Getting sick is never fun. Staying healthy can seem like a challenge, but it really comes down to keeping your immune system in shape. What can you do to strengthen your immune system?
There are two basic roles of the immune system: keep germs out of the body, and kill the germs that get in.
You are exposed to bacteria and viruses all the time (all day, every day), and our bodies have developed several ways to keep them out. Since they can only get in via breaks in the skin, the mouth, ears, nose, and eyes are the primary weak spots where infection can occur normally. This is why hand-washing is so strongly emphasized in many circles, since your hands come into contact with these openings regularly throughout the day. However, even if you keep your hands clean, you are constantly bombarded with germs. The formation of mucus and wax in your orifices is the means by which these germs are neutralized and eliminated under day-to-day conditions.
When you do get an infection, either by introducing a large enough quantity of bacteria into the mouth or nose, through a cut in the skin, inhaling or otherwise introducing a virus, or any other breach in the body, the next wave of defense is to try and prevent that bacteria or virus from multiplying. Antigens are formed that break down the source and eliminate it as quickly as possible.
If that fails, you become sick. This is the point where you start to show symptoms; by the onset of symptoms it is too late to prevent the disease. Now the immune system is pushed to a great length to form large quantities of antigens over large regions of the body. Initially the numbers of infected cells or cultured bacteria grows rapidly, but eventually the body is able to catch up and destroy the invaders one by one. The waste generated by this process (all the consumed material from the bacteria or infected cells) is eliminated, and you return to feeling well again.
The two primary bodily systems that need to be taken care of for a strong immune system are the blood and lymph systems. Proper diet and exercise both have direct effects on these two systems and can help or hurt your ability to stay well and to get better when you do become sick.
As important, if not more so, is your mental and emotional state. Reducing stress, getting enough sleep, staying positive, laughing, and maintaining strong friendships and relationships can all positively benefit your immune system. Touch and intimacy (yes, especially emotionally intimate sex) boost the immune system response greatly.
Finally, the immune system ‘learns’ to defend against disease. The immune system is trained by experience. In order to become and remain strong, it needs to be given the opportunity to do it’s job. When you do get sick, try to refrain from over the counter medications; just rest, have some chicken soup, and let your body do it’s thing. Try not to go overboard on hand washing and on disinfecting every part of your environment; instead, keep yourself and your environment tidy and basically clean and let your body learn to thrive in that place. Remember, the water that wipes you out in Mexico has little to no effect to those who grow up with it… it’s all a matter of what your body is used to.
Developing a strong immune system leads to a long life with a minimal impact from disease and discomfort. Take good enough care of yourself and your body will stay healthy no matter what’s going around.
Resources:
- Using Your Immune System to Stay Well [www.webmd.com]
- Immune system [en.wikipedia.org]
- How Your Immune System Works [health.howstuffworks.com]
- Immune System [uhaweb.hartford.edu]
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- From the ‘Grin and Bear It’ department: Herbal treatment little help for menopause [www.msnbc.msn.com]
From the editor
I’ll keep this short this week; I’ve had a lot going on and don’t have much to share. As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts on what you read or would like to read here.
Healthy thoughts,
Jeff
