Rebuilding Immune Health With Exercise, Diet, and Lifestyle Interventions

Modern lifestyles, characterized by urban living, highly processed diets, and reduced exposure to natural environments, have significantly altered the human immune system. Chronic inflammation, immune dysfunction, and metabolic disorders have become increasingly prevalent, often driven by factors such as poor diet, sedentary behavior, and environmental pollutants.

Scientific research has linked these modern influences to disruptions in gut microbiota, systemic inflammation, and immune suppression, contributing to a range of health issues, from obesity and type 2 diabetes to autoimmune disorders and simple allergies.

Addressing these concerns requires a comprehensive approach that incorporates dietary modifications, exercise, and lifestyle interventions. An existing base of scientific studies exposes the critical role of gut microbiota diversity in overall health and well being, the importance of controlled exposure to beneficial bacteria such as mycolicibacteria, and the natural regulation of immune function through physical activity.

The Western Diet, Inflammation, and Immune Suppression

The Western diet, characterized by high intake of refined sugars, processed foods, and inflammatory seed oils, plays a central role in systemic inflammation and immune suppression. Scientific research links the consumption of ultra-processed foods to increased gut permeability, chronic inflammation, and metabolic dysregulation. The imbalance of gut microbiota in individuals consuming a Western diet often leads to reduced microbial diversity and impaired immune function.

The Western diet fosters the overgrowth of pro-inflammatory gut bacteria, which secrete harmful endotoxins such as lipopolysaccharides (LPS). These compounds breach the gut barrier, enter systemic circulation, and trigger chronic inflammation, which is strongly linked to conditions such as obesity, insulin resistance, and autoimmune disorders. This gut dysbiosis also compromises the body's ability to regulate glucose metabolism, exacerbating metabolic syndromes.

One proposed intervention to counteract the effects of the Western diet is the reintroduction of beneficial environmental bacteria, particularly mycolicibacteria. These bacteria, historically abundant in natural environments but now largely absent from modern urban settings, help regulate immune responses by reducing chronic inflammation and promoting gut homeostasis.

Exposure to mycolicibacteria, like Mycolicibacterium aurum Aogashima found in immy, may serve as a natural means to retrain the immune system, offering protection against the inflammatory consequences of poor diet.

The Immune Response to Exercise

Exercise has profound immunomodulatory effects, acting as a natural regulator of inflammation and immune homeostasis. Studies show that moderate physical activity enhances immune function by reducing systemic inflammation, increasing regulatory T cells (Tregs), and improving gut microbiota diversity. However, recent research challenges the idea that excessive exercise directly suppresses immunity.

Instead, it suggests that intense physical activity redirects immune cells to address exercise-induced inflammation, temporarily reducing immune defenses against external pathogens but not fundamentally weakening the immune system itself.  This distinction represents a new understanding of how inflammation and immune responses interact with exercise.

It is now understood that the immune system does not become dysfunctional; rather, it prioritizes addressing exercise-induced tissue stress, leaving the body momentarily less prepared to fight off unrelated infections. But this doesn't mean exercise is bad. In fact, during moderate exercise, the body releases anti-inflammatory signalling proteins called cytokines, such as interleukin-10 (IL-10) and TGF-B, which play crucial roles in immune regulation.

Regular exercise also promotes beneficial changes in gut microbiota composition, increasing populations of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria, which support gut barrier integrity and immune tolerance.

Interestingly, exposure to mycolicibacteria has been shown to further amplify the immune benefits of the microbiome. Studies suggest that these bacteria enhance immune responses by modulating antigen-presenting cells and promoting regulatory immune pathways.

Pollution and Modern Life: How Everyday Exposure Can Strengthen or Weaken the Immune System

Modern urban environments expose individuals to high levels of pollutants, allergens, and synthetic chemicals, many of which negatively impact immune function. Studies indicate that indoor chemical exposures, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and mycotoxins, and of course cigarette smoke, play a more significant role in childhood asthma and allergic diseases than the microbiome itself. However, controlled exposure to certain environmental bacteria can paradoxically strengthen immune defenses and reduce allergic conditions.

Children raised in rural settings or exposed to diverse microbial environments—such as farms, forests, and pets—demonstrate lower rates of asthma and allergies compared to those raised in hyper-sterile urban conditions. Studies have shown that these environments harbor a wide array of microorganisms that help train and regulate the immune system, reducing susceptibility to allergic diseases.

This supports the Old Friends hypothesis, which posits that regular exposure to beneficial environmental microorganisms, such as mycolicibacteria, is essential for immune system training. Research indicates that these bacteria help modulate immune responses by promoting regulatory T-cell activity, reducing inflammation, and enhancing the body's ability to distinguish between harmful and harmless antigens.

However, not all environmental exposures have beneficial effects. Air pollution is increasingly recognized as a significant risk factor for neurological disorders, with recent studies highlighting its impact on both immune and brain health. The gut microbiota plays a critical role in mediating these effects through the gut-brain axis, a complex communication system linking immune function, neurotransmitter production, and inflammation. Disruptions in gut microbiota caused by pollution can have profound effects on cognitive function and neurodegenerative disease risk.

Exposure to pollutants such as particulate matter (PM10) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) has been associated with increased neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and even reduced brain volume. Studies have linked these environmental toxins to conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), suggesting that chronic exposure can accelerate cognitive decline.

The growing body of evidence supporting the role of gut microbiota in neuroinflammation suggests that targeted microbiome interventions may help mitigate these negative effects. Immunobiotics, such as immy, may have the potential to counteract pollution-induced microbial imbalances, offering a novel strategy to protect both immune and brain health in modern environments.

GLP-1, Immune Health, and the Gut Microbiome

GLP-1, an incretin hormone primarily known for its role in glucose metabolism, has recently been implicated in immune regulation.

An incretin hormone is a type of hormone that is released by the gut in response to food intake, particularly carbohydrates and fats. These hormones, primarily glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), play a crucial role in regulating blood sugar levels by stimulating insulin secretionfrom the pancreas. Incretin hormones also slow gastric emptying, suppress glucagon release (which prevents excessive glucose production by the liver), and modulate appetite by signaling satiety to the brain.

This hormone is naturally produced in the gut in response to food intake and plays a crucial role in modulating inflammatory pathways. Pharmaceutical GLP-1 receptor agonists, commonly prescribed for diabetes and obesity, mimic these effects; however, there is growing evidence that optimizing gut health through diet and microbial exposure can naturally enhance GLP-1 production.

Beyond their role in glucose metabolism, incretin hormones, particularly GLP-1, have been found to influence immune function. They have anti-inflammatory properties, helping to regulate immune responses and reduce chronic inflammation, which is why they are being explored for therapeutic potential in conditions beyond diabetes, such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, and even immune-related disorders. They may even have a role in treating addictive behavior and this is the subject of much current research.

Research indicates that a well-balanced gut microbiome, supported by fiber-rich diets and exposure to beneficial bacteria, can significantly enhance internal GLP-1 production. Short-chain fatty acids produced by gut bacteria stimulate enteroendocrine L-cells to release GLP-1, leading to improved glucose regulation, reduced inflammation, and enhanced immune resilience.

The introduction of mycolicibacteria as a dietary supplement or through environmental exposure could provide an alternative to pharmaceutical GLP-1 agonists. These bacteria have been shown to influence gut immune responses, promoting microbial diversity and enhancing the body’s natural ability to regulate inflammation and metabolic health. By restoring microbial balance and supporting natural incretin function, exposure to mycolicibacteria could serve as a preventative approach to metabolic and immune disorders.