August 31, 2025 • 30 mins
The fall sniffles are back, COVID cases are climbing, mysterious one-day colds are making the rounds, and everyone’s talking about “boosting immunity.” But what does that actually mean? In this lab, Titi and Zakiya break down how the immune system really works, bust some common myths, and explore what science says (and doesn’t say) about keeping it strong.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's August and we're finally getting some relief from the
summer heat.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Right, but we're also seeing the fall woes creeping in.
COVID numbers are spiking again across the country, and a
lot of people we know keep talking about this like
mysterious one day cold. They're like, oh, you know, my
nose is running, I'm sneezing, I'm coughing, and it doesn't
last very long.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
But also, I mean it kind of tracks. We're at
the very beginning cusp of flu season, you know, And
I feel like every time this happens, summer ends, it
cools off people going back to school, so stuff is
spreading around the same conversation pops up. People are asking
how do you actually strengthen your immune system?
Speaker 2 (00:44):
And that's why this week we're bringing back one of
our favorite labs. It's Lab forty seven. All Immune Systems Go.
And if you've heard it before, just let this be
your refresher. And if you haven't, listen, close because there
will be a pop quiz. And I'm Zachiah and this
is Dope Labs. Welcome to Dope Labs, a weekly podcast
(01:09):
that mixes hardcore science with pop culture and a healthy
dose of friendship. This week, we're talking all about the
immune system. Specifically, we really wanted to know more about
how it works and what we can do to make
(01:31):
it stronger.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
Yes, it's peak cold and flu season, and I've seen
a lot of you sharing elderberry syrup, ginger lemon emergency,
all of that on your IG stories. You're telling us
all about your immune system hacks and boosters. So this
lab is really for you. We're going to get into
what the immune system is and how it works. So
let's get into the recipation.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
So before we say what do we know? What I
know and what Tekia knows, It's two very different things.
To be clear, I feel like I know next to
nothing about the immune system and how it works. I
feel like I know very very basic things that I
think most people know, like your immune system is important
(02:19):
and having a good immune system will help you. But
that's kind of where it stops for me.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Well, that's okay, because I'm going to help you ask
some other questions like where exactly is immune system in
the body, how does it work, what happens if it's
not working or if it's overworking, what's going on there?
And then I think the question we both have TT
is about all the hacks we see about strengthening and
boosting and enhancing the immune system.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
Yes, some of it just seems like made up stuff,
Like I'm just like, who told you that? Who told
you that? Like, oh, chew on your big toenail for
three minutes and then spit it out and spin round
like I don't.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
Know, Oh yeah, I would chew on it, but if
you do have to get you on it, definitely spit it.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Out all right.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
That makes me feel like we are ready for the dissection.
You're ready, CC, I'm ready.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Hold my hand. Friend.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Our guest for today's lab is doctor Piel Gupta.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
My name is doctor Pyle Gupha. I am an adult
and pediatric allergy and asthma specialist and also a nominologist,
and I live and work in New York City.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
Okay, for me, let's start with the basics. What is
the immune system?
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Our immune system is our body's way of protecting us
from foreign invaders. And what I mean by foreign invaders
are things like viruses, like bacteria, like fungi and even cancers.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Okay, so these are all the things we definitely don't
want in our bodies.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
So if we zoom out, we can think about the
body as this single tube from the mouth to the
booty basically, and your skin is wrapping all of that
and keeping everything in a closed system. So your skin
is like your protective barrier. Right, Our skin is a
physical barrier to those foreign invaders and particles.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
You know, you gotta stay moisturized. You gotta put lotion
on those elbows. Yes, moisturized skin is soft and supple
and plump, but not moisturized skin or dry skin cracks
and bleeds and things like that.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
All right, we have our protective barrier of skin protecting
everything inside. If anything penetrates that barrier, it's then facing
our immune system. And the immune system can be split
into two parts, the innate immune system and the adaptive
or acquired immune system. So innate being the immune system
that you are born with. Yes, and that's not unique
(04:49):
to us. So if we look at it, all animals
have an innate immune system, and so do plants.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Oh I didn't know that. Yeah, I need to treat
my snake plant better. There it's currently three leaves sitting
on the floor. Okay, So there's our skin, which provides
a physical barrier. Then there's the innate and acquired immune systems.
So let's talk about the innate immune system first.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
And so then innate immune systems are first line of deference,
and this line of defense or this army reacts to
fight infection quickly.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
The innate immune system is non specific, so it just says, invader,
respond right. It doesn't know who you are. It just
knows that it is not right.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
That's like your house security system when you come in
the door. It's like, hey, I don't know who you are.
You may be the owner, you might not be. Yes,
but you better put it in a security code or
there's gonna be some problems.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Yes, you know. So let's say that system is not
very specific. It's just a strong first response. Our second
line of defense is the acquired immune system. So if
we were to compare these things, the innate immune system
is not specific, acquired is specific. The innate immune system
is permanent and the response is immediate. For the acquired
immune system is transient. It's not always permanent, and the
(06:03):
response is not immediate, but it is specific and is
coming right for you, is right on time. So the
acquired immune system is something that your body builds over time,
and that's based off of socio physical factors. That's a
really good question. You begin building your acquired immune system
(06:23):
from being a fetus right across the placenta. The mom
is giving you some immunity right there, thanks mommy.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
When a baby is first born, they're not ready to
fight every infection. They are fragile, and our immune systems
when we're born aren't where we want them to be.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
Then, even thinking about what happens as soon as you're born,
you have been inside this other closed system, so you
don't have any bacteria. You know, how we talk about
the microbiome on the skin and how we talk about
the bacteria that's part of our personal environment. You acquire
that as you pass through the birth and canal, or
if you are delivered by c section, you acquire that
from that delivery process, and then you know that skin
(07:03):
to skin contact with mom. At that point, you are
being colonized with bacteria and other microorganisms right then, and
those things are all over your skin, colonizing the body.
So that's what's helping you specifically t T when you're
eating all that crazy food and helping you not get sick.
