Amazing immune facts, like parasites prime our immune system
Our immune system is our body's defence network. It identifies and neutralises harmful invaders like pathogens, toxins and abnormal cells, while maintaining tolerance to healthy tissues.
This balance is critical to our health, and resolving imbalances at the root cause is a key part of healing ongoing illness for good.
5 interesting facts about our immune system
PARASITES prime our immune system in childhood - reducing the risk of autoimmune diseases and allergies. Worms and other parasites interact with our immune cells to prevent excessive inflammation. Highly sanitised environments mean a lack of immune 'education'
Molecular MIMICRY - is where a pathogen like a virus or bacteria has proteins that resemble our own. The immune system attacks the invader but sometimes cross-reacts with similar-looking human tissues, leading to autoimmune diseases\
Our antibodies RESIDE in different parts of our body. IgG in blood and extracellular fluids, and it crosses the placenta to protect babies; IgM primarily in the bloodstream (infection fighting); IgE in tissues and mucosal surfaces (allergic reactions, parasite defence); IgA in mucosal surfaces like the gut lining (first line of defence against
The GUT contains 70-80% of our immune cells, protecting against pathogens. Our gut microbiome trains immune cells not to overreact, preventing autoimmunity and allergies
Our immune system REMEMBERS every pathogen it's ever encountered, with memory B cells and T cells storing blueprints of past infections, allowing a faster and stronger immune response to the same pathogen in the future
Functional, or natural medicine seeks to heal immune imbalances by addressing root causes eg gut health, nutrient deficiencies, chronic infections, environmental triggers, to protect against, and heal from disease and autoimmunity.