The immune system phenomenon

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The immune system phenomenon - and what it's all about

Everything we should know about ourselves and our immune system

Cough, cold, aching limbs - bhen you read these wordsone runs smoothly an ice-cold shiver down your spine, don't you? As a rule we associate it with illnesses that we have to deal with in bed, unable to, anyetto do anything. Is this hell on earth come true? Maybe. What many of us don't know: It is not the pathogens that cause the symptoms symptoms described above and the the body. It is the own defense system, that against them and fights.
So this is actually a good sign! We know that our body is acting, that our defense mechanism is perfectly intact and that it is ridding us of pathogens. So it's time to turn the tables, to sniffupfnoses and our immune system and our immune system! Read here about how the immune system workswhats it does all it has to don has to do and why it can sometimes be flawed.

The immune system - what gears it needs to keep the internal clock ticking

Basically, it's very simple: our immune system is there to protect the body from foreign influences such as bacteria or viruses. However, for this to work properly, some processes are necessary. To understand these, we need to take a closer look at the matter. The immune system is at work 24/7 and protects us most days from several disease processes that want to weaken us want to and can. From time to time, however, it is not so easy to keep certain pathogens away from our organism, so that we are involved in the work process of our body's own defenses. We notice this in the form of reactions such as coughs, colds, headaches or even fever.

The immune system consists in part of (partial) organs, but an even larger proportion consists of cells. The messenger substances in our bodies represent a central point in ensuring the proper functioning of the immune system. Essential components are already Skin and mucous membranesi.e. the throat, nose and even ther This is where the first defense reactions take place because pathogens can quickly gain access to these areas. It continues with the lymph nodes. You may remember your last visit to the doctor when the common cold knocks on the door or has already entered the house. has already entered the house. As a rule, the lymph nodes are also palpated during the examination, usually those located below the jaw in the neckarea neck area. Because Lymph nodes and pathways play a not insignificant role in the structure of our immune system: they generate antibodies that the "body police" need and form transport routes for them and for the defense cells. The spleenfor example, stores these defense cells and the bone marrow develops most of them into mature T cells. Our four tonsils also contain defense cells that potentially produce antibodies. The thymusa gland that sits between our lungs, has a decisive responsibility; T cells (i.e. defense cells) find their immunological imprint in it and are thus completed. Dhe most important cells for our immune system are various white blood cells, for example macrophages, monocytes, granulocytes, as well as B and T lymphocytes.

The immune system also makes mistakes - but why?

Let's start by considering what our immune system can do. That it works like Swiss clockwork, protects us from potential dangers on an ongoing basis and in many cases does so successfully. Therefore, there should be no panic when we talk about the fact that the immune system is also prone to "human error" and does not always work smoothly. It can do many things, but not everything. A weakened immune system, for example, can lead to a weakened body police force. There are many reasons for this: On the one hand, there can be congenital immune deficiencies or diseases that strongly affect the immune system, such as HIV infections, mononucleosis or diabetes. Medications can also affect our clockwork, such as chemotherapy for cancer treatment, drugs for rheumatism or those used after transplants. On the other hand, there are various autoimmune diseases that some people have already heard of; the best known is probably lupus erythematosus, in which the immune system works against its own structure. As with all other autoimmune diseases, lupus is a fault in the immune system that can explain why it occurs. Allergies also affect us - how does this happen? To a certain extent, the immune system exaggerates its efficiency. You become an allergy sufferer when the body starts to develop IgE antibodies as a result of this exaggeration. This is how well-known allergies to rye, grasses and the like develop. It can therefore be said that the human body has a lot going for it and that we can generally be happy about it, as it often makes our lives easier in its own cycle without us even noticing. We can also support it from the outside, for example by eating well and taking care of ourselves. Fun fact: Statistically speaking, Germans have a distanced relationship with fruit. The average per capita consumption is between 62.5 and 70 kg, which is relatively low. And this despite the fact that fruit can work like magic on the immune system: It contains the essential vitamins A, C and E, which are incredibly good for the body. It's not for nothing that they say "An apple a day keeps the doctor away!". So treat yourself to a bowl of fresh fruit salad every now and then or enjoy your favorite fruit as a snack between meals - your body will certainly thank you for it. Physiotherm's warmth can also be described as an immune booster. Why? More on this soon ...