(To print this article click here first then print: The Immune System)
It is a multi organ system that is responsible of protecting our body systems against any abnormal situation arises due to their malfunction . These situations are always created when the body is invaded by foreign micro-organisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites .
The immune system uses different strategies to attack and neutralize these invaders.
Aside from these mechanisms of the immune system, the body has another way of defense against unwanted invaders, which is the first line of defense the body uses. For example, a healthy skin secretes anti bacterial substance, the nose secretes mucus to trap foreign invaders, the mouth produces saliva to get rid of invaders during oral hygiene, the eyes lacrimate to get rid of harmful materials, and so on. But if any of the invaders would succeed in breaking these barriers and enter the body, they will be destroyed by the cells of the immune system before they proliferate and cause infection. If the immune system could not function properly, these organisms can cause serious diseases.
Where is the immune system found ?
(A) The Bone Marrow:
It is the main organ that produces immune system cells, therefore, it is considered the essential organ of defense of the body. It produces the stem cells that can change to any other type of immune cell according to the body’s need.
(B) The Thymus:
The thymus gland is a pinkish-gray organ situated behind the breast bone. It is large in young adults but becomes small in aged people and in those suffering from chronic illnesses . The thymus produces the immune cells known as T cells, or T lymphocytes. They help in recognizing invaders and destroy them, as well as destroying abnormal cell growth such as cancer cells.
(C)The Spleen:
It is an organ located in the left side of the abdomen just behind the stomach. It is one of the centers of activity of the immune system. It’s mainly composed of lymphoid tissue hence it is also known as the largest lymph node in the body . Beside its function as an immune system organ , the spleen is responsible for destruction of old red blood cells, and it is a reservoir for
large amount of platelets to be used in an emergency. In the embryo till the fifth month of gestation, the spleen is responsible of creating the red blood cell for the baby. The spleen also produces lymphocytes that are a source for both T cells and B cells of the immune system.
(D) The Lymph Nodes:
These are small bean-shaped organs found in many parts of t he body, such as neck, groin, and inside the abdomen and chest. They are responsible of filtering the lymph to get rid of unwanted micro organisms. They become swollen and tender if the immune system is triggered by invading organisms, this is due to amounts of dead organisms that had been destroyed and
swallowed by lymphocytes.
(E) Lymph Nodules:
These include tonsils, appendix and Peyer’s patches in the intestine. Unlike the lymph nodes, these organs have no role in filtering the lymph, they function as protection for strategic areas of the body such as the respiratory system and gastro intestinal tracts. They are mostly composed of lymphoid tissue (lymphocytes) that play a role in immune defense system . They also can get themselves infected from repeated bacterial exposure and they have to be removed surgically.
Cells of the immune system:
These are represented by the white cells (leucocytes), they are formed by the bone marrow as stem cells. The stem cells transform into different types of immune cells to assume a specific assignment either by attacking the invading organisms, or by communicating with each other to start an immune response.
All cells of the immune system carry distinctive molecules allow them to recognize each other. This will prevent them from attacking healthy cells of the body, as what happens in case of an auto immune disease, where the immune cells become incapable of distinguishing between body cells and invading organisms.
There are five main groups of white cells:
( 1 ) Lymphocytes (2) Monocytes (3) Neutrophils (4) Eosinophils (5) Basophils
( 1 ) Lymphocytes:
They represent 20 - 40 % of the white cells. They are found in the lymphoid tissue, and include T cells and B cells
2) Monocytes:
These represent 5 – 8% of the total leucocytes . They can transform into macrophages, the scavengers of the body that destroy micro-organisms and engulf dead cells of viruses and bacteria. They also stimulate the B and T cells of the immune system by displaying pieces of the engulfed antigen on their surfaces to initiate an immune response.
3) Neutrophils:
These are about 40 – 70% of the total white cells, hence they are trillions throughout the body. Their function is to attach themselves to the micro-organisms and digest them.
4) Eosinphils:
They represent a small group of the white cells, about 1 – 3%. They attack and kill parasites by releasing special enzymes. They also control the inflammatory process.
5) Basophils:
These also represent a very small group of the white cells, about 0 – 0.5%. They are responsible of releasing histamine and heparin when they come in contact with an antigen. They are also capable of ingesting foreign particles. They are always associated with asthma and other allergies.
