This episode teaches you a lot about the immune system, immune-brain interactions and offers 12 potential tools for enhancing immune system function. I discuss how our immune system works and science-supported tools we can use to enhance our immune system.

I discuss the innate and adaptive immune systems and our various microbiomes-- not just in our gut but also in our nose, eyes and mouth and how to keep them healthy. And I review how specific patterns of breathing and foods maintain a healthy mucosal barrier that is crucial for fighting infections. I discuss how certain neurochemicals called catecholamines enhance our immune system function and how to use specific breathing protocols, types and timing of heat and cold exposure, and, if appropriate, supplementation to activate catecholamines. I also discuss the role and use of serotonin for the sake of accessing the specific types of sleep for recovering from illness, and I discuss how to increase glymphatic "washout" of brain debris during sleep. I also review fever, the vagus nerve and the use of atypical yet highly effective compounds for rhinitis (nasal inflammation).

Read the full show notes for this episode at hubermanlab.com.

Thank you to our sponsors

AG1: https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab

Waking Up: https://wakingup.com/huberman

Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/huberman

Timestamps

00:00:00 The Mind & Immune System, New Findings: Acupuncture & Fascia

00:03:16 Sponsors: AG1, LMNT & Waking Up

00:07:41 Foundational Tools & Practices for a Healthy Immune System

00:11:20 Immune System Basics: Skin/Mucous, Innate & Adaptive Immune System

00:17:08 Killer Cells, Complement Proteins (“Eat Me!” Signals), Cytokines (“Help Me!” Signals)

00:21:06 The Adaptive Immune System: Antibodies

00:28:00 Tool 1: Nasal Microbiome and “Scrubbing” Bacteria & Viruses; Nasal Breathing

00:30:33 Tools 2 & 3: (Not) Touching Your Eyes; Gut Microbiome & Fermented Foods

00:34:20 Some Interleukins Are Anti-Inflammatory

00:34:56 Sickness Behavior

00:39:08 Some People Seek Care When Sick, Others Want to be Alone

00:42:00 Sickness Behavior & Depression: Cytokines

00:43:40 Reduced Appetites When Sick: Protein, Iron, Libido

00:46:45 Vagus-Nerve Stimulation: Fever, Photophobia, Sleepiness

00:53:03 Humoral (Blood-Borne) Factors, & Choroid Change Your Brain State

00:55:04 Tools 4, 5: Reducing Sickness: Glymphatic Clearance, Pre-Sleep Serotonin, 5HTP

01:07:03 Tool 6: Hot Showers, Saunas, Baths & Cortisol, Heat-Cold Contrast

01:10:53 Feed a Fever & Starve a Cold (?), Adrenaline

01:12:36 Tool 7: Activating Your Immune System w/Cyclic-Hyperventilation, Alkalinity

01:29:10 Brain Chemicals & Cyclic-Hyperventilation; Catecholamines, Dopamine

01:32:10 Mindsets & Immune Function; Yes, You Can Worry Yourself Sick

01:37:00 Tool 8: Healthy Mindsets, Hope, Dopamine; Tool 9: Tyrosine; Tool 10: Cold Exposure

01:42:05 Once You’re Already Sick: Accelerating Recovery; Tool 11: Spirulina, Rhinitis

01:46:09 Histamines, Mast Cells

01:49:22 Tool 12: Acupuncture: Mechanism for How It Reduces Inflammation; Fascia, Rolfing

01:53:40 Mechanistic Science & Ancient Practices

01:58:00 Synthesis, Ways to Support Us (Zero-Cost), Sponsors, Supplements, Social Media

Disclaimer & Disclosures

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The scene in a city flooded following the destruction of a dam