Toxic Food & Hidden Chemicals Are Everywhere: Here's What You Can Do
Mar 10, 2025
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Elroy Vojdani, a functional medicine pioneer and author, joins Leonard Calabrese, an immunology expert, to reveal how our gut health directly impacts immune resilience. They discuss the alarming rise of autoimmune disorders and the importance of a clean diet in combating chronic inflammation. The conversation covers the role of mitochondria in energy production and aging, and how nutrition, lifestyle choices, and positive stressors can rejuvenate the immune system. Additionally, they explore innovative mindfulness techniques for stress reduction.
Gut health is crucial for a resilient immune system, highlighting the need for dietary changes to prevent chronic diseases.
Addressing magnesium deficiency through comprehensive supplements can significantly enhance sleep quality and immune function.
Immunorejuvenation strategies, including anti-inflammatory diets and stress management, are essential for maintaining health as we age.
Deep dives
Gut Health and Immune System Connection
A significant portion of the immune system resides in the gut, highlighting the importance of gut health in overall immunity. Disruption of this system can lead to conditions like leaky gut, which contributes to inflammation and various chronic diseases. Factors such as diet, antibiotic use, and environmental toxins have severely affected gut microbiome health, compromising immune function. The decline in gut health is linked to a rise in autoimmune diseases and other health issues, emphasizing the need for dietary changes to restore gut integrity.
Magnesium Deficiency and Its Impact
Magnesium plays a crucial role in over 600 bodily functions, including energy production and stress management, yet it is widely deficient in the population. Most supplements only offer limited forms of magnesium, but the Magnesium Breakthrough product combines all seven essential forms in one capsule, ensuring better absorption and effectiveness. Regular use of such comprehensive supplements can significantly improve sleep quality, reduce stress, and enhance muscle recovery. Addressing magnesium deficiency is essential for maintaining optimal health and immune function.
Autoimmunity Linked to Long COVID
Research has identified a concerning correlation between COVID-19 infection and a subsequent increase in autoimmune diseases, with studies showing a 46% higher risk of developing autoimmune conditions post-infection. This increase in autoimmunity can be attributed to a compromised immune response and chronic systemic inflammation triggered by the virus. Long COVID symptoms are diverse and can persist for extended periods, affecting various bodily systems, including neurological and gastrointestinal health. The current medical approach often overlooks these complications, highlighting a need for better understanding and treatment options.
Immunorejuvenation and Aging
The concept of immunorejuvenation focuses on enhancing immune system function as individuals age, counteracting the process of immunosenescence, which leads to less effective immune responses. Chronic inflammation, caused by factors like poor diet and stress, contributes to the aging of the immune system and its ability to combat infections and diseases. Strategies to rejuvenate the immune system include adopting an anti-inflammatory diet rich in phytochemicals, engaging in regular exercise, and managing stress effectively. Understanding the mechanisms of immune resilience can help individuals maintain health and vitality as they age.
The Role of Diet and Lifestyle in Immune Health
Adopting an anti-inflammatory diet rich in whole foods, particularly those high in polyphenols, is essential for supporting immune health. Additionally, maintaining a healthy lifestyle through regular physical activity and stress management techniques significantly enhances immune function. Foods like Himalayan tartary buckwheat, which are packed with beneficial phytochemicals, can play a role in immune rejuvenation. Incorporating these elements into daily life not only supports overall well-being but also fosters resilience against diseases.
Our immune system operates like a finely tuned symphony, yet many of us find ourselves out of harmony, vulnerable to persistent infections, autoimmune conditions, and chronic disease. Rather than merely suppressing symptoms, a Functional Medicine approach seeks to identify and address the underlying disruptions driving immune imbalance. Central to this dysfunction is compromised gut health, which undermines immune regulation, while mitochondrial impairment and chronic inflammation further erode the body's capacity for resilience and repair. By restoring balance at the root level, we can cultivate a more robust and adaptive immune system.
In this episode, I discuss, along with Dr. Elroy Vojdani and Dr. Leonard Calabrese, how cleaning up our diets, improving gut health, removing toxins, and decreasing stress can do wonders for our immune systems.
Dr. Elroy Vojdani is a pioneer in the field of functional medicine and research and is the founder of Regenera Medical, a concierge functional medicine practice in Los Angeles, California. He graduated from USC Keck School of Medicine, is a certified Institute for Functional Medicine Practitioner. Dr. Vojdani has conducted medical scientific research for decades with more than 25 publications in multiple peer-reviewed journals. He is also world-renowned for his research and development of state-of-the-art lab testing in the field of immunology. He recently authored a book entitled “When Food Bites Back” which discusses the role of food immune reactions in the development of autoimmune disease.
Dr. Leonard Calabrese, is an expert in immunology and rheumatology. In fact, he is a Professor of Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University and Vice Chair of the Department of Rheumatic and Immunologic Diseases. Dr. Calabrese is the director of the RJ Fasenmyer Center for Clinical Immunology at the Cleveland Clinic and holds joint appointments in the Department of Infectious Diseases and the Wellness Institute. Dr. Calabrese has made significant contributions to science in the fields of chronic viral infections and autoimmunity and vascular inflammatory diseases of the brain. He has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to the advancements of immunology and wellness.
