The Inflammatory and Immune Response Systems: Part IV

November 16, 2011 By admin

photo courtesy of softchalk.com

The Lymph System

The immune system carries out part of its defense with components that move in a continual flow in the circulatory system (blood/hematic), and the lymphatic system. These cellular components are on the alert and ready to destroy foreign invaders should they be encountered.

The lymph system is a close relative of the immune system, producing immune players and assisting delivery of these cells through movement.

The lymph system has several functions: it drains specific wastes (extra protein in the interstitial fluid), transports fats, produces lymphocytes, and develops immunities. In Part II and Part III of this series, non-specific and specific defense was reviewed, respectively, with a review of the types of cells in each.

Anatomically, the lymph system is made up of vessels and nodes that cover almost all of the body. This massive circulation of the lymph system is similar to and closely follows the (blood/hematic) circulatory system.

photo courtesy of the University of Pittsburgh

Bone marrow, several organs (the spleen, tonsils, and thymus gland) are also structures of the lymph system. Immune cells are produced and grow to maturity in the bone marrow and thymus gland. The remainder of lymphatic tissue and organs trap and destroy antigens: the lymph nodes, spleen, tonsils, appendix, Peyer’s patch in the intestines, and the mucous membranes of the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and reproductive systems.

Most lymph is delivered through the muscle movement, pumping material through valves, into vessels, large and small. Proper breathing is another way to make lymph move well.

This is why exercises that promote inversion and even breathing, such as yoga, have excellent health benefits. Acupuncture has a stimulating effect that promotes movement in local areas, which is one of many reasons why it is great as a preventative medicine, but why it is contraindicated in the presence of tumors.

The Inflammatory and Immune Response Systems: Part IV

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At Mountaintop Acupuncture, we have a combined 34 years of experience. To read more, please click here.

If you have questions and concerns about acupuncture treatment, we offer a free 20-minute phone session: click here for contact information to call or e-mail us. We practice in two New York City locations: Flatiron & Greenwich Village.

Insurance is welcome and accepted.

Filed Under: Conditions Treated, Integrative Medicine, Stress Busters Tagged With: , , , ,

The Inflammatory and Immune Response Systems, Part III

November 16, 2011 By admin

ACQUIRED IMMUNITY: WHERE AND HOW

Part III continues our series with a focus on specific defense. In a nutshell, the main immune players can be likened to different types military forces. Microphages and macrophages are the local police (see Part II), white blood cells are the standing army, at-the-ready, from all divisions, and immunoglobulins are the the special ops class, trained to react with precision in order to eliminate the enemy.

ANTIGENS AND ANTIBODIES: Immunoglobulins and White Blood Cells
Specific defense (acquired/adaptive) can be likened to the military’s special ops. The immune cells are found in the body tissue and on cell membranes, and their key function is to protect against pathogenic organisms or other sources of not-self. Specific defenses are unique responses (antibodies) to not-self elements (antigens).

1) Immunoglobulins
An antigen is a foreign substance that sets off an immune response. Antigens can be microbial (bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi) and non-microbial (poison plants, insect bites, and tree pollen). Our body creates antibodies to counteract each antigen.

Antibodies are proteins called immunoglobulins. There are five types of immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA, IgM, IgD, and IgE), to respond to different kinds of enemies (antigens), located in different types of body tissue and fluids.

Structurally, antibodies are shaped like a Y so that they can easily lock onto the target cell and enable other immune components to find and either destroy the antigen, or stop its replication mechanism.

2) Immune Cells
Like soldiers, airmen, and seamen on the front line, there are different types of immune cells to attack not-self from all angles. These cells are present and active in both non-specific and specific defense.

Lymphocytes are the most common cells of specific immunity, and they are separated into two classes: T cells and B cells. Neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils are white blood cells. Other kinds of immune cells are monocytes, macrophages, denritic cells, natural killer cells (NK), and the major histocompatiblity complex (MHC).