Types of immunity:
Two types are known:
A) Innate immunity (or natural immunity): This is due to the ability of the immune system cells to protect the body against diseases due to the immune response triggered by foreign bodies
entering the system. White cells do not need to recognize the invaders, the attack is launched automatically.
B) Acquired immunity (or adaptive immunity): This type takes several days to develop, usually after a foreign substance enters the body. The white cells start to remember their previous contact with the invaders, recognize them, then launch their attack.
What happens when things go wrong ?
To keep infections and unwanted invaders away, you need an effective or a strong immune system. There are many factors that can decrease the effectiveness of the immune system. These include:
Chemicals: as pesticides, herbicides, pollution
Nutritional: Deficiencies, food intolerance
Drug abuse: like tobacco, recreational drugs
Stress: diseases, infections, injuries
Hereditary: runs in the family
Lack of sleep: especially in old age when hormone levels decreases such as Melatonin hormone responsible for normal sleep
Hormonal imbalance: such as sex hormones estrogen and progesterone
Medications: such as steroids and cytotoxic drugs
Autoimmune diseases:
These happen when the immune system loses its ability to distinguish between “Self” and “ Non - self ” and starts attacking healthy tissues identifying them as foreign invaders. The reason why this happens is not clearly known, but it is believed that some organisms have the ability to expose only those parts of them that mimic the structure of an autoimmune system protein, thus causing the white cells to attack similar proteins including the good ones. Also genetic predisposition has a role in causing many known autoimmune diseases.
Many autoimmune diseases are known, such as:
Arthritis , Asthma , Multiple sclerosis , Myasthenia Gravis , Psoriasis , Crohn’s disease of the bowels , Primary Biliary Cirrhosis , Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Pernicious Anemia, Systemic Lupus Erythematosis and Autoimmune Thyroid Diseases.
Immuno deficiencies:
This occurs when the immune system fails or malfunctions due to shortage of essential cells as T cells or antibodies , or due to over-production of suppressor cells. Immuno deficiency diseases are either inherited or acquired.
A) Inherited (Primary) immunodeficiency diseases:
In this type the person inherits abnormal changes in the cells of his/her immune system as missing part of the immune system due to genetic defect. There is often a shortage in B cells and/or T cells. Complement or macrophage deficiencies are associated as well.
For more information you can check the following links:
http://www.pia.org.uk/
http://www.jmfworld.com/
http://www.primaryimmune.org/
B) Acquired (Secondary) immuno dificiency diseases (AIDS):
These disorders are caused by acquired defect in the immune system in a previously normal person. It can be caused by HIV, malnutrition, or aging. It is also found in those suffering from a chronic illness such as cancer, or those with poor liver or kidney functions. Also long term
use of immune-suppressants, steroids, chemotherapy or radiation can suppress the immune system due to damage to stem cells in the bone marrow.
Treatment of deficient immune system:
A) Conventional therapies: Treating infections with the appropriate antibiotics, taking care of nutrition and using immune system boosters such as immune globulins.
B) Immunizations: By using small amounts or non active amounts of a virus to initiate an mmune response. Active immunization by giving vaccines to stimulate the production of antibodies which keep a “Blue Print” of the antigens so they can attack and neutralize them when a similar encounter occurs.
C) Biological response modifiers (Immunotherapy): These are natural substances that can activate the body natural defenses. They can be reproduced in the laboratories through genetic engineering . These include : interferons , interleukins, tumor necrosing factor , colony-
stimulating factors and monoclonal antibodies.
D) Intravenous Gamma globulin: Such as IgG , an antibody used for treatment of primary immune deficiencies. They can be extracted from blood of healthy donors. Patients are tested prior to giving this kind of therapy to avoid severe allergic reactions.
E) Gene therapy/Stem cells: This is done by replacing the defective or missing gene with normal genes. The missing gene is plucked from a healthy person and inserted into a harmless virus, then stem cells are harvested from the person with the missing or defective genes and mixed with the virus carrying the missing gene then re-injected into the bone marrow. Once in the system, the virus will spread the gene throughout the body. In 2002 this was done successfully in two boys in Paris who suffered from severe combined immune deficiency.
