Immune System
What Is The Immune System?
The immune system is a complex organ system in the body comprised of white blood cells, skin, mucus, and bacteria. Its central role is to seek, recruit, attack, and destroy foreign invaders, such as bacteria and viruses that enter the body.
There are two main levels of immunity.
Innate immunity system
The first and second level of defence is from the innate immune system. This system provides a quick defence and acts against a wide range of pathogens. The innate immunity system refers to nonspecific defence mechanisms that come into play immediately or within hours of an antigen's appearance in the body. These mechanisms include physical barriers such as skin, chemicals in the blood, and immune system cells (such as phagocytes and Natural Killer cells) that attack foreign cells in the body. The chemical properties of the antigen activate the innate immune response.
Adaptive Immune System
The third main level of immunity is called the adaptive immune system. This level refers to antigen-specific immune response. The adaptive immune response is more complicated than the innate. The antigen first must be processed and recognized. Once an antigen is identified, the adaptive immune system creates an army of immune cells specifically designed to attack that antigen. Adaptive immunity also includes a "memory" that makes future responses against a specific antigen more efficient.
Keywords explained:
Antigen - Anything that causes an immune response is called an antigen. An antigen may be harmless, such as grass pollen, or harmful, such as the flu virus.
Pathogen - Disease-causing antigens are called pathogens. The immune system is designed to protect the body from pathogens.
How to Support Your Immune System
The immune system is precisely that — a system, not a single entity. For it to function well, it requires balance and harmony.
In general, a healthy lifestyle is the single best step you can take toward naturally keeping your immune system strong and healthy. Every system in your body, including the immune system, functions better when following balanced and healthy strategies such as these:
Eating a whole food diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables
Exercising regularly
Staying hydrated
Maintaining a healthy weight
Getting enough sleep
Reducing stress
Not smoking
Get Adjusted
