What is HLA or human leucocyte antigen?
Before talking about the HLA system, we can say that the immune system is certainly one of our body’s most complex systems.
It includes cells specialized in fighting microbes (bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites or others) that could prove pathogenic to us. Other cells fight against our damaged or out-of-control cells.
Whether by direct cell-to-cell attack or by the production of antibodies or specific substances, the means used by our immune system are both global and highly targeted.
However, we understand that all this protection can only exist on the imperative condition that the immune system can identify us and any abnormal modification or invasion of ourselves.
Our immune system is, therefore, present in every part of our body (even if it is much more discreet in tissues without blood vessels, such as cartilage), and very abundantly present in our digestive system.
Identifying SELF and non-SELF is the primary key mechanism used by our immune system to kill and destroy dangerous things while protecting our own self.
A dysfunctional SELF and non-SELF system will end up causing all sorts of pathologies like allergies and auto-immune diseases.
As with the military’s concept of “friend or foe” identification to avoid friendly fire, our immune system’s priority is to identify ourselves as SELF, not to attack or destroy our cells and tissues.
What is HLA?
All cells in our body are identified as ours because they carry a distinctive mark on their surface that identifies them as SELF to our immune cells.
This hallmark is called HLA (human leucocyte antigen), or major histocompatibility class I complex (MHC I).
This HLA is a protein complex made by the cell itself, according to a unique code defined by its DNA. Genetically unique to every human being, there are no exceptions apart from identical twins who share the same DNA.
The red blood cells have no HLA because they have no nucleus. Their primary function is to transport oxygen, so they need space. The nucleus contains the DNA that enables the cell itself to produce HLA proteins according to a precise code.
Functions of HLA
The first function is to identify the cell as part of ourselves, It works a bit like the inhabitants of a country who all have their passports to be checked as citizens of that country.
We have talked about HLA class 1, but since the immune system is complex, there is also HLA class 2, which has an antigen-presenting role.
Indeed, it’s important to fight specifically against microbes or other substances, but you still need to be able to identify them. HLA class 2 will present fragments of these microbes or substances, which we’ll call antigens, to the cells, which can then develop antibodies or targeted attacks against these antigens.
HLA also helps regulate immunity. So it’s not surprising that the development of certain diseases is more frequent in certain HLA types. In case of doubt or specific interest, HLA typing (genetic analysis) can be performed.
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How is HLA an antigen?
An antigen is a natural or synthetic substance that, by itself or by binding to another substance, triggers an immune response through the production of antibodies by B lymphocytes (humoral immunity).
But our HLA, introduced into another person’s body, will trigger this immune response.
It must, therefore, be understood that our HLA is only an antigen (not SELF) for others; for us, it identifies us as SELF.
However, a foreign HLA is only one antigen among millions of other possible antigens and unless we’re talking about blood transfusions or transplants, there’s no reason why cells from another body should end up in yours.
Natural medicine understanding of HLA
The fact that a genetic analysis is considered predisposing to certain diseases does not mean that you will develop these diseases, as epigenetics now proves the contrary.
Epigenetics is the science that studies all the biological and environmental factors that regulate DNA expression for optimal health.
The best medicines for improving epigenetics are natural medicines. In fact, working on your epigenetics is the best way to regulate DNA expression and preserve health.
How does this happen concretely? Through a healthy lifestyle and holistic care that optimizes these essential points:
- Healthy diet
- Sufficient regenerative sleep
- Healthy movement and sport
- Enriching relationships and positive emotions
- Contact with nature and animals
- Preventing and treating health problems with natural medicines
Healthy diet
A healthy diet is the most important pillar of well-being. As we like to say all the time, if you want to improve your health but you don’t know where to start, start with your diet. Every improvement you make to your diet will greatly impact your health.
You can start doing that now by reading our ebook “Healthy Food: Your Fundamental Right”.
Sufficient regenerative sleep
When you sleep, your body regenerates itself, every single night of your entire life. This is to the condition that your sleep allows it. This sets the critical importance of sleep. Losing good and sufficient sleep is synonymous with hindering one of the most precious abilities your body has.
In fact, poor and/or insufficient sleep will not allow your body to fulfill this regenerative function properly.
This can be even worse if you are suffering from sleeping impacting health issues like:
- Sleeping apnea
- Sleepwalking
- Snoring
- Insomnia
- Restless legs
- etc.
Suffering from any of those health issues? Talk to us now, and we will explain to you what we can do with natural treatments to solve those without using chemical pills full of side effects.
Healthy movement and sport
Any living creatures move, only the dead are motionless. Comfortably seated behind our desks, we tend to forget that movement is life, and being stuck for hours in the same position is the opposite.
Trap in our modern societies with busy schedules, jumping from one task to another, it can be quite tricky to find the right time and place to practice movement and sport adequately.
Find out more about easy solutions and key principles to understand in order to implement movement and sport in your daily life by reading our ebook “Movement and Sport for Optimal Health”
Enriching relationships and positive emotions
Knowing that you can count on other people is linked to our human nature. Most of us are naturally attracted to a certain social life and relationships as we need contact with our fellow human beings to thrive.
Yet, social life can be tricky and relationships challenging, resulting in stress and bad emotions or, even worse, toxic relationships and emotional traumas.
Luckily for us, natural medicines are also effective in working on the emotional side, starting with a deeper understanding of how we can cultivate good relationships and healthy social life.
Watch now our numerous webinars on the topic to start cultivating good relationships and a healthy social life.
Contact with nature and animals
At the end of the day, we, as humans, are an animal species. Like all animals, we are connected to Mother Nature in a dependent way. Without nature, we would simply not exist.
As part of a bigger ecosystem that regulates our living environment, if we ignore this fact and decide to live in a more and more artificial world, we will only get sicker and sicker.
Today, more and more people are realizing that and are looking to get out of crowded cities to take refuge in more rural areas, where there is some nature left. Sadly, we are all on the same planet, and destruction somewhere will inevitably have an impact elsewhere.
Therefore, we must understand that we need to care for and nurture nature and other animals, as they are essential for us to fulfill our basic human needs.
Find out more about this topic by watching our webinar series “Health Concepts”.
Preventing and treating health problems with natural medicines
This is certainly one of the most important aspects of epigenetics. Everybody can understand that it’s better to prevent than to treat, but sometimes, this is just not possible, or at least not for everything.
On the other hand, using natural medicines is almost always possible, even in cases where natural medicines are just an addition to heavy conventional medicine treatments.
Nonetheless, the biggest strength of natural medicines remains in the prevention and early treatment of health issues before arriving at the severe disease stage.
Talk with us now if you want to take advantage of natural medicines’ strongest strength.
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Barone Holistic Experts is a distinguished team of three highly skilled natural healthcare professionals. With certifications in Naturopathy and Traditional Chinese Medicine, they possess a collective experience of over 50 years.
Their primary focus is on delivering personalized treatments and creating comprehensive long-term plans that enable individuals to achieve optimal health. They prioritize the unique needs of each client, striving to provide the best possible results.
Renowned as pioneers and authorities in alternative therapies, this team has gained a well-deserved reputation. Through their combined expertise and collaborative efforts, they offer an extensive range of solutions to their clients.
These include homeopathy, aromatherapy, phytotherapy, reflex methods (Auriculotherapy, Sympathicotherapy, Reflexology), manual techniques (Osteopathy, Tui Na, Reboutology, Trigger point, Fascia therapy), Nutrition and micro nutrition, and many more.
Beyond their clinical practice, they are deeply committed to educating their clients about holistic health. They empower individuals by educating them on how to improve their well-being through dietary choices, lifestyle modifications, and mindful life decisions.
