Immunonutrition for Healthspan: Nutritional Targets to Rejuvenate Immunity and Slow Cell Aging
Despite dramatic progress in prolonging lifespan in the 20th century, research tells us that progress in improving our healthspan – our years of enjoying quality health- has barely budged. Chronic and largely preventable diseases linked to impaired immune function and dysregulated metabolism create unsustainable pressure on our healthcare systems, national budgets and our chances of leading long, healthy lives.
In the conversation around how best to target this problem, nutrition has emerged as a dominant theme. Research published in recent years reveals the powerful role of dietary nutrients in modulating key determinants of immune state, including universally-relevant effects on aging-related immune pathways.
Join us as we explore both the latest research on the intersection of immunonutrition and aging, as well as practical strategies for implementation of this science in your clinic today. Featuring experts in both bench science and clinical application, this conversation will inspire and deliver on nutritional biochemistry that can be implemented in the kitchen and the clinic immediately.
By the end of this webinar, you will learn:
- The fundamental role of immune aging on age-related diseases, decreased healthspan and shorter lifespan
- Which “longevity” focused messaging may be less than helpful for your patients, and why slow cell aging makes more sense
- How nutrition impacts immune-aging pathways
- Why recent research indicates that polyphenolic phytochemicals may be far more than “antioxidants” as it relates to their therapeutic potential in immunity and aging
- Additional tools to enhance immune balance for yourself and your patients that you can implement today
Speakers
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Jeff Bland, PhDJeffrey Bland, PhD, is a pioneering figure in the food-is-medicine movement and a leading expert in nutritional biochemistry. As founder of Big Bold Health, he now focuses on longevity through immune health, championing the concept of immune rejuvenation as a pathway to healthy aging. Dr. Bland’s work highlights the powerful role of plant polyphenols and omega-3 fatty acids in supporting immune resilience. Widely known as the “father of Functional Medicine,” he has spent more than 40 years advancing nutrition science, regenerative agriculture, and personalized approaches to lifelong vitality.
Dr. Bland began his career in academia as a university professor. In the early 1980s, he became a protégé of two-time Nobel Laureate, Dr. Linus Pauling. Dr. Bland then spent decades as a natural products industry insider and entrepreneur, while also serving as a scientific advisor and mentor to dynamic founders and leading brands.
A lifelong educator, Dr. Bland has traveled the world many times over as a renowned speaker. In 1991, he and his wife, Susan, founded The Institute for Functional Medicine. In 2012, they established another educational nonprofit called The Personalized Lifestyle Medicine Institute, which brings together researchers, clinicians, industry leaders, and other stakeholders to focus on new models of healthcare delivery, advancements in medical nutrition therapy, and exciting emerging science.
Dr. Bland is the author of The Disease Delusion: Conquering the Causes of Chronic Illness for a Healthier, Longer, and Happier Life, as well as additional books and many research papers. His next book will be published by HarperCollins in March 2027. The Nourished Gene: Rejuvenate Your Immunity, Reverse Chronic Symptoms, and Activate Your Longevity is now available for pre-order from all major booksellers.
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Austin Perlmutter, MDDr Austin Perlmutter is a board-certified internal medicine physician, New York Times bestselling author, published researcher and international educator. His mission is to help people improve their health by targeting the biological basis of “stuckness” in our brains and bodies. His writing, presentations, podcasts, and online educational programs explore how environmental factors influence our cognitive and mental state and have reached millions. Dr. Perlmutter currently serves as the managing director at Big Bold Health, a food-as-medicine company focused on helping people rejuvenate health through better immune function, where he is running a first-of-its kind study exploring the effects of plant nutrients on human aging through epigenetics.
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Mary Purdy, MS, RDNMary Purdy, MS, RDN, is an integrative eco-dietitian, working at the intersection of sustainable food systems, climate and human health. She spent over 13 years in clinical practice using a personalized and food-as-medicine approach, and taught for 8 years at Bastyr University in Seattle, WA. Currently she is the Managing Director of the Nutrient Density Alliance which works to connect the dots between soil health and nutrient-rich food. She is also Adjunct Faculty at The Culinary Institute of America’s Masters Program in Sustainable Food Systems teaching Sustainable Diets and Public Health and speaks regularly at national and state conferences on both nutrition and sustainability with a focus on the health and environmental benefits of agroecology. She has served as a Nutrition and Sustainability Advisor for numerous food brands and organizations, including Big Bold Health, and is the Director of Education for The Planetary Health Collective. With 125+ podcast episodes and two books, she’s a leading voice in nutrition and sustainability, fostering resilient, just, and healthy food systems. More can be found at https://marypurdy.co/
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Stephan van Vliet, PhDDr. Stephan van Vliet is the Director of the Center for Human Nutrition Studies at Utah State University. Dr. Stephan van Vliet earned his PhD in Kinesiology as an ESPEN Fellow from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2017, and received postdoctoral training at the Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine and Duke University School of Medicine prior to joining Utah State University in 2022. Dr. van Vliet’s research is performed at the nexus of agricultural and human health. He routinely collaborates with farmers, ecologists, and agricultural scientists to study critical linkages between sustainable agriculture, the nutrient density of food, and human health.