Those bacteria in your gut. You acquire that stuff from birth.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
So your adaptive immune system starts developing from the jump
through the birth canal, skin to skin. All those germs
getting into your tiny baby body are what your body
needs to adapt to the outside world.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
And so when you think about when a baby t
t is always sick, you know, like you've seen your
nieces and nephew with those running noses, Yes, that is
them being exposed to these foreign particles and pathogens, and
their immune systems are beginning to recognize these things and
getting smarter. So that's why kids get so sick when
they first go to like preschool or todaycare.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
Because their bodies are being introduced to new bacteria that
they've never seen before, bacteria, viruses, all of that, and
that is how you develop that learned or acquired immunity.
So then when you get to a big age like
our age, we've seen a lot of the things that
were in the nursery already, so our bodies are better
equipped to fight it.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
Yes, and you may be able to clear those things
really quickly. So a cold that may have your little
toddler cousin with a running nose for a week, you
may have the sniffles for like one day, and you're good.
You're ready to bounce back and keep it moving.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
And then as we get older, we get exposed to
the environment, which also exposes our body to foreign particles,
foreign substances, and our body starts to recognize what is
normal what is abnormal, and then the immune system slowly
starts to grow.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
So our immune system generally peaks between puberty and young
adulthood and starts to decline around the age of sixty.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
That's why older individuals we have to be extra careful,
just like we are with babies, because they are more
susceptible to infection.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
Really young babies in infants, so under six or seven months,
can't get a flu shot, so everybody around them gets
a flu shot to kind of cocoon them and to
keep themselves from passing something on to the baby. Similarly,
older adults, so over sixty five, they also have a
week immune system, but their immune system can handle a
little bit more than an infant can. So what we
(09:36):
find is that if you think about a flu shot,
if you were under five years old, we can say
just have like one dose compared to if you're an
adult of great health, and you're not compromised in any way.
You would have what we considered maybe two times the dose.
But for people who are over sixty five, the amount
of flu vaccine they're receiving is considered three times the
(09:57):
dose of what a kid would get because a kid
needs much less prompting. Their immune systems are so robust.
It's like, got it, Like if you were trying to
do a TikTok, I'm going to need a little bit
more time to get my TikTok together than somebody who's twelve. Right,
They're a native to that system. They know what to do.
It's just like a learning curve for your immune system
as you get older.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
So now we know what the immune system is. We
know that there's some that is innate, so that stuff
that you're born with, and then we know that there's
some aspects of our immune system that we acquire over
time based on exposure. But where is all of this happening?
Is there like an immune system orgon? Is it near?
My pancreas was just one of the one of the
(10:45):
only organs I remember from biology.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
Like kid, me, you're doing good, You're doing good. Stomac well,
basically it's all over. It's not in any one place.
So in your bones, and I'm not just talking about
one bone, all your bones. Inside there's bone marrow, which
is this like spongy kind of stuff. That is the
place where lymphocytes are made. Lymphocytes are also maturing in
(11:10):
the thymus, which is if you think about like where
your neck is that butterfly organ over your neck, that's
your thyroid. Comes straight down between your lungs and your chest,
that's the thymus, and cells that are part of the
immune system are maturing right in there. You also have
like your lymph nodes, which are kind of like under
your arms if you've ever gotten sick and felt like
sore under your arms or right there under your jawline
(11:31):
a little bit. Yeah, there's even lymphnos right in the
groin area too. Other areas are like the spleen and
even your tonsils. I just think of that as like
the battleground for our immune system.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Really, our tonsils are spleen.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
What was the other one? The lymph nodes.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
Lymph nodes spleen.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
Okay, you're getting it.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
I'm following. I'm following some.
Speaker 3 (11:53):
Of the fighters in this army are things like macrifages, bhasa, fylls,
dendritic cells, or neutrophils. So these are all fancy names
for cells in our body that do different things to
get rid of the bacteria or viruses or other foreign invaders.
Macrifages are kind of like these big cells that kind
of engulf whatever foreign particle they see. The chemicals inside
(12:15):
of the macrophage just eat up whatever they see, and
so that's kind of what a macropage does. Neutrophills are
kind of in a similar way doing that same thing.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
Those cell types and neutrophills, basophylls, mass cells, dendritic cells,
those are all part of our innate immune system and
so tt like you mentioned, if things slip past our
innate immune system, they move on to our second line
of defense, which is our acquired immune system.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
The acquired immune system uses lymphocytes, so those are cells
that circulate in the blood and are made up of
T cells and B cells to target specific pathogens.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
These cells take longer to develop because their behaviors evolve
from learned experiences, but they tend to live longer than
innate cells and the adaptive immune cells remember foreign invaders
after their first encounter and then fight them off the
next time more easily. So this is really the fundamental
(13:09):
concept and promise for how vaccines work.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
For example, yes, remember in the HIV episodes with doctor
Christine Daniels, we talked about creating that mugshot, and so
your immune system is like I already know who you
are and I know what to do. Uh huh. That's
basically what we're doing when we expose our bodies to vaccines,
speeding up that learning process.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
So, now that we understand how the immune system works,
what are some signs we can look for to know
that it's working.
Speaker 1 (13:34):
One of the most common misconceptions is that if you
get quote unquote sick, so like if your nose is running,
or if you are achy, or if you have a fever,
that your immune system isn't working. But that's actually a
sign that it is. Let's take lymph nodes for example.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
Lymph Nodes are tissues that are found all over our bodies,
and lymph nodes produce white blood cells and white blood
cells help fight off infection.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
Lymph Nodes can be found underneath our neck, under our arms,
near our gurn and literally all over.
Speaker 3 (14:02):
When we actually get sick, then our lynth nodes go
into action, and that's when they get inflamed, and that's
when they get bigger. That's evidence that your body is
doing something to fight off infection.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
And so when we think about people's response to the
COVID vaccine and boosters or even the flu shot, sore arms, fatigue,
all of that is just a sign that your immune
system is working.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
You know that the flu shot makes me hurl every
time I get it.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
I didn't know that, girl.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
It happened at your house in North Carolina.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
Oh the flu shot did that to you, haven't. You
just had a different kind of responding.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
Paint the picture for you, okay, o was as a
kid's parents' house.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
Oh, at my parents' house.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Yes. We were hitting golf balls with her dad, and
I had just gotten a flu shot like two days before.
