Good point.
I told him he was welcome to remove my cat if it bothered him. He pushed the conversation by saying his wife was more offended by his manner of removing the cat. Was I as well? Er, yeah.
Oh, and one more point. My germ unease has to do with colds and flus more than anything else. I've been virally afflicted far too often for far too long.
Have you tried colostrum?
I read it had measurable effects re catching stuff, and is used by athletes to boost immunity.
I guess it means the poor little calves don't get it, though.
I used it at an especially bad immune time for me......I think it helped, but I couldn't swear to it.
In dairy operations, calves are rarely allowed to take colostrum directly from the mother. There are too many variables involved that increase the likelihood of inadequate colostral intake.
Rather, colostrum is collected from cows after they give birth (a healthy, high producing cow can produce enough good colostrum for four calves), tested for immunoglobulin content, and frozen.
Calves (in good operations, at least) are fed four quarts frozen-thawed, tested colostrum after they are born.
Actually drinking colostrum as an adult human -- well, I can't imagine that this is efficacious at all. A calf or a foal can only receive colostrum effectively for at most a few hours after it is born. After this period, the gut "closes" and won't allow transfer of proteins as large as antibodies across it's wall -- and with good reason. If it did that, all kinds of nasty stuff (like bacterial toxins) could pour directly across the gut and into the circulation. If I drank myself a quart of colostrum, my gut would digest the antibodies like they would any other proteins.
Now, colostrum does contain lactoferrin, which may be useful in fighting certain infections -- but bovine lactoferrin is available as a separate supplement, consumption of which would be greatly preferable to sucking down colostrum (ugh), and use of which actually has been shown to boost the response of the immune system
What I suspect would be of more interest to athletes is that colostrum contains IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor-1). This hormone has some qualities of insulin and human growth hormone, which are anabolic hormones -- and, as such, of obvious (if unsporting) interest to high-level athletes. Increased IGF-1 production also is associated with a number of different cancer types (which doesn't mean that it causes cancer -- just that it helps it grow (IGF-1 also inhibits programmed cell death, or "apoptosis")).
I will grant that bovine colostrum may have some conceivable benefit for fight gastrointestinal infections -- since antibodies and other factors don't have to cross into the patient's circulation to be effective. Granted, our own mucosal immunity is provided by the antibody IgA while bovine colostrum contains mainly the antibody IgG, but it may have some efficacy -- especially given the surprising revelation a couple of years ago that IgG has antimicrobial properties independent of the action of cell-mediated immunity. But I can't imagine that taking in colostrum is useful against anything outside the GI tract.
From Sports Medicine, 2007 (volume 37) (emphasis added):
Quote:Marathoners are at an increased risk of developing upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) following races and periods of hard training, which are associated with temporary changes in the immune system. The majority of the reported changes are decreases in function or concentration of certain immune cells. During this period of immune suppression, by some referred to as an 'open window' in immune function, it has been hypothesised that viruses and bacteria might gain a foothold, which would increase the risk of infections. In light of this, nutritional interventions that can enhance immune function and reduce the risk of URTIs have been sought. This paper focuses on the effect of glutamine, vitamin C, bovine colostrum and glucose. Although, some of these supplements can affect the physiological and immune changes associated with marathon racing, none of the supplements discussed have consistently been shown to reduce the risk of URTIs and therefore cannot be recommended for use as enhancers of immune function in marathon runners.
patiodog wrote:From Sports Medicine, 2007 (volume 37) (emphasis added):
Quote:Marathoners are at an increased risk of developing upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) following races and periods of hard training, which are associated with temporary changes in the immune system. The majority of the reported changes are decreases in function or concentration of certain immune cells. During this period of immune suppression, by some referred to as an 'open window' in immune function, it has been hypothesised that viruses and bacteria might gain a foothold, which would increase the risk of infections. In light of this, nutritional interventions that can enhance immune function and reduce the risk of URTIs have been sought. This paper focuses on the effect of glutamine, vitamin C, bovine colostrum and glucose. Although, some of these supplements can affect the physiological and immune changes associated with marathon racing, none of the supplements discussed have consistently been shown to reduce the risk of URTIs and therefore cannot be recommended for use as enhancers of immune function in marathon runners.
So...you're a anti colustrimist?
What CAN Little 'k do?
Not sayin' I'm anti, but looking at the claims made by the supplement-pushers on the web, I felt the need to respond with some degree of skepticism.
As to protecting oneself -- washing one's own hand is good, of course, since the main route of transfer of viruses is from one's own hands to one's mucous membranes. Eat well, sleep well, exercise when feeling well (but don't overdo it if recently or chronically sick, since exercise is a stressor -- hence the concern for post-marathon upper respiratory infections). Reduce stress levels -- for instance, get out of bad living situations, do yoga, don't take your work home with you if you can't stand your job -- you know, that stuff.
But, then, our recent efforts to reduce respiratory infections in shelter cats have only turned up one thing that works: reduce population density. Which is to say, eliminate bad actors early before everybody gets stressed and sick.
