If not compromised, our immune system does its best to fight off infections and diseases, including COVID-19 or at least lessen the impact. It truly is our first line of defense against those germs and viruses and other microbes that mean us harm. There’s much we can do to keep it healthy and in balance.
WHAT MAKES UP THE IMMUNE SYSTEM?
Besides genetics, which may predispose us to certain conditions, the immune system, which consists of trillions of microbes (bacteria, yeasts, viruses, & other microbial hitchhickers,) weighing about three pounds that resides outside and inside of us, with close to 99% of that residing in our gut. Meaning inside our intestines and oft referred to as the microbiota. These microbes are crucial in breaking down the foods we eat and in the process responsible for producing compounds that are critical to our body’s functions, including our immune system, which when in balance, keeps us healthy.
WHY IS THIS NOT WELL KNOWN
Research into the microbiome is fairly new and for instance, we’re discovering that an imbalance of healthy and unhealthy microbes may contribute to weight gain, high blood sugar, high cholesterol and other disorders. As there is a direct link between our gut and brain, some studies show that the gut also influences our mood and memory. It’s just recently that we’ve come to recognize the importance of these little hitchhikers. Not so long ago, they were viewed as invaders and that we need to get rid of them. One of the major concerns associated with all the lock-downs and distancing being imposed on us by the COVID-19 pandemic. A good resource for learning about the gut, its impact and what we’re learning are some of the TED talks given by PHD researchers and MDs. Here’s an excellent one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47csmddyZMM.
WHAT CAN IMPACT THE BALANCE OF OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM?
As previously mentioned, besides the genetics, there is much that we have control over that can impact that balance and impact on our overall health and well being. Let me just share some of the factors that can have a major impact on that balance.
- STRESS – One of the major factors that triggers major health issues. More on that in another post.
- WHAT WE EAT AND DO – Remember that you have hitchhikers that are depending on you to feed them what they like best. Basically, one type of food does not satisfy all. Variety is very important and hey love fiber. One of the healthiest diets being the Mediterranean one with all the variety of fruits and vegetables. Regular exercise is not only good for the body but, those microbial hitchhikers also appreciate it. A separate post will address the food aspect.
- THINGS THAT CAN CAUSE HARM AND WEAKEN OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM – We already know that smoking is harmful, not only does it impair the functioning of our lungs, negative impact on the cardiovascular system, but it also harms our immune system. What many don’t realize, is that things we put into our bodies, such as certain drinks, like colas, can destroy many of the microbes. BTW, wine is not among those.
- ANTIBIOTICS – Although, antibiotics may be necessary to combat serious issues and conditions, such as transplants, cancer and challenges created by major operations, they do have a significant negative impact on the microbiome. This is a major reason that individuals that have significant issues and on heavy medication are prone to infections and other ailments. Their immune system gets overwhelmed with naturally occurring microbes, which are all around us.
We’ll address many of the topics impacting our Health and Wellness in future posts.