F) Bone marrow transplant: This has been used for the past 20 years in U. K. as a treatment for children with immunodeficiencies. Cells are extracted from the person’s sibling bone marrow as the closest match. If this is not possible, a closely matched donor is used. This has to be carefully done otherwise the donor’s T cell can lead to severe Graft - versus - Host disease , where the transplanted cells cannot recognize the tissues as “ Self ” and they attack them.
G) Complementary and Alternative medicine:
It is also known as CAM. These are variety of therapies known to have immuno-modulating properties that boost a depleted or suppressed immune system. These therapies include : Naturopathy , Herbalism, Traditional Medicine , Chiropractic , Meditation , Yoga , Biofeedback,
Homeopathy, Acupuncture and Diet-based Therapies. Generally, CAM therapists recommend a few guidelines to maintain a strong immune system:
1- Keep a healthy lifestyle
2- Eat a balanced diet
3- Have adequate sleep
4- Exercise regularly
5- Keep a positive attitude
There are different ways of applying complementary and alternative medicine, we will discuss some of the basic ones.
I) The mind technique:
In a new field of medicine known as psyco – neuro - immunology, scientists investigated the interactions between the brain and the immune system.
It was found out that the brain has a great influence on the immune system through the central nervous system and the neuro-endocrine system. Under normal conditions, the brain cells secrete hormone-like substances called neuropeptides. They convey messages from
the brain to the lymphocytes which feed – back to the brain by secreting neuropeptides too. When a person is under stress, the effectiveness of the immune system is markedly decreased due to release of stress hormone cortisol by the suprarenal glands. Cortisol cusses great damage to the lymphocytes ending in their destruction.
On the other hand, during relaxation, exercise, laughter and positive attitude, the brain chemicals serotonin and endorphins are produced and can activate the natural killer cells of the immune system.
Patients are instructed to do regular relaxation sessions to allow this two-way communication between body and mind to flow properly.
To read abstracts and other studies click here. or visit the webpage:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8263433?dopt=Abstract
II) Autogenic therapy:
This form of therapy is generated from within the body itself. Through deep relaxation, a state of physical and mental rest is induced. This will allow the arteries in the limbs to open up
increasing the blood flow. This is reached when warmth and heaviness of the limbs occur. At this, point the natural self-regulatory system will be able to function well, creating balance
between the brain and the immune system. This should be done for about 10 minutes several times a day. Those suffering from diabetes, heart problems or psychiatric conditions should not do this technique without consulting their doctors first.
III) Acupuncture:
Acupuncture has been practiced by Chinese native doctors for thousands of years. In the 1950s , electro - acupuncture was introduced By allowing a low-intensity electric current to pass
through the acupuncture needles to stimulate the acupoints, causing response in the immune system. This is possibly due to stimulation of the autonomic nervous system that regulates the
flow of communication between the brain and the immune system.
IV) Herbalism:
Many herbs and medicinal plants have been used to stimulate and regulate our immune system to fight serious illnesses. These herbs either to be eaten fresh, dried and powdered to be mixed
with foods, soaked and the tinctures are taken orally or their fruits and juices are taken as dietary supplements.
Examples of these immune-stimulant plants are:
Aloe vera, Acai berry, Black berries, Cat’s claw, Curcumin, Garlic, Ginger, Ginko biloba, Ginseng, Green tea, Licorice, Maitake mushroom , Marigold , Rosemary, Sage , Shiitake
mushroom and St. John’s Wort.
Many articles and studies are posted on the world wide web and are easily accessible to almost everyone.
V) Hydrotherapy:
Water has important cleansing and supportive effects on our systems. In addition, hydro-thermal therapy makes the use of additional effects of heat on the body. Hot water dilates blood
vessels increasing the blood flow to skin and muscles. This will help circulate oxygen around the body and remove the waste products effectively, thus improving the immune system.
Alternating hot and cold water therapy will help dilate the blood vessels then constrict them to squeeze more blood back to the systems.
There are different ways of applying hydrotherapy, such as:
Warm baths, cold rubbings, sauna/steam room, high-powered jets, whirlpool baths and packs/compresses.
