Tag Archives: Immune system

Autoimmune diseases are on the rise, and findings from scientists like Dr. Charles Mackay point to the gut microbiota as a key player in this rise. Dr. Mackay, immunologist professor at Monash University (Melbourne, Australia), describes autoimmune disease as a necessary evil. “On one hand, we need a robust immune system to defend our bodies against pathogens; on the other…

Megan Mouw
Megan Mouw holds a Bachelor of Science in microbiology from McGill University (Canada). Driven by her experiences at UCSF medical center in San Francisco, Megan is passionate about the role that the gut microbiota plays in maintaining health and wellness. She is currently perusing graduate studies in Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology at the University of California Santa Cruz and hopes to share her love of science through writing.

Autoimmune diseases are on the rise, and findings from scientists like Dr. Charles Mackay point to the gut microbiota as a key player in this rise. Dr. Mackay, immunologist professor at Monash University (Melbourne, Australia), describes autoimmune disease as a necessary evil. “On one hand, we need a robust immune system to defend our bodies against pathogens; on the other…

Megan Mouw
Megan Mouw holds a Bachelor of Science in microbiology from McGill University (Canada). Driven by her experiences at UCSF medical center in San Francisco, Megan is passionate about the role that the gut microbiota plays in maintaining health and wellness. She is currently perusing graduate studies in Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology at the University of California Santa Cruz and hopes to share her love of science through writing.

Our gut interior is a vital and rich ecosystem containing billions of microorganisms which are in competition with one another for resources such as nutrients and space. In a healthy person, a delicate balance is maintained, with abundant good bacteria out-competing the disease-causing bad bacteria. When the bad bacteria start to take over however, this balance can become disrupted, leading…

Megan Mouw
Megan Mouw holds a Bachelor of Science in microbiology from McGill University (Canada). Driven by her experiences at UCSF medical center in San Francisco, Megan is passionate about the role that the gut microbiota plays in maintaining health and wellness. She is currently perusing graduate studies in Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology at the University of California Santa Cruz and hopes to share her love of science through writing.

Our gut interior is a vital and rich ecosystem containing billions of microorganisms which are in competition with one another for resources such as nutrients and space. In a healthy person, a delicate balance is maintained, with abundant good bacteria out-competing the disease-causing bad bacteria. When the bad bacteria start to take over however, this balance can become disrupted, leading…

Megan Mouw
Megan Mouw holds a Bachelor of Science in microbiology from McGill University (Canada). Driven by her experiences at UCSF medical center in San Francisco, Megan is passionate about the role that the gut microbiota plays in maintaining health and wellness. She is currently perusing graduate studies in Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology at the University of California Santa Cruz and hopes to share her love of science through writing.

Having a food sensitivity is life-altering. Avoiding a particular food or food component can be challenging and avoidance is currently our primary treatment option for this kind of condition. Given that one fifth of the population will be affected by food sensitivity in their lifetime, discovering alternatives to help manage them is critical. Food sensitivities have been increasing at a…

Andrea Hardy
Registered Dietitian, Andrea Hardy from Calgary, Canada specializes in gastrointestinal disorders and the gut microbiome. She is recognized as Canada’s gut health dietitian – educating health care professionals and the public on the pivotal role nutrition plays in gut health. You can find her at Ignite Nutrition, or on Twitter (@AndreaHardyRD).

Having a food sensitivity is life-altering. Avoiding a particular food or food component can be challenging and avoidance is currently our primary treatment option for this kind of condition. Given that one fifth of the population will be affected by food sensitivity in their lifetime, discovering alternatives to help manage them is critical. Food sensitivities have been increasing at a…

Andrea Hardy
Registered Dietitian, Andrea Hardy from Calgary, Canada specializes in gastrointestinal disorders and the gut microbiome. She is recognized as Canada’s gut health dietitian – educating health care professionals and the public on the pivotal role nutrition plays in gut health. You can find her at Ignite Nutrition, or on Twitter (@AndreaHardyRD).

The ability to distinguish between “self” and “non-self” is the hallmark of a healthy immune system. Immune cells must be able to recognize pathogenic “non-self” antigens (i.e. microbial pathogens) and mount an appropriate immune response while remaining quiescent towards “self” agents (i.e. commensal microbes) that are harmless to our health. Nowhere else in the human body is this process more…

Megan Mouw
Megan Mouw holds a Bachelor of Science in microbiology from McGill University (Canada). Driven by her experiences at UCSF medical center in San Francisco, Megan is passionate about the role that the gut microbiota plays in maintaining health and wellness. She is currently perusing graduate studies in Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology at the University of California Santa Cruz and hopes to share her love of science through writing.

The ability to distinguish between “self” and “non-self” is the hallmark of a healthy immune system. Immune cells must be able to recognize pathogenic “non-self” antigens (i.e. microbial pathogens) and mount an appropriate immune response while remaining quiescent towards “self” agents (i.e. commensal microbes) that are harmless to our health. Nowhere else in the human body is this process more…

Megan Mouw
Megan Mouw holds a Bachelor of Science in microbiology from McGill University (Canada). Driven by her experiences at UCSF medical center in San Francisco, Megan is passionate about the role that the gut microbiota plays in maintaining health and wellness. She is currently perusing graduate studies in Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology at the University of California Santa Cruz and hopes to share her love of science through writing.

