One of the biggest buzz words being thrown around during this time of uncertainty is “immune function.” People are suddenly interested in how to support their immune systems and how the coronavirus can hijack the immune system to create a potentially-deadly cytokine storm. So, on today’s podcast, we dive deep into the immune system to ultimately answer the question: What exactly is the immune system?
On today’s Broken Brain Podcast, our host Dhru talks with the father of Functional Medicine, Jeff Bland PhD. Dr. Bland is the Founder and President of the Personalized Lifestyle Medicine Institute and is an internationally recognized leader in the nutritional medicine field for over 35 years. He is a Fellow of both the American College of Nutrition where he is a Certified Nutrition Specialist and the Association for Clinical Biochemistry.
Dr. Bland has authored five books on nutritional medicine for the healthcare professional and six books on nutrition and health for the general public including The Disease Delusion: Conquering the Causes of Chronic Illness for a Healthier, Longer, and Happier Life. He is also the principal author of over 120 peer-reviewed research papers on nutritional biochemistry and medicine.
In this episode, Dhru and Dr. Bland discuss the importance of gut health for overall immune function. We know that being over a certain age can increase the risk for contracting or experiencing complications from COVID-19; we also know that gut health is essential in rejuvenating your immune system and that this is something people of all ages can work on. They also cover how vital your nutritional status is and compare it to a rainforest—the more diversity, the more stability—and how now, more than ever, is the time to focus on eating whole, real foods and not food-like substances.
To read Dr. Bland’s article, “Reflections on the COVID-19 Pandemic”, click here. You can visit Dr. Jeff Bland’s personal website or the Personalized Lifestyle Medicine Institute here. Be sure to follow Dr. Jeff Bland on Instagram @drjeffreybland.