Immune Function

Find out more about heavy metals affecting health on this blog

I know that many of my patients pride themselves on being people who look after their health. They eat well, exercise regularly, drink lots of water and yet for some reason, many don’t feel nearly as good as they expect they should. This is usually the point where many people come to see me. Whether it’s general exhaustion, mood swings, lack of focus or poor immune health, traditional medicine can sometimes struggle to provide an explanation.

Learn more: Functional vs Conventional Medicine

This was one of the reasons that I became so interested in heavy metals. Despite being such a serious problem, few people seem to even know it’s a concern. You see, heavy metals really are everywhere. They are in our food, water, cleaning products and if you’ve had much dental work done, they’re probably in your mouth as well. And as bad as they are for our health, our bodies can’t help but absorb and store them. The reality is we can’t escape being exposed to heavy metals. But if we’re aware of the problem, we can limit how much our body stores and we can get rid of unwanted heavy metals already in our bodies.

So how can heavy metals be the reason people feel flat, depressed and just not right? Well, picture heavy metals and the good compounds as siblings fighting over a toy box. The heavy metals are the stronger, older sibling while the younger, weaker sibling is all the good minerals and compounds our body needs to keep functioning well. As the stronger of the two, the heavy metals are able to take all the toys and the younger sibling is left to sit and watch. Basically, heavy metals are bullies. They jump the line, push their way in and don’t follow the rules. To cope with this bad behaviour, our bodies try and divert the heavy metals, burying them in tissue so they can’t run around the blood stream creating havoc. Unfortunately, as this often occurs for a very long time, eventually, there are so many heavy metals in the body (heavy metal toxicity) which can often lead to people feeling rather unwell for no visible reason.

Functional and Integrative Medicine Doctors such as myself are aware that heavy metals such as mercury, cadmium and lead can contribute to many health problems. If you’ve had a look around my website, you’ll notice that I’ve put together videos on a range of topics related to heavy metals, written lots of articles and even an e-book about hair mineral tissue analysis (which detects heavy metal levels in the body) and in the hope that I can share my knowledge with those around me.

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Wishing you great health,

Dr Pete

PS. please feel free to share this with friends and family

PPS. If you’re questioning whether your symptoms are the result of heavy metal toxicity, please feel free to raise this in your next consultation.

About Dr Pete

Dr Peter Holsman is a qualified Medical Practitioner, Naturopath and Professional Speaker based in Melbourne. An expert in his field with over 30 years experience, he specialises in treating people with fatigue related illnesses including stress, depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, thyroid troubles and adrenal hormone problems.

Diarrhoea caused by taking antibiotics… a common complaint

Before antibiotics were discovered in the 1900s, bacterial infections were a feared enemy of modern society. Antibiotics changed everything – saving millions of lives and offering an effective tool to battle deadly infections. Fast forward to now and antibiotics, while still incredibly useful, are sadly claiming the lives of our beneficial gut bacteria, with diarrhoea caused by taking antibiotics now something patients often experience.

Life Before Antibiotics

Before antibiotics were discovered in the 1900s, bacterial infections were a feared enemy of modern society. Antibiotics changed everything – saving millions of lives and offering an effective tool to battle deadly infections. Fast forward to now, and antibiotics, while still incredibly useful, are sadly claiming the lives of our beneficial gut bacteria, which has been linked to uncomfortable side effects such as antibiotic-associated diarrhoea (AAD).

Of course, losing a bit of gut bacteria to save you from a nasty infection is a no-brainer. However, the loss of beneficial bacteria from multiple courses of antibiotics can cost you so much more over a lifetime. In fact, losses of good bacteria have been linked to a greater risk of chronic diseases, such as digestive disorders, cardiovascular disease and even mental health symptoms. This is why protecting your gut bacteria is a top priority for good health.

The most important thing when taking antibiotics is managing loss of good bacteria during and after every treatment. This means having strategies to help protect your inner health. This comes down to two things: protecting your bacteria when you need to take antibiotics, and, reducing your need for antibiotics.

