The human immune system is an amazing thing… most of the
time, at least. Many people have no idea
how the immune system works, but they benefit from it—and unfortunately, sometimes
suffer from it. The immune response is
how your body identifies and protects itself against bacteria, viruses, and
substances that seem foreign and potentially harmful to the body. There are a number of different immunities: innate immunity, acquired immunity, and passive
immunity.
Innate immunity is the type of immunity you have when
born. Innate immunity comprises of
barriers that keep destructive materials from entering your body. These barriers form the initial defense in
the immune response. Healthy responses include
cough reflex, enzymes in tears and skin oils, mucus that traps bacteria
and small particles, skin, and stomach acid.
Acquired immunity is immunity that develops by being
introduced to an antigen. Your immune
system then builds a defense against that specific antigen. Once we have an immune response to a single
type of antigen we are less likely to get sick from the same one in the future.
Passive immunity is a result of antibodies that are made
in a body that is not your own. For
example, an infant has passive immunity because he or she is born with
antibodies that are transferred from the baby's mother. Unfortunately this passive immunity doesn't
last long—these antibodies fade from the baby’s immune system between 6 and 12
months of age.
A healthy immune system defends the body from possibly
damaging agents by recognizing and responding to pathogens (such as bacteria,
viruses, and other microorganisms), as well as antigens. Antigens are molecules on the surface of
cells, fungi, viruses, or bacteria that cause an immune response.
When an infection develops, a healthy immune system will
produce agents that attack the foreign substance. For instance, the immune system may produce
killer T cells (a type of white blood cell) that can identify and destroy the
attacking microorganism. Additionally,
the immune system makes antibodies that seek the specific invading
microorganism. Antibodies then attach to
and destroy them.
There are, however, immune system responses that are not
healthy. Unhealthy immune responses
include auto-immune disorders and environmental sensitivities.
Auto-immune Disorders
Autoimmune diseases result from an immune
response of the body against elements and tissues normally present in the
body—plainly said, the immune system attacks what is actually normal and
healthy inside the body. This may be
restricted to certain organs such as autoimmune thyroiditis, or it may
involve a specific type of tissue found in different parts of the body. Immunosuppression is the typical treatment
for an autoimmune disorder and involves medication that reduces the immune
system’s response.
Environmental
Sensitivities
Environmental sensitivities involve the immune system’s
responses to certain foods and other factors in the environment. This happens when the body cannot handle all
the toxins it comes into contact with every day. In this case, the immune system functions
become overactive and react to otherwise harmless substances. There are a vast array of symptoms that come
with this disorder, including headache, fatigue, dizziness, nausea, congestion,
itching, sneezing, sore throat, chest pain, changes in heart rhythm, breathing
problems, muscle pain or stiffness, skin rash, diarrhea, bloating, gas,
confusion, trouble concentrating, memory problems, and mood changes.
Some researchers also support an idea called "the
hygiene hypothesis". They believe
that environmental sensitivities may also be caused by a lack of childhood
exposure to infectious agents, probiotics, and parasites. Living in super-clean environments (for
example, spending a great deal of time indoors without pets) may leave a
child's immune system inexperienced and over-sensitive, resulting in a host of
abnormal reactions to everyday substances later on.
No comments:
Post a Comment