GOINDIS NATUROPATHY TRUST(INDIA)
Charity Registration No.845/4 dated 03.09.2003
THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
SANTOKH SINGH PARMAR
FOUNDER TRUSTEES:
Satyendra Singh Goindi, MSc, LLB, ND
Gurkirpal Kaur Goindi, BA, BEd, DPE, ND
Santokh Singh Parmar, B Arch, Dip TP, Dip LA, MRTPI, AITP, AIIA
Devinder Singh Saroya, PCS
Gurmukh Singh Girn, MSc, MCRP, AITP
5 tHE Immune SYSTEM
What is Immune System?
5.1 Immune system is the capability of the body to fight against any alien viral, bacterial, fungal or cellular attack. You constantly come in contact with many pathogens like bacteria and viruses that have the potential to make you ill. When the body’s non-specific defences are unable to overcome an invading organism, the body’s immune system goes to work. Rather than being an organ system, it works by using components of the lymphatic and circulatory systems. Nature has developed this highly complex and wonderous inborn defence mechanism to fight against any viral, fungal, bacterial or cellular attack. Nature has gifted the body to develop antibodies for shooting away or resisting infections by foreign bodies through this strong immune system.
Immune System Categories
5.2 The immune system can be broadly divided into three categories: –
(i) Innate or Natural Immunity – This is something that everyone is born with and is a general protection that human beings have. Innate immunity includes the external barrier – the skin – and mucous membranes (those that line the throat, nose and gastrointestinal tract) which are the first line of defence. If the outer defensive wall is broken, be it a cut or gash, the skin attempts to heal it quickly and special immune cells on the skin attack invading germs. Another form of natural immunity is “passive” or “borrowed” immunity. Despite being naturally present in the body, it traces its source outside the body. For example, antibodies (defensive proteins) present in mother’s milk provide an infant with temporary immunity to diseases that the mother had been exposed to. This can help protect the infant against infection during early years of childhood.
(ii) Adaptive or Acquired Immunity – This is something that individuals develop over the years. When our body gets infected, it induces antibodies on its own or sometimes with the help of medication and vaccination to fight the infection. It is most likely that the same infection will not recur. This is due to the memories these antibodies have. That is why if you have chicken pox in your childhood, chances are you will not get it when you are an adult. In other words, the antibodies induced during the first infection restart their fight if the same virus enters the body again. But then what about viruses that cause the regular cough, cold and fever? How do they recur inspite of having been cured by the antibodies before? That is because viruses are very smart! They tend to mutate and every time they enter the body, they do so in a somewhat new form. That stops the previous antibodies from recognising and fighting against them.
(iii) Artificial Immunity – This is similar to adaptive immunity, though of course, it is a little more permanent in nature. This immunity develops with the help of single or multiple vaccinations. Each dose develops a certain amount of antibodies in the system that help fight various infections and in due course create a permanent wall against them. Diseases like influenza, diphtheria and small pox fall in this category.
Immune System and Natural Environment
5.3 A person’s immunity level is much lower than normal when one is very young and when one is very old. In babies, it is yet to develop fully. In old people it stops developing and resistance power weakens. Also being over-protective and seriously limiting one’s exposure to natural surroundings leads to underdevelopment of immunity cells. The more a person is exposed to the natural environment, the more he develops his or her resistance power. Research reveals that children who are very active in outdoor activities are far more comfortable with their surroundings and have a stronger immune system than those who stay indoors all the time.
Immune System and Diet
5.4 Everyone’s immune system is different. Some people never seem to get infections, whereas others seem to be sick all the time. From genes to basic body metabolism, to lifestyle, to stress and most importantly to diet – all these have a cumulative effect on developing or debilitating the immune system as the case may be. But at the end of the day, it is the basics that matter. A good nourishing plant-based balanced diet, healthy lifestyle, regular exercise, stress management, and adequate relaxation and sleep are essential requisites for a fighting-fit immune system as well as a healthy disease-free body. Foods rich in antioxidant vitamins A, C and E, certain minerals like selenium and zinc, essential fats and probiotics greatly help improve the immunity. Other important nutrients that help improve response include vitamin B6, pantothenic acid, iron, folic acid, magnesium and copper.
The Thymus Gland
5.5 The thymus is a flat, pinkish-grey organ that plays an important role in the immune system of the body. It is located high in the upper chest cavity behind the breastbone and extends into the lower neck below the thyroid gland. At birth, the thymus is about 15 grams. By the age of 12, it grows to about 30 grams, but by adulthood, the organ shrinks so much that it may be hard to distinguish it from the fatty tissue that surrounds it. The thymus helps in the development of white blood cells in the bone marrow.
