How to increase immunity power in the body naturally is a home remedy that everyone needs to know about because the immune system is the most important system in the body knowing that it controls the health status of the body. Having a low immune system can be dangerous knowing fully well that a compromised immunity can lead to vulnerability of the parts of the immune system which can result in easy penetration of different infections and germs into the body. As such, in this article, you are going to learn and know the following about the immune system:
- Understanding the immune system
- Parts of the immune system
- Immunosup or immunosuppression definition
- Immunodeficiency definition
- Immunodeficiency disorder
- What are signs of a weak immune system
- Things that weaken your immune system
- How to test immune system strength
- Signs of a strong immune system
- Tips on how to improve immunity power
- How to increase immunity power in body naturally
Understanding The Immune System
Before we go into the recipe on how to increase immunity power in the body naturally, you need to understand the immune system and its functionality. The function of the immune system is to keep the body strong and avoid the penetration of diseases and infections which may include viruses, germs, or parasites. As such, the activity of the immune system is to overcome various internal and external diseases that may break down the health. If the immune system detects a cancer cell in the body which it defines as a foreign cell or foreign body, the task of the immune system is to eliminate such a cell if it is strong enough to do so. But the failure of the immune system to eliminate diseases from the body while the disease is still in its infancy shows that the immune system is not strong and effective in its functionality.
In order for the immune system to carry out its vital task, it must be able to identify and distinguish between unwanted infections and diseases in the body and the healthy microbes in the body. When the immune system is weak, it fails to distinguish between the external invader and what is naturally present inside the body. As a result, the immune system attacks the body's own tissues. It may attack a single cell, a system, or even an entire organ. This is the failure of the immune system to defend and protect the body from outside invaders, but more than this it is the failure of the immune system to recognize and identify the healthy microbes which are not harmful to the body but contributes to human wellbeing.
The immune system consists up of organs, cells, and chemicals that fight off unwanted infections. The major parts of the immune system include antibodies, white blood cells, the lymphatic system, the complement system, the spleen, the bone marrow, and the thymus. These are the main parts of the immune system that effectively fight off infection provided that the immune system is active and functioning properly. Of course, the immune system records every harmful microbe it defeats in the body using its memory cells. This means that a strong immune system can recognize and eliminate a microbe quickly if it penetrates the body another time before it can spread and cause any sickness.
Read This: How To Stabilize High Blood Sugar Levels With Bitter Leaf
Different Parts Of The Immune System And Their Functions
There are different components of the immune system that work together in order to protect and guide the body against unwanted germs or free radicals. As such, below are the parts Of the immune system and their different functions:
1) Antibodies: The antibodies assist the body to fight microbes or toxins produced by the body. This is done by the ability of the antibodies to recognize substances known as antigens where the microbes exist as well as the chemicals they produce which automatically mark the toxins or microbes as foreign to the body and as such the antibodies then attack these antigens to eliminate them. There are several cells, chemicals, and proteins that aid in this attack.
2) White blood cells: The white blood cells are the main conductors of the immune system. They are present in the bone marrow and are part of the lymphatic system. The white blood cells circulate through the tissue and blood all over the body searching for external invaders such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites, and when they find any of them, they start to attack them. The white blood cells include lymphocytes such as T-cells, B-cells, and natural killer cells as well as other different types of immune cells.
3) Lymphatic system: The lymphatic system is a structure of delicate tubes that go through all over the body. The major roles of the lymphatic system include management of the body fluid levels, reaction to bacteria, reaction to cancer cells, the absorption of some fats in our diet from the intestine, and dealing with any cell product that may cause disease or disorders. The lymphatic system consists of the white blood cells (lymphocytes), the lymph nodes which resist microbes, and the lymph vessels which are the tubes that carry lymph, the colorless fluid that cleanses the body's tissues and fights infections.
4) Complement system: The complement system consists of proteins whose actions support the work carried out by the antibodies.
5) Thymus: The thymus is responsible for filtering and monitoring the blood content. It is known for producing the type of white blood cells known as T-lymphocytes.
6) Bone marrow: Bone marrow is a tissue found inside the bones. It is known for producing the red blood cells that the body needs to carry oxygen as well as the white blood cells that help the body fight infections, and also the platelets that the body needs for blood clotting.
