Although at times the immune system can seem abstract, it’s important to have a general understanding of what your immune system is, how it works, and why boosting the immune system is critical to good health.
What is the Immune System?
The immune system inhabits the entire body. Your blood delivers white blood cells that target and fight invading pathogens, your lymphatic system circulates immune cells, your skin acts as a barrier to pathogens, your GI Tract sorts and protects.
Friendly bacteria on your skin and in your stomach fight off more dangerous invading pathogens, whether fungus or bacteria, and organs like your liver keep your body cleansed of toxins.
When you understand that your immune system is so all encompassing, it’s easy to understand why taking care of the entire body is critical to good health.
Why Is Boosting The Immune System Important?
A weakened immune system is more prone to illness-shingles is a good example of an illness that can strike a weakened immune system.
After you get the chicken pox, some of the virus lies dormant near the spinal cord. If you have a weakened immune system, the virus may be able to grow stronger, resulting in shingles: painful blisters.
An example of a strengthened immune system can also be drawn from the chicken pox-90% of people who never had symptoms of “chicken pox†(the tell-tale itchy red bumps), did in fact have the chicken pox as evidenced by presence of the antibody. If you have a strong immune system, the chicken pox just looks like a bad case of the flu.
With age the immune system naturally weakens (as does many other natural abilities, such as sight). Some illnesses and medications can weaken the immune system further, as do poor life-style choices, such as not exercising enough, eating right, or not getting enough rest; smoking and drinking can also impair the immune system’s functions.
A Weakened Immune System Is Easy To Get, What About Boosting The Immune System?
Eating right, getting enough sleep, and exercising should all go without saying for those interested in boosting the immune system.
Other things that can help include natural dietary supplements designed to fortify the immune system with the necessary building blocks and nutrients, or that perform the job of a natural antibiotic/natural antiviral.
Have you noticed that certain activities increase your chances of getting sick or staying health? What are they? Let us know in the comments!
