Chapter 1 Flashcards
What are lymphocytes?
A type of white blood cell that is responsible for protecting against harmful foreigners like infection
What can potentially happen if lymphocytes are not working properly?
They can cause autoimmune diseases
What are the two types of lymphocytes?
T cells and B cells
What action does T cells take?
Directly attack anything they don’t recognize (perceived as invaders)
What action does B cells take?
Produce antibodies, which are molecules that grab on to anything that your immune system thinks is foreign or dangerous
What happens after antibodies get a hold of a foreign threat?
The immune system initiates a bigger response that causes an inflammatory reaction
What tells the killer T cells and B cells what to do?
T helpers and the T regulators
What does the T helpers and the T regulators do?
Turn on or off the immune response
What are the 3 things that define a healthy immune system?
- Balance between killer T cells and antibody-producing B cells
- Balance between T helpers and T regulators to turn on or off the immune system
- The immune system’s ability to differentiate foreign invaders (such as viruses or bacterias) from natural parts of your body (such as cells and tissue)
An autoimmune problem develops when the immune system fails at all levels. The body begins to….?
Make to many killer T cells or too many antibodies and then fails to turn off, so the immune reaction does not stop
Most important for those with autoimmune diseases, the immune cells are attacking not only outside invaders but also?
Your body’s own tissues
Inflammation process caused by a faulty immune system can contain which symptoms?
Fatigue, puffiness, muscle or joint pain, abdominal discomfort, difficulty concentrating
Fixing the foundation system will heal the immune system, what are these foundational systems?
Diet, stress hormones, gut health, body’s toxic load
Modern day seeds for crops like corn, soy, and wheat are altered in a labratory so that these plants can…?
Grow larger, or resist disease effectively
What are some of the most common problems with labratory altered seeds for crops like corn, soy and wheat?
It contains protein that our system has problems with digesting
Gluten is found in?
Wheat, barley, kamut, and spelt
Why has the food often have all the fiber and many of the nutrients removed?
To give the food longer shelf life
How does the immune system respond to seeing a lot of large piëces of gluten in the bloodstream which is hard to digest?
Sees gluten as a foreigner and produces antibodies to attack it
What is molecular mimicry?
When the antibodies does not differentiate between foreigners and the body’s own tissue
A diet high in animal-based foods such as dairy, eggs, and beef can promote what and cause what effect on the digestive tract?
Inflammation and throw off the balance of good bacteria in your digestive tract
What happens to your body and hormone system when you skip meals, not sleeping enough, or overexercising
This taxes your body, causing it to secrete the stress hormone cortisol from your adrenal glands
Even if your diet is very good, what can happen to anxious, worried, upset, depressed or traumatized people considering the hormone system?
Increased cortisol response from your adrenal glands
Where are the adrenal glands located?
On top of your kidneys
What are the function of adrenal glands?
Produces all of the stress hormones
Chronic stress can lead to adrenal fatigue, what happens during adrenal fatigue?
Adrenal glands don’t produce the hormones required to keep your body running properly, including adrenaline, DHEA, and testosterone
What is the normal effect of cortisol and adrenaline?
Provides you with energy to move quickly, gives you energy to focus and think
Adrenal fatigue results in which symptoms?
Unexplained exhaustion Problems getting up in the morning even after a good night's sleep A burst of energy between 4pm and 6pm Feeling overwhelmed Cravings for sweet or salty food Low blood pressure Low blood sugar Irritability
Adrenal fatigue is associated with?
Inflammation and autoimmune disease
What effect does stress have on gut bacteria?
Negative, can cause autoimmune disease
If you feel fatigued all the time, get sick often, have developed arthritis, experience irregular periods, are going through a difficult menopause, or have trouble losing weight, what should you suspect?
Faulty stress hormone levels
When you are an adult, immune cells are made in your? And then migrate to?
Bone marrow
Migrates to:
Thymus (small organ under your breastbone)
Your lymph nodes
Area called the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT)
The linining of your intestines should contain good bacteria (also called flora) that are critical for helping the immune cells mature properly because they interact with the…?
Cells in your GALT
What are some of the things which negatively affect the good gut bacteria?
Stress Antacids Antibiotics Alcohol Animal foods Infections Medications
Which fish is mercury especially promininent in?
Swordfish, tuna, striped bass, and king mackerel
Mercury has been linked up to which diseases by studies?
Hashimotos thyroiditis, Grave’s disease, lupus, and MS
What is the body’s main detoxifying organ?
The liver
What happens to the liver when there are too many toxins and not enough nutrients?
The liver gets depleted and toxins accumulate
Where is estrogen metabolized through?
The liver
What happens to our system when a virus is active?
It remains on a heightened state of alert, with ongoing inflammation
What is part of the problem with having an earlier Epstein-Barr virus infection?
It can still be active
What is a general screening test for systemic autoimmune diseases such as lupus?
Anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) test
Celiac disease is a disease caused by an allergy to gluten and is marked by destruction of the..?
Vili that line the small intestine
What are some common symptoms of celiac disease?
Arthritis Generalized brain fog Generalized fatigue Digestive issues such as diarrhea, gas and bloating after eating, and heartburn Anemia
Graves’ disease is also called?
Hyperthyrodism
What happens in your body when you have Graves’ disease?
Antibodies are made that stimulate the thyroid gland, causing it to secrete high levels of thyroxine (T4)
What are some symptoms of Graves’ disease?
Weight loss Rapid pulse Protruding eyes Insomnia Feeling too warm Restlessness Diarrhea Irritability Heart papitations
What are some symptoms of Hashimoto’s Thyroditis?
Enlarged thyroid Sore throat (if thryoid is inflamed) Fatigue Hair loss Weight gain
Symptoms of Lupus?
Fatigue
Muscle pain and weakness
Fever when disease is active
Symptoms specific to the involved organ, joint pain, muscle pain, difficulty breathing etc
Butterfly rash over the cheeks and nose after sun exposure
Hair loss (but not baldness)
Oral or nasal ulcers that are not painful
Cold or emotion-induced color changes of the fingers or feet
What is Sjøgren’s syndrome?
An attack on the mucus-secreting glands that causes a reduction in secretions (salviary in mouth and lacrimal glands - tears)
What are symptoms of Sjøgren’s?
Dry mouth and dry eyes Dryness in vagina, skin, lungs, sinuses, and digestive tract Fatigue Joint pain Muscle pain Cognitive dysfunction