VI) Hyper-baric oxygen therapy:
Oxygen is normally carried throughout our body in the red blood cells. When we breathe oxygen from the air under the normal atmospheric pressure, the 21% oxygen we take-in can
saturate our red cells up to 100%. But in some abnormal health conditions, this oxygen is not delivered efficiently to the tissues. Increasing the atmospheric pressure 2- 4 times will let
oxygen to be dissolved in plasma and other body fluids leading to increase in the circulating oxygen up to 500%. This will cause more oxygen to be delivered to the body tissues. Those
who can benefit from this therapy are people suffering from peripheral circulatory problems like in diabetics who have foot ulcers and foot gangrene. This high oxygen also can stop the growth of bacteria causing gangrene since they are anerobic in nature and cannot survive in oxygen. Many other health problems are now treated with hyperbaric oxygen such as diseases of the brain, including Parkinson’s disease, Autism in children and dementia. Other conditions include
Myasthenia Gravis, multiple sclerosis and cancer patients.
VII) Magnet therapy:
The purpose of magnet therapy is to increase oxygen flow to body tissues. This can help the body to better absorb nutrients and heal itself. Wastes are carried away effectively and lactic
acid flushed away ending in relieving pain and inflammation.
Magnets also help boost the immune system and can improve sleep patterns. They can be placed on the lymph nodes, or on the meridians of acupuncture or on the areas of the body that
need healing, like joints for example. Length of therapy can go from few minutes to several hours.
VIII) Massage therapy:
Massage has both physical and psychological benefits to our body . It can stimulate the lymph nodes and the lymphatic system to drain toxins out of the body and boosts both the
circulatory and the immune systems. Gentle massage can relax the body and trigger the release of endorphins; the body’s own natural pain killers causing feeling of comfort and well-being.
The most important thing is that it directly affects heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, digestion and skin tone. It can also decrease the levels of stress hormone which weakens the
immune system . Different techniques are used to perform massage therapy, but in the end massage therapy has great healing effects on various health conditions.
IX) Pranic healing:
The aim here is to use the body’s own energy to heal the ailing part of the body. This healing technique was created by the Chinese-Filipino spiritual teacher Grandmaster Choa Kok Sui,
after he spent years in researching the esoteric systems of healing like Chi Kung, Yoga, Reiki and others. The point is to move the healing energy from the body’s power center through the energy channels towards the ailing body part.
The body’s healing energy should be always replenished from nature by being exposed to the sun frequently, walking with your bare feet on natural earth or sitting under large shady trees.
Pranic healing is performed in a series of steps that are written in details in a book mentioned below in the source number 3) “Your Hands Can Heal You”.
X) Shifting body metabolism:
Studies were conducted using this method of therapy mainly in cancer patients. The outcome proved its effect especially when combined with chemotherapy , allowing the use of smaller doses of the chemotherapy drugs, thus avoiding the serious side effects that compromise the immune system.
Normally our body cells can metabolize carbohydrates and fats to produce the energy needed for their survival and to maintain healthy body systems. Cancer cells depends only on carbohydrates and sugars to produce the energy they need to keep growing. By eliminating or greatly reducing carbohydrates from the cancer patients diet , cancer cells
can die or become weak enough to be killed by the immune system. For this method to be effective, blood glucose level should be kept at 90 mg/dL or less. As a source of energy,
the patient is allowed to eat Polly-unsaturated fats such as omega-3 fats from fish and other sea foods.
A final word to add, is that natural and alternative healing methods should be always used along with conventional treatment. This will allow using smaller doses of those cytotoxic drugs to avoid their damaging effects on the body systems.
Sources:
1) Henry Spink Foundation website – Immune System
http://www.henryspink.org/immune_system.htm
2) The hyperbaric oxygen websites:
http://www.oxygenzone.co.uk/anti_aging1.aspx
http://www.cincinnatihyperbarics.com/thetherapy.html
3) “Your Hands Can Heal You” - A book by Master Stephen Co and Eric B. Robins, MD. Available in bookstores, ISBN: 0-7432-3562-2 To order this book online:
Click here: Your Hands Can Heal You, Master Stephen Co, Book - Barnes & Noble
You can also visit some of the author’s websites below for details:
a) http://www.pranichealing.com/master-stephen-co
b) http://www.openexchange.org/archives/AMJ04/co.html
4) http://www.empowereddoctor.com/doctor_index_5870.html
