Your Almighty Immune System

Your Almighty Immune System Your immune system’s got your back. And your front. All of you, inside and out. Good thing, too, because you’re surrounded by bacteria all the time. A tiny square inch of your skin can contain 50 million of them. Most are harmless. But some, such as viruses, can be downright dangerous. As a catchall, we call them germs. Your body has powerful microscopic armed forces to combat germs. Billions of white blood cells vigilantly patrol through the blood stream. Special fighting units, cells in your bloodstream called macrophages (Greek for big eaters) attack germs by surrounding them and digesting them. Other cells make powerful chemicals called antibodies. They are anti, or against, these foreign bodies and attack the outsides of germs. They team with other specialized germ fighters called T cells. Each kind of germ has an outer layer that’s different than those on other germs. Antibodies your body produced to fight off last year’s flu virus can’t get a grip on this year’s model. So your immune system has to go back to the drawing board and make new antibodies. But the good news is germs can’t fool your immune system twice. Once your body has withstood an attack by a specific germ, the antibody making cells remain on alert. They're ready to rumble if the same germs show up again. Last but not least, your immune system makes the almighty fighter interferon. It interferes with invading viruses trying to replicate themselves inside your cells. Interferon also helps activate macrophages and other immune defenses, including natural killer cells (cells that detect and start killing tumor cells) even before antibodies attach to their outsides, providing a crucial and early assault. You’re immune system may be complex, but some simple lifestyle habits can help keep it strong. A healthful diet, exercise, supplements, lowering stress, and more can make a difference in maintaining a healthy immune system. Take care of your immune system, so it can take care of you. Let Shaklee help you stay healthy and strong. http://greenproducts.myshaklee.com/us/en/