Castro Dopico, Marina Evangelou, Ricardo C. Ferreira, Hui Guo, Marcin L. Pekalski, Deborah J. Smyth, Nicholas Cooper, Oliver S. Burren, Anthony J. Fulford, Branwen J. Hennig, Andrew M. Prentice, Anette-G. Ziegler, Ezio Bonifacio, Chris Wallace, John A. Todd. Widespread seasonal gene expression reveals annual differences in human immunity and physiology. Nature Communications, 2015; 6: 7000
4. Foxman EF, Storer JA, Fitzgerald ME, Wasik BR, Hou L, Zhao H, Turner PE, Pyle AM, Iwasaki A. Temperature-dependent innate defense against the common cold virus limits viral replication at warm temperature in mouse airway cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2015 Jan 20;112(3):827-32
5. Nelson RJ, Demas GE. Seasonal changes in immune function. Q Rev Biol. 1996 Dec;71(4):511-48
6. Choden T, Cohen NA. The gut microbiome and the immune system. Explor Med. 2022;3:219–33.
7. Besedovsky L, Lange T, Born J. Sleep and immune function. Pflugers Arch. 2012 Jan;463(1):121-37.
8. Skevaki C, Nadeau KC, Rothenberg ME, Alahmad B, Mmbaga BT, Masenga GG, Sampath V, Christiani DC, Haahtela T, Renz H. Impact of climate change on immune responses and barrier defense. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2024 May;153(5):1194-1205.
9. Lewis ED, Wu D, Meydani SN. Age-associated alterations in immune function and inflammation. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2022 Aug 30;118:110576.
10. Don’t Mess with Stress(TM)–A Simple Guide to Managing Stress, Optimizing Health, and Making the World a Better Place. Jill R. Baron. November 2020.
11. Frieden TR, Cash-Goldwasser S. Of Masks and Methods. Ann Intern Med. 2021 Mar;174(3):421-422. doi: 10.7326/M20-7499. Epub 2020 Nov 1.
12. Hemilä H, Chalker E. Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013 Jan 31;2013(1):CD000980
13. López-Enríquez S, Múnera-Rodríguez AM, Leiva-Castro C, Sobrino F, Palomares F. Modulation of the Immune Response to Allergies Using Alternative Functional Foods. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Dec 29;25(1):467.
14. Nieman DC, Wentz LM. The compelling link between physical activity and the body’s defense system. J Sport Health Sci. 2019 May;8(3):201-217
15. Martens PJ, Gysemans C, Verstuyf A, Mathieu AC. Vitamin D’s Effect on Immune Function. Nutrients. 2020 Apr28;12(5):1248.
16. Microbiota imbalance induced by dietary sugar disrupts immune-mediated protection from metabolic syndrome.Kawano, Yoshinaga et al. Cell, Volume 185, Issue 19, 3501 – 3519.e20
—————————————
Past Newsletters:
Please feel free to read my past Newsletters on my blog Dr. Jill Baron Newsletters and Blog which has helpful tips for you to feel good and optimize your health.
Feel Free to Forward to a Friend:
If a friend has forwarded you this email, I invite you to receive my Newsletter by clicking on the link Dr. Jill Newsletter Sign Up. After filling out the form, you will receive a Stress Management Guide gift in your inbox!
——————————————
Please click on the book image to purchase on Amazon!
A Great Gift for Health!
Disclaimer: Please note that the content on this Newsletter does not constitute medical advice. Please consult with a physician before making any medical, nutritional, or lifestyle changes recommended in this Newsletter.