Your immune system holds many intriguing secrets. For instance, did you know it has a form of memory and accounts for about 10% of your body weight?
Frequent colds making you feel run down? Strengthen your immune defenses with extra fruit. Research confirms that adequate vitamin C intake can halve the risk of upper respiratory infections.
Read also: 'Resistance from a jar'
If you could weigh your immune system, it would represent no less than 10% of your total body weight.
Between 80 and 100 different cold viruses exist. That's why you get colds yearly—new strains keep emerging that your body hasn't encountered before.
Flu shots face misconceptions, like being overused or ineffective. Immunology expert Ger Rijkers clarifies: “Healthy young people don't need one. But for older adults or those with conditions like diabetes that weaken immunity, it's highly recommended. Studies show it can boost resistance a hundredfold.”
Your blood consists of plasma, red blood cells, and white blood cells. White blood cells power your immune system, with lymphocytes being the stars. Found in blood, lymph nodes, tonsils, spleen, lungs, and gut, lymphocytes come in two main types: T cells from the thymus and B cells from bone marrow. B cells mature into plasma cells that produce antibodies against bacteria, while T cells destroy virus-infected cells.
The immune system's superpower? Memory. When a pathogen returns, it mounts an immediate, powerful attack.
Text by Priscilla Borgers | Image: Shutterstock
