Your immune system is your trusted army against infection and disease.
But in order for it to work smoothly, a balance of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients is important.
If the body feels a lack of them, immune cells can’t provide maximum protection.
This means it becomes easier for viruses and bacteria to launch an attack.
What the immune system consists of
White blood cells, or white blood cells, are key players in the immune system.
They move through the blood and tissues throughout the body, identify pests, and launch an immune attack.
White blood cells are divided into 2 main troops that perform different functions:
- Phagocytes – they recognize invaders in the body and immediately destroy them.
- Lymphocytes are memory cells.
They remember all the pests and when they re-enter the body instantly attack them – what prevents the emergence of disease.
Also, immunity is divided into two types – innate and acquired.
- Inborn immunity is passed from mother to child.
- Acquired immunity-appears after a disease and is developed over the course of a lifetime.
How the immune system works
As soon as an infection gets through our skin or mucous membranes, our immune system kicks in.
- The first line of defense is innate immunity.
It reacts immediately to foreign pathogens, even if the body has not encountered them before.- The biggest fighters of the innate immunity – macrophages – go on the attack.
They are so large that one macrophage can destroy several bacteria and viruses at a time. - Macrophages call for help from other fighters, neutrophils.
They kill the germs and die.
Before they die, neutrophils leave special traps that then prevent the pests from spreading through the tissues. - But if the virus gets inside the cell, natural killer cells kick in.
They launch a protein into the cell envelope, and the bad cell dies.
- The biggest fighters of the innate immunity – macrophages – go on the attack.
- The second line of defense is acquired immunity.
It has the most powerful blow against enemies and activates when the innate immune system fails.- B-lymphocytes start producing antibodies, weapons that neutralize enemies.
- T-lymphocytes destroy the pests that previously tagged the antibodies.
- Antibodies stay in the body and remember information about enemies in case you have to fight them again.
Having antibodies is exactly what many people miss during a pandemic.
- B-lymphocytes start producing antibodies, weapons that neutralize enemies.
What can make the immune system weaken?
The immune system is genius because it protects us from infection and disease every day.
But there are reasons that reduce its effectiveness:
- Unhealthy food
Excessive consumption of foods with added sugar and fast carbohydrates (such as pastries or fast food) can lead to being overweight.
It reduces the number of white blood cells in the immune system and makes the antibodies needed to fight infections worse. - Lack of exercise
With a sedentary lifestyle, our immune system reduces the ability to resist viruses and bacteria – which leads to frequent illnesses. - Continuous lack of sleep
It’s trite, but we need sleep in order to “digest” all the information obtained during the day, to rest and gain strength.
Our immune system also requires proper sleep.
If we don’t get enough sleep, our immune cells focus poorly on the pests that need to be defeated, and don’t produce antibodies as actively.
The result is a high risk of getting sick.
In one study, participants who regularly slept less than 6 hours a night were more likely to catch a cold than those who slept 6-8 hours. - Severe stress
Heavy and prolonged stress has the opposite effect: inflammation appears, immune cell function decreases and production of antibodies decreases.
How to strengthen the immune system and what vitamins to choose?
Enrich your diet with supplements and vitamins
An immune complex from Life Extension will help improve your immune response and protect your body from infections, viruses and other enemies.
- Omega-3
The best solution for strong immunity.
Improves immune cell interactions, helps produce antibodies and reduces inflammation. - Vitamin D3 is one of the top 3 health benefits for strong immunity.
It activates innate and acquired immunity and reduces the risk of viral infections.
A link has been found between coronavirus mortality rates in 20 European countries and vitamin D deficiency in the body.
Researchers from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation and the University of East Anglia say so.
And scientists from the Fatty Acid Research Institute, in collaboration with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in California, have found evidence that having omega-3 in the body helps improve health after the coronavirus.
The physicians also found that patients with the highest levels of omega-3 were 75% less likely to die from COVID-19 compared to those who did not take enough of these fatty acids.
Sleep
When we sleep, the immune system produces special proteins – cytokines.
They help to strengthen innate and acquired immunity, and during illness – to fight infection and recover faster.
This means that constant lack of sleep has a negative effect on our body’s defense.
Start hardening up.
There are receptors on our body that respond to cold.
By hardening, we irritate them, and the body gradually develops resistance to colds.
A contrast shower (2-3 times a week) stimulates the defenses of the body, and thus helps in fighting more effectively against infections and bacteria.
Remember to be gradual and constant, and do not practice hardening if you have a cold, inflammatory process, heart disease and chronic exacerbations.
Exercise.
During moderate exercise, immune cells move through the body faster and are better prepared to kill bacteria and viruses.
Such exercise reduces inflammation in the body, and it also improves sleep quality and reduces stress levels – which also affects the immune system.
Take time to meditate.
Even 5 minutes of mindful practice can help you feel relaxed and get your thoughts in order.
Meditation lowers your heart rate and blood pressure, and reduces anxiety.
Listen to how you feel, allow yourself to relax, and fill yourself from the inside out with Life Extension
Research
- Aric A Prather, Denise Janicki-Deverts, Martica H Hall, Sheldon Cohen. Behaviorally Assessed Sleep and Susceptibility to the Common Cold.
- Petre Cristian Ilie, Simina Stefanescu, Lee Smith. The role of Vitamin D in the prevention of Coronavirus Disease 2019 infection and mortality.
- Study Finds. Higher omega-3 levels may reduce risk of death from COVID-19.
