|
You can spend thousands of dollars on sophisticated alarm systems to protect your family against burglars,
smoke, and carbon monoxide, but are you really safe? You may not have considered some unseen security threats. There are millions
of them – bacteria, viruses, allergens, toxins, and parasites – they’re all around you, and they’d
love nothing more than to invade your body and destroy your good health!
 When your body encounters a potential attacker, it activates an amazing defense mechanism called the immune system. The first
job of the immune system is to keep germs out, and it does this by use of barriers to prevent entry into the body. These include
your skin, tears, saliva, stomach acid, intestinal flora, and mucous membranes.
Sometimes, invaders are able to get past this first line of defense, and that requires a more aggressive
defense. In such cases, a vast network of cells, tissues, and organs all begin to work together to recognize and respond to
the emergency. In order for this large-scale response to be effective, the entire immune system must be made aware that the
body is under attack. This is the job of special cell messenger protein called interleukin-2 (IL-2).
IL-2 sounds the danger alarm and spreads the word quickly throughout the body. IL-2 is also important in the production of
T-cells, a vital part of the body’s targeted response to specific threats.
With so many divisions of your immune “armed forces” at work, it’s essential to have
smooth and efficient communication among them to avoid a delayed or sub-optimal response. That’s why lymphocytes
are so vitally important. These special white blood cells circulate throughout the body, playing an important role in commanding,
directing, and coordinating your immune system’s diverse and varied functions.
Your highly complex immune system can actually recognize and remember millions of different enemies,
and it can produce potent biological weapons called antibodies to match up with and wipe out nearly all of them.
One of the body’s most powerful antibodies is immunoglobulin G (IgG), which circulates in
the blood, working covertly to seek out bacteria, viruses, molds, yeasts, and allergens. When IgG finds a foreign invader,
it “paints” it with a special chemical to mark it for destruction by the immune system’s “clean-up
squads.”
Here are 10 great tips that can help you to keep your vital immune system functioning smoothly:
- Don’t smoke. In addition to what you already know about the hazards of tobacco
smoking, it also wreaks havoc on virtually every aspect of immune function.
- Avoid toxins. Reduce exposure by choosing organic produce, washing fruits and vegetables
to remove pesticide residues, and by using household cleaners and personal care products that are made with less toxic materials.
- Get adequate sleep. Poor sleep is associated with lower immune system function and
reduced numbers of killer cells that fight germs.
- Reduce stress. There is compelling scientific evidence that chronic stress causes
a measurable decline in the immune system's ability to fight disease.
- Be optimistic. Studies show that pessimists, who tend to find fault with everything,
don't live as long as optimists, who have a more cheerful outlook. If you’re content with whom you are and with your
life, you’ll also have less stress, and therefore fewer immune health consequences.
- Exercise regularly. Studies show the dangers to immune health of a sedentary lifestyle.
One study compared inactive people with those who walked briskly almost every day. Researchers found that those who didn't
walk took twice as many sick days in four months as those who walked.
- Stay connected. Humans crave social contact, and studies have shown that the fewer
human connections we have at home, at work, and in the community, the more likely we are to get sick, flood our brains with
anxiety-causing chemicals, and die prematurely. One study found that people who are isolated may live only half as long as
those who have a lot of human contact. Love appears to nourish the immune system, so spread the love!
- Eat a sensible, healthy diet. Excess fat can suppress the immune system, and too
much sugar can inhibit the action of phagocytes, the “Pac-Man”-like blood cells that gobble up viruses and bacteria.
- Don’t overuse antibiotics, especially for viral infections (such as colds or
flu) where they have no effect. Cutting down on unnecessary antibiotic use will help to prevent the spread of antibiotic-resistant
bacteria.
- Drink 4 ounces (120 ml) of GoChi every day!
|