7) Spleen: The spleen is known as the organ that filters the blood by removing microbes and destroying old or damaged red blood cells. It also helps the immune system to fight diseases just like lymphocytes and antibodies.
Read This: How To Start A Healthy Lifestyle | Maintain Physical Health
Immunosup or Immunosuppression Definition
Immunosup or immunosuppression is a condition where the immune system has been compromised because of one condition or the other. The deliberate or non-deliberate suppression of the body's immunity is known as immunosup or immunosuppression which hinders the ability of the immune system to fight infections and other diseases. Immunosuppression can be done intentionally with drugs, as in the case of bone marrow or other organ transplantations in order to avert rejection of the transplanted organ. On the other hand, immunosup can also result from certain diseases such as AIDS, HPV, lymphoma, or cancer.
Immunosuppression can also mean the same thing as immunodeficiency, immunocompromised as well as immunosuppressed which all are in one way or the other concerned about the under activity of the immune system. Even though their meanings may be slightly different depending on the angle in which they are being defined, but the overall knowledge focuses on the immune system being low and unable to function at its best thereby exposing the body to unwanted infections and germs which are detrimental to the health and can lead to serious ailments, inflammation, and chronic diseases.
Immunodeficiency Definition And Immunodeficiency Disorder
The immune system can experience common disorders as it can become overactive or underactive which is considered a problem being that the functionality of the immune system is not normal. The overactivity of the immune system can come in different forms which include allergic diseases, which is where the immune system makes an excessive strong response to allergens. Allergic diseases are common and may include allergies to foods, hay fever, medications, anaphylaxis, sinus disease, hives, dermatitis, asthma, and eczema. Another disorder of the immune system is autoimmune diseases, which is a situation where the immune system reacts against normal organs and tissues of the body. Autoimmune diseases include autoimmune thyroid disease, multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic vasculitis, and systemic lupus erythematosus.
The underactivity of the immune system is called immunodeficiency. Immunodeficiency is a health condition in which the immune system malfunctions in one or more ways due to disruption in the functionality of the immune system which can be caused by different things and can make a person become more open to infectious diseases. The nature and seriousness of infectious diseases that a person with immunodeficiency can contract are measured by the affected areas of the immune system and the severity of this infection. For instance, T or B lymphocytes may be affected, cooperation between these lymphocyte groups may be crashed, phagocytes may be damaged, secretion of soluble mediators of the immune system may be impaired, or receptors on cell surfaces may be injured.
Immunodeficiency diseases can be caused by a congenital defect which is under primary immunodeficiency or by an acquired defect. When the immunodeficiency is acquired, it is called secondary immunodeficiency. Among the well-known acquired immune deficiency infections that can be caused by some sexually transmitted diseases include the AIDS virus or Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Human Papillomavirus (HPV) as well as some other infections that are very strong for the immune system to handle. However, there are so many other secondary immunodeficiency diseases whose overall effects are greater than that of AIDS or HPV. Secondary immunodeficiency can also develop at any stage of life and one of the most common causes is by taking immunosuppressive drugs which are usually given to cancer patients. In such a case, the immune system is suppressed for a short-term in order to allow a particular treatment to take place in the body which backfires sometimes thereby leaving the immune system open to some infectious diseases.
The congenital defect or primary immunodeficiency is usually discovered in the first months after childbirth following serious infections. When the deficiency is caused particularly by an injury that impairs the ability of the B cells to produce antibodies, then bacterial infections may appear after the age of six months. But when the infection distorts the ability of the T cells, then viral and fungal infections appear starting from the first weeks after birth. Through molecular genetics methods and techniques, the cause of these diseases can be discovered, which can help in understanding the mechanism and process of disease emergence and development. Meanwhile, the disease can be diagnosed in the early stages of the fetus's life which should be around the 10th week of pregnancy. The secondary immunodeficiency diseases can be classified as below:
1) Diseases in which immunodeficiency is formed due to the treatment of other diseases: This type of immunodeficiency is mainly caused by taking drugs that destroy or harm the functionality of the cells of the immune system. These drugs are taken to suppress the work of the immune system and are given to prevent the body from rejecting a transplanted organ, or as a treatment for various inflammatory diseases. Medicines aimed at suppressing the immune system are called immunosuppressive drugs and they mainly include steroids and cytotoxic drugs. As such, a cancer treatment that involves radiation is almost always dependent on a period of time during which the immune system is suppressed making the patient vulnerable to infectious diseases.