It was my very first flu shot, so I didn't
know nothing was going to happen to me. He put
lamb on the grill. We was eating good, okay, hitting
golf balls. Her dad is launching those golf balls into
the stratosphere. And then all of a sudden and I'm like,
something is not right. I start to feel lightheaded. And
(15:05):
then I say I'm about to throw up. I run
to the bathroom. I felt awful because we had so
much good food that I was like, I really hope
he doesn't think it was his food, because I know
it's not his food. I don't know what's wrong with me.
But then I was like, I have to go home,
and so I drove back to Dorn and then proceeded
to vomit my life away for the next two days.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
And does this happen every time you get a flu shot?
Not that extreme?
Speaker 2 (15:28):
So that was my very first flu shot. So it
makes sense based on what you and doctor Gupta have
been saying about the immune system. My first experience with
the flu shot, I had a really strong reaction because
my body's like, okay, is how do we get rid
of this? What is this? This is something new that
we've never seen before. But now every time I get
the flu shot since then, I'll get supernauxous. Sometimes I'll
(15:49):
throw up. But the last time I got it, I
just felt a little queasy, and so, m M, I'm
guessing this immune system is doing what it's supposed to do.
It's given what it's supposed to give.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
Yeah, and if you don't have those symptoms. If you
don't have that akiness or you didn't really get sick,
it doesn't mean the immune system wasn't working. It just
means that you can feel your immune system working more
than maybe somebody else.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Another example of the immune system working. Baby, you've seen
me suffer from this is allergies. That's our immune system overreacting.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Listen, I have allergies, but I have never seen someone
suffer like my friend.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
Okay, you don't want to be outside with me without
a Xytec and a flow naz spray nostril.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
I've got to get my friend inside. She is perishing.
Every time our.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
Immune system all of a sudden looks at a dog
protein or a cat protein or you know, dust mighte
and all of a sudden thinks that this is something
that I need to react against, when in fact, it's
not something that you need to react against. So it
isn't like the tree because tree protein is actually good.
It's good for environment, we need more of it. But
it's that when our body sees it, it's reacting in
(16:58):
an abnormal way and ripple effect of all these chemicals
being released, and those chemicals are what caused the damage
and the inflammation and all the symptoms that we experience.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
So when we think about how people are treating their allergies,
a lot of people are taking antihistamines and things like this,
and what they're doing is actually dampening their immune system.
They're turning that reaction down so that they're not getting
so much of the running nose and the inflammation. Histamines
are chemicals involved in our immune system, and if you
take benadrill or something like that for allergies, you'll see
(17:33):
the term antihistamine. And what that's doing is you can
think of it as kind of sequestering those histamines away
so you don't get those responses like the running nose
and the itchy eyes and the inflammation that's associated with
our immune systems overreacting to these allergens. Right, So you're
basically saying, hey, take it easy, all right.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
It's holding your immus as Tom back home back.
Speaker 4 (17:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
Yes, that's exactly what it's like. And the nice thing
is that it's specific to the allergens, so it doesn't
mean that your immune system is impaired from protecting you
against other things. So that's really nice to have that
kind of specific targeting for allergies.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Okay, so let's take a break and when we come back,
we'll talk all about what happens when the immune system
doesn't work and what we can do to strengthen our
immune system.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
We're back and we're talking about the immune system with
doctor Piel Gupta. Now that we have a better understanding
of what the immune system does and how it works,
what happens if it's not working. So what we've learned
is that there are some immune system disorders and they
mostly have to do with the immune system operating out
of balance, either underreacting or overreacting to a foreign invader.
(18:59):
When the immune sys is underreacting, it's called an immune deficiency.
Speaker 3 (19:03):
So an immune deficiency is when our body isn't reacting
to viruses, bacteria, fungi. And it can be from the cells,
you know, all of these different cells, from a part
of those cells not working properly, or that there aren't
enough of those cells to help fight infection. So it
can be either the function or it.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
Can be the amount. And immune deficiency can be primary
which means it was inherited at birth, or secondary which
means it's not an innate disorder. But something that is
secondary to another condition such as cancer or AIDS, which
stands for acquired immune deficiency syndrome, and those immune deficiencies
can range in severity and treatment.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
So in those situations, you know, those patients need extra boosters,
they need more antibiotics, they need stronger antibiotics than other people.
If it's a severe immune deficiency, we sometimes have to
actually replace the bone marrow, and that the more severe
ones will show up at birth, and so we actually
have a screening system to kind of find those immune
(20:01):
deficiencies very quickly when a baby is born so that
we can help protect them and take care of them
and make sure that they don't get that first infection
that could lead to unfortunate circumstances.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
So then what about the other side of the coin
when our immune system is overreactive.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
And then the overactive immune system is you know, things
like autoimmune diseases, so you know where like thyroid dysfunction, lupus, rheumatrate, arthritis,
things like that where our immune system might be acting
against us. Then we get other issues where a lot
of inflammation, a lot of the things that we use
to fight infection and turn then causes problems in our body.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
So some parts of our immune system we cannot change
because it's just what we're born with and so there's
not much we can do to fix it. But there
are aspects of our lives that do affect our immune
system that we have some control over, like sleep. And
we just finished talking about sleep in the last two labs,
and what we know about sleep is that it is
not created equal. There are some of us who have
(21:03):
the privilege of being able to get eight hours of
deep sleep, but there are other people who don't because
of where they live, their job schedules, or anything in between.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
But definitely for the immune system, we know that during
sleep we're actually producing certain side of kinds that we
need in order to fight infection. So cyto kinds are
essentially just chemicals that then call other players into action.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
If we don't produce those side of kinds, we're susceptible
to all types of attacks on our immune system. So,
like you said, TT, yes, sleep is key for a
healthy immune system. But what are some of the other
things you've seen people doing to increase their immune health.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
Oh, my goodness, so many things. I think you mentioned
that elderberry, which yes, I had never heard of, but
not everybody is, you know, injecting into their veins.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
The other thing that I remember being big was celery juice.
When everybody was drinking all that celery.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
Juice, Yes, and everybody is me. I was drinking celery
juice for a little bit. I didn't know then it's disgusting.
That's why I was adding it into my juices that
I was making at the time that had apple, cucumber,
gender and things like that. And I was like, oh, celery,
and I put the celery in the thing. Celery. Let
me tell you, you'll know if they're celery in that juice
(22:22):
that you're drinking, because it turns it to something pungent.