Our immune system fights pathogens, repairs wounded tissue and eliminates dead cells. It also acts to ensure we tolerate our own cells, food intake, and other environmental components, as well as the indigenous microbiota. In the presence of pathogenic invaders and other noxious insults, a resilient immune response is crucial to effectively eliminate the source of stimulation in a way…

Andreu Prados
Andreu Prados holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Pharmacy & Human Nutrition and Dietetics. Science writer specialised in gut microbiota and probiotics, working also as lecturer and consultant in nutrition and healthcare. Follow Andreu on Twitter @andreuprados

Our immune system fights pathogens, repairs wounded tissue and eliminates dead cells. It also acts to ensure we tolerate our own cells, food intake, and other environmental components, as well as the indigenous microbiota. In the presence of pathogenic invaders and other noxious insults, a resilient immune response is crucial to effectively eliminate the source of stimulation in a way…

Andreu Prados
Andreu Prados holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Pharmacy & Human Nutrition and Dietetics. Science writer specialised in gut microbiota and probiotics, working also as lecturer and consultant in nutrition and healthcare. Follow Andreu on Twitter @andreuprados

Other than gut microbiota's well-known functions, which include nutrient metabolism and absorption, xenobiotic and drug metabolism, and immune development, its role in protecting against pathogens has been poorly characterized. Previous research has identified some microbiota-mediated colonization resistance mechanisms, while little is known about whether microbial metabolites may also limit pathogen colonization. A new study, led by Dr. Denise Monack from…

Andreu Prados
Andreu Prados holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Pharmacy & Human Nutrition and Dietetics. Science writer specialised in gut microbiota and probiotics, working also as lecturer and consultant in nutrition and healthcare. Follow Andreu on Twitter @andreuprados

Other than gut microbiota's well-known functions, which include nutrient metabolism and absorption, xenobiotic and drug metabolism, and immune development, its role in protecting against pathogens has been poorly characterized. Previous research has identified some microbiota-mediated colonization resistance mechanisms, while little is known about whether microbial metabolites may also limit pathogen colonization. A new study, led by Dr. Denise Monack from…

Andreu Prados
Andreu Prados holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Pharmacy & Human Nutrition and Dietetics. Science writer specialised in gut microbiota and probiotics, working also as lecturer and consultant in nutrition and healthcare. Follow Andreu on Twitter @andreuprados

The gut microbiota's composition and activity can be modulated by both environmental and host-derived factors. Among them, the homeostatic functions of immunoglobulin A (IgA) on gastrointestinal commensal bacteria has recently been confirmed in humans with IgA deficiency. A new study, led by Dr. Keiichiro Suzuki from the Graduate School of Medicine at Kyoto University and RIKEN Yokohama Institute (Japan), has…

Andreu Prados
Andreu Prados holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Pharmacy & Human Nutrition and Dietetics. Science writer specialised in gut microbiota and probiotics, working also as lecturer and consultant in nutrition and healthcare. Follow Andreu on Twitter @andreuprados

The gut microbiota's composition and activity can be modulated by both environmental and host-derived factors. Among them, the homeostatic functions of immunoglobulin A (IgA) on gastrointestinal commensal bacteria has recently been confirmed in humans with IgA deficiency. A new study, led by Dr. Keiichiro Suzuki from the Graduate School of Medicine at Kyoto University and RIKEN Yokohama Institute (Japan), has…

Andreu Prados
Andreu Prados holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Pharmacy & Human Nutrition and Dietetics. Science writer specialised in gut microbiota and probiotics, working also as lecturer and consultant in nutrition and healthcare. Follow Andreu on Twitter @andreuprados

According to many scientific studies, having a balanced gut microbiota is essential for gut health. Just like a big city, where the whole community works together to make the place work, our gut is populated by trillions of microbes that help us live a healthy life. “We have a lot of bacteria in our body and the reason they are…

GMFH Editing Team
GMFH Editing Team

According to many scientific studies, having a balanced gut microbiota is essential for gut health. Just like a big city, where the whole community works together to make the place work, our gut is populated by trillions of microbes that help us live a healthy life. “We have a lot of bacteria in our body and the reason they are…

GMFH Editing Team
GMFH Editing Team

Although gut microbiota profiles differ remarkably between healthy individuals, several features have been suggested to define a “healthy gut microbiome”. First of all, our gut microbiota can be understood, in many cases, to be redundant given that many bacterial species have similar functions. Furthermore, a healthy gut microbiome is temporally stable and resistant to perturbations and, over time, is more…

Andreu Prados
Andreu Prados holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Pharmacy & Human Nutrition and Dietetics. Science writer specialised in gut microbiota and probiotics, working also as lecturer and consultant in nutrition and healthcare. Follow Andreu on Twitter @andreuprados

Although gut microbiota profiles differ remarkably between healthy individuals, several features have been suggested to define a “healthy gut microbiome”. First of all, our gut microbiota can be understood, in many cases, to be redundant given that many bacterial species have similar functions. Furthermore, a healthy gut microbiome is temporally stable and resistant to perturbations and, over time, is more…

Andreu Prados
Andreu Prados holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Pharmacy & Human Nutrition and Dietetics. Science writer specialised in gut microbiota and probiotics, working also as lecturer and consultant in nutrition and healthcare. Follow Andreu on Twitter @andreuprados

Fermented foods and gut health are hot topics lately! From sourdough bread to yogurt, fermented foods come in many varieties and flavors. They are also of great interest for our gut microbiota. This Gut Microbiota for Health (GMFH) new infographic walks you through the definition fermented foods and explains how they are made. “Your guide to fermented foods” gives you…

GMFH Editing Team
GMFH Editing Team

Fermented foods and gut health are hot topics lately! From sourdough bread to yogurt, fermented foods come in many varieties and flavors. They are also of great interest for our gut microbiota. This Gut Microbiota for Health (GMFH) new infographic walks you through the definition fermented foods and explains how they are made. “Your guide to fermented foods” gives you…

GMFH Editing Team
GMFH Editing Team