In January of 2020, "A Review of Micronutrients and the Immune System—Working in Harmony to Reduce the Risk of Infection" was published in the online peer review journal Nutrients. How prophetic that such a review would turn out to be critical three months later, with the worldwide onset of the pandemic—Covid-19.Researchers from the Linus Pauling Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University and Bayer Consumer Care AG in Switzerland, comment in the Review that,...

Recently NBC News reported on the findings of research, "Presenting Characteristics, Comorbidities, and Outcomes Among 5700 Patients Hospitalized With COVID-19 in the New York City Area," published April 22nd in the Journal of the American Medical Association’s online Jamanetwork.com.The study, noted NBC, was that the underlying conditions were common, “with 57% having high blood pressure, 41% were obese, and just over a third had diabetes.”The...

Statistics point to the fact that the elderly population - those over 65 years of age -has tripled from 4 to 13% over the last century – with an expectation that it will grow to 20% by 2025 and 33% by 2050. With aging, there is an associated decline in cognitive function of 15-20% of those over 65. Alzheimer’s, the main neurodegenerative disease, affects 24 million people worldwide.According to research - n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Their Derivates Reduce Neuroinflammation During...

As the second most abundant micronutrient in the human body behind iron, zinc is critical for multiple cellular biological processes – differentiation (the process where cells become more specialized), apoptosis (targeted cell death), and proliferation (multiplication of similar cells), according to A Guide to Human Zinc Absorption: General Overview and Recent Advances of In Vitro Intestinal Models, which was published in the March 2020 issue of the online journal Nutrients.In vitro refers to...

With the need now to strengthen our lung function - endurance and stamina - to support immunity against the Covid-19 disease, walking, while practicing social distancing, is an easy access, inexpensive choice in our wellness toolbox. The question arises, as to how daily steps and what intensity level to facilitate this cardiopulmonary objective. Prior national recommendations have include achieving 10,000 daily steps, which has spawned digital and wrist-worn monitors to track everything ...

With everyone today concerned about maintaining a strong immune system, whey protein, which is one of the primary proteins in dairy products—a byproduct in cheese processing—provides significant amounts of essential amino acids to support muscle structure, wound healing, and immune function.According to a 2004 monograph—Whey Proteins and Immunity—from the U.S. Diary Export Council in Arlington, Virginia—“whey proteins are unique in their ability to optimize a number of key aspects of immune f...

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that adults between the ages of 18 to 60 require 7 or more hours of sleep per night. Those individuals 61-64 years need 7-9 hours, while those over 65 should get 7-8 hours. In comparison, a toddler should get 11-14 hours per each 24-hour period, and school age kids need 9-12 hours.Poor sleep quality, notes the CDC, has symptoms ranging from not feeling rested even after getting enough sleep, multiple awakenings during the night, along ...

According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), probiotics—found in yogurt, and other fermented foods, such as kefir and buttermilk, dietary supplements, and even beauty products—are live microorganisms that are intended to have health benefits, when consumed or applied to the body.Most probiotics contain a variety of microorganisms—for instance, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium—with certain yeasts like Sacchar...

On March 13th, the Wall Street Journal published a Special Report, "Navigating the Coronavirus," which provided background information explaining what the coronavirus is, it’s origin, and symptoms. Seven strains, notes the Journal, are known to infect humans—through the respiratory (breathing) tract—specifically the lower respiratory tract. Four of the corona strains cause common colds, while two strains are considered quite severe human infections—causing acute respiratory syndrome (MERS).Th...

According to Mayoclinic.org, “gout is a common and complex form of arthritis that can affect anyone. It's characterized by sudden, severe attacks of pain, swelling, redness and tenderness in the joints - often the joint at the base of the big toe. An attack of gout can occur suddenly, often waking you up in the middle of the night, with the sensation that your big toe is on fire. The affected joint is hot, swollen, and so tender that even the weight of the sheet on it may seem intolerable.”Re...