White Blood Cells
5.6 As integral component of the immune system, the white blood cells or leukocytes, defend the body against infection and disease. They begin their lives as immature cells in the bone marrow. As they mature, leukocytes become specialised for specific functions. The leukocytes that are important in the immune response are the macrophages, neutrophils and several types of lymphocytes. The macrophages can surround and digest harmful bacteria and other invaders. Some can move from the bloodstream to the fluid that surrounds the body cells to reach the site of infection. The lymphocytes, like trained “soldiers” are involved in the production of antibodies (defence proteins) in recognising and destroying specific types of cells, and in remembering a specific pathogen (a disease causing microorganism) in case it is encountered again.
5.7 Some of the immature lymphocytes leave the bone marrow and go to the thymus gland. There they undergo a change and become one of the different types of T-cells (for thymus) of the immune system to inhabit the blood, lymph nodes and spleen. This change takes place just before birth and during the first months of life. The thymus also functions as an endocrine gland. Its hormone, thymosin, is important to the maturation of T-cells and is thought to influence them after they leave the thyroid.
Immune System Soldiers
5.8 Like any modern army, the immune system has specially trained “soldiers” equipped to handle specific attacks. Macrophages literally surround and engulf the enemy – harmful microorganisms; T-cells, sometimes, called “natural killers”, grapple with invaders including cancer cells, in hand-to-hand combat; T-cells produce antibodies specifically designed to seek out and destroy targeted germs; neutrophils serve as the foot soldiers for this internal army. Lightly armed, the neutrophils are often among the first to enter fray enmass sacrificing in large numbers to keep the body healthy. There are also helper T-cells to assist in “combat control”, and suppressor T-cells to help calm things down once the battle has been won.
5.9 Although they possess tremendous power, the immune system soldiers are absolutely dependent on their supply system. Without the proper nutrients to keep it strong, our internal army would quickly weaken and be overrun by the enemy – the diseases. What do our immune soldiers require? The same macronutrients, comprising proteins, carbohydrates and fats, and micronutrients, comprising vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and other substances that keep the rest of the body healthy. A deficiency of even a single vitamin or mineral can hamper the immune system, reducing the production of T-cells, impairing their ability to ingest foreign bodies, interfering with the manufacture of antibodies by the T-cells, or otherwise weakening our internal army.
The Lymph Nodes and Lymph Glands
5.10 Once the macrophages and lymphocytes mature, they circulate in the bloodstream until they reach one of the lymphatic organs, such as the lymph nodes, the spleen, or the tonsils. As lymph circulates through the lymph nodes, microphages along the walls engulf any pathogens, damaged cells, or cell debris present in the lymph fluid. Large lymph nodes are called lymph glands and are located in the armpits, in the groin and at the base of the neck. The “swollen” glands that accompany some infections are actually enlarged lymph glands.
The Spleen and Tonsils
5.11 Spleen is a large mass of lymphatic tissue between the fundus (base) of the stomach and the diaphragm. The spleen performs the same function for the blood that the lymph nodes do for the lymph. Here white blood cells rid the blood of foreign matter. The spleen contains more lymphatic tissue than any other part of the body. The tonsils are large lymph nodes found in the walls of the mouth. At birth the tonsils are quite small. They increase in size until about age 6 or 7, when they begin to shrink. The lymph nodes in the tonsils are not always able to disable invading organisms, and the tonsils frequently get infected if your immunity is low. At one time, it was standard practice to remove the tonsils if repeated infections occurred. Now they are viewed as a line of defence against invading bacteria, and are usually left in place.
Stress and the Immune System
5.12 Researchers now know that the central nervous system can communicate with the immune system and that the immune system produces chemicals that can reply to the nervous system. They have found that stressful events can actually suppress the immune system, causing the person under stress to be more susceptible to illness.
What is Fever?
5.13 The symptoms, like fever, cough, diarrhoea, headache, we perceive as diseases are actually the very processes the body’s immune system uses to restore balance, protect and heal itself. Recent research has shown that fevers represent an effort of the body organism in healing itself. Fever usually accompanies bacterial or viral infection. The body prepares itself to resist infection by developing fever; it is then more able to produce an “interferon” (an anti-viral substance). Fever also increases white blood cell mobility and activity, which are instrumental factors in fighting infection. If fevers are now becoming recognized as adaptive defences of the body, it is understandable why suppressing them with painkillers like paracetamol is now being discouraged.
What is Pus?
5.14 Pus is a mixture of white blood cells, dead pathogens, debris from broken down body cells, and plasma. It is a sign that the body’s immune system is at work. When pus collects in an infected region of the body, an abscess occurs. No abscess, no matter how small, should ever be squeezed. This can cause the bacteria to enter the bloodstream and spread to another part of the body.
Santokh Singh Parmar
Naturo-Food Therapist & Lifestyle Consultant
Mobile: +91(0) 9815922330
Websites: www.naturofoodtherapy.org & www.foodtherapy.org
Note: The above information and advice and indicative remedies are not a substitute for the advice, your doctor or naturo-food therapist may give you based on his/her knowledge of yourself.