Lillian Dirito, Health Wise Writer
The immune system is a system unlike any other in the body. In fact, one can’t really point to any particular organ or set of tissues in the body and say, “Here is the immune system.” Immunity is essentially a function of all of the body systems as they try to maintain normal balance (homeostasis) in the body.
For example, the skin can be considered part of the immune system since it acts as a protective layer to keep dirt, microbes and other foreign debris out of the body. The friendly bacteria (acidophilus), in the colon, are part of the immune system, since they protect the bowel against yeast infection. The liver is part of the immune system, removing harmful chemicals from the blood. The immune system has its own specialized cells, the white blood cells. The bone marrow, spleen and thymus gland are some of the organs involved in creating these cells that help to destroy invading organisms.
The lymphatics form a major part of the immune system. The lymphatic system resembles the circulatory system in a couple of ways. It is a way of transporting fluid through the body, and the system is made up of a series of vessels (called lymphatic vessels), running through the body. These vessels pick up fluid and waste that leak from the capillaries of the circulatory system. The fluid is called lymph. It contains proteins, fats and other products of digestion that help in the absorption of fats in the body. But the system’s main job is to transport and store white blood cells- the body’s main interior defense.
Good general nutrition is absolutely essential to the immune function. To enhance your immunity, eat a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, organically grown if possible. Use whole grains and natural sweeteners instead of refined carbohydrates. High quality oils like flax seed or hemp oil are also important to immune function.
Research has also demonstrated that laughter, love, happiness and other positive emotions enhance our immune function. On the other hand, fear, hatred, jealously and other negative emotions have been shown to reduce immune function. Avoiding unnecessary stress in the body is another way to enhance immunity. Therefore, the more pesticide residues, food additives, household chemicals and the like we can avoid, the less stress we place in our immune systems. Some of the most common imbalances that can occur in the immune system, but not limited to, are: bacterial infections, viral infections, common cold and flu, lowered resistance and oxidative stress.
There are some herbal combinations that may help to strengthen the immune system: Echinacea and Goldenseal, High Potency Garlic, Oregon Grape, VS-C, antioxidants, Pau d’ Arco and Silver Shield. Essential oils used in aromatherapy like lemon oil, myrrh oil, tea tree oil, Tei-Fu oil and thyme oil are also very helpful.
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