3) Humoral Immunity and Cell-Mediated Immunity
Humoral immunity is found in body tissue and the blood’s plasma, on the lookout for invaders, and creates an antibody in response to an antigen. Cell-mediated immunity issues the clarion call that activates other immune players.

The Inflammatory and Immune Response Systems, Part III
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At Mountaintop Acupuncture, we have a combined 34 years of experience. To read more, please click here.

If you have questions and concerns about acupuncture treatment, we offer a free 20-minute phone session: click here for contact information to call or e-mail us. We practice in two New York City locations: Flatiron & Greenwich Village.

Insurance is welcome and accepted.

Filed Under: Conditions Treated, Health Tips, Integrative Medicine, Stress Busters Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Osteoporosis: Catching it Early

October 27, 2011 By admin

photo courtesy of the Mayo Clinic: normal bone (A) osteoporotic bone (B)

Osteoporosis is a disease of bone density loss. The diagnosis of osteoporosis is determined upon findings of at least 30% loss of bone mass. The test of choice is the DEXA (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry). The hip (at the femoral neck) and the mid-low back (lumbar vertebrae) are the most commonly affected areas, so these are the areas that are tested. The DEXA test is painless and quick.

Major risk factors for osteoporosis are:
Genetics- family history
BMI below 25% (<22kg/m2)
History of fracture in adulthood
History of cigarette smoking & current cigarette smoking

Additional, lesser risk factors are:
Lifelong inadequate calcium intake (a relatively weak risk factor)
Never pregnant
Caucasian
No physical activity
Leanness
Early menopause
Alcoholic
Long-acting benzodiazepines

Prevention is key, and treatment with calcium supplements and exercise can reverse osteoporosis if detected early. The rate of decline in bone density is most rapid in women within 2 years of menopause. The average age of menopause is 51, but depending on several factors (genetics, exercise, lifestyle, diet, and menstrual history), you might arrive there earlier or later. Therefore, while the medical establishment recommends having a DEXA scan at age 65, requesting one at menopause or shortly thereafter will indicate if you need to take preventive measures.

The recommended dose of calcium is 1,500 mg. Also recommended is drinking 48 ounces of water a day, limit alcohol intake (1 daily glass of wine), reduce sugar in the diet, and generally eat whole foods, something we admonish you to do on this site on a regular basis.

Exercise needs to be “pounding,” such as walking or jogging. The reason is that in osteoporosis, osteoblasts- the cells that build bone- are outnumbered by the osteoclasts- the cells that break bone down – and your activity is designed to increase the number of osteoblasts as the body’s natural response to the pounding on the pavement or a treadmill.
Yoga pulls at bone and creates a good stress {see Maximizing Potential], yes, but not as radically and efficiently as does plain old walking.

Food sources of calcium include the seaweeds kelp and dulse; greens: collards, kale, turnip, dandelion; seeds and nuts: almonds, sunflower; dairy: cottage cheese; brewer’s yeast; vegetables: watercress, edamame, olives, string beans, sweet potato, broccoli, carrots; dried fruit: apricots, figs, dates, raisins; grains: barley, brown rice; cooked dry beans; tofu; oranges.

Osteoporosis: Catching it Early

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At Mountaintop Acupuncture, we have a combined 34 years of experience. To read more, please click here.

If you have questions and concerns about acupuncture treatment, we offer a free 20-minute phone session: click here for contact information to call or e-mail us. We practice in two New York City locations: Flatiron & Greenwich Village.

Insurance is welcome and accepted.

Filed Under: All Things Exercise, All Things Food, Conditions Treated, Health Tips, You Are What You Eat Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

A Simple Remedy to Avoid Getting that Cold!

September 30, 2011 By admin

dried orange and tangerine peels with rock sugar

People always ask in a panic what they should do when they feel a cold coming on, and honestly, I (Carol) forget just as easily the minute those telltale signs appear. This year it seems cold season started earlier, in August, and this week I managed to fight one off using my arsenal of remedies.