You'll know if it's gross. Look at the ingredients, they're
celery in it.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
When you think about those things, celery feels like the tuba,
like you're praying a beautiful siphony with your juices, and
if you put celery in there, it's like coming like, yes,
it's not right. But I wonder, like when I think
(22:52):
about immune health and all of these things the stomach
and the acids in our stomach, they're destroying things that
we put in there, So oh, is that really working,
can we eat our way to better immune hill As far.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
As nutrition goes and diet and the immune system in general,
having a healthy diet is going to allow you to
have a healthy immune system and a healthy body. So
I'll take, like, for example, vitamin C. Our bodies don't
make vitamin seed, right, but we need it for our
immune system. And we get vitamin C from our diet,
and usually it's from citrus, fruits, strawberries, green vegetables, tomatoes,
(23:28):
And the recommended dietary allowance for men is ninety milligrams
per day and for women at seventy five milligrams per day.
That's pretty easy to get if you have a pretty
well balanced diet. You don't have to work very hard
to get it.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
But if you're eating any of those things, then I'm
not saying anybody on this line is not eating those things,
but some people might not be.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
I do take a vitamin seafood.
Speaker 1 (23:52):
Well, that's a good pay you are taking a supplement.
So does that make a difference?
Speaker 4 (24:02):
You know?
Speaker 3 (24:02):
According to Harvard Health, the data on vitamin C is
that it's only marginally beneficial when it comes to things
like the common cult and when you see something like
that where it says it's only marginally beneficial. That means
that more than likely taking large amounts of vitamin C
is maybe going to help you a little bit, but
maybe not so.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
Doctor Gupta is saying that at least for something like
vitamin C, focusing on a healthy, balanced lifestyle is the
most important thing and getting plenty of exercise and sleep
as well. Those are the best things you can do
to keep up a healthy immune system and best to
focus on before you start adding supplements.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
And then the other big, big, big factor for all
of these supplements and things like that is the cost
and the safety. So you know, even though it says
quote unquote natural on something, if you're taking an enlarger
doses because they're saying that these higher doses might be beneficial,
well it could also be the opposite. It could also
(24:58):
yield a side effect because anything in a higher concentration
can also cause problems.
Speaker 1 (25:03):
Well, just know, our bodies can't absorb all those vitamins
and they really can end up as waste.
Speaker 3 (25:07):
Something that my girlfriend just said the other day, which
is super important and she's a physician, also is that
Americans have the most expensive p in all of the world.
Speaker 1 (25:18):
Ah literally liquid gold.
Speaker 2 (25:21):
This is perfect because in next week's lab we are
talking to doctor Alice Lichtenstein about vitamins and why our
p is so expensive in the United States. We're going
to talk about the vitamin industry, and we're going to
be talking about what we need to be considering if
or when we decide we want to take vitamins. I
(25:49):
think one of the things that I feel like is
really important with what doctor Gupto was saying, is that
our immune system, our innate immune system or the immune
system that we develop over time. It's not something that
you know some people can help. The stuff that we
are born with or the conditions that someone might have
that can dictate a lot of different things. So when
(26:09):
she talked about the thyroid, there's thyroid deficiencies where you
can have an overactive thyroid and then that leads to
other health issues like weight gain or fatigue or depression,
and those are all linked to your thyroid. So I
think these types of distinctions are important to realize. One
mind your business and most of all, mind your own
(26:33):
immune system and keep those things in mind when people
are struggling with different ailments like diabetes, like lupus like
thyroid disease. I think, first of all, you have no
clue what's going on in your immune system until something
goes wrong. I mean, it is magical how all these
different systems are operating and interconnecting and with so many
(26:55):
different inputs.
Speaker 1 (26:55):
If we think back to the things we've talked about
psychologically socially, those things have biological implications. The health you
had at fifteen is not the health you're going to
have at thirty, and it's not the health you're gonna
have at sixty. And it's designed that way. So when
people say I'm at the best health of my life,
that may be different than somebody else's health. You know,
as much as we feel in control, we're not really
(27:17):
in control of, you know, what's happening in our bodies.
You're born with a certain set of components and you
do what you can with that. And I think there's
been a lot of conversation when we think about wellness
that sometimes I feel like it goes off the rails
about like, oh, you got to do this stuff to
be healthy. There are genetic differences, there are all these
other things that kind of happen along the way, and
(27:37):
I think we just need to be aware of that
and that your immune system is designed to peak, you know,
at a certain age and then start dropping off. And
what those peaks and valleys look like and how often
they happen could be tied to so many other factors.
There's just no way to know.
Speaker 2 (27:51):
Yeah, I think that's a great point. So it also
makes you think, like, check in with yourself. Are you
noticing anything abnormal or something that you feel like it
happens to you more often? You are getting sick more
often than other people. Maybe that's the perfect time talk
to your doctor about it. Yes, like we said in
our early episode, protect your neck. Did you see how
(28:11):
people were making fun of Kevin Durant because his leg
was ashym.
Speaker 1 (28:14):
Yes, so you know that's social commentary, but that's also
health advice. Kevin Durant, please moisturize your first line of defense.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
But one of the symptoms for hashimotives disease is dry skin.
Is dry skin? Yes, so now I feel bad. Yeah,
I mean I didn't comment on the internet.
Speaker 1 (28:31):
Yeah, but we don't never comment on the internet like that.
You were yourself under your.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
Yeah, but that doesn't mean go out and start diagnosing
people with stuff, No mind your business, they will go
to their doctor.
Speaker 1 (28:43):
That's the main diagnosis. That's what I'm doing in my business.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
It's none of my business. It's none of my business.
Speaker 4 (28:49):
Yes, Special thanks to today's guest expert, Doctor Payel Gupta.
Speaker 1 (29:03):
Find her on Instagram at NYC doctor and on Twitter
at NYC Doctor Gupta. Dope Labs is an original production
from Mega Oh Media Group. Producers are Jenny Rattlett Mast
and Lydia Smith of Way Runner Studios. Editing and sound
designed by Rob Smerciak, Mixing by Hannis Brown. Original music
(29:25):
composed and produced by Taka Yasuzawa and Alex Segira from Spotify,
Executive producer Gina Delback and creative producer Candice Manriquez. Rin
Special thanks to Shirley Ramos, Yasmini, Fifi Kamulolia, Zil Krack
and Brian Marquis. Executive producers from Mega Oh Media Group
(29:45):
are My Internet Vesties, TC Shodia and Zakiyah Wattley
It's August and we're finally getting some relief from the
summer heat.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Right, but we're also seeing the fall woes creeping in.