Another occurrence of secondary immunodeficiency disease can be seen in people with removed spleen which is as a result of the spleen being absent in the body due to serious damage or because of treatment for various blood diseases. There are also diseases in which the spleen is present, but is ineffective. These people are susceptible to certain infectious diseases which the spleen plays an important role in preventing. Mild cases of secondary immunodeficiency also occur in infancy and adulthood. In infancy, it can occur as a result of the slow process in the maturity of the immune system, and in adulthood can occur as a result of the deterioration of the effectiveness of the immune system as part of the aging process.
2) Diseases in which immunosuppression is caused by the complication of another disease: These are diseases in which immunodeficiency is formed as a complication resulting from the existence of other diseases in the body. Under this category, some of the diseases that cause immunodeficiency include tumors, mainly malignant carcinomas, chronic infections, and malnutrition. Malnutrition is more available in developing countries and is associated to a general disorder in the functioning of the immune system. One of the basic causes of untimely deaths among people suffering from malnutrition is the lack of the vital nutrients that the body needs to grow and flourish such as proteins, lipids, vitamins, and minerals, etc.
Also, patients with metastatic or advanced cancer are more vulnerable to infectious diseases due to the general damage to the functionality of the immune system. Tumors that send metastases to the marrow or malignant tumors that have their origin in the bone marrow may interfere with the development of healthy immune cells from the bone marrow. Cancer cells may also produce various soluble factors that suppress the cells of the immune system. Most severe damage to the immune system are mainly observed in cancerous diseases such as lymphomas in which cells and tissues of the immune system are involved.
A variety of different infectious diseases can also cause suppression of the immune system and the development of secondary immunodeficiency. Some viral diseases aside from AIDS can lead to damage to the immune system and the development of other infectious diseases. Examples of these viruses include measles morbillivirus (MeV) and human T-lymphotropic virus 1. Chronic parasite infections can also suppress the functionality of the immune system. Some children in Africa who suffer from chronic malaria can cause the functioning of the T cells to be impaired which exposes them to infections such as epstein-barr virus (EBV) and malignant cancerous diseases related to chronic infections with this virus.
Read This: The 7 Best Foods To Boost Brain Power And Improve Memory
What Are Signs Of A Weak Immune System?
If the immune system is having some issues, there are some signs and symptoms that can help you identify when there is a change in your immune system. Because of this, you may be asking what are signs of a weak immune system? The answer can be fetched below:
1) You Have Reoccuring Infections: If you always suffer from regular infections, it is possible that your immune system has been compromised. According to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology, the possible signs of immune deficiency in adults include experiencing above four ear infections per year, experiencing pneumonia twice during under one year, a need for more than two courses of antibiotics per year, and having chronic sinusitis or bacterial sinusitis more than three times in a year.
2) You Constantly Get Cold: Sometimes it's normal to get cold may be in situations where you have malaria or typhoid fever which can cause some kind of cold or fever. Apart from that, it's also normal for one to sneeze or sniffle because of the common cold of which most people get back to normal within seven to ten days. However, it usually takes the immune system about three to four days to prepare its antibodies to fight off any germ that causes cold. But if you are always getting colds or have a cold that does not stop when it's supposed to stop, then it's a clear sign that your immune system is down and needs to be checked.
3) You Experience Slow Healing Of Wounds: Experiencing slowness in the healing process of a wound on your skin such as a burn, cut, or scrape can be a sign of a weak immune system. A strong immune system will help your body to protect any wound by sending the required nutrient-rich blood to the wound which will help it heal fast and regenerate new skin. This healing process is highly dependable on strong immune cells. But where the immune system is weak, the skin takes longer time to regenerate which gives it a hard time to heal.
4) You Experience Lots of Stomach Problems: Having consistent stomach problems such as constipation, diarrhea or gas, could be an indication that your immune system is weak. Several studies show that almost 80 percent of your immune system is situated in your digestive tract because the healthy microbes and bacteria that live there protect the gut from infection thereby supporting the immune system. Low availability of these healthy gut bacteria can make one susceptible to chronic inflammation, viruses, or even autoimmune diseases.
5) You Experience Tiredness Always: Although working too hard and not getting enough rest and sleep can always leave you feeling tired. However, if you are getting adequate sleep but are still exhausted, then it is worth considering whether your immune system is giving you a signal. When your immune system is in trouble, your energy levels can also be affected. This is simply because your body is trying to preserve the energy that will propel the immune system to fight off free radicals.
