At Vyral Defense, we’re all about helping you and your family stay healthy year-round, with immunity boosting products that give you superpowers during cold and flu season, family vacations and trips to the doctor’s office, school, the gym—and wherever else life takes you.
You’ve probably heard a lot about the immune system recently, but do you know how this complex network of organs, cells and chemicals work together to fight infection and keep you healthy? Read on to learn all about it!
How the Immune System Works
The immune system is your body’s natural defense against illness. It’s a network of cells throughout your body that work together to prevent or limit infection from potentially harmful pathogens (AKA germs) and prevent damage from noninfectious exposures like sunburn and cancer.
The main tasks of your immune system are:
- Fighting off disease-causing pathogens like bacteria, viruses and fungi by removing them from the body.
- Recognizing and neutralizing harmful substances from the environment.
- Fighting disease-causing changes to the body, such as cancer cells.
Your immune system is activated when your body comes in contact with something that it doesn’t recognize as its own; these are called antigens. Antigens are the parts of a pathogen that your body recognizes as a potential threat. When an antigen is detected, your immune system triggers a whole series of processes in your body.
When your body comes in contact with a disease-causing germ for the first time, it usually stores information about the germ and how to fight it. That means if you come in contact with that germ again, your immune system already knows what to do and can start protecting you faster.
What the Immune System is Made Up Of
The main parts of the immune system are white blood cells, antibodies, complement system, lymphatic system, spleen, bone marrow and the thymus gland. Here’s how they all work together to protect you from “invaders” (AKA viruses and infections):
- White blood cells are the key players in your immune system. They move through your blood and tissues looking for harmful “invaders” such as bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi. When they find them, they launch an immune attack.
- Antibodies are part of the attack squad that’s triggered by your white blood cells. They help fight pathogens by recognizing antigens on the surface and marking them for destruction.
- Complement system is made up of proteins whose actions complement the work done by your antibodies.
- Lymphatic system is a network of delicate tubes throughout your body