‍Probiotic Protection to Reduce Diarrhoea

A combination of specific probiotic strains can reduce Antibiotic Associated Diarrhoea (AAD) while also helping recover your gut microbiome after antibiotics. Good quality probiotics assist in rebuilding beneficial gut flora (bacteria).

It’s important to note that antibiotics can affect your gut bacteria for up to two weeks after you stop taking them. Ensuring you take your probiotic from the start of your antibiotic course until a minimum of two weeks after you finish will give your gut bugs the support they need.

Support Your Immune System to Reduce Your Need for Antibiotics

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has advised us to limit the use of antibiotics to the most essential situations. This is because using them too frequently or inappropriately can help infectious bacteria develop resistance to their antibacterial mechanisms.

Bolstering your immunity against infection is the smartest way to reduce your need for antibiotics and curb your risk of related side effects. Here are my best tips on how to do this:

Wash your hands frequently with soap and water;
Cough or sneeze into a tissue (or into your elbow if you don’t have tissues).
Try to avoid touching your face, and wash your hands before and after if you do;
Improve your health with nutrition, better sleep and stress management to avoid getting sick in the first place.

‍Let Your Bugs Bounce Back!

Thanks to modern medicine, we’ve been afforded the freedom to thrive without bacterial infections cutting our lives short. However, with this comes the responsibility of ensuring that antibiotic therapy is used wisely, by being mindful and modest in how often we use antibiotics.

When you do need them, it is important to support your gut bacteria with probiotics in order to prevent side effects such as Antibiotic Associated Diarrhoea (AAD).

What this Means To You

Antibiotics have given us enormous health benefits. Good quality specific strains are needed to protect your digestive system and prevent secondary complications.

Important facts about the Novel Coronavirus,…

By now, you will have heard about a new, or novel, strain of coronavirus, originally known as novel coronavirus and now called COVID-19. With growing concerns surrounding COVID-19, it is important to remain informed of the facts regarding this viral outbreak.

Let’s take a closer look at the coronavirus and exactly how you can protect yourself and your loved ones with basic hygiene precautions and natural supplements.

What is coronavirus?

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, seven of which are currently known to infect humans. Four of these strains cause minor symptoms similar to the common cold and two are more severe diseases including Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). COVID-19 is the latest strain to have been identified within this family of viruses.

What is novel coronavirus (COVID-19)?

At first, COVID-19 was known as ‘novel coronavirus’, which means a new strain of coronavirus. Once scientists discovered what this strain of coronavirus was and how to identify it in tests, they gave it the name: SARS-CoV-2.3 When someone gets sick with this virus the illness is called COVID-19. For simplicity, the virus and the disease are being referred to by the same name, COVID-19.4

Novel coronavirus (COVID-19) was discovered in 2019 when an unusually high number of people in Wuhan, China, became ill with pneumonia after having an illness similar to the flu. When doctors tested them, they found these people had a type of coronavirus they hadn’t seen before.

Why is it spreading so quickly?

The reason COVID-19 is spreading so quickly is simply that it is a new virus the body does not recognise, and as such has little defence against. To explain this further, viruses are proposed to evolve via two mechanisms:

Antigenic drift: Occurs when small changes (or mutations) in viral genes lead to changes in the surface proteins of the virus.
Antigenic shift: Occurs when a major change in viral genes creates new surface proteins, resulting in a new virus subtype. Antigenic shift is theorised to occur when a virus from an animal population gains the ability to infect humans. As a result of this antigenic shift, the body’s immune system may not recognise the surface proteins of the evolved virus, resulting in increased susceptibility to infection.

How is it spreading?

Transmission of COVID-19 occurs when infected droplets are distributed via human-to-human contact, usually when a sick person coughs or sneezes. It may also be spread via contact with contaminated objects as human coronaviruses can remain infectious on inanimate surfaces for up to 9 days. Airborne spread has not been reported for COVID-19 and it is not believed to be a major driver of transmission.

