AUTUMN NEWSLETTER 2011

• Strengthening immunity by strengthening barriers
• Ideas for increasing fruit and vegetables
• Beetroot and fennel soup recipe
• The toxic chemical entering our food and drink and how to avoid it

The recent “Indian summer” was a real bonus although the current more “normal” October temperature now feels like a shock to the system! It's a good time to start thinking about building up the immune system in preparation for the challenges of winter when colds and 'flu bugs are in abundance.

The immune system is a complex defence system which protects us from the potentially massive threat from invaders both from within the body and outside in our environment. Stopping to think about it, it's really quite amazing that we survive from day to day!

Barrier defences

The first line of defence against the external environment is the barrier of the mouth, nose, throat, intestines, skin and lungs. At a recent lecture organised by the Natura Foundation, I was reminded of how important it is to keep these frontline barriers strong.  If they are functioning well, infection causing pathogens cannot gain entry and activate the immune system. Allergies and intolerances are also less likely to occur.

A major factor in healthy barriers is good flora which should form a thick protective layer over the barriers preventing the entry of harmful organisms. The importance of gut flora in immunity is well known and a huge percentage (70%) of the immune system resides in the gut. However what is less known is that the flora is present on all the barriers of the body as well as the gut (which is responsible for organising the bacteria), such as the skin, lungs, eyes, ears, nose and throat.

How to strengthen defences

The best way to assess the state of the flora is - you guessed right - to look at the stools!! A healthy stool should be cylindrical in shape, not at all sticky, break up easily when flushed and have no odour. If this is not the case for you, here's what you can do:

• Take probiotics until you see a change (that will vary from weeks to months). Choose a probiotic that is effective i.e. contains a high number of bacteria and proven strains that are resistant to stomach acid and will adhere to the intestinal wall. The species of probiotic is, for example L. acidophilus or B. lactis and there are lots of different strains of these species. This means that two acidophilus supplements will not be the same.
• The mouth is a major entry point for bugs. Gargle regularly with a natural antibacterial mouthwash such as tea tree oil (2 drops in a quarter glass of water) or Citricidal. Leave your toothbrush soaking in a tea tree solution overnight.
• If you drink alcohol regularly, take the contraceptive pill, steroids, antibiotics, acid suppressing medications or anti inflammatory medicine, these factors all affect the flora negatively and will necessitate regular repopulation of the good bacteria.
• Remember to relax. Stress will interfere with barrier repair because it alters the pH in favour of a medium which encourages unhealthy bacteria and additionally stress stimulates enzymes that eat away at the gut lining. 
• You can test to see if you have a leaky gut barrier. This is not a test that the NHS will do. It is a simple home procedure involving a stool or urine sample.
• Whilst too much fatty meat doesn't encourage good flora, neither does excessive grains, potatoes, beans and lentils. These foods contain beneficial fibre and they complement animal protein from meat, fish, eggs and cheese. However they are high in substances called lectins and saponins, plant compounds which are potentially damaging to the intestinal wall. If you find you have poor immunity, this is a good reason to err towards a Hunter Gatherer diet rich in fruit and vegetables with lean meat, fish, eggs and a small amount of cheese.

Avoiding the toxic chemical BPA

Bisphenol A (BPA) is chemical found in plastic food storage containers and water bottles, baby bottles and food cans. More than 200 studies have linked it to hormonal problems, miscarriage, heart disease and cancer. The developing baby is particularly sensitive to BPA in the womb via the placenta.  Exposure to BPA can be reduced by:

• Eating frozen or fresh fruit and vegetables not tinned and avoiding canned drinks.
• Not microwaving food in plastic containers - use glass or ceramic instead
• Avoid plastic food containers marked PC or recycling number 7. Recycling numbers 1,2,4 are BPA free.
• Not using old or scratched plastic water bottles. There are BPA free plastic bottles available e.g. the Bobble which has a filter in it (must be regularly sterilised to avoid bacteria build up). Or use filtered water.

Further information

http://www.breakspearmedical.com/files/publications.html