How to boost your immune system?
Intro
We ask so Prof Dr Verena Briner, Head of the Medical Centre at Waldhotel Health & Medical Excellence how does the immune system work and how several key healthy lifestyle habits can help keep your immune system working to stave off illness and infection.
Prof Dr Verena Briner
MD FRCP Medical Director
What is immune system?
The immune system is actually a defence system. It comprises of various components suchas natural barriers (healthy skin, mucous membrane) and many mediators (complement, cytokines, etc.), antibodies and cells (e.g. macrophages, granulocytes, lymphocytes) in the blood fencing against bacteria, viruses and parasites but also cancer cells. It does not reside in one single part of the body—rather, it is made up of a network of cells, molecules, tissues, and organs in a perfect coordination working together to protect the body. Each of these elements plays a key role in how the immune system works and its function as a whole, which is crucial to preventing infection or disease.
What is the immune system main function?
The body has to be protected from harm. The immune system successfully fends off a large number of germs and substances every day. There are two well-known immune system defense mechanisms. The innate immune system and the adaptive immune system. The innate immune system provides a general defense against common pathogens (any bacteria, virus, or other disease-causing microorganism), known as well as the nonspecific immune system. The adaptive immune system targets specific threats and learns how to respond precisely against diverse viruses or bacteria with which the body has already come into contact. The various elements of the immune system work together to ensure both types of protection for the whole body.
What controls the immune system?
There is an ingenious regulation of a complex system. Blood components such as complement factors may cover foreign particles and cells incorporate this to degenerate or may release cytokines into the blood (these can cause a rise in the body temperature and activate some more cells). In addition, there are antibody producing cells against viruses, which protect against the disease when exposed again with the same virus. Many different cells are involved to balance the interplay. And when germs or foreign substance are eliminated, the immune response shuts off.
Which main diseases are associated to how our immune system functions?
In diseases, the immune system can be disturbed on different levels. The consequences are mostly severe. Bacteria may enter the body via diseased skin to cause inflammation and spreading to the blood. If, for example, white blood cells (granulocytes) are missing, bacterial infections up to fatal sepsis are common. In the case of missing lymphocytes, so-called opportunistic infections (fungal infections, tuberculosis) are more common and a lack of complement factors can lead to recurrent meningitis. Interestingly enough, rarely the immune response is excessive to harmless substances, so that allergic reactions occur (e.g. asthma) or antibodies are directed against the body's own tissue, (autoimmune diseases such as lupus occur) or antibody-forming cells produce uncontrolled antibodies (myeloma) or proliferate uncontrolled (lymphomas).
How do you test your immune system?
The personal history may give a hint about the quality of you immune system (e.g. recurrent infections). The defence of our body, our immune system can be strengthened on different levels. The good care of the skin is a first barrier. The analysis of the blood for different components such as blood cells, immunoglobulins, inflammation proteins, vitamins, micro-nutrients allow to detect and treat a corresponding deficit. Many disorders can weaken the immune system and cause a person to become immuno-compromised. These immunodeficiency disorders, which range from mild to severe, can be present from birth or may occur as a result of environmental factors. Healthy nutrition, sports or fitness activate blood cells and cytokines, which interact with the immune system.
Why is it important to maintain and boost your immune system?
Reading the above, it is clear, that the immune system has to work perfectly, otherwise we are at high risk of becoming seriously ill and even more severe conditions might occur. In diseases, the immune system can be disturbed on different levels, but the consequences are mostly severe. Bacteria may enter the body via diseased skin. If, for example, white blood cells (granulocytes) are missing, bacterial infections up to fatal sepsis are common. In the case of a cellular disorder, so-called opportunistic infections (fungal infections, tuberculosis) are more common and a lack of complement factors can lead to recurrent meningitis.