COVID numbers are spiking again across the country, and a
lot of people we know keep talking about this like
mysterious one day cold. They're like, oh, you know, my
nose is running, I'm sneezing, I'm coughing, and it doesn't
last very long.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
But also, I mean it kind of tracks. We're at
the very beginning cusp of flu season, you know, And
I feel like every time this happens, summer ends, it
cools off people going back to school, so stuff is
spreading around the same conversation pops up. People are asking
how do you actually strengthen your immune system?
Speaker 2 (00:44):
And that's why this week we're bringing back one of
our favorite labs. It's Lab forty seven. All Immune Systems Go.
And if you've heard it before, just let this be
your refresher. And if you haven't, listen, close because there
will be a pop quiz. And I'm Zachiah and this
is Dope Labs. Welcome to Dope Labs, a weekly podcast
(01:09):
that mixes hardcore science with pop culture and a healthy
dose of friendship. This week, we're talking all about the
immune system. Specifically, we really wanted to know more about
how it works and what we can do to make
(01:31):
it stronger.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
Yes, it's peak cold and flu season, and I've seen
a lot of you sharing elderberry syrup, ginger lemon emergency,
all of that on your IG stories. You're telling us
all about your immune system hacks and boosters. So this
lab is really for you. We're going to get into
what the immune system is and how it works. So
let's get into the recipation.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
So before we say what do we know? What I
know and what Tekia knows, It's two very different things.
To be clear, I feel like I know next to
nothing about the immune system and how it works. I
feel like I know very very basic things that I
think most people know, like your immune system is important
(02:19):
and having a good immune system will help you. But
that's kind of where it stops for me.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Well, that's okay, because I'm going to help you ask
some other questions like where exactly is immune system in
the body, how does it work, what happens if it's
not working or if it's overworking, what's going on there?
And then I think the question we both have TT
is about all the hacks we see about strengthening and
boosting and enhancing the immune system.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
Yes, some of it just seems like made up stuff,
Like I'm just like, who told you that? Who told
you that? Like, oh, chew on your big toenail for
three minutes and then spit it out and spin round
like I don't.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
Know, Oh yeah, I would chew on it, but if
you do have to get you on it, definitely spit it.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Out all right.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
That makes me feel like we are ready for the dissection.
You're ready, CC, I'm ready.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Hold my hand. Friend.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Our guest for today's lab is doctor Piel Gupta.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
My name is doctor Pyle Gupha. I am an adult
and pediatric allergy and asthma specialist and also a nominologist,
and I live and work in New York City.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
Okay, for me, let's start with the basics. What is
the immune system?
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Our immune system is our body's way of protecting us
from foreign invaders. And what I mean by foreign invaders
are things like viruses, like bacteria, like fungi and even cancers.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Okay, so these are all the things we definitely don't
want in our bodies.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
So if we zoom out, we can think about the
body as this single tube from the mouth to the
booty basically, and your skin is wrapping all of that
and keeping everything in a closed system. So your skin
is like your protective barrier. Right, Our skin is a
physical barrier to those foreign invaders and particles.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
You know, you gotta stay moisturized. You gotta put lotion
on those elbows. Yes, moisturized skin is soft and supple
and plump, but not moisturized skin or dry skin cracks
and bleeds and things like that.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
All right, we have our protective barrier of skin protecting
everything inside. If anything penetrates that barrier, it's then facing
our immune system. And the immune system can be split
into two parts, the innate immune system and the adaptive
or acquired immune system. So innate being the immune system
that you are born with. Yes, and that's not unique
(04:49):
to us. So if we look at it, all animals
have an innate immune system, and so do plants.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Oh I didn't know that. Yeah, I need to treat
my snake plant better. There it's currently three leaves sitting
on the floor. Okay, So there's our skin, which provides
a physical barrier. Then there's the innate and acquired immune systems.
So let's talk about the innate immune system first.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
And so then innate immune systems are first line of deference,
and this line of defense or this army reacts to
fight infection quickly.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
The innate immune system is non specific, so it just says, invader,
respond right. It doesn't know who you are. It just
knows that it is not right.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
That's like your house security system when you come in
the door. It's like, hey, I don't know who you are.
You may be the owner, you might not be. Yes,
but you better put it in a security code or
there's gonna be some problems.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Yes, you know. So let's say that system is not
very specific. It's just a strong first response. Our second
line of defense is the acquired immune system. So if
we were to compare these things, the innate immune system
is not specific, acquired is specific. The innate immune system
is permanent and the response is immediate. For the acquired
immune system is transient. It's not always permanent, and the
(06:03):
response is not immediate, but it is specific and is
coming right for you, is right on time. So the
acquired immune system is something that your body builds over time,
and that's based off of socio physical factors. That's a
really good question. You begin building your acquired immune system
(06:23):
from being a fetus right across the placenta. The mom
is giving you some immunity right there, thanks mommy.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
When a baby is first born, they're not ready to
fight every infection. They are fragile, and our immune systems
when we're born aren't where we want them to be.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
Then, even thinking about what happens as soon as you're born,
you have been inside this other closed system, so you
don't have any bacteria. You know, how we talk about
the microbiome on the skin and how we talk about
the bacteria that's part of our personal environment. You acquire
that as you pass through the birth and canal, or
if you are delivered by c section, you acquire that
from that delivery process, and then you know that skin
(07:03):
to skin contact with mom. At that point, you are
being colonized with bacteria and other microorganisms right then, and
those things are all over your skin, colonizing the body.
So that's what's helping you specifically t T when you're
eating all that crazy food and helping you not get sick.
Those bacteria in your gut. You acquire that stuff from birth.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
So your adaptive immune system starts developing from the jump
through the birth canal, skin to skin. All those germs
getting into your tiny baby body are what your body
needs to adapt to the outside world.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
And so when you think about when a baby t
t is always sick, you know, like you've seen your
nieces and nephew with those running noses, Yes, that is
them being exposed to these foreign particles and pathogens, and
their immune systems are beginning to recognize these things and
getting smarter. So that's why kids get so sick when
they first go to like preschool or todaycare.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
Because their bodies are being introduced to new bacteria that
they've never seen before, bacteria, viruses, all of that, and
that is how you develop that learned or acquired immunity.
