Strong immune system
Our immune system is our primary line of defence against potential pathogens. It’s a large system or network of organs, white blood cells, proteins (antibodies) and chemicals, working together to protect you from foreign invaders (bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi) that cause infection, illness and disease.
What does it mean to have a strong immune system?
A strong immune system has both powerful adaptive and innate immunity. The function of adaptive immune responses is to destroy invading pathogens and any toxic molecules they produce. Innate immunity, on the other hand, is the defense system with which you were born. It protects you against all antigens. Innate immunity involves barriers that keep harmful materials from entering your body. These barriers form the first line of defense in the immune response.
Some examples of our bodies’ natural defense system include:
- The skin, which is a waterproof barrier that secretes oil-containing bacteria.
- Mucous in the lungs (phlegm) that trap foreign particles, and small hairs (cilia) wave the mucous upwards so it can be coughed out.
- The mucous lining of the digestive tract contains antibodies, and the acid in the stomach can kill most microbes.
- Body fluids such as saliva and tears that contain anti-bacterial enzymes that aid in infection prevention. Constant flushing of the urinary tract and bowel is also beneficial.
However, if we do not support our immune system with appropriate nourishment, exercise and a healthy mind, amongst other things, our bodies’ natural defence system will weaken and fail to perform its function.
What happens when the immune system does not work
When your immune system is compromised, you will experience more complications from illnesses and infections, as well as a much slower recovery.
Instead of recovering in a matter of days or weeks, you could be out of commission for several weeks or months.
And when your immune system completely fails, you are left with no natural defense against illness. This exposes you to “opportunistic infections,” or illnesses that can arise from seemingly harmless sources.
That is why we must take good care of our bodies so that we can experience strong immune system signs regularly.
How to gain a strong immunity?
Harvard Health lists the following ways to support your immune system:
- Don’t smoke.
- Eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables.
- Exercise regularly.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- If you drink alcohol, drink only in moderation.
- Get adequate sleep.
- Take steps to avoid infection, such as washing your hands frequently and cooking meats thoroughly.
- Try to minimise stress.
- Keep current with all recommended vaccines. Vaccines prime your immune system to fight off infections before they take hold in your body.
All of these are specifically indicated in general health and well being. However take time and generally need to be maintained over a long period of time in order to see any visible signs of a strong immune system.
Another emerging option is Pulsed Electro Magnetic Field (PEMF) Therapy.
The immune system, apart from defending the body against pathogens, also plays an essential role in tissue regeneration following tissue damage. The immune response to tissue injury is crucial in determining the efficacy and rate of the healing process, including the extent of scarring and the restoration of organ function.
However, the immune system does not always perform a complementary role in regeneration. In fact, it can be shown that in many instances with increased inflammation, the regeneration process can be severely hindered.
Furthermore, following injury, the immune system is responsible for maintaining a delicate balance between proinflammatory and pro-regenerative immune cells.
Therefore the regulation of pro and anti-inflammatory cytokine secretion during different stages of inflammatory response is required to modulate immunity and boost skin regeneration. PEMF therapy can be shown to do just this. Consistent outcomes in studies involving animal and human tissue have shown promise for the use of PEMF as an alternative or complementary treatment to pharmaceutical therapies in managing inflammation. Thus, PEMF treatment could provide a novel non pharmaceutical means of modulating inflammation in injured tissues resulting in enhanced functional recovery and lowering the risk of more serious disease.
Keen to try PEMF to start building a strong immune system? Schedule a session with us and see for yourself.
