People’s sensitivity to antigens varies widely. Antigens can cause a hyper-reactive response in which too many white cells are released. Allergens are one type of antigen and include grass pollen, dust, food components, or pet hair. Other conditions that trigger an immune responseĪntigens are substances that the body labels as foreign and harmful, which triggers immune cell activity. Our immune system then adapts by remembering the foreign substance so that if it enters again, these antibodies and cells are even more efficient and quick to destroy it. When a foreign substance enters the body, these cells and organs create antibodies and lead to multiplication of immune cells (including different types of white blood cells) that are specific to that harmful substance and attack and destroy it. It is regulated by cells and organs in our body like the spleen, thymus, bone marrow, and lymph nodes. Immune system cells that attack all foreign cells entering the bodyĪdaptive or acquired immunity is a system that learns to recognize a pathogen.

Enzymes in our sweat and tears that help create anti-bacterial compounds.Skin that keeps out the majority of pathogens.Innate immunity is a first-line defense from pathogens that try to enter our bodies, achieved through protective barriers. Humans possess two types of immunity: innate and adaptive. It recognizes foreign invaders like bacteria, viruses, and parasites and takes immediate action. Our immune system, a network of intricate stages and pathways in the body, protects us against these harmful microbes as well as certain diseases. On a daily basis, we are constantly exposed to potentially harmful microbes of all sorts. However, a balanced diet consisting of a range of vitamins and minerals, combined with healthy lifestyle factors like adequate sleep and exercise and low stress, most effectively primes the body to fight infection and disease. Yet the design of our immune system is complex and influenced by an ideal balance of many factors, not just diet, and especially not by any one specific food or nutrient. Vitamin C and foods like citrus fruits, chicken soup, and tea with honey are popular examples. During the flu season or times of illness, people often seek special foods or vitamin supplements that are believed to boost immunity.

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