Check out our
Super Immune Booster and
Super Pro Immune
Booster with probiotic complex blend for a total immune boosting experience.
For the immune system, life is hard. It is a 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week,
52-weeks-a-year battle against a well-equipped and persistent army trying to
harm your health. The immune system never rests and must always be on red alert.
It takes no furloughs.
The soldiers who make up the immune system come
from and are found in a diverse collection of organs. Although the
components, when taken together, weigh only about two pounds (900 g),
these two pounds are integral in keeping the scale of good health
balanced.
The sentries
The largest and most easily
seen component of the immune system is the skin. The skin is a physical
barrier against pathogens—harmful bacteria, viruses, and fungi—and also
a chemical barrier: the skin’s natural acidity is a poor environment for
invaders.
The mucous membranes are the sentries at the gates of
our body: the openings of the eyes, sinuses, mouth, and so on. They
secrete mucus, which both cleans away and traps pathogens. If bacteria
should progress through the mouth or nose and into the stomach, it is
still difficult for them to get into the blood. They must survive the
stomach, which to them is a poisonous torture chamber of acids and
digestive enzymes.
Within the gates
When a pathogen
breaches a gate and enters the body, other components of the immune
system—white blood cells—go to work. One type of white blood cell, a
phagocyte, is like the skin in that it counters all invaders. Other
types of white blood cells, in the class known as lymphocytes, are
programmed to go after only certain pathogens. The various types of
white blood cells all work in different ways, but they all need each
other to complete the job of protecting the body.
Phagocytes
Phagocytes ("cell eaters") are large white blood cells that engulf and
digest pathogens. An important type of phagocyte is monocytes, which
circulate throughout the body looking for trouble—looking for pathogens.
When monocytes get into tissue, they develop into macrophages ("big
eaters"). Macrophages are positioned throughout body tissue and are
often specialized: you might say some have an appetite for pathogens
found in the lungs, while others prefer the taste of those found in the
kidneys. Macrophages also are the "sweepers" of the body, as they
dispose of worn out cells.
Other phagocytes are granulocytes. Of
these, mast cells are found in the tissue, and neutrophils, eosinophils,
and basophils are found in the blood.
Lymphocytes
Lymphocytes are small white blood cells that travel through the lymph
system. They are not able to attack just any pathogen, as phagocytes
are. They are programmed to go after specific pathogens. They also bear
the major responsibility for the actions of the immune system.
The
two major classes of lymphocytes are B cells, which reach maturity in
the bone, and T cells, which reach maturity in the thymus.
Both of these recognize specific pathogens.
B cells work by
producing, transporting, and secreting antibodies. Upon meeting a
pathogen, B cells begin dividing and releasing antibodies, which seek
out and destroy the pathogen. Immune system components known as
"complements" also aid the antibodies in destroying pathogens.
Each B cell makes one specific antibody for one specific pathogen. If a
B cell meets another pathogen, nothing can be done. One type of T cell,
a helper T cell, must be involved for a B cell to destroy pathogens.
T cells can help B cells or other T cells, or directly attack pathogens.
When they directly attack the pathogen, they are known as cytotoxic T
cells. Another important T cell is the natural killer (NK). These T
cells are similar to phagocytes in that they do not need to recognize a
pathogen to swing into action. They are important in targeting tumor
cells.
There are also suppressor T cells, which act as the referee
in the battle. When the immune system has won a battle, the suppressor T
cells call off the troops.
| Other Players Bone marrow: The soft tissue
in the center of bones cells, including white blood cells.
Thymus: The thymus fosters development of T cells.
Lymphatic vessels: The lymphatic vessels are arteries that carry
white blood cells throughout the body.
Lymphatic nodes and the spleen: The nodes and spleen are both
"stopping pints" for white
|
Total Immune Booster is no longer available by the manufacturer.
Check out the replacement at
Super Pro
Immune Booster
Less for more: 10 billion probiotic complex
blended cultures per capsule (Total Immune Booster only has 7.5
billion per capsule.)
