Re: Nutrition, Immunity and Infection

Hey Apxr!

Good food for thought [no pun intended] in your commentary, thanks!

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It is recognized that inadequate diets result in poor appetite, malabsorption, and decreased growth. Thus, the consumption and absorption of nutrients that are critical for optimum immune responses (e.g., zinc, selenium, vitamin A, pyridoxine, vitamin E) are compromised. This confounding variable can be sorted out by including a pair-fed comparison group. Would the quality of dietary protein make a difference? In general, animal proteins are superior to vegetable proteins in sustaining growth and maintaining immunity;
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Some thoughts to consider, especially for those who discard Meat and/or animal products as part of their diets.

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there are subtle differences in immune responses of animals fed casein-based and whey-based diets.
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So begins what I call "the puzzle".

> As the World turns… different ideologies as the controversy continues. :) I’ve been both – moving back ‘n forth. I have to admit, I’ve always felt better eating a more laden vegetarian diet. I DO think the biggest problem is that vegetarians may under estimate their intake of proteins that could be available to them. In this Oxford Juice Study here’s what we find on vegetarian diet in relation to heart conditions:


http://ecam.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/nel108v1

These data may provide a rationale for the observed reduced incidence of coronary heart disease in vegetarians, who demonstrate a 3–5 year overall longer survival compared to omnivores. The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-Oxford study of 56 000 British men and women demonstrated a reduced risk for coronary heart disease in vegetarians (24). In several observational studies components of a plant-based diet, such as phytochemicals (25), fiber (26), nuts (27) and whole grain cereals (28), have been shown to reduce the risk for coronary heart disease. Furthermore, vegetarian diets, coupled with intense life style changes, have resulted in angiographic improvement of obstructive coronary artery disease (29). Multiple studies have suggested that an optimal intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fiber may provide a variety of cardio-protective nutrients and non-nutrient factors with improvement in endothelial function, blood pressure, serum lipid levels, glucose, homocysteine, weight, body fat and reduction in oxidative stress and vascular inflammation (30–34). It has been suggested that a plausible explanation for such favorable effects may be a nutrient–gene interaction that contributes to a reduction in coronary heart disease.





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The era of nutritional manipulation of the immune system has finally dawned
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Finally, huh?

> Secret code for genetically engineered foods?





Which is a (re)statement of the obvious. Something that Science doesn't need, in my opinion. What I DON'T like about this paragraph is that it calls "Diet and Nutrition" "Innovative Powerful Tools" as 'a [future] promise'. Powerful Tools? Well of course they are! They've always been, can't you see? Med school doesn't know this YET? Innovative they say? From whose perspective, I wonder, when it's been Medicine used since the ages [as far as I know]? So then what kind of medicine is being practiced today, I ask, that seems to ignore these apparently simple and obvious and powerful observations? It would seem certainly not the kind of Medicine practiced "in the past", now would it?

I wonder from which perspective the FDA's "brains" would look at these 'findings' today. [keeping in mind that this article seems to be from 1996] Ten years have passed already. What has been done with/about these 'findings'?

> AMA control AND the FDA’s approved boxed, canned, and genetically altered foods!! Deadly! [AMA & FDA - same bedfellows]
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