So then when you get to a big age like
our age, we've seen a lot of the things that
were in the nursery already, so our bodies are better
equipped to fight it.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
Yes, and you may be able to clear those things
really quickly. So a cold that may have your little
toddler cousin with a running nose for a week, you
may have the sniffles for like one day, and you're good.
You're ready to bounce back and keep it moving.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
And then as we get older, we get exposed to
the environment, which also exposes our body to foreign particles,
foreign substances, and our body starts to recognize what is
normal what is abnormal, and then the immune system slowly
starts to grow.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
So our immune system generally peaks between puberty and young
adulthood and starts to decline around the age of sixty.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
That's why older individuals we have to be extra careful,
just like we are with babies, because they are more
susceptible to infection.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
Really young babies in infants, so under six or seven months,
can't get a flu shot, so everybody around them gets
a flu shot to kind of cocoon them and to
keep themselves from passing something on to the baby. Similarly,
older adults, so over sixty five, they also have a
week immune system, but their immune system can handle a
little bit more than an infant can. So what we
(09:36):
find is that if you think about a flu shot,
if you were under five years old, we can say
just have like one dose compared to if you're an
adult of great health, and you're not compromised in any way.
You would have what we considered maybe two times the dose.
But for people who are over sixty five, the amount
of flu vaccine they're receiving is considered three times the
(09:57):
dose of what a kid would get because a kid
needs much less prompting. Their immune systems are so robust.
It's like, got it, Like if you were trying to
do a TikTok, I'm going to need a little bit
more time to get my TikTok together than somebody who's twelve. Right,
They're a native to that system. They know what to do.
It's just like a learning curve for your immune system
as you get older.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
So now we know what the immune system is. We
know that there's some that is innate, so that stuff
that you're born with, and then we know that there's
some aspects of our immune system that we acquire over
time based on exposure. But where is all of this happening?
Is there like an immune system orgon? Is it near?
My pancreas was just one of the one of the
(10:45):
only organs I remember from biology.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
Like kid, me, you're doing good, You're doing good. Stomac well,
basically it's all over. It's not in any one place.
So in your bones, and I'm not just talking about
one bone, all your bones. Inside there's bone marrow, which
is this like spongy kind of stuff. That is the
place where lymphocytes are made. Lymphocytes are also maturing in
(11:10):
the thymus, which is if you think about like where
your neck is that butterfly organ over your neck, that's
your thyroid. Comes straight down between your lungs and your chest,
that's the thymus, and cells that are part of the
immune system are maturing right in there. You also have
like your lymph nodes, which are kind of like under
your arms if you've ever gotten sick and felt like
sore under your arms or right there under your jawline
(11:31):
a little bit. Yeah, there's even lymphnos right in the
groin area too. Other areas are like the spleen and
even your tonsils. I just think of that as like
the battleground for our immune system.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Really, our tonsils are spleen.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
What was the other one? The lymph nodes.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
Lymph nodes spleen.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
Okay, you're getting it.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
I'm following. I'm following some.
Speaker 3 (11:53):
Of the fighters in this army are things like macrifages, bhasa, fylls,
dendritic cells, or neutrophils. So these are all fancy names
for cells in our body that do different things to
get rid of the bacteria or viruses or other foreign invaders.
Macrifages are kind of like these big cells that kind
of engulf whatever foreign particle they see. The chemicals inside
(12:15):
of the macrophage just eat up whatever they see, and
so that's kind of what a macropage does. Neutrophills are
kind of in a similar way doing that same thing.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
Those cell types and neutrophills, basophylls, mass cells, dendritic cells,
those are all part of our innate immune system and
so tt like you mentioned, if things slip past our
innate immune system, they move on to our second line
of defense, which is our acquired immune system.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
The acquired immune system uses lymphocytes, so those are cells
that circulate in the blood and are made up of
T cells and B cells to target specific pathogens.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
These cells take longer to develop because their behaviors evolve
from learned experiences, but they tend to live longer than
innate cells and the adaptive immune cells remember foreign invaders
after their first encounter and then fight them off the
next time more easily. So this is really the fundamental
(13:09):
concept and promise for how vaccines work.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
For example, yes, remember in the HIV episodes with doctor
Christine Daniels, we talked about creating that mugshot, and so
your immune system is like I already know who you
are and I know what to do. Uh huh. That's
basically what we're doing when we expose our bodies to vaccines,
speeding up that learning process.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
So, now that we understand how the immune system works,
what are some signs we can look for to know
that it's working.
Speaker 1 (13:34):
One of the most common misconceptions is that if you
get quote unquote sick, so like if your nose is running,
or if you are achy, or if you have a fever,
that your immune system isn't working. But that's actually a
sign that it is. Let's take lymph nodes for example.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
Lymph Nodes are tissues that are found all over our bodies,
and lymph nodes produce white blood cells and white blood
cells help fight off infection.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
Lymph Nodes can be found underneath our neck, under our arms,
near our gurn and literally all over.
Speaker 3 (14:02):
When we actually get sick, then our lynth nodes go
into action, and that's when they get inflamed, and that's
when they get bigger. That's evidence that your body is
doing something to fight off infection.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
And so when we think about people's response to the
COVID vaccine and boosters or even the flu shot, sore arms, fatigue,
all of that is just a sign that your immune
system is working.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
You know that the flu shot makes me hurl every
time I get it.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
I didn't know that, girl.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
It happened at your house in North Carolina.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
Oh the flu shot did that to you, haven't. You
just had a different kind of responding.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
Paint the picture for you, okay, o was as a
kid's parents' house.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
Oh, at my parents' house.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Yes. We were hitting golf balls with her dad, and
I had just gotten a flu shot like two days before.
It was my very first flu shot, so I didn't
know nothing was going to happen to me. He put
lamb on the grill. We was eating good, okay, hitting
golf balls. Her dad is launching those golf balls into
the stratosphere. And then all of a sudden and I'm like,
something is not right. I start to feel lightheaded. And
(15:05):
then I say I'm about to throw up. I run
to the bathroom. I felt awful because we had so
much good food that I was like, I really hope
he doesn't think it was his food, because I know
it's not his food. I don't know what's wrong with me.
