Speaker: Kenneth Proefrock. Discussion of the complement cascade and its function in immunity: activation of mast cells and phagocytosis. The inability of the immune system to recognize "self" and "non-self", and the subsequent over-reaction of the system to stimuli, lead to many pathologies. When the immune system response becomes hypersensitive to something in the environment, it will react to agents that are not inherently disease causing as if they were. Allergies, allergic rhinitis, asthma and eczema can be managed by understanding the nutrients and botanical medicines which modulate this response.