Your immune system is an incredibly important part of the body. It keeps you healthy and fighting infection to ensure you are feeling well and healthy as much as possible. The average person does not know many things about their immune system. Here are five things that you did not know about your immunity.
1| Adapts to Change
Your immune system is constantly working in the background to keep you and your body healthy and running as it should. For most people, your immune system can adapt to changes such as fighting new bacteria, viruses, and parasites on a daily basis.
The constant exposure to new germs, viruses, and bacteria allows for your immune system to learn how to build antibodies and combat these foreign bodies. In rare cases, those with chronic immune conditions have a defective immune system that cannot learn how to combat new threats to the body, which leaves these individuals prone to infection.
2| The Gut is Part of the Immune System
According to WebMD, Most people are not aware that the gut is part of the immune system, but the gastrointestinal tract is the largest part of your immune system. Your gut is constantly working to regulate what is going on within the body. Your gut works to differentiate good bacteria from bad, and it is key for overall immune health.
Taking care of your gut will allow you to take care of your immune health’s biggest part. Gut checking starts when in utero and should continue throughout your life. This is an easy way to assist your immune health and promote overall body health.
3| Thymus Gland
The Huffington Post reports that the Thymus Gland is located between your lungs and behind your sternum. This gland produces white blood cells called T-lymphocytes or T-cells. The Thymus is at its prime during your youth. Immature T-cells are sent to the Thymus to mature and become an essential part of your immune system. These cells become adaptive to bacteria and viruses; these cells are the defenders against harmful bacteria and viruses. Once an individual reaches puberty, the Thymus begins to shrink and slowly becomes fatty tissue deposits.
4| You Can Live without Your Spleen
First off, according to the Huffington Post, “the spleen is one of the largest lymphatic organs within the body, and it works to clean your blood of viruses, bacteria, and other threatening foreign bodies that your body may be fighting. The spleen is located behind the stomach and under the diaphragm. This multi-purpose organ filters red blood cells while also storing white blood cells that produce antibodies.”
When fighting an infection, your spleen grows temporarily; however, it must be removed if it ruptures. You can live without your spleen if it is needed to be removed. It is easier to stay healthy with your spleen; however, you can remain healthy without it.
5| Antibodies are Your Army
The Mayo Clinic says, when your body identifies germs, bacteria, and viruses, it triggers an immune response. This trigger creates antibodies that remember the foreign bodies and know how to defend against them. The antibodies remember the threats to ensure they do not make repeated attacks against the body. Even though you have a little army within your body, it is still important to provide those little guys with a helping hand.
Washing your hands frequently and getting certain vaccinations can greatly increase the power of your immune system. Lifestyle changes can also aid in increasing the effectiveness of your immune system as well. Getting adequate sleep, exercising regularly, and eating healthy can leave you feeling healthier and keeping your immune system working at peak performance.
