5 Amazing Facts About the Immune System You Probably Didn’t Know

by: Roger Simone | June 11, 2021

It’s easy to overlook the immune system. Not only is it invisible to the naked eye, it’s something we shove in the back of our minds, until something falls between the cracks. Or a virus as immense and terrible as the novel coronavirus starts devastating our lives, and ultimately, our
immune systems.

We all think of the immune system as the first line of defense against illnesses, but how much do we know about its inner workings? Or the fact that it saves our lives every day, whether we are aware of it or not? Today, let’s show our immune system the love it deserves by learning about these five amazing facts, and of course, taking good care of our health.

The immune system is made up hypervigilant cells, guarding our bodies 24/7.

The immune system is like the military, manning their posts and marching all over our bodies to look for suspicious things.

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According to EverydayHealth.com, in an interview with immunologist Dat Tran of the University of Texas Health Science Center, the first line of defense are the white blood cells, which are the first to recognize pathogens and fight off infection. Lymphocytes, a specific type
of white blood cells, work to allow the body to remember the invading microbes to fight them faster in future infections. White blood cells then produce antibodies that kill these invaders.

This is what our immune system does, day in and day out. Every day, we are exposed to a plethora of bacteria, so our immune system sorts through all of these decides which ones are good or bad, keeping us alive and healthy, 24 hours a day. And because they’re so efficient, we’re often unaware that anything happened.

The immune system has great memory. They’re vigorous note-takers and documenters.

The immune cells forgive, but they never forget. They have an amazing way of taking note of all the old infection cells, and could quickly recognize a virus, bacteria, or other pathogen through infection or vaccination.

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Memory B cells, a type of immune cells, can remember for up to decades. This is why the 1measles vaccine we got as children still protects us today. Similarly, this is how COVID-19 vaccines are working. COVID-19 vaccines help our bodies develop immunity to the virus. After getting jabbed, it typically takes a few weeks for the body to produce lymphocytes. Therefore, it’s possible for someone to get infected before or after getting COVID-19 vaccination, because the vaccine did not have enough time to develop and provide protection.

Cold and flu mean your immune system is working, while allergies are a reaction to a false alarm.

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Fever and inflammation are good signs. It means your body is doing its job. When we are faced with an infection or virus, our metabolism speeds up, and our body temperature goes up. The fever triggers cellular mechanisms that ensure the immune system takes appropriate action against the offending virus or bacteria.

On the other hand, an allergic reaction is the immune system reacting to a harmless allergen it first thought of as a threat.

Stress and sleep deprivation are bad for your immune system.

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Raise your hand if you always forget this fact, especially when drowning in deadlines. Stress can lead to an increased levels of hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which, in normal amounts, are helpful to our bodies by helping us cope with stress. However, too much of this is bad, and this could lead to a number of health problems, including lower immunity.

Because our immune systems work 24/7, it’s important to get that minimum five-hour shuteye, to give our bodies the much-needed break.

Laughter and positive vibes are good for our immune system.

And this is something even doctors swear by. When we laugh and keep a positive outlook, our immune cells thank us. “I don’t know if it’s a direct cause,” Dr. Tran says, “but the happier, or more positive you are, the more likely you are to eat right and be less stressed, which will help your immune system.”

Laughter releases dopamine and other feel-good chemicals in the brain, all of which can help decrease stress.

As the saying goes, laughter is the best medicine.

5 Amazing Facts About the Immune System You Probably Didn’t Know

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