Easter Island and Sirolimus

Right now it is Easter Island meets modern medicine. Sirolimus is a macrolide compound, an "has immunosuppressant functions in humans and is especially useful in preventing the rejection of kidney transplants. It inhibits activation of T cells and B cells by reducing the production of interleukin-2 (IL-2)" [1]. There had been an article in German with the title "Easter Island medicine allows mice to get older [2].

You might ask now, what this has to do with Easter Island. Remember that Easter Island's original name is Rapanui. Now, Sirolimus has a second name and this is Rapamycin. The bacterium that produces Rapamycin has been found on Rapanui in 1972. Its' use to prevent the rejection of kidney transplants comes from a lower kidney toxicity when compared to calcineurin inhibitors (this toxicity and the induction of hypertension are two of the reasons why Cyclosporin A isn't much used in Rheumatology nowadays).

Where's the link to my recent trip to Rapanui? I had been hiking from Hanga Roa to Rano Kao and taking the left side walk at the rim of the crater, when I suddenly saw something afar. Actually I've been asking myself in disbelief if someone had put up a honey bucket. Soon this assumption showed to be inaccurate as it is a huge slab of stone mounted on rocks, but it had been unclear for what reason because the brass plate isn't there anymore.

 

The outdoor toilet impression came from 

very much farther away

If you want to see the brass plate, please open this link [3].

Links and References:

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sirolimus

[2] Osterinsel-Medizin lässt Mäuse älter werden, SPIEGEL-Online, 9. Juli 2009

[3] http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157

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Sanitary tips for travellers

Food – uncooked foods aren’t safe, even for healthy people. Boil it, cook it, peel it, or forget it! is still a valid way of handling foodstuffs abroad. Though standards even in developing countries have improved a lot, it isn’t worth gambling with your health. Raw or undercooked meat, fish, or shellfish, and the sauces that go along and stand around buffets for hours. Warmed scrambled eggs might also be a hazard. Salads are great at home, but might be dangerous at other places around the world. Ice cream, unpasteurized milk and dairy products are also better avoided. Concerning street vendors you may consider buying a false Rolex watch, but don’t consider buying food from street vendors.


Water – water conditions around the world also have improved a lot, but water is still to be considered as a health hazard, especially water from wells or streams; even tap water might not be safe. Bottled water is available nearly everywhere. Check, if the cap is still sealed. Avoid ice cubes; hot tea cools better and doesn’t contain bacteria. Swimming and showering might also allow bacteria or other microbes to enter your body.


Safety of food and water is even more important if you suffer from a disease that affects the immune system or where therapy lowers the ability of the immune system to react to microbes (immune suppressive therapy).


Wash your hands! You’ve touched something, if in doubt, wash your hands.
Take the small amount of hand disinfectant that is allowed on board your aircraft and use it on long flights.
Where lots of people gather, like in queues to board an aircraft or train or at the baggage carrousel, bacteria are exchanged easily. Wear a mouth-pad and try to wait until the mass of people has dispersed.

Boosting your immune system?

Is it possible to boost your immune system? Most probably not. Should I stop here? Leave you in the dark? No way.

The immune system is very complex. If it would be possible to boost the immune system, it also means putting someone with an autoimmune disease at a higher risk for disease activity.

But that doesn’t mean that lifestyle may not have any effects on the immune system. One can enhance balance and harmony by not burdening the immune system with harmful effects like exercising too much or not enough, psychological stress, alcohol, smoking, diet, and more.

Much has been written on the net concerning micronutrients and you find lots of advertisements on supplements. In fact there are deficiencies, which vary from where you live: the US is rich in iodine, Germany for instance has a problem with deficiency. Some parts of the word are rich in selenium other region supply only deficient amounts in the local diet. Avoid high doses like in “orthomolecular medicine”. Normally you won’t need supplementation. Lots of foods are enriched, that means you already get more that enough of some of the vitamins. Some people have to stay out of sun (lupus patients for instance, or because of drugs like MTX) and then Vit. D supplementation is a good idea. Some people go vegan, which is a great idea personally and globally, but these persons might need Vit. B12 supplementation. For the uncertain and anxious: don’t burden your immune system with anxiety, use a multi vitamin/micronutrient pill, which any supermarket supplies. If you compare these with the ones you buy in drug stores, they contain more or less the same amounts, but differ enormously in price. The firm producing the pills get the vitamins from 3 or 4 giant producers, so all comes from the same source, only in different packages. For the non anxious - forget supplementation.

Some herbs are said to enhance the immune system like echinacea, ginseng, garlic, and more, but no study confirms current claims. Liquorice root might cause hypertension.

Stress and sleeplessness reduce normal function of the immune system. That’s something where you could start boosting your immune system right away.

Your healthy lifestyle could include:
• reduce your stress
• don’t smoke, avoid drugs
• don't do drugs
• avoid infections (crowds, swimming in unclean waters, sex life etc.)
• wash your hands regularly
• enjoy the sun, but don’t burn in the sun, use sunscreen
• maintain normal weight
• look for normal blood pressure
• adequate sleep
• exercise regularly, but resist the “no pain no gain” strategy
• don’t drink alcohol or only in moderation
• your diet should be high in vegetables, whole grain products, fruits, low in meat, saturated fat and trans fatty acids
• get your screening for cancer, diabetes

Good source and much background information:
http://www.health.harvard.edu/flu-resource-center/how-to-boost-your-immune-system.htm