Immunity management

Know the causes and symptoms of decreased immunity and manage them.

Hello. It's Hue-Light. ​There are a lot of people around me who have a cold because of the severe daily temperature difference these days. ​So today, we're going to talk about the causes and symptoms of decreased immunity.

Aging ​

There is a difference in degree, but depending on aging, immune function decreases and inflammatory reactions increase. ​ Recently, due to aging, the body's immune system plays a longer role to protect itself from external environment or stress. ​ 

Long-term persistent antigenic compression increases inflammatory agents (cytokines). The acquired immune function of T cells and B cells decreases. ​ In particular, the chest gland changes greatly with aging, and the chest gland is an organ that sends T cells into the blood, and the total number of T cells and NK cells can be reduced due to age. ​ Natural killer cells are capable of destroying cancer cells. It decreases with aging, so the incidence of cancer increases. ​

According to aging, antibody production ability decreases after vaccination and bacteria or viruses cannot be effectively processed, resulting in more infectious diseases and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Stress

It might be vague how stress can affect the immune system. First, sympathetic nerve fibers connect the main immune system, the bone marrow, and the chest glands. And it also connects to the lymphatic tissue of the spleen and lymph nodes. ​ 

By combining with receptors in white blood cells, it releases various substances that affect the immune response, and when stressed, our brain stimulates the hypothalamus. ​Through the endocrine glands of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. Stress hormones like cortisol come out. 

Hormonal changes due to stress

This hormone can atrophy the chest gland, preventing lymphocyte (T-cells) from maturing. And if it's mass-produced, it's going to destroy the lymphocytes in the peripheral blood. 

White blood cells, like lymphocytes, combine with specific receptors to function. All lymphocytes have sympathetic nerves and multiple hormone receptors to regulate. ​ Lymphocytes also generally produce hormones or neuropeptides, some of which act on the brain. ​ 

The production of many cytokines causes drowsiness and general depression. Therefore, the immune system has a lot of influence on emotional state and stress. 

Lack of sleep​

During sleep, the body's body temperature, blood pressure, hormone synthesis, and immune responses change. ​

Even when we're in deep sleep and wandering in our dreams, every part of our body cleanly removes toxins accumulated in the body and controls each function of the body. Growth hormones are made and stress hormones (cortisol, epinephrine) are reduced, leading to more cytokines such as IL-6, tumor necrosis factor, and IL-12.​

According to the results of the study, even if you sleep only two to three hours a week, the body's immune system will get worse, so it is important to get enough sleep.

Alcohol, smoking, obesity and drug addiction.

Smoking and alcohol consumption, obesity, steroids and chemotherapy reduce the activity of natural killer cells. In addition, immunosuppressive drugs such as antibiotics and hormone therapy also affect the immune system.​

Antibiotics kill harmful bacteria, while also destroying bacteria that are beneficial to the human body, and can cause hypersensitivity reactions such as allergies.

​In addition, bacteria, viruses, parasites, HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infections, etc. They can reduce immune function, so refrain from drinking alcohol and smoking that are not good for your body. It's important to prevent the causes of reduced immunity. ​

Symptoms of impaired immunity

Finally, if you look at the symptoms of decreased immunity, as I mentioned earlier, the resistance to pathogens weakens, exposing you to viruses and germs, making you more susceptible to disease, and increasing the likelihood of inflammation in the body. ​ 

In particular, when viruses and bacteria penetrate the stomach and intestines, they reduce appetite and cause abdominal pain and diarrhea. ​ And because you feel tired easily and catch a cold easily, symptoms of cold such as swelling of your tonsils or coughing and runny nose can appear. ​ 

So far, I've introduced the causes and symptoms of decreased immunity. As many places talk about the importance of immunity, I hope you avoid and prevent the factors that cause decreased immunity. 

Next time, if I have a chance, I will introduce you to how to develop immunity.

Hue Light Immune Care Center Innovative immune care system without side effects (hue-light.net)