Not only humans but all living organisms are continuously exposed to different exterior conditions and substances that are capable of causing them harm. We build houses to protect from the weather, we wear clothes to protect from the cold, and we take medicines as treatment for a given condition or use a good insect repellent to chase mosquitos away. Most organisms protect themselves against all sorts of adversities in several ways that can be either with physical barriers or with chemicals. Vertebrate animals, those with a backbone, including us, take advantage of both physical and chemical protection. This second one is, obviously, more advanced and particularly fascinating. That is our immune system. First thing to understand is – there is no such thing as one single organ doing the entire job. It is a team work! A network! A set of mechanisms (or organs) containing cells that recognize these foreign agents. Foreign agents can be viruses, bacteria, tumour cells, parasites etc. in addition, this “Network” needs to distinguish them from organism’s own healthy cells. The immune system can be equated with an anti-virus software on the computer. It works on the background and we don’t even notice it is there except when it fails or detects something. Sometimes the system runs slower than usual when updates are running.
How the immune system works
The immune system can be broadly divided in to providing two types of immunity namely innate Immunity and acquired Immunity.
Innate Immunity – Innate immunity is the body’s first line of defense against invading pathogens and is present from birth. It includes physical barriers like the skin and mucous membranes, as well as internal defenses such as white blood cells, inflammation, and fever. This type of immunity responds quickly and non-specifically to all foreign invaders, regardless of whether the body has encountered them before. While it doesn’t provide long-term protection, it plays a crucial role in preventing infections and activating the more specific acquired immune response.
Acquired Immunity – Acquired immunity, also known as adaptive immunity, develops over time as the body is exposed to various pathogens. It involves specialized cells like B cells and T cells that recognize and remember specific antigens, leading to a targeted and more effective immune response. This immunity can be developed naturally through infection or artificially through vaccination. A key feature of acquired immunity is its memory, which allows the immune system to respond more rapidly and effectively upon subsequent exposure to the same pathogen.
Primary and Secondary Organs of the Immune System
The immune system is supported by both primary and secondary immune organs, each playing distinct roles in immunity. Primary immune organs include the bone marrow and thymus, where immune cells are produced and mature. The bone marrow is the origin of all blood cells, including white blood cells, while the thymus is where T cells mature and learn to differentiate between self and non-self. Secondary immune organs, such as the lymph nodes, spleen, and tonsils, are where mature immune cells encounter antigens, become activated, and initiate immune responses. These organs provide sites for immune surveillance and communication between immune cells, ensuring a coordinated defense against infections throughout the body.
Immune response system
How your immune response system reacts or responds to an invasion. It is the process of protecting you from any foreign agents which could be viruses, bacteria, anything harmful.
Immune Dysfunction
Immune Dysfunction occurs when the immune system does not work properly and it includes immunodeficiency, Diseases and allergies
How to boost and strengthening the immune system
The skeptical people would probably think this is not possible or that “how to boost immune system” is a silly statement since it is… Well, a system – therefore, it consists of different entities (in this case organs, cells and tissues) working together like a fine tuned orchestra performing at its best and boosting or strengthening the immune system are not possible. But we do hear and see lots of advertisements and promises to boost immune system especially after Covid but what is myth and what’s reality?
Fact: your defenses can be lowered in so many ways, and if only one of the organs is not working properly for any given reason, it is enough to cause issues and, therefore, fluctuations are a fact. If it can move back and forth or up and down, weaken and be restored, naturally it can receive some support and even be “boosted”. So yes we can boost immune system. In general, we can strengthen the body’s natural defenses (that’s when the “how to boost immune system” comes to play) through diet, exercise and avoiding of stress. Also, “the system” keeps a database which can be worked on. There are several factors that affect immunity and therefore a good use of these features helps to boost the immune system. Here are some of the things you can do for the strengthening of the immune system and get it back on track.
Reduce Stress: Reducing stress levels Stress of all kinds: physical, emotional, mental and social has been shown to have an effect on the immune system of animals and humans, in the same way that causes weakening of the same.
Sleep Better: we all agree that sleep and immune system are closely related! Sleep is essential for us, because it provides rest for the brain. Along with that, sleep is necessary to repair the wear of the muscles and renew the whole system for better performance. That’s common sense. Click here for more on Sleep and Immune System.
Diet and the Immune System are closely related: It has been said “the immune system army marches on its stomach”. Science and common sense show that good diet helps to keep the immunity up to date. Click here for more on Diet and the Immune System
and here you can find extra tips on diet for immunity!
Immune system and vitamins are also strongly related. The lack of vitamins along with hereditary factors and / or diseases such as Aids and diabetes, emotional imbalances such as depression and stress, obesity, an unbalanced nutrition etc. can seriously affect your immunity.