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Alpha-Gal Red Meat Allergy from Tick Bites More Likely Than Previously Thought
Cytomegalovirus Activates Airway Immune Cells to React to Environmental Allergens
Harvard Scientists Highlight Metabolic Disruption from Propionate, a Food Additive
Teasing Out Mechanisms by Which Skin Barrier Breakdown Contributes to Food Allergy
More Evidence for Time-Restricted Eating
Food-Sourced Nutrients are Better than Supplements
Alpha-Gal Red Meat Allergy from Tick Bites More Likely Than Previously Thought
Red meat allergy from tick bites could be more likely than previously thought. Lone Star ticks were originally thought to be able to initiate a red meat allergy if they had recently fed on mammalian blood before biting a human. New research shows that this recent mammalian ‘meal’ isn’t necessary to initiate the allergy, and that deer ticks can initiate the allergy as well. Prevention of tick bites is key.
Cytomegalovirus Activates Airway Immune Cells to React to Environmental Allergens
Common viruses may worsen environmental allergies and asthma. Cytomegalovirus (CMV), for example, can “convert a harmless, inhaled protein antigen into an allergen,” according to new animal research conducted in Germany. CMV activates immune cells in human airways to increase sensitization to environmental allergens like pollen. By the age of 40, over half of us will have been infected with CMV, which can stay in our bodies for life and reactivate (CDC data). For natural support for Seasonal Allergies, click here.
Harvard Scientists Highlight Metabolic Disruption from Propionate, a Food Additive
Propionate, a widely-used food additive, increases the risk of obesity and diabetes. When human subjects consume a meal containing propionate, levels of norepinephrine and glucagon increase which serve as metabolic signals that increase glucose release into the blood. This metabolic disruption can potentially lead to insulin resistance and weight gain. Propionate is found in many baked goods, artificial flavorings and animal feeds.
Teasing Out Mechanisms by Which Skin Barrier Breakdown Contributes to Food Allergy
Breaks in our skin barrier can set the stage for food allergies. Studies have previously shown that the breakdown of skin integrity can be a route by which our immune system becomes sensitized to environmental and food allergies. New animal research at the Boston Children’s Hospital points to one of the potential mechanisms – skin scratches trigger a series of immune responses culminating in an increased number of mast cells in the small intestine, increased intestinal permeability, and increased likelihood of food anaphylaxis.
More Evidence for Time-Restricted Eating
Time-Restricted Eating can improve blood glucose control, according to a new, controlled human study. By solely restricting eating times to a 9-hour window for 1 week (without changing what participants ate), there was an observed 36% reduction in glycemic response to a meal. The benefits appeared to be the same whether the eating “window” started at 8:30 or 12 noon, suggesting that there is some flexibility in the time-of-day that the window is initiated.
Food-Sourced Nutrients are Better than Supplements
It’s better to get your nutrients from food than supplements. That’s what Tuft’s University researchers have recently reported. Adequate food intake of vitamins, A and K, as well as magnesium and zinc are associated with lower risk of death. Overall, they found that supplemental nutrients had no effect on the risk of death in individuals with low nutrient intake, but that too much supplemental calcium (>1,000mg per day) was associated with increased risk of cancer.
