In case allergy, avitaminosis and other spring and summer health problems are clear more or less than the decreased immunity has many disputable points.

People without medical education have quite vague idea about what immunity and its weakening is. It is mainly formed by the advertising campaigns of the medications intended to “strengthen” and “firm” initially decreased immunity of everybody. But is it really so dangerous? And what the immunity is and how it works? This is what we shall start from.

Standing guard over the order

Immunity system prevents pathogenic irruptions from outside (bacteria, viruses, fungus and etc) as well as from inside of the body (malignant degeneration of own cells). Such irruption may be a transplanted organ as well thus after transplantation it is required to take immunity oppressing medications.

To understand how the immunity works it is better to compare it with … law-enforcement organizations.

When an alien agent appears in the body a “patrol service” presented by scavenger cells detains (absorbs) it. They “ascertain” the personality of the detained, defining its antigens – the molecules specific to the concrete “enemy” type. For instance they are the albumens of the microbe capsules.

The information received is transferred into “database” of definite lymph cells type called – T-helpers. They provide this information to other lymph cell types – T-killers that find and eliminate the “offender” and B-lymph cells that produce antibodies – albumen molecules binding “hostile” antigens.

The grounds of the modern immunity interpretation were formed in the end of XIX and beginning of XX centuries by German scientist – Paul Erlickh who discovered immunity with the help of antibodies and Russian scientist – Ilya Mechnikov who discovered cells immunity.

In 1908 they were awarded a Nobel Prize in medicines for this contribution into world science.

The information about several antigens was defined and then fixed throughout the evolution process and it is inherent to everyone – such immunity type is called a specific immunity. Acquired immunity is formed while contact with antigens throughout the life.

However certain failure of the immunity happens. Sometimes “the guard” mistakes and attack “peaceful people” that are the own body cells. This causes the autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or first type diabetes. It also happens that one of the “patrol” divisions is not active enough and as a result corresponding immunity type is broken. For instance, atrepsy breakage causes malignant neoplasm growth. Excessive work of the “internal forces” doesn’t lead to positive result as well – this is the way allergosis appears.

The weak branch

Commonly the weakening of the immunity considered to be the general immune respond weakening (release of “informational” substances, cells reactions, antibodies release) to the pathogen irruption (mostly catarrhal sicknesses agents) and not the certain immunity branch breakage.

At the same time the criteria of such weakening are quite vague in case we don’t consider serious immunodeficiency disorder such as AIDS for example. Prolonged impetiginous diseases of the skin such as streptococcal impetigo, furunculosis, impetigo and etc clearly reflect the immunity deterioration. It is also may be suspected to present in case you experience frequent (5-6 and more times a year) low-intensity chills. However it doesn’t mean that you should worry about prolonged for several weeks catarrh and take immunogens in great doses.

Furthermore, immunity stimulation today is a topic for a serious discussion. The term immunopotentiation is considered to be not really correct in the western countries as the treatment should be aimed at the definite immune functions and not the whole immunity. Most often this term is used to describe immunity maintenance in the constant “increased readiness condition” against microbes’ irruption however it is more correct to call this an immunomodulation. By the way, certain hormones such as female sexual ones, somatotropin (growth hormone) have this effect; however it is not possible to use them in immunomodulation.

Unfortunately there are no medications able to strengthen the immunity on general today. It is possible to vaccinate or strengthen immunity against definite infections by the vaccinations. It is able to fight certain infection by injecting corresponding antibodies into organism. But the offer to improve immunity with medications is nothing but promotional trick.

However everything is not as bad as it seems. There are several recommendations that will help to maintain the immunity at the normal level.

1. Don’t avoid vaccinations. This advises is primarily concerns those visiting exotic countries and those parents wishing to protect their children from many dangerous infections. Remember that adult should also have a vaccination against diphtheria and tetanus every ten years.

2. Care for your food contains proper nutritive materials, vitamins and microelements as immunity is quite sensitive to their lack or misbalance. Throughout spring asthenia (breakdown) when your body is weakened by cold weather, short daylight hours and vitamins insufficiency include polyvitamins with microelements into your meal.

3. Provide a proper night rest as even not getting enough sleep one time weakens immune reactions temporarily.

4. Learn to resist psychological loads and stresses as they also cause your body resistance. You may learn any relaxation method (yoga, respiratory exercises and so on) if needed.

5. Keep a good shape, walk more.

6. Treat yourself from any infectious diseases completely and in time.

7. Maintain your body by plant tonics like ginseng, magnolia-vine and eleutherococcus from time to time. As only they probably are able to stimulate nonspecific immunity without any unforeseen consequences (they were used for several centuries).

Above mentioned methods are quite general of course. However concerning immunity weakening only they become primary as the immunity is quite sensitive to the things related the lifestyle.

And in case you have any suspicions about your immunity serious breakage don’t postpone a visit to your doctor – as the definite branch of the immunity may be broken and specific treatment is required.