6) Frequent Pain In Muscles And Joints: Constant joint and muscle pain is closely related to the immune system. During the process that the immune system fight infections, it produces a large number of inflammatory chemicals and white blood cells. In the early stage, the number of monocytes which is another cell group of the white blood cells goes high. But as the immune system gets weak and inflammation persists, these monocytes drop down of which these monocytes are known to regulate the immune system. With the continued weakness of the immune system and inflammation, the body goes into a state of chronic pain which makes the joints become inflamed as a result of swelling and lots of pain.
7) You Always Experience High-Stress Level: The more stressors in your life, the weaker your immune system tends to be. This is due to the fact that the constant release of the stress hormone which is known as cortisol will reduce the response of the T lymphocytes. These lymphocytes which are also white blood cells are the major resistance to infections in your body. That is why after a big project or sudden financial loss, it is possible that a person gets sick due to the psychological and emotional trauma attached to it. So it is important to lower your stress level so that you don't reduce your immune response to infections. It is worth knowing that the constant release of cortisol makes the body used to high level of cortisol which causes chronic inflammation.
Read This: 10 Alkaline Foods That Will Flush Out Mucus And Toxins From Your Body
Things That Weaken Your Immune System
There are some situations that may compromise the immune system which we need to pay very close attention to. As such, below are some of the things that weaken your immune system which you may not be aware of as many of us go through some of these things without even knowing that they affect the immune system.
- Too much radiation or chemical exposure can weaken the immune system and make it vulnerable to infections
- Obesity or overweight affects the immune system because obesity is among the signs of an unhealthy body.
- The absence of proper hygiene can cause unwanted germs and toxins in the body which can affect the immune system.
- The absence of exercise can affect the immune system knowing fully well that inactivity of the body is unhealthy to the body immunity.
- Grief, anxiety, stress, and worry can cause a weak immune system because of too much thinking and stressing of the mind and body on the process.
- Dehydration can weaken the immune system due to the fact that the body needs an adequate amount of water to function properly.
- Heavy alcohol can cause the immune system to get weak being that excessive alcohol is not healthy for the body.
- Too little time outdoors can cause the weakness of the immune system knowing that the body needs an adequate amount of sunlight to flourish.
- Lack of an adequate amount of fruits and Vegetables can cause the body to lose some nutrients which in turn affects the immune system.
- A high-fat diet is not the best option for healthy living as it can affect the immune system because of its unhealthy cholesterol.
- Marijuana and cigarettes are not good for the health and therefore not good for the immune system as well and can cause low immunity.
- Some medications that treat allergies, lupus, arthritis, and organ transplant can suppress the immune system due to the effects of the drugs.
- Low vitamin D and zinc in the body can also lead to a weak immune system knowing that both nutrients are good for a healthy immune system.
- Lack of sleep is one of the things that can weaken the immune system being that the body does not get enough rest to function properly.
How To Test Immune System Strength
Due to the fact that most parts of the system immunity protective guards live in the blood and bone marrow, a simple blood test is the easiest way to determine if your immune system is compromised or not. A blood sample is collected and examined in the laboratory by evaluating the number of white blood cells and antibodies to check if your immune system levels are normal or deficient. An unusually high or low blood count gives the doctor the needed information to know the source of the immune problems. How to test immune system strength can only be done by professional medical laboratory scientists or doctors.
The use of laboratory testing plays an essential role in evaluating the immune system. Laboratory studies are important in pointing out the occurrence of a primary or secondary immunodeficiency disease in a patient. Without proper laboratory testing, it will be difficult to determine the issues associated with the sensitive parts of the immune system. A very essential aspect of the actual interpretation of a laboratory test is the observation of what values are thought to be normal or abnormal in which case either the immune system is found to be normal or abnormal after a laboratory test.
Read This: 11 Anti-Aging Foods To Stay Young And Rejuvenate Naturally
Signs Of A Strong Immune System
Of course, there are some indications that we observe in our body that shows the signs of a strong immune system meaning that our immunity is normal and can be able to withstand unwanted infections and free radicals. Below are the few major signs to determine a strong immune system:
1) You have a healthy gut: Because about 80% of the immune system resides in your gut, having a healthy gut can be seen as a sign of a strong immune system. As such, a healthy digestive system is essential in having strong immune functions. Meanwhile, studies have shown that an adequate amount of good gut bacteria is a sign of a healthy immune system.