But then I was like, I have to go home,
and so I drove back to Dorn and then proceeded
to vomit my life away for the next two days.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
And does this happen every time you get a flu shot?
Not that extreme?
Speaker 2 (15:28):
So that was my very first flu shot. So it
makes sense based on what you and doctor Gupta have
been saying about the immune system. My first experience with
the flu shot, I had a really strong reaction because
my body's like, okay, is how do we get rid
of this? What is this? This is something new that
we've never seen before. But now every time I get
the flu shot since then, I'll get supernauxous. Sometimes I'll
(15:49):
throw up. But the last time I got it, I
just felt a little queasy, and so, m M, I'm
guessing this immune system is doing what it's supposed to do.
It's given what it's supposed to give.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
Yeah, and if you don't have those symptoms. If you
don't have that akiness or you didn't really get sick,
it doesn't mean the immune system wasn't working. It just
means that you can feel your immune system working more
than maybe somebody else.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Another example of the immune system working. Baby, you've seen
me suffer from this is allergies. That's our immune system overreacting.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Listen, I have allergies, but I have never seen someone
suffer like my friend.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
Okay, you don't want to be outside with me without
a Xytec and a flow naz spray nostril.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
I've got to get my friend inside. She is perishing.
Every time our.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
Immune system all of a sudden looks at a dog
protein or a cat protein or you know, dust mighte
and all of a sudden thinks that this is something
that I need to react against, when in fact, it's
not something that you need to react against. So it
isn't like the tree because tree protein is actually good.
It's good for environment, we need more of it. But
it's that when our body sees it, it's reacting in
(16:58):
an abnormal way and ripple effect of all these chemicals
being released, and those chemicals are what caused the damage
and the inflammation and all the symptoms that we experience.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
So when we think about how people are treating their allergies,
a lot of people are taking antihistamines and things like this,
and what they're doing is actually dampening their immune system.
They're turning that reaction down so that they're not getting
so much of the running nose and the inflammation. Histamines
are chemicals involved in our immune system, and if you
take benadrill or something like that for allergies, you'll see
(17:33):
the term antihistamine. And what that's doing is you can
think of it as kind of sequestering those histamines away
so you don't get those responses like the running nose
and the itchy eyes and the inflammation that's associated with
our immune systems overreacting to these allergens. Right, So you're
basically saying, hey, take it easy, all right.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
It's holding your immus as Tom back home back.
Speaker 4 (17:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
Yes, that's exactly what it's like. And the nice thing
is that it's specific to the allergens, so it doesn't
mean that your immune system is impaired from protecting you
against other things. So that's really nice to have that
kind of specific targeting for allergies.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Okay, so let's take a break and when we come back,
we'll talk all about what happens when the immune system
doesn't work and what we can do to strengthen our
immune system.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
We're back and we're talking about the immune system with
doctor Piel Gupta. Now that we have a better understanding
of what the immune system does and how it works,
what happens if it's not working. So what we've learned
is that there are some immune system disorders and they
mostly have to do with the immune system operating out
of balance, either underreacting or overreacting to a foreign invader.
(18:59):
When the immune sys is underreacting, it's called an immune deficiency.
Speaker 3 (19:03):
So an immune deficiency is when our body isn't reacting
to viruses, bacteria, fungi. And it can be from the cells,
you know, all of these different cells, from a part
of those cells not working properly, or that there aren't
enough of those cells to help fight infection. So it
can be either the function or it.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
Can be the amount. And immune deficiency can be primary
which means it was inherited at birth, or secondary which
means it's not an innate disorder. But something that is
secondary to another condition such as cancer or AIDS, which
stands for acquired immune deficiency syndrome, and those immune deficiencies
can range in severity and treatment.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
So in those situations, you know, those patients need extra boosters,
they need more antibiotics, they need stronger antibiotics than other people.
If it's a severe immune deficiency, we sometimes have to
actually replace the bone marrow, and that the more severe
ones will show up at birth, and so we actually
have a screening system to kind of find those immune
(20:01):
deficiencies very quickly when a baby is born so that
we can help protect them and take care of them
and make sure that they don't get that first infection
that could lead to unfortunate circumstances.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
So then what about the other side of the coin
when our immune system is overreactive.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
And then the overactive immune system is you know, things
like autoimmune diseases, so you know where like thyroid dysfunction, lupus, rheumatrate, arthritis,
things like that where our immune system might be acting
against us. Then we get other issues where a lot
of inflammation, a lot of the things that we use
to fight infection and turn then causes problems in our body.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
So some parts of our immune system we cannot change
because it's just what we're born with and so there's
not much we can do to fix it. But there
are aspects of our lives that do affect our immune
system that we have some control over, like sleep. And
we just finished talking about sleep in the last two labs,
and what we know about sleep is that it is
not created equal. There are some of us who have
(21:03):
the privilege of being able to get eight hours of
deep sleep, but there are other people who don't because
of where they live, their job schedules, or anything in between.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
But definitely for the immune system, we know that during
sleep we're actually producing certain side of kinds that we
need in order to fight infection. So cyto kinds are
essentially just chemicals that then call other players into action.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
If we don't produce those side of kinds, we're susceptible
to all types of attacks on our immune system. So,
like you said, TT, yes, sleep is key for a
healthy immune system. But what are some of the other
things you've seen people doing to increase their immune health.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
Oh, my goodness, so many things. I think you mentioned
that elderberry, which yes, I had never heard of, but
not everybody is, you know, injecting into their veins.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
The other thing that I remember being big was celery juice.
When everybody was drinking all that celery.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
Juice, Yes, and everybody is me. I was drinking celery
juice for a little bit. I didn't know then it's disgusting.
That's why I was adding it into my juices that
I was making at the time that had apple, cucumber,
gender and things like that. And I was like, oh, celery,
and I put the celery in the thing. Celery. Let
me tell you, you'll know if they're celery in that juice
(22:22):
that you're drinking, because it turns it to something pungent.
