Did you ever ask yourself why some of us catch cold while others do not contract it? Well, it is because our body, which is equipped with an efficient defense system to maintain its inner balance may have been, at that time, at a low immunity level due to poor lifestyle habits or tremendous physical, mental, or emotional stress. This intricate mechanism, which is both invisible and untouchable to us, is known as the immune system. It is meant to support health by fending off viruses, parasites, bacteria, yeast infections, and any other microbial invasion that target the body. The measure of healthy immunity is in our body’s ability to fight disease and infection; it is our means of survival. Unless this system is compromised, weakened, or depleted, it works relentlessly to ward off foreign particles that invade the body and develop into all types of infections. Therefore, contracting a disease or a virus depends mostly on one’s state of immunity.
However with modernization, technology, and industrialization, our immune defenses are constantly threatened by dangerous toxins, carbon monoxide, hazardous chemicals, water contamination and air pollutants, as well as seemingly harmless pharmaceutical drugs and food additives. All these factors jeopardize our health by increasing respiratory problems, skin diseases, allergies, kidney, liver, and cardiovascular disorders, and cancers. The consumption of highly refined and processed products or foods containing synthetic preservatives and chemical additives for the enhancement of flavor and color in ice creams and milkshakes also impair a healthy immune system. Much of what we eat or drink today is contaminated. Many of the livestock are fed hormones and antibiotics; much of agricultural produce is sprayed with pesticides or other toxic chemicals; and many spring and well waters are found polluted by toxins from chemicals, nuclear waste, fertilizers, or pesticides.
All these determinants contribute to the suppression and damage of our body’s natural defenses and healing mechanisms, giving way to health deterioration, like sinus and respiratory tract infections, allergies and autoimmune diseases, cancers, and chronic and digestive disorders. The immune system is also thrown off balance with daily physical, psychological, and emotional stressors due to unhealthy lifestyles, insufficient sleeping and resting time, long working hours, and demanding jobs and family lives, resulting in chronic stress, fatigue, lethargy, joint pains, depression, hormonal imbalance, and insomnia.
Most of us are born with a natural resistance, which is our first line of defense. A responsive immunity attacks all invaders, such as microbes or allergenic foods. Specific cells, positioned in different parts of the body, spontaneously react to eliminate specific intruders. For examples, externally, skin’s secretions and mucous membranes prevent pathogens from entering the body tissue whereas internally, digestive secretions extend protection once germs penetrate the system. There are immune cells that devour foreign bodies, including viruses, yeasts, cell debris, cancerous growths, and undigested food particles, as well as identify them to defend the body against future invasions. As for the T cells, they stimulate the immune responses and attack viruses and tumor cells by poisoning and eliminating them. In the case of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), the T helper cells are destroyed by the virus, shutting down the immune system and making patients vulnerable to minor viral and yeast infections. As for antibodies, they are cells that trap microbes and allergenic food particles.
The immune system operates relentlessly all through our life span, provided we maintain it functioning well. Because it is taken for granted, we only notice its less than efficient responses when there is a malfunction somewhere in the body, like a bacterial or viral infection, a splinter piercing the skin, a mosquito bite, vomiting or diarrhea induced by a virus or microbe, a reaction to allergy-producing stimuli, a rejected transplanted organ, or the immune system attacking the internal organs, such as in the case of autoimmune diseases.
Most of the above-mentioned dysfunctions can be handled by a healthy immunity, but with impaired functions, the body takes a longer time to respond and heal. Other factors that influence the condition of immunity include the quality of lifestyle, the degree of stress, inherited genes, tendency to allergies, and the integrity of the microflora (beneficial bacteria) in the digestive tract. Because the immune system is neither visible nor tangible like other body organs, many of us abuse it or overlook its importance and influence on health. However, a healthy lifestyle can tip the balance toward health and wellness if it is embraced with awareness in our daily regimen. Here are some of important lifestyle guidelines that can restore and maintain immunity in order to prevent disease and physical, mental, and emotional dysfunctions.
A moderate and balanced diet should be followed rigorously most of time. It should emphasize such foods as organically grown whole grains (wheat, barley, oats), deep-colored (green, red, yellow) vegetables and fruits, seeds, nuts, and legumes (soy, lentils, beans) along with reasonable amounts of fish, free-range poultry and eggs, and less often red meat. Dairy products are also beneficial to the brain chemistry as they provide tryptophan and serotonin, important hormones, which enhance sleep, serenity, immunity, alertness, and mental focus.
Pungent plants, such as the onion family (onions, leeks, chives, garlic), have healing and detoxifying properties as well as immune-boosting powers. Some herbal tea spices, like ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, coriander, and fennel are digestive and promote immunity.
Cold-pressed monounsaturated (olive oil) and polyunsaturated (canola, sesame, sunflower) oils are healthy cooking fats for building immunity, whereas saturated animal and hydrogenated fats damage blood vessels, leading to heart disease.
The denaturing of food by refining, processing, chemically preserving, and canning impairs the immune defenses as it robs plants of nutrients and fibers. It is advised to buy organically grown food free of pesticides, chemicals, and hormones and minimize microwave cooking due to its possible toxic effects. Genetically modified and irradiated foods affect immunity adversely as well. White and highly refined sugar, devoid of natural minerals, harms immunity by causing sugar to dangerously spike in the blood, resulting in hyperglycemia or insulin resistance (diabetes Type 2), thus leading to suppressed immunity. Overindulgence and mixing too many ingredients at the same meal compromise the digestion and decrease our body’s resistance to disease.
Regular activity is an important aspect of a healthy lifestyle that should be included in our daily routine. Deep breathing increases the body’s oxygen intake, which is important to the composition of T cells that fight viruses and tumors. Reduced oxygen, on the other hand, is related to low resistance to diseases and high mortality rate. Aerobic and therapeutic (yoga) exercising, walking, swimming, muscle-building, stretching, and deep rhythmic breathing improve the blood circulation and immune functions, thereby increasing our body’s healing powers.
Relaxation and stress reduction strengthens the immune responses and spirit. Sleep is particularly an important ingredient to boosting immunity. Quality sleep gives the body an opportunity to repair, whereas sleep loss reduces infection-fighting T cells by 30 percent.
These are some approaches to healthy living that promote a good defense mechanism, influencing physical, mental and emotional wellness, as well as spirituality. Improving our daily lifestyle habits can maintain and recover the efficiency of our immune functions and restore vital energy, adding meaningful years to life. Remember, our immunity is very resilient and it is up to us to maintain its functions healthy and responsive.
— Mariam Alireza is a holistic science specialist. Send comments to [email protected]