What’s all the fuss with the immune system? Why is it so important to us that we must cherish and boost it as soon it starts to weaken?
The fame surrounding immune system isn’t at all undeserved. Without it, we may easily catch simple flu virus and end up with serious health consequences.
What Is Immune System?
Think of medieval cities and their defensive walls, so you gain perspective on the importance of a natural protective shield of your body – your immunity. It is a natural defense system which helps fight different invaders – bacteria, viruses, parasites, etc.
This defense system wouldn’t be effective without proper communication between its units. The immune system is actually a well-coordinated and vast network of cells, organs, and tissues. After detecting an invader – antigen, our immunity responds with creating specific antibodies which fight foreign substances.
The copy of the antibody stays in the body after the infection, so if the same antigen attacks again, the defense forms more quickly.
The immune system includes the following organs which all play different and vital roles in fighting infection:
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- Tonsils – produce antibodies
- Spleen – recognizes and destroys intruders
- Lymph nodes – located all around the body, carry nutrients, but also the fluid which traps intruders
- Thymus gland – matures antibodies
- Bone marrow – produces white blood cells – leukocytes, MVP’s in fighting organisms that cause the infection.
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How to Recognize a Weak Immune System?
Recognizing a weakened immunity is very important. A weak immunity may subsequently lead to serious health issues. Stress, sleep disturbances, over-training, radiation, different chemicals, viral and bacterial infections, drugs, surgeries…are some of the causes of developing a poor immune system.
Pay attention to the following signs since your body may be telling you something is wrong with your immunity:
- Cold hands – due to the blood vessels inflammation, hands, ears, and nose are hard to keep warm
- Dry eyes – autoimmune response; the body attack itself rather than defending it
- Mouth ulcers
- Fatigue
- Often colds and sore throat
- Susceptibility to allergies
- Slow skin healing
- Weight loss – parasites and bacteria multiply freely and reduce the absorption of nutrients
- Weight gain – if the immunity is compromised, the liver can’t accomplish the breaking of fats and get rid of the toxins from the body at the same time
- Digestive problems – stomach flora is disturbed and doesn’t help in digestion
- Anaemia – if the immune is in overdrive, it may confuse red blood cells for invaders and destroy them
- Hair loss – for the same reason, it may attack the hair follicles
Ways to Boost Your Immunity
Although multi-potent, our immunity is not omnipotent. It can’t be repaired by itself if we neglect it.
Some of the ways to boost the immunity include:
- Sleep enough – eight hours minimum, sleep rejuvenates our cells
- Cut down stress factors – stress affects the immune response
- Eat a balanced diet – make sure you consume enough healthy proteins, fats, and sugars
- Consume antioxidants – the natural remedies for fighting harmful free radicals
- Exercise regularly – exercise promotes blood and nutrients circulation and helps the body to remove toxins
- Drink plenty of water – water also rejuvenates our cells and helps in removing toxic substances from the body
- Don’t smoke – cigarette smoke is full of carbon-monoxide (among other nasty chemicals), which decreases the level of oxygen in the body, thus weakening the immune system
- By all means, don’t take drugs and limit the amount of alcohol
Easier said than done, we know. One can hardly follow each of these recommendations, especially considering the way we live today.
However, everything you do for your immunity will certainly pay off, since this protective barrier is what keeps our body away from so many harmful, sometimes life-threatening impacts.
