Immunity system is the part of your body functionality that helps defend your body against diseases. It involves a network of organs and cells that help stop threats from viral or bacterial infections attacking your body at any time. Flu Infection is one of the many infections your body immunity works to fight. If you can survive an outbreak of the flu without getting the infection, then your body is immune to the infection.
How the immune system works.
The defense mechanism of your body is made up of antibodies. Also known as immunoglobulins, the antibodies are Y-shaped proteins which identify and remove abnormal or foreign antigens such as the virus and the bacteria. Each antibody detects a specific foreign cell by the use of its Y tips. The two ends of an antibody are specific to one antigen which allows various antibodies to bind to a wide range of foreign cells. The antibodies are produced in response to foreign cells detected in the body. Through the raised production of antigens when fighting against common illnesses like a cold or the flu, the body can protect itself from major illnesses like heart disease or even cancer.
Other than the antibodies, the body defense may also respond to an attack by using the cell-mediated immune system. This is where your body through the help of the immune system cells creates memories of the past defenses against specific threats. When the immune system recognizes the foreign substances from a past invasion, it calls on the memory and destroys the threat before the disease gets a chance to mutate and become harder to fight. Vaccines and immunizations use this mechanism where they contain small and harmless amounts of the disease. The shot helps to trigger the body’s memory where your immune cells react by raising defense against the infection and destroying it.
Ways of maintaining your immune system
You may be lowering your immune system through myriad ways without knowing and which can be dangerous. This is because it makes you susceptible to any form of attack, even the most common like the cold. Most of them are bad health habits that can be easily avoided. They include;
- Sleeping for less than seven hours
As small as it may seem, the issue of bad sleeping habits is one of the most crucial aspect of life that you should try to avoid. Sleeping for seven to eight hours boosts your body defenses, and in addition to this, your quality of life is improved.
- High levels of stress
Balancing various issues in your life might be difficult. This is a disservice to your body as it produces increased amounts of hormones to try and cope with the situation which lowers your body immunity. Try to learn new techniques of dealing with stressful situations. They may include relaxation techniques like yoga and simple daily exercises.
- Poor hygiene habits
These habits invite harmful organisms and bacterium into your body and may end up overwhelming it hence succumbing to infections and illnesses. A good hygiene habit to start with is washing your hands to keep germs at bay. Others include kitchen hygiene which is also crucial for everyone consuming food prepared in the kitchen.
- Lack of exercise or too much exercise
Exercise on its own is a helpful technique that increases your body’s metabolism activities. Exercise, however, needs to be done cautiously as too much can cause problems with your cardiovascular system lowering your immunity.
Your immune system is of utmost importance, therefore, the need to keep the healthy habits.