EP 37 | Antibodies 101: How Our Immune System Protects Us From Viruses and Other Invaders with Dr. Susan Blum

We are back for the 4th and final season of the SIBO Made Simple podcast—and man, what a different world we’re returning to. I could have never predicted when I recorded my last episode on February 20th that all anyone would be thinking about in the health space was viruses. But here we are.

To satisfy all your burning questions about Covid-19 and further educate ourselves on how the immune system interacts with our gut, I’ve got Dr. Susan Blum returning to the show to discuss all things antibodies. As someone with an autoimmune disease (and the host of this here podcast), I thought I was pretty hip to this line of immune defense, but all the recent discussion of viral antibodies has revealed that there are some major gaps in my knowledge on how these immunoglobulins are produced, what functions they serve, and why they sometimes hurt rather than help.

Dr. Blum is the author of the iconic book The Immune System Recovery Plan and more recently, Healing Arthritis. She is also our featured guest on episode 8 of the podcast discussing leaky gut and the SIBO-autoimmune connection. It’s a great place to start if you’re new to how the immune system works.

A quick taste of what we’ll cover:

• The difference between T-cells and B-cells
• How long different types of antibodies stick around for
• Antibody testing and why there have been problems with Covid-19 results
• Other ways our body develops defenses to viruses besides antibodies that makes a second infection less likely
• How antibodies to foods form and what IgG food sensitivity testing tells you about your long-term tolerance to certain ingredients
• Whether SIBO or other forms of dysbiosis make you more immunocompromised or susceptible to viruses
• Immunoglobulin supplements and other ways to fortify your immune system
• And so much more…

Resources, mentions and notes:

• Dr. Blum’s website
• Dr. Blum’s books: The Immune System Recovery Plan and Healing Arthritis
• Dr. Blum’s new course
• Episode 8: The SIBO-Autoimmune Connection with Dr. Blum
• SBI Protect immunoglobulins; IgG protect
• LoveBug Probiotics Immunity Formula
• Pre-Order the SIBO Made Simple book for immediate access to recipes!
• Join the SIBO Made Simple Facebook Community Page
• Subscribe to the newsletter (and receive a free low FODMAP cookbook)

This episode is brought to you by 4 Weeks to Wellness, my online program for finding the sweet spot between health and hedonism. Need 4-weeks worth of easy low FODMAP recipes with a step-by-step meal plan laid out for you? You’ll receive a 20-recipe cookbook, complete with shopping lists, elimination diet guidance and reintroduction worksheets, in addition to the many other program resources like my symptom and activity tracker, lymphatic massage videos, doable desk stretches, and so much more. The 300+ people who have joined the tribe have reported clearer skin, calmer tummies, less bloat, tamer food cravings, and a general ease over their newfound habits. To find out more details about when the next session starts, click here. Use the code SIBOMADESIMPLE at checkout for $40 off!

Disclaimer: The information in this podcast does not provide medical advice, professional diagnosis, opinion, or treatment. The information discussed is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical or professional care.