2. Fast recovery from colds and flu: Falling sick sometimes can be used to measure signs of a strong immune system. How fast and well you get back to normal after falling sick is a good indication of how well your immune system is functioning. Because the immune system is structured to prevent infections and diseases, sometimes one might get infected with cold and flu which is normal but the ability of the immune system to kick it out in few days can suggest that the immune system is functioning well, but cold and flu that lasts longer than a week or more is an indication that your immune system is not strong enough and is struggling to function.
Tips On How To Improve Immunity Power
If you are experiencing any sign of weak immunity, there is a need to pay some attention to your immune system and do things that will help you strengthen your immunity. Some lifestyle changes, as well as new habits, can help you improve and keep your immune system stronger and healthy of which below are some helpful tips on how to improve immunity power:
- Wash your hands regularly and maintain healthy hygiene which will help you stay clean from unwanted germs and infections.
- Eating a balanced diet is a sure way to improve immunity power being that all the nutrients that the body needs are inclusive.
- Getting enough rest and sleep on a daily basis can help balance the body, improve the immune system, and repair strained tissues.
- Maintaining a healthy weight is a good way to keep your immune system in check because obesity is unhealthy to the immune system.
- Doing away with smoking is important in helping improve your immunity because smoking is one of the worst habits that can damage your health.
- Exercising regularly will keep the body active and increase blood circulation which in turn helps improve the immune system.
- Avoiding stress by all means is a good way to improve the immune system because the body functions poorly when it's stressed.
- Keeping hydrated at all times helps the body get the adequate amount of water it needs to function which in turn helps the immune system.
- Avoiding too much alcohol helps keep you healthy which also improves the immune system knowing that excessive alcohol is bad for health.
- Taking immune-boosting supplements such as zinc, vitamins C and D can go a long way to help improve the immune system.
How To Increase Immunity Power In Body Naturally
Your immune system is the key to good health, so the more you can do to protect it, the better. It is a known fact that the immune system protects the body from all kinds of diseases when it is functioning at its peak and as such below is a home remedy on how to increase immunity power in body naturally:
That being said, you are going to learn a powerful formula to boost your immune system at home. To enhance and fortify body immunity, we have to be cautious about the foods we eat and at the same time take good care of ourselves. We have to eat foods that revitalize our bodies and stay away from junk foods, processed foods as well as fried foods.
Some of the foods that help boost the immune system and fight viral infections include vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nuts and seeds, sea moss, and olive oil. Of course, like said before in this article, exercise plays an important role in the body's immunity of which we also need to do away with too much stress and get enough rest and sleep regularly.
However, to further boost your immunity, there is a natural recipe that can help you do just that with turmeric, ginger, and Lemon juice. This immune booster is effective against cold, fever, cough, sore throat as well as flu. It is a powerful anti-inflammatory tonic for boosting your immunity.
To prepare this amazing immune booster, all you need is half a glass of lemon juice mixed with a small tablespoon of turmeric and ginger powder each. Stir it very well as you can add little honey to make it tasty before drinking of which it is best to be taken in the morning before eating. Again, stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water daily and also add green tea to your routine for better immune health.
Summary And Takeaway
This article is all about the immune system, its functions, and how to improve the immune system for better living. It covers - understanding the immune system, parts of the immune system, immunosup or immunosuppression definition, immunodeficiency definition, immunodeficiency disorder, what are signs of a weak immune system, things that weaken your immune system, how to test immune system strength, signs of a strong immune system, tips on how to improve immunity power, and how to increase immunity power in body naturally. All the areas covered are well researched and have in-depth information to help the reader understand each topic and make an informed decision for better healthy living.
The immune system is what the body depends on to function and if it's low or affected in any way, the body tends to function abnormally but if it's fine and okay, the body will function at its best making you more healthy and free from unwanted health issues. As such, the immune system needs to be taken care of in order to maintain a healthy living knowing that a low immunity can damage your health in the long run and give room to some chronic diseases and infections that may be hard to cure. Some of the simple tips for a healthy immune system include maintaining a clean hygiene, eating a balanced diet as well as avoiding bad habits such as smoking and excessive alcohol.
Post a Comment