What are the symptoms of coronavirus?

Symptom severity of COVID-19 varies, with mixed reports of severe flu-like symptoms in addition to milder presentations.

Primary symptoms to be aware of include: Fever, cough and shortness of breath/breathing difficulties.

Affected individuals may also experience additional flu-like symptoms including: Headache, muscular stiffness and pain, loss of appetite, malaise/extreme generalised fatigue, chills, confusion, dizziness, rash, night sweats, and gastrointestinal upset.

Who is most at risk?

Individuals at highest risk for severe disease include people aged over 60 years and those with underlying medical conditions. Susceptible individuals include:

The elderly
Immunocompromised individuals
People with serious or chronic medical conditions including heart disease, diabetes and lung disease
People who have recently travelled to mainland China, South Korea, Iran and Italy
Individuals in close contact with a confirmed case of coronavirus, particularly during the infectious period

To put this in context…

Media outlets have focused their attention on the spread of COVID-19 and associated fatalities, contributing to alarm and unrest within the Australian community. While you should remain informed on the progression of this outbreak, you should not be alarmed, as the Australian Government is adequately addressing COVID-19 via the ‘Coronavirus Emergency Response Plan’.

Despite reports of more than 117,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide, only 112 cases have originated within Australia. Further to this, the case fatality rate is approximately 3.6% of confirmed cases reported globally, with an estimated 80% of laboratory confirmed patients experiencing only mild to moderate symptoms followed by recovery.

How you can protect yourself from coronavirus

As COVID-19 is a novel virus, there is no vaccine currently available. However, practising good hand and sneeze/cough hygiene provides the best defence against viral infections. These include:

Washing your hands frequently with soap and water, before and after eating, and after going to the toilet.
Covering your mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, immediately disposing of tissues and using alcohol-based hand sanitiser.
If unwell, seek immediate guidance from a medical professional. You may be advised to isolate yourself from the general population for up to 14 days to stop viral spread.

Immune-enhancing ingredients that may be of assistance

Andrographis paniculata (andrographis)

Andrographis has extensive evidence in reducing the incidence, severity and duration of acute respiratory infections, as evidenced by positive results in a meta-analysis, which included 33 studies. In particular, andrographis has been shown to stimulate both the antigen-specific and non-specific immune response, as well as increase NK cell activity, antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and antibody-dependent complement-mediated cytotoxicity, thereby supporting host immune defences.

Zinc

Zinc is particularly critical for the intracellular signalling pathways in both innate and adaptive immunity and is essential for the development of non-specific immunity, such as neutrophils and NK cells, and stimulating the development of acquired immunity.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C supplementation has been shown to reduce the duration and severity of colds and is increasingly efficacious when combined with zinc. Vitamin C stimulates white blood cell production and function, enhances NK cell activity and chemotaxis, supports clearance of spent neutrophils from sites of infection, increases serum levels of antibodies, and augments lymphocyte differentiation and proliferation, thereby facilitating innate and adaptive immune responses.

Vitamin D

It is well known that vitamin D plays an important role in regulating immune function, with deficiency impacting the activity of T regulatory cells, as well as the production of antibodies. Additionally, vitamin D enhances the adaptive immune response by increasing the differentiation of monocytes to macrophages and stimulating white blood cell proliferation, essential to the neutralisation or viral infections.

Medicinal Mushrooms

Japanese mushrooms, including Cordyceps sinensis (cordyceps), Trametes versicolor (coriolus), Ganoderma lucidum (reishi) and Lentinula edodes (shiitake) enhance the body’s immune response and provide antiviral actions. Specifically, these mushrooms activate the innate immune system, triggering the production of NK cells, lymphocytes, neutrophils, macrophages, and inflammatory cytokines. Cytokine synthesis prompts adaptive immune processes to take effect, through the promotion of B cells for antibody production, and stimulation of T cells, which mediate cellular and humoral immunity.