To be fair, here's another article (from the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism (I think), 2006)...
Quote:Secretory IgA in saliva (s-IgA) is a potential mucosal immune correlate of upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) status. Nutritional supplements may improve mucosal immunity, and could be beneficial to athletes who are at increased risk of URTI. In this study, 35 distance runners (15 female, 20 male, age 35 to 58 y) consumed a supplement of either bovine colostrum or placebo for 12 wk. Saliva samples were taken prior to training at baseline, monthly during supplementation, and 2 wk post supplementation. Median levels of s-IgA increased by 79% in the colostrum group after 12 wk intervention, and the time-dependent change from baseline value was significant (P = 0.0291). This significance was still apparent after adjusting for training volume and self-reporting of upper respiratory symptoms. This study has demonstrated increased s-IgA levels among a cohort of athletes following colostrum supplementation. While this result is statistically significant, its physiological interpretation must be viewed with caution due to the small numbers in this study and the large variability in s-IgA levels.
And I'm still mostly joking about the housemate. It's hard to imagine that k has gone into the school system but is picking up stuff from the housemates. Classrooms, as we all know, are living petri dishes for infectious organisms.
patiodog wrote:Not sayin' I'm anti, but looking at the claims made by the supplement-pushers on the web, I felt the need to respond with some degree of skepticism.
As to protecting oneself -- washing one's own hand is good, of course, since the main route of transfer of viruses is from one's own hands to one's mucous membranes. Eat well, sleep well, exercise when feeling well (but don't overdo it if recently or chronically sick, since exercise is a stressor -- hence the concern for post-marathon upper respiratory infections). Reduce stress levels -- for instance, get out of bad living situations, do yoga, don't take your work home with you if you can't stand your job -- you know, that stuff.
But, then, our recent efforts to reduce respiratory infections in shelter cats have only turned up one thing that works: reduce population density. Which is to say, eliminate bad actors early before everybody gets stressed and sick.
I have no problem with your scepticism...it's great to get an informed opinion.
Sounds like Little 'k needs to get rid of something from her home, doesn't it!
I get crap all the time.....kids suck when it comes to germs.
Little smeggers cough and sneeze all over you....and goddess knows where their hands have been!!!
Also, the dog's been really sick from his chemo this week, I'm trying to balance nursing him with cramming for finals (which are going to be calamatous, I think), I've barely slept lately, and I'm generally on the edge of LOSING MY ****. Or not. Whatever.
Maybe it's just PMS.
Colostum! Yech! But, I guess that would make some sense (shudder).
(gives pdog some chocolate) I'm sorry about the dog. How's it going?
I see I'm not the only one with a gag relflex to thought of ingesting colostrum. I can't even drink cow milk.
I know I am getting my germs from the kids. And it's possible that I gave the cold he had to him. But, the way he was saying he was dying, I'm guessing I didn't have that cold (or he's a big fat baby). At this moment, I don't care so much about being sick all the freekin time. Sigh. I really don't. I've had a mild cold all year. It was when I got whammied that I started to care. I'd been moderately to seriously sick for 4 weeks when he had his cold. I didn't want to take the chances - didn't seem like too much to ask that he wash his hands. Most people make an effort. Or maybe they don't.
Again. It comes down to the fact that he repulses me. He could bleach his body daily and I'd still cringe if he touched me. It doesn't help that he also does gross things.
Last night he spent an hour (at least) shearing himself. There was hair all over the bathroom. There still is. I cleaned the toilet seat, the mirror and sink area, but the floor and tub are still covered.
Is it harmful to the toilet drain to flush wads of hair down it?
patiodog wrote:Also, the dog's been really sick from his chemo this week, I'm trying to balance nursing him with cramming for finals (which are going to be calamatous, I think), I've barely slept lately, and I'm generally on the edge of LOSING MY ****. Or not. Whatever.
Maybe it's just PMS.
I am sorry to hear that, Patio. I really am.
Re the loo, 'k, I would doubt it is harmful, unless he is a gorilla! A gorilla might choke the drain.
I sheared yesterday. I cleaned it up. I want to go London and say, "What a twat" (with the short a sound) but I don't think I could pull it off.
goddamned motherfucking filter. the ******* thing can go **** itself.
patiodog wrote:I sheared yesterday. I cleaned it up. I want to go London and say, "What a ****" (with the short a sound) but I don't think I could pull it off.
what's a **** with the short a sound?
T-w-a-t to rhyme with hat as opposed to t-w-a-t to rhyme with Watt. But **** it, it didn't carry anyway.
patiodog wrote:T-w-a-t to rhyme with hat as opposed to t-w-a-t to rhyme with Watt. But **** it, it didn't carry anyway.
Why would you want to say twatt instead of twott?
Because that was the accent to suit the moment, I thought.
patiodog wrote:Because that was the accent to suit the moment, I thought.
You're weird.
The "Attwater" was seeing just how vicious the t w a t filter is.
It filtered t w a t t
