“Chronic inflammation is driving a lot of chronic disease we see today,” Dr. Moday told attendees. “Inflammation is really the cornerstone of what our immune system does on a daily basis. We need inflammation, but when it's uncontrolled, we get things like cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's, autoimmune disease, obesity, and food allergies.”
Personalized wellness: 4 Immunotypes
Supporting the immune system with targeted care can go a long way toward safeguarding health. Once we understand how the immune system works, Dr. Moday says it's important to explore the four different immunotypes, which she outlined in her presentation. “Knowing your immunotype can help physicians know what to hone in on, what parts of your system need boosting, and what dietary choices are needed to support it.”Immunotype: Smoldering
This could be individuals who have chronic low level inflammation due to things like obesity, stress or lack of exercise. These people may not be aware of their type and can live day-to-day with no major problems. Over time however, they will end up with severe illnesses. It's non-resolving and these individuals should work on bringing down their immune system.Immunotype: Weak
This relates to individuals who need to be boosted, who have trouble clearing or suppressing infections. This can be caused from not eating or sleeping well or genetics. It could also be suppressed as a result of certain medications.Immunotype: Hyperactive
This refers to individuals who suffer from allergies or asthma, or who have an imbalance in active t-cells, which creates a lot of histamine. The response is directed to things outside of the body that may not actually be dangerous.Immunotype: Misguided
These are people who have autoimmune diseases. Something is keeping them inflamed, like dysbiosis in the gut or toxicity. These individuals lose tolerance to their own tissue and our Th17 dominant.Dr. Moday notes that this is not always black and white. Many people can have overlapping symptoms. “You’re not born with a certain immunotype. We change throughout life,” said Dr. Moday. “The environment changes and influences our immunotype.”
Immune-Supporting Strategies
We have control over many of the environmental and nutritional factors that impact our immune function. According to Dr. Moday, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a lot of people to be more focused on personal health. “COVID was a terrible experience, but at the same time, it’s actually been a teaching moment. It has activated us–researchers and physicians–to learn more about our immune system,” Dr. Moday said. “We want our patients to be engaged and start learning how they can better take care of their health.”Nutrition is a great place to start making changes. Consuming 10 portions of fruit and vegetables a day could prevent about 7.8 million premature deaths worldwide. And cutting processed foods is key: People who have a 17% to 21% intake of calories from added sugars have a 38% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease than those individuals who get 8% of calories from sugars.
In terms of lifestyle, Dr. Moday also recommends 15 minutes of exercise daily. Finding ways to reduce stress is also vital, as more than 75% percent of diseases are in some way linked to stress. Mindfulness practices, journaling or yoga, can help combat stress. The addition of adaptogens, like ginseng, holy basil, and medicinal mushrooms, can also support stress reduction.
When we reduce stress, we can improve sleep quality. Did you know your immune system is very active during sleep? Melatonin, which is released when we sleep, directly impacts the production of antibodies. A good night's rest can decrease innate and adaptive immunity. Blocking out blue light, wearing sleep masks, and sleeping in a cool room can help.
Environmental toxins can also cause immunotypes to become unbalanced. Using green products, and favoring organic, non-GMO foods, are some ways to reduce exposure to unwanted toxins.
Finally, it's important to feed the immune system. “If you don’t have a good diet, you can’t feed the immune system and it needs to be fed, ” commented Dr. Moday. “You can incorporate healthy ingredients every day like cacao, green tea, and turmeric.”
Having a healthy mindset is another essential. “We want to Inspire people to take a better path to wellness,” says Dr. Moday. “Help them stay on track and also have a positive mindset.” These are the keys to keeping our immune system healthy and happy for years to come.
