Our immune system is a collection of cells, organs, molecules and tissues working together to protect our body from infections and diseases. As we get older, our immune system gets naturally weaker and weaker. A poor immune system means your body is vulnerable to infections and unable to deal with them accordingly, which will greatly affect your cardiovascular fitness.
How does the Immune system work?
The immune system relies on white blood cells called Leukocytes which originate in the bone marrow, but migrate into the blood to help clear toxins and harmful substances in your body. The leukocytes trace and detect any foreign microorganisms in your body called Anitgens. Once detected, the body's immune response kicks in.
There are two different types of responses which occur in the immune system:
Innate immune response - these cells act fast (within minutes or hours) and can distinguish a foreign microorganism from that of the human cell. What these cells can't do is distinguish one infectious cell from another, and they'll react the same way each time the same infection or disease may enter the body. One thing the innate response is responsible for is causing fevers in your body - this is because a higher temperature makes it harder for bacteria and viruses to grow inside your body.
Adaptive immune response - these cells are much more specific and can detect one invader cell from another. These cells have to be prompted and primed into the right cell in order to target the specific threat, but this process takes much longer (weeks) to form.
When a immune response is triggered, the body relies on the Leukocytes to attack the threat. Leukocytes are broken down into two different groups: Phagocytes and Lymphocytes. Phagocytes release Macrophages & Dendritic Cells to consume the foreign cells and present information on the antigens to the Lymphocytes in order to be identified and destroyed. Lymphocytes release T-Cells to search your body for infected cells to kill, while B-Cells retrieve the information given from the Macrophages & Dendritic Cells and produce proteins called Antibodies to attack the rest of the invader cells.
These cells are stored throughout various areas in your body. These are in your Bone Marrow (as mentioned above), Lymph nodes, Skin, Spleen & Thymus gland.
The ultimate purpose of the immune system is to stop a threat from becoming deadly, and in the long term to create immunity. Once your adaptive immune system recognises a threat, it memorises it (using memory cells) so that if the same threat attacks again in the future your body can produce a quicker response.
Along with getting older, other things which can weaken your body's immune response is obesity, health issues and genetics - in particular a gene called Ace2. which serves as the main entry point for Coronaviruses such as COVID-19 & SARS.
How can you boost your immune system?
Making a habit of consuming certain minerals and vitamins will go a long way to helping you achieve long-term immunity. The main things to consider would be Zinc, Vitamin D3 & Vitamin C, but generally speaking having a mixture of all Vitamins & Minerals will help boost your immune system. Fruit, veg, garlic, ginger & turmeric are all beneficial foods which contain these along with other beneficial elements such as anti-oxidants.
If you have any questions, send an e-mail to MOB FIT at mobfituk@outlook.com