I wrote about this simple remedy of dried citrus peel and rock sugar last year, but it’s worth sharing again, because everyone can keep this on hand, and it works. The dried citrus peels are loaded with vitamin C.

All you need is a handful of dried citrus peels from the orange variety (tangerines, mineolas, navels), a little rock sugar to take the slightly bitter edge of the citrus, and a couple of cups of water. Boil, then lower to a simmer for 30-45 minutes and drink this decoction: it soothing and yummy, an irresistible combination!

If you haven’t begun to save your citrus peels, start this fall and winter when they are plentiful:

  • dry them in a brown lunch bag
  • store them in a jar
  • substitute honey or agave if you don’t have rock sugar on hand, which, incidentally, is found in the markets in Chinatown

A Simple Remedy to Avoid Getting That Cold

—————————–
At Mountaintop Acupuncture, we have a combined 34 years of experience. To read more, please click here.

If you have questions and concerns about acupuncture treatment, we offer a free 20-minute phone session: click here for contact information to call or e-mail us. We practice in two New York City locations: Flatiron & Greenwich Village.

Insurance is welcome and accepted.

 

Filed Under: Conditions Treated, Health Tips, Nourishing You, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Inflammatory and Immune Response Systems, Part 1: Inflammation in a Nutshell

September 30, 2011 By admin

courtesy of digital thermal imaging, showing back pain originating from inflammation in the (R) kidney

Large or small, inside or outside, wherever injury occurs the body’s defenses set off a cascade of players to deal with the tissue damage (inflammation system) and keep strangers out (immune system). Whether you bump your elbow, get a splinter, or have an autoimmune disorder, the same sequence unfolds, aimed to restore order and heal you, naturally.

This series will cover the major components present where injury to tissue occurs. It’s a fascinating, complex process, with a lot of moving parts in a rapid sequence of events. We begin with a discussion of inflammation, and move on to immunity, inflammatory conditions, health tips, and related topics in future posts.

Inflammation is characterized by four cardinal signs:
Redness
Pain
Heat
Swelling

The inflammatory response serves to stop bleeding and wall off the injured area to prevent further damage to the local tissue. This unfolds as a natural process beginning with acute-phase and transitioning into chronic-phase responses.

1. Acute-phase response has active two stages, the vascular stage and the cellular stage.

a. During the vascular stage, the blood vessels first respond by constricting, then rapidly dilate (enlarge). The blood vessels that supply the area also dilate to allow fluid and plasma proteins to move out of the vessels and into the surrounding (interstitial) spaces, causing the swelling, heat, pain, and redness associated with acute-phase inflammation.

b. During the cellular phase, the capillaries become permeable for the delivery of immune factors, nutrients, and blood-clotting factors.

Chemical mediators produce the signs and symptoms of inflammation at both the vascular and cellular stages. These mediators perform an array of functions that keep the intricate process moving forward step-by-step, with the ultimate purpose of stopping the damage and returning the system to homeostasis. We will cover some of these in future posts.

2. Chronic-phase responses can become long-lasting if not treated. Some chronic-phase injuries are local (shoulder pain) and some are systemic (autoimmune disease). Foreign substances, both living (viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites) and non-living (example: splinters) can also underlie chronic inflammation.

Chronic-phase responses put an additional demand on the body’s resources, hence the reason why we stress the importance of quality nutrition that supplies the raw material for all the body’s functions.

The Inflammatory and Immune Response Systems, Part 1: Inflammation in a Nutshell

—————————–
At Mountaintop Acupuncture, we have a combined 34 years of experience. To read more, please click here.

If you have questions and concerns about acupuncture treatment, we offer a free 20-minute phone session: click here for contact information to call or e-mail us. We practice in two New York City locations: Flatiron & Greenwich Village.

Insurance is welcome and accepted.

 

Filed Under: All Things Exercise, All Things Food, Conditions Treated, Health Tips, Nourishing You, Stress Busters, You Are What You Eat Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
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