With no immune system, we would all die young from overwhelming infections. However, the immune system is a two-edged sword. Too little and too much are both harmful.
Immune function is so hard-wired genetically that immune deficiency occurs only in the most extreme settings: HIV/AIDS, organ transplants (by intention), some lymphomas, extreme malnutrition and genetic immune deficiencies.
For example: The reason you get a cold or the flu is NOT that your immune system needs a boost, it is that your immune system is reacting appropriately to the virus you got exposed to from your kids or coworkers. With flu and colds, EXPOSURE is the issue, not immunity. If you do catch a cold, you become immune to that particular strain, but there are so many different strains, the next one you encounter could lay you low again.
The real problem in many diseases is an overactive immune system. The following common diseases develop as a result of too much immune reaction:
Poison ivy rash: immune reaction to the plant chemical on your skin
Psoriasis: aberrant immune reaction to numerous environmental exposures
Lupus: autoimmune reaction to your body’s own cells
Ulcerative colitis: genetically influenced autoimmune reaction in the intestines
Rheumatoid arthritis: autoimmune attack on joints and other tissue
Dry eye/dry mouth syndrome (Sicca): autoimmune attack on saliva and tear glands.
Peanut allergy: life threatening immune reaction to peanut ingredients
Hay fever: immune reaction to pollens
Asthma: partially genetic immune reaction to multiple inhaled allergens
Drug reactions: severe immune reactions to many drugs
Hives: immune reaction to shrimp, strawberries, drugs, etc, etc.
Eczema: genetically determined immune skin reaction causing intractable itch
How about CANCER? It is a common misconception that cancer is related to deficiency of the immune system. In most cases, gene mutations cause cancer, combined with certain environmental carcinogens like tobacco and asbestos, to name only two.
In the special setting of organ transplants, where the immune system has to be suppressed intentionally, cancer becomes a higher risk because the immune system can’t do what it does naturally: to seek out and kill abnormal cancer cells.
Only ONE of the top ten causes of death has a direct connection to low immunity and that is HIV/AIDS. Most of the common killers have nothing to do with low immunity. Boosting your immunity (which can't be done anyway) will not decrease heart disease, stroke, lung disease, diarrheal illness, and many others.
Much more common is too much immune response (called ‘inflammation’ and sometimes ‘auto-immune disease’). Most of the new 'biologics' advertised heavily on T.V. (Humira, Enbrel) suppress immune response. Prednisone is the most common immune suppressor.
The simple things we can do to reduce autoimmune inflammation is avoid smoking, excessive eating, alcohol, and don't abuse the sun.
So, in short:
1. Don’t worry about boosting your immune system; living healthy is enough.
2. Understand that you cannot improve on the immune system you were born with.
3. Understand that successful treatments for the diseases listed above consist of therapies that suppress, not boost, the immune response.
Vaccines deserve special mention. Vaccines induce immunity to individual disease-causing viruses and bacteria. Polio, measles, mumps, whooping cough are the most familiar ones. The flu vaccine induces immunity to the influenza virus of that particular year only, so yearly vaccination is the rule.
Shingles is also a special case. Shingles (Herpes Zoster) develops when there is a reduction in natural immunity to the chickenpox virus. This happens with aging or severe illness. There is no proven method for an individual to avoid reduced immunity with age. Fortunately, there is now a vaccine against the virus, which is given at age 50 to 60 to literally boost that specific immunity.
Best regards,
Related links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3hWv26Bs9E
SHINGLES (Herpes Zoster): Baby boomers: there is hope!
"Don't Pick That Mole"--- dispelling the myth
SUN PROTECTION: Myths and truths
Hormonal Acne in Women
