Ankylosing Spondylitis was first described two centuries ago and is the most common form of spondyloarthritis. Indeed, the term spondyloarthritis refers to a group of…
Physical exercise has a powerful effect on our bodies. Most of the exercise benefits can be measurable such as body composition modification and physical endurance.…
The high prevalence of chronic conditions such as hyperlipidemia, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and obesity have a close link to our society’s poor lifestyle habits.…
Our main interaction with food, pathogens, and inflammatory signals is made through our intestinal barrier. Indeed, our gut epithelium is where the absorption, digestion, transportation…
The obesity pandemic has affected our population on a large scale. Indeed, this multifactorial condition is heavily influenced by numerous environmental elements, including genetics, familiar…
Innate and adaptive immunity responses often take the spotlight regarding the defense and protection against pathogens. Nevertheless, barrier tissues have proven to store inflammatory memory…
The immune system is one of the hardest working systems in the body. It is constantly working in the background, searching the body for bacterias and any potentially harmful pathogens. The first attacker in the line of defense is secretory IGA (SIgA). SIgA is the predominant immunoglobulin that is produced in the lining of the gut. Some functions of SIgA include trapping mucus, neutralizing enzymes and other toxins, inhibiting the adherence of pathogens, having interaction with antimicrobial factors like lactoferrin, all while being tolerant of the friendly flora. Any type of infection will lower SIgA. It is important to note that other factors that reduce SIgA include stress, a poor diet containing low levels of nutrients, genetics, the integrity of your gut lining, and age.Â
Food allergies and sensitivities are more prevalent and are a problem that clinicians are beginning to look into more seriously. Nearly 20% of individuals have food reactions, 4% of those being an immune-mediated response. These food sensitivities can cause symptoms immediately or days after ingestion. There are 4 types of immunologic reactions and multiple ways to test for them. Some of these tests include: a prick test, the intradermal test, a RAST test, or food sensitivity tests executed by a blood draw.