Introduction:
No doubt, there are numerous microorganisms in our environment,
some which are injurious to health. Human are exposed to these microorganism in
several ways like; contaminated food and water, openings in our body, etc.
Nature has provided us with protective mechanism in these openings and they
include:
Presence of wax in the ear traps anything entering our ear.
The tears of the eyes contain substances that kill and wash them
off.
Mucous and hairs in the nose sieves the air entering the nose and
traps anything present.
The skin is tightly fitted to prevent entrance of anything that
can harm the body.
What is immune system?
Immune system is a collection of organs, tissues and cells that
help the body to fight disease, microorganism that may harm the body.
Organs, tissues and cells of the immune system:
Bone marrow: it is a sponge-like tissue present in long bones
which is responsible for the production of cells which give rise to the blood
cells and cells of the immune system. These cells divide further and migrate
from the bone marrow to the blood stream, from there to other organs and
tissues where they mature and specialize in function.
Lymph nodes: these lymph nodes situated at different parts of the
body functions as filter region because of their possession of defense cells.
You might notice painful, swollen region around your Axilla region
(armpit region) when you have a wound on your upper limb. This signifies that
the lymph nodes of that region are actively involved in defense reaction to
protect the wound against pathogenic attack.
Thymus: this is located above the heart, behind the sternum or
breast bone. It is also called thymus gland. In adult, it appears as a fat
tissue but much bigger in children and new born. Cells that are produced in
bone marrow migrate to this region where they differentiate further and mature.
The lymphocytes which mature at the thymus are called T-lymphocytes, where the
‘T’ stands for thymus.
Tonsils: they contain lymphocytes. They come in contact with
pathogens fast enough which activate the immune system faster because of their
position (can be seen at the throat and palate).
Spleen: located immediately below the thoracic diaphragm in the
left upper abdominal region. It is unpaired (one) in human and rich in blood
supply. It stores and removes blood cells and defense cells from the blood
stream. It is also a site where pathogens are destroyed.
White blood cells or leucocytes: they are cells actively involved
in destruction of pathogens that want to attack the body. They are actively
involved in defense reaction.
How to boost the Immune System:
Any food or healthy lifestyle that can protect or provide a
healthy environment for these tissues and cells of the immune system can boost
the immune system.
Foods rich in vitamin C: Include all citrus fruits e.g. orange,
tangerine, which are rich in vitamins. Red pepper which is also rich in
beta-carotene also contains a lot of vitamin C.
Vitamin D: Any means of acquiring vitamin D, from diet, from the
morning sunlight. Going outside under the morning sun can help you gain more
vitamin D and vitamin D helps to boost immune function.
Garlic: Which is rich in sulfur-containing compounds such as
allicin also boost the immune system.
Yogurts: Yogurts that contains ‘live and active cultures’ always
printed on the label helps to stimulate the immune system.
Exercise: This generally helps to keep the whole body fit and
healthy. Exercising regularly helps to boost the body’s immune system.
Avoid stress: Research has proven that stress can lower the body’s
immune system.
Green tea: It is a good source of the amino acid L-theanine which
may aid in production of germ-fighting compounds in T-lymphocytes (a type of
lymphocytes that matures in the thymus)
Vaccines: These injections contain inactive or dead pathogen which
when injected into someone, elicits a response which then guides the body
against a potential active pathogen from the environment. These pathogens are
extracted from laboratory animals, inactivated and used for production of
vaccines.
Habits that suppress the Immune System:
Too much alcohol: This weakens and destroys the cells of the body.
It can weaken or damage the cells of the immune system causing them not to
function properly and thereby suppress the body’s immune system.
Tobacco smoke: This suppresses and damage antibodies in the blood
stream.
Sedentary lifestyle
Obesity
Poor nutrition especially those that are vitamin D and C
deficient.
Too much sugar intake reduces the ability of the white blood cells
to kill germs.
Remember, health is wealth. Live positive, live long.
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