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Global interest in immune supplements reached unprecedented heights during 2020. The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in increased consumer interest in immune health. Along with a focus on nutritious eating and exercise came a significant rise in the intake of immune-supporting dietary supplements.
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There has been an overwhelming focus on ingredients targeting immune function. Particular interest is being observed in natural ingredients that are backed by credible scientific evidence. One such example is fucoidan, a bioactive polysaccharide found naturally in the cell walls of brown seaweeds. High purity, certified organic fucoidans are well known for their beneficial effects in a range of human health conditions. Understandably, the focus on the immune health evidence supporting this innovative marine compound has intensified over the past 12 months. There has been particular interest in the growing body of research supporting the Maritech brand of fucoidan - the
Parasite infections may prevent aging and disease
Written by Minseo Jeong on February 7, 2021 Fact checked by Alexandra Sanfins, Ph.D.
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Research has suggested that the absence of parasite infections may be linked to an increased prevalence of inflammatory conditions.
According to a new review of existing studies, parasites may have anti-inflammatory properties that may help prevent aging.
Controlled restorative therapies can be beneficial for regulating a proper immune response.
Through centuries of evolution, the human body and its surrounding environments have adapted to improve health and promote longevity. For example, the increasing emphasis on hygiene has been effective in combating parasites that cause disease.
What we eat and drink has an impact on our wellbeing.
- Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
It s easy, in the cold, dreary days of lockdown, to turn to comfort food
But what we eat has a significant impact on both our physical and mental health.
Anne-Marie Minihane, director of the Norfolk Institute for Healthy Ageing at the University of East Anglia (UEA) in Norwich, has offered tips to ensure we look after our health in lockdown.
Eat regularly. If your blood sugar drops you might feel tired, irritable and depressed. Eating regularly and choosing slow-release energy foods can keep sugar levels steady. They include pasta, rice, oats, wholegrain bread and cereals, nuts and seeds.
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Parasitic worms could hold the key to living longer and free of chronic disease, according to a review article published today in the open-access
eLife journal.
The review looks at the growing evidence to suggest that losing our old friend helminth parasites, which used to live relatively harmlessly in our bodies, can cause ageing-associated inflammation. It raises the possibility that carefully controlled, restorative helminth treatments could prevent ageing and protect against diseases such as heart disease and dementia. A decline in exposure to commensal microbes and gut helminths in developed countries has been linked to increased prevalence of allergic and autoimmune inflammatory disorders - the so-called old friends hypothesis , explains author Bruce Zhang, Undergraduate Assistant at the UCL Institute of Healthy Ageing, London, UK. A further possibility is that this loss of old friend microbes and helminths increases the sterile, ageing-associated inflamma