You'll know if it's gross. Look at the ingredients, they're
celery in it.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
When you think about those things, celery feels like the tuba,
like you're praying a beautiful siphony with your juices, and
if you put celery in there, it's like coming like, yes,
it's not right. But I wonder, like when I think
(22:52):
about immune health and all of these things the stomach
and the acids in our stomach, they're destroying things that
we put in there, So oh, is that really working,
can we eat our way to better immune hill As far.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
As nutrition goes and diet and the immune system in general,
having a healthy diet is going to allow you to
have a healthy immune system and a healthy body. So
I'll take, like, for example, vitamin C. Our bodies don't
make vitamin seed, right, but we need it for our
immune system. And we get vitamin C from our diet,
and usually it's from citrus, fruits, strawberries, green vegetables, tomatoes,
(23:28):
And the recommended dietary allowance for men is ninety milligrams
per day and for women at seventy five milligrams per day.
That's pretty easy to get if you have a pretty
well balanced diet. You don't have to work very hard
to get it.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
But if you're eating any of those things, then I'm
not saying anybody on this line is not eating those things,
but some people might not be.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
I do take a vitamin seafood.
Speaker 1 (23:52):
Well, that's a good pay you are taking a supplement.
So does that make a difference?
Speaker 4 (24:02):
You know?
Speaker 3 (24:02):
According to Harvard Health, the data on vitamin C is
that it's only marginally beneficial when it comes to things
like the common cult and when you see something like
that where it says it's only marginally beneficial. That means
that more than likely taking large amounts of vitamin C
is maybe going to help you a little bit, but
maybe not so.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
Doctor Gupta is saying that at least for something like
vitamin C, focusing on a healthy, balanced lifestyle is the
most important thing and getting plenty of exercise and sleep
as well. Those are the best things you can do
to keep up a healthy immune system and best to
focus on before you start adding supplements.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
And then the other big, big, big factor for all
of these supplements and things like that is the cost
and the safety. So you know, even though it says
quote unquote natural on something, if you're taking an enlarger
doses because they're saying that these higher doses might be beneficial,
well it could also be the opposite. It could also
(24:58):
yield a side effect because anything in a higher concentration
can also cause problems.
Speaker 1 (25:03):
Well, just know, our bodies can't absorb all those vitamins
and they really can end up as waste.
Speaker 3 (25:07):
Something that my girlfriend just said the other day, which
is super important and she's a physician, also is that
Americans have the most expensive p in all of the world.
Speaker 1 (25:18):
Ah literally liquid gold.
Speaker 2 (25:21):
This is perfect because in next week's lab we are
talking to doctor Alice Lichtenstein about vitamins and why our
p is so expensive in the United States. We're going
to talk about the vitamin industry, and we're going to
be talking about what we need to be considering if
or when we decide we want to take vitamins. I
(25:49):
think one of the things that I feel like is
really important with what doctor Gupto was saying, is that
our immune system, our innate immune system or the immune
system that we develop over time. It's not something that
you know some people can help. The stuff that we
are born with or the conditions that someone might have
that can dictate a lot of different things. So when
(26:09):
she talked about the thyroid, there's thyroid deficiencies where you
can have an overactive thyroid and then that leads to
other health issues like weight gain or fatigue or depression,
and those are all linked to your thyroid. So I
think these types of distinctions are important to realize. One
mind your business and most of all, mind your own
(26:33):
immune system and keep those things in mind when people
are struggling with different ailments like diabetes, like lupus like
thyroid disease. I think, first of all, you have no
clue what's going on in your immune system until something
goes wrong. I mean, it is magical how all these
different systems are operating and interconnecting and with so many
(26:55):
different inputs.
Speaker 1 (26:55):
If we think back to the things we've talked about
psychologically socially, those things have biological implications. The health you
had at fifteen is not the health you're going to
have at thirty, and it's not the health you're gonna
have at sixty. And it's designed that way. So when
people say I'm at the best health of my life,
that may be different than somebody else's health. You know,
as much as we feel in control, we're not really
(27:17):
in control of, you know, what's happening in our bodies.
You're born with a certain set of components and you
do what you can with that. And I think there's
been a lot of conversation when we think about wellness
that sometimes I feel like it goes off the rails
about like, oh, you got to do this stuff to
be healthy. There are genetic differences, there are all these
other things that kind of happen along the way, and
(27:37):
I think we just need to be aware of that
and that your immune system is designed to peak, you know,
at a certain age and then start dropping off. And
what those peaks and valleys look like and how often
they happen could be tied to so many other factors.
There's just no way to know.
Speaker 2 (27:51):
Yeah, I think that's a great point. So it also
makes you think, like, check in with yourself. Are you
noticing anything abnormal or something that you feel like it
happens to you more often? You are getting sick more
often than other people. Maybe that's the perfect time talk
to your doctor about it. Yes, like we said in
our early episode, protect your neck. Did you see how
(28:11):
people were making fun of Kevin Durant because his leg
was ashym.
Speaker 1 (28:14):
Yes, so you know that's social commentary, but that's also
health advice. Kevin Durant, please moisturize your first line of defense.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
But one of the symptoms for hashimotives disease is dry skin.
Is dry skin? Yes, so now I feel bad. Yeah,
I mean I didn't comment on the internet.
Speaker 1 (28:31):
Yeah, but we don't never comment on the internet like that.
You were yourself under your.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
Yeah, but that doesn't mean go out and start diagnosing
people with stuff, No mind your business, they will go
to their doctor.
Speaker 1 (28:43):
That's the main diagnosis. That's what I'm doing in my business.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
It's none of my business. It's none of my business.
Speaker 4 (28:49):
Yes, Special thanks to today's guest expert, Doctor Payel Gupta.
Speaker 1 (29:03):
Find her on Instagram at NYC doctor and on Twitter
at NYC Doctor Gupta. Dope Labs is an original production
from Mega Oh Media Group. Producers are Jenny Rattlett Mast
and Lydia Smith of Way Runner Studios. Editing and sound
designed by Rob Smerciak, Mixing by Hannis Brown. Original music
(29:25):
composed and produced by Taka Yasuzawa and Alex Segira from Spotify,
Executive producer Gina Delback and creative producer Candice Manriquez. Rin
Special thanks to Shirley Ramos, Yasmini, Fifi Kamulolia, Zil Krack
and Brian Marquis. Executive producers from Mega Oh Media Group
(29:45):
are My Internet Vesties, TC Shodia and Zakiyah Wattley
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