When our immune system is working properly, we don’t even notice it. It’s when the performance of our immune system is compromised that we face illness. It could be a constant string of colds, or bouts of pneumonia, bronchitis, or sinus infections. So what is the immune system? And how do you boost your immune system?
Your immune system is an interactive network of organs, cells and proteins that protect the body from viruses and bacteria or any foreign substances. When your immune system recognizes something as foreign, it attacks it. Autoimmune conditions are caused by the immune system mistaking cells in the body as foreign and attacking them. Allergies are the result of the immune system mistaking things like pollen, dust, and pet dander, as something harmful.
The amazing thing about the immune system is that it’s constantly adapting and learning so that the body can fight against bacteria or viruses that change over time. Here are the key components of the immune system.
Skin
The skin is the human body’s largest organ that serves as a barrier to the external environment. So don’t overlook the health of the skin environment when if you are looking to boost your immune system. The skin immune system contains an billions of T cells that turn on or off the immune response or attacks and destroys harmful material. These cells control the skin microbes and educates the immune system as a whole. And, like the gut, that skin has a microbiome which represents all the organisms on the skin. This means we want to be careful how we treat the skin. Avoiding harsh chemicals and antibacterial soaps while maintaining the relatively acidic environment of the skin is critical to maintaining a healthy skin microbiome. As the importance of the skin microbiome becomes more well known, we will see more facial and body care products that that are not only chemical free, but support and feed the skin microbiome.
Lymphatic System
The lymphatic system is a network of organs, nodes, vessels, and tissue that transport lymph fluid throughout the body. Lymph fluid contains infection-fighting white blood cells and the organs and nodes are where toxins, waste, and other unwanted debris are filtered. The lymphatic system has the primary role of protecting the body against outside threats — such as infections, bacteria and cancer cells — while helping keep fluid levels in balance.
Besides reducing stress and eating healthy, the best way to support lymphatic system and boost your immune system is to move your body. This helps keep fluids circulating and nutrients reaching your cells. There’s a reason why being stagnant causes you to feel more achy, stiff and prone to becoming sick. Any type of regular exercise and movement (such as simply walking) is good for keeping lymph fluid flowing, but some exercise seems to be particularly beneficial, including yoga (which twists the body and helps fluid drain), high-intensity interval training ( HIIT) and rebounding. Rebounding is growing in popularity and involves jumping a small trampoline that you can keep inside your house. It only takes up a few feet, and just five to 10 minutes of jumping daily can really get your heart rate up and help keep your lymphatic system running smoothly.
Respiratory System
The respiratory system is a series of organs that take in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide. The airways are covered with a mucus layer that traps pathogens and other particles before they can reach the lungs. Tiny hair-like, muscular projections called cilia propel the mucus layer. Keeping your respiratory system clean and strong will help you boost your immune system. Besides eating well, things you can do to keep your respiratory system healthy include moderate exercise in a chemical free environment, drinking plenty of water to thin the mucus layer in the airways, and purifying the air where you spend the majority of your time. This can be done by an air purifier and/or through houseplants which can improve air quality.
Digestive System
Your intestines actually contain about seventy percent of your immune cells. Many ailments such as autoimmune disease, mental health disorders and obesity are being linked to immune dysfunction and unbalanced gut flora. It is thought that imbalances in the gut flora can cause a breakdown in communication between your gut flora and your immune system. This means that most diseases linked to chronic inflammation, like diabetes, cancer, and heart disease, may begin with a disturbance of the balance in the gut microbiome.
And like the other components of your immune system, eating high-quality, nutrient-rich food that feeds both you and your good gut bacteria is critical for boosting your immune system. Along with getting good sleep, moderate exercise, and reducing stress. It is equally as important though, to remove foods that are harmful to your gut and feed bad bacteria. This includes things like processed sugar, starches, trans fats, inflammatory omega-6 fats from many common vegetable oils, and any foods that may trigger an immune response, with these commonly being gluten, dairy, corn, soy, eggs, nuts, and nightshades. Antibiotics and other drugs also disrupt gut function.
Lymphocytes
Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell that function as part of the immune system. Their various functions allow them to properly respond to foreign invaders in the body. Some lymphocytes work alone, while others are able to coordinate with other cells.
There are three types of lymphocytes, known as T cells, B cells, and natural killer cells. T cells get their name because they are developed in the thymus gland. B cells get their name because they mature in the bone marrow of humans, and in the bursa organ of birds. Natural killer cells are lymphocytes that are known to have the ability to kill other cells. These cells are an important part of the immune system because they are able to recognize virally infected cells, as well as some types of tumor cells, and kill them before they cause a great amount of harm.
Several factors affect the health of your lymphocytes, but a diet rich in essential nutrients helps them function and boost your immune system. The key nutrients for lymphocytes are:
- Vitamin A found in leafy greens
- Vitamin B-6 found in salmon, turkey, chicken, bananas, spinach, and hazelnuts
- Zinc found in oysters, beef, crab, peanuts, almonds, cashews and chickpeas
- Protein from a combination of healthy protein sources such as organic poultry, wild caught fish, organic nuts, beans, eggs and dairy
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