The Human Immune System

Your immune system is a complicated and sophisticated system, which protects you from illness, germs, bacteria, and viruses.

The most visible part of this amazing is your skin. Like plastic wrap, your skin acts as a barrier between germs and your body. It not only stops germs and bacteria from entering your system, but also secretes an antibacterial substance that helps fight these same enemies (sounds gross, but it is very important)! Most bacteria and spores that land on your skin die almost immediately.

A few more of our body's barriers are your nose, mouth, eyes, and ears. Like a well-organized defense system, they protect your lungs from unwanted intrusion.

The immune system also is comprised of elements that aren't as noticeable, but are as equally essential. These include your bone marrow, hormones, thymus, spleen, and lymphatic system. They all work together to ensure that you remain healthy; if any aspect of the immune system is weakened or compromised, your body will "let you know." You could get an infection, the flu, the cold, or feel fatigue.

Many studies have linked a weakened immune system to cancer, diabetes, and allergies.

How does one's immune system become weakened?

There are many contributing factors to one's immune system no longer working at peak performance, including lifestyle choices, stress, fatigue, immune deficiency disorders, aging, and more.

This means that in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle, one must maintain a healthy immune system.

Health care professionals make a number of recommendations:

• Eat a healthy and well-balanced diet. Research shows that poor nutrition increases your chances of infection. A well-balanced diet with healthy proteins, complex carbohydrates, and good fats can boost your immune system.
• Exercise. An active lifestyle can help boost your immune system. Exercise decreases your chance of infection by slowing the release of the stress hormone called cortisol.
• Get lots of sleep. Remember Mom saying, "Go to bed, you will feel better in the morning." Well she was right. During REM sleep, your immune system is busy re-building and repairing itself.
• Wash your hands regularly. Wash, wash, and wash your hands again. Washing your hands is the best defense against the spread of infectious diseases.
• Add quality herbs to your diet. There is increasing evidence that including quality herbs and dietary supplements can fend off foreign invaders, boost the immune system and combat free radicals in your body.