Many of you may be worried about getting the flu or struggling with fighting illness after illness this season. Boston declared a state of health emergency earlier this January stating that there have been 700 cases of influenza compared to 70 last year at this time in Boston. The CDC estimates about 200,000 Americans get hospitalized per year for complications related to the flu; this is 0.06% of our 314 million population. Even though these numbers seem high for the flu, also be aware of the following statistics for adverse reactions from prescription drugs. According to the Institute for Safe Medical Practices May 2012 an estimate of 4 million people in the US suffered injuries associated with prescription drug therapy. 179,855 cases were reported to the FDA in 2011 of serious, disabling or fatal prescription drug events.
We want to do what we can to strengthen the immune system, but do not let fear overtake decisions for your health. Many Americans have been pressured to get the flu vaccine, and this has been made stronger by the media's creation of fear in the public. According to the Cochrane Review 2010 (Review of 50 articles and 36 clinical trials), healthy individuals may be discouraged to get the flu vaccine. http://www.ahrp.org/cms/content/view/876/84/. The report states that in the case when the vaccine strain is well matched with that year's actual influenza viruses, that 1% of vaccinated people develop flu symptoms and 4% of unvaccinated people develop flu symptoms. This is not a very large difference. The flu vaccine does not seem to decrease complications from the flu or reduce its spread. The decision to vaccinate is personal and can depend on other factors. Know that keeping your own immune system strong is an alternate form of protection. Below are some considerations for you to muse over on how some food choices can affect the immune system.
Sugar: Have you even wondered about the correlation between sugar and getting sick? Think about the increased pediatrician visits for infectious illness after Halloween candy. Have you also wondered if perhaps all the holiday sweets contribute to tendencies to getting sick during the wintertime, among other factors? According to a study at the Loma Linda University, research subjects were given 100g of sugar (equivalent to 1L of soda). They drew the blood of the subjects and tested their blood for the ability to phagocytize bacteria. The blood of subjects who had the sugar, was less effective at destroying the bacteria than those who did not just have the sugar. This study showed that sugar eating did not decrease the number of neutrophils but decreased their responsiveness. Dr. Sears MD says that having about 8 tbsp of sugar can reduce the white blood cells ability to kill germs starting 30 mintues after to about 5 hours later by 40%.
Nutrition: Adequate nutrition is essential for a properly functioning immune system. Amino acids are building blocks needed for immune cells which are found in protein, not carbohydrates. Getting infectious diseases are often associated with an underactive immune system. Allergies are often associated with an overactive immune system. Dr. Leo Galland MD says, "It is important to understand that these two conditions (infection and allergy) often occur together. The problem is not usually that the immune system as a whole is too strong or too weak, rather, it is disorganized." He goes on to say that craving for sweets is often a sign of general nutritional deficiency. So load up with your proteins, vegetables and fruits, which contain vitamins and minerals, good fats such as EFAs, nuts, seeds, olive oil etc. and you will not crave the sugar, which lowers the immune system.
Wheat: When discussing about allergies associated with infections, it is important to understand that many people have silent food sensitivities that evoke an "allergic like" response in the body. They create vague symptoms such as fatigue, gas, bloating, sleepiness after eating, headaches, brain fog etc, that do not manifest like a traditional hayfever allergic response or anaphylaxis. When there is a "silent food sensitivity/allergy" there is a higher correlation with susceptibility to infections as discussed above.
If I had to pick one food to watch that will positively affect a decrease in susceptibility to infection, I would decrease the consumption of wheat. Anecdotally, it seems that wheat in other European countries do not have as many adverse affects as the wheat in America. I wonder if it is because of the heavy genetic modification, the irradiation of wheat seeds with chemicals, gamma rays and X-rays that is more prevalent here? (See PMID 16143119 Natural variation in toxicity of wheat: potential for selection of nontoxic varieties for celiac disease patients. Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands). According to the Mayo clinic, a wheat allergy is different than celiac disease. Many people may have a wheat allergy, but not celiac disease.
A study at the Bartholin Institute in Demark 2012 showed that gluten, a protein found in wheat increased a type of T cell associated with auto-immunity. A diet that contained gluten decreased gamma delta T cells. Gamma delta T cells have complex functions but are often thought of as the "first line of defense". There is much more research on the effects of wheat and autoimmunity compared to wheat and infectious disease susceptibility, however again the two have a common thread of immune dysregulation. And I see clinical benefit with my patients in reduction of wheat associated with reduced susceptibility to infection.
I work with patients who may want natural alternatives to anti-biotics for chronic sinus infections, or those who seem to catch cold after cold for example. Decreasing wheat and sugar have profound effects alone, and in some cases patients have a more profound response with some additional nutritional supplements that support their immune system based on their individual constitution.
This is not to say that all wheat and sugar needs to be avoided for a healthy individual. But there is a difference between someone who eats cereal, pastries, coffee and desert all day compared to another person who consumes lots of fruits, vegetables, protein and nutrient packed foods and then enjoys an occasional creme brulee. Lastly, get the rest you need, stay hydrated, and remember to smile. Have an awesome start to the New Year!