Written by Dan Vale
As the ancient poet, Virgil, once said, “The greatest wealth is health.” Furthermore, your strong immune system is the foundation of your good health.
So, what is your immune system, and why is it so important? This article will discuss that topic.
Your immune system
The entire immune system consists of both an innate and an acquired immune system, and they work together. The innate immune system consists of different organs, cells and proteins that work together to produce cells that surround and kill threats that invade the body. It is present from birth.
The adaptive immune system develops when your body is invaded by microbes such as viruses, fungi, or chemicals released by such microbes. Then, over several days, your body produces antibody cells to protect your body from the specific invader. After the first invasion, the immune system will recognize and more quickly defend against that invader in the future. Vaccines use a dead or greatly weakened invader to activate the adaptive immune system against that specific threat.
The entire immune system will protect your body from many threats in the environment. When it cannot adequately protect your body, it will help your body to recover as quickly as possible.
As you age, your immune system is not as strong as it was during your youth. Therefore, older people should be especially motivated to make their immune systems as strong as possible. No matter what your age, however, keeping your immune system functioning well gives you a better chance of staying healthy for as much of your life as possible. Most deaths from threats like the coronavirus are usually among those people who are already sick.
How to strengthen your immune system
So, how do you keep your immune system strong? To nurture your immune system, you should:
- Exercise on a regular basis, but not too much.
- Learn to manage stress well.
- Get enough sleep
- Eat nutritious foods, especially fruits and vegetables.
- Drink only moderate amounts of alcohol.
- Stop smoking.
- Use the supplements that boost your immune system.
- Get vaccinated.
During and immediately after a potential, future disaster, conditions might be bad enough so that the proper care of immune systems might become more difficult. For example, stress will be increased, and also, getting enough sleep might become difficult. Therefore, everyone should attempt to have their immune systems working at the highest possible levels before they encounter any potential disaster in the future. With initially strong immune systems, everyone would be more likely sustain at least adequately functioning immune systems during the stressful, chaotic periods of the disaster and its aftermath. This is important, because doctors might be overwhelmed by the number of victims, and they might not be immediately available for you during and right after a disaster.
Take precautions
Although a strong immune system will help to keep you healthy, you should take common sense precautions to avoid exposing yourself to respiratory viruses such as the coronavirus. Precautions include:
- Washing your hands frequently with soap and water
- Covering you mouth and nose while coughing or sneezing
- Avoiding close contact with people who are sick
- Avoiding any touching of your eyes, nose, or mouth
- Staying home from work or school while sick
Maintaining a strong immune system has other benefits during normal times. Enjoying vigorous good health, for example, is better than the marginal health of not being sick very often. Fewer or no sick days will also give you an advantage in your career. A strong immune system will help you to avoid expensive medical bills, lost wages, and problems with your managers and fellow employees.
In summary, a strong immune system is a win/win state of health. It will help you to be at your medical best during normal times as well as during what could be life or death situations.
About the Author:
Dan Vale has a Bachelor Degree in Physical Education. He won the Mr. Delaware Bodybuilding Contest in 1968 and earned his karate Black Belt in 1973. He has had a lifelong interest in physical fitness. Furthermore, for over seven years, he wrote 785 of articles for the Examiner Online Newspaper. Most of these articles were written in his capacity as the Baltimore Prepper Examiner. To see his Amazon books, visit his Amazon author page.
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