Category Archives: Immune System

Lectins: Widespread in Commonly Eaten Foods

Lectins are proteins that facilitate cell to cell binding. Letins accomplish this by weakly joining to carbohydrate signal molecules on the surface of cells, and when two such conjugations are made, the cells become joined through an intermediary lectin. The … Continue reading

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Gram Doses Vitamin C Stimulate Immunity

In vitro studies show that vitamin C has the ability to modulate the function of immune cells. For example, vitamin C can enhance the motility of neutrophils and monocytes. Vitamin C deficiency in humans causes detrimental effects on the immune … Continue reading

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Vitamin A: Cheap Childhood Infection Fighter

In the nations of the West the average age has risen largely due to a significant decrease in the risk of death in childhood. As more people survive childhood and live to their maximum age, it pushes the average age … Continue reading

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Does Zinc Have Pharmacological Actions on Immunity?

Zinc is an important trace mineral required as a cofactor for a large number of proteins in mammalian nutrition. In animal models of zinc nutrition, it has been demonstrated that zinc deficiency causes a significant deterioration in the response of … Continue reading

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Medicinal Mushrooms: Immune Modulators

Mushrooms are actually the visible fruiting bodies of fungi, the mycelium (branching vegetative system consisting of hyphae) of which is mostly hidden underground or in decaying vegetable matter. Mushrooms are nutritionally interesting because they are an important source of nutrients … Continue reading

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What Should You Do If You Catch A Cold?

It is inevitable that even the most ardent follower of good high quality nutrition will eventually surbumb to the effects of infection and develop a common cold. While good nutrition and health can reduce the risk of contracting a cold … Continue reading

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Vitamin D And The Risk of Infection

The traditional view of vitamin D was that is was required for the prevention of the bone disorders osteomalacia and rickets, in adults and children, respectively. However, recent research has expanded this narrow range of functions for vitamin D. The … Continue reading

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Midwinter: Vitamin D Reminder

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Effective Ways To Prevent Colds

Cold season is upon us and many people are becoming infected with the common cold and other upper respiratory tract infections. Some believe that catching a cold is inevitable and down to bad luck of being around infected individuals. This … Continue reading

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Vitamin D and Immunity

Generally healthy humans do not get colds or other upper respiratory tract infections in the summer. However, as autumn proceeds cold season begins and infections of the upper respiratory tract become common. Many explanations have been put forward to explain … Continue reading

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