What to do if you develop symptoms

If you do develop symptoms associated with COVID-19, including fever, cough, sore throat, tiredness or shortness of breath, seek immediate guidance from a medical professional. You may be advised to isolate yourself from the general population to stop viral spread.

Individuals who have recently travelled to an international high-risk area or who have recently been in contact with a confirmed case are at an increased risk of developing COVID-19 and are advised to contact a medical professional for assistance.

Winter is a challenging time for health and often results in winter flus and colds. But, before you pop into the chemist to stock up on cold and flu tablets or to book in for a flu shot, did you know that there are natural remedies to keep you healthy during the colder months? Here are some of the best herbs and spices to throw into your diet which can help boost your immune system and lessen any symptoms of colds:

Well, in case you hadn’t realised, we’re really hitting the middle of winter now. People are rugged up in gloves, jackets and hats to try and fend off the cold which often brings with it the winter flus and colds.

But, before you pop into the chemist to stock up on cold and flu tablets or to book in for a flu shot, did you know that there are natural remedies to keep you healthy during the colder months?

Here are some of the best herbs and spices to throw into your diet which can help boost your immune system and lessen any symptoms of colds:

Cayenne Pepper

Amazingly, this is one spice our family only recently discovered and now we throw it into everything. It’s great if you have a cold as it eases sore throats and helps clear any mucus congestion. As an added bonus, it’s also great for weight loss and for keeping you warm as it boosts the metabolism.

Garlic

A natural antibiotic, garlic is fantastic for keeping away flus and colds. This immune booster is best when raw or lightly cooked as it keeps the antibiotic properties in tact, making it more effective at protecting your immune system.

Ginger

Like Cayenne pepper, ginger is also great for warming you up and boosting your circulation. If you struggle with aches and pains, it’s also a fantastic anti-inflammatory so it’s perfect for soothing those sore throats and getting the blood flowing to fight off infection. If you’re feeling queazy, this is also a great one to add to tea as it has anti-nausea properties.

Aniseed

Although not everyone likes the taste, aniseed is a great herb for soothing sore throats, clearing congestion and helping to improve digestion and reduce bloating and any feelings of nausea.

Cloves

Cloves, like garlic are really good for soothing coughs and helping to get rid of mucous in the lungs. It also has antimicrobial properties which means that any nasty bacteria or parasites are less likely to survive in your digestive system so you can stay happy and healthy through winter!

Related topic: Natural Medication to Boost Your Mood

Have you ever wondered about the dangers of hand sanitisers?

We live in a germaphobic society. You may be surprised to learn your hand sanitiser is not as safe as many advertisements suggest and is potentially weakening your immune system.

We live in a germaphobic society.

The idea of touching a shopping trolley or phone that another person has touched, shaking hands with a kid that has just wiped their nose with their hand and simply stepping into a hospital all create the urge in many people to run for the hand sanitiser.

The tingly gel hits your hands and almost as quickly evaporates as though it was never there. And along with it, all those horrible germs disappear too.

BUT …

What if I told you about the dangers of hand sanitisers? They are probably just as harmful to you as the bacteria you’re so worried about.

Wondering how? Here are a few reasons:

1) It kills ALL bacteria on your hands – the GOOD and the BAD

2) If used by children constantly, it can lower their immune system

3) It increases the amount of BPA (Bisphenol A) that you absorb into your body

Whilst the first two reasons probably come as no surprise, the third one is an interesting one to look at further. In case you hadn’t heard of it, BPA is a nasty chemical that affects your hormones and has been associated with health problems such as heart disease, cancer and infertility.

Already changed your water bottle or food containers to be BPA free? Unfortunately, BPA is still present in many things you touch in a normal day so simply using a hand sanitiser could be undoing all your good work. You see, every time you even touch a receipt or docket, you absorb BPA. If you’ve used a hand sanitiser beforehand, the amount is SIGNIFICANTLY higher.

So do yourself a favour and next time you reach for the hand sanitiser, take a deep breath, acknowledge that bacteria are not all bad and put the hand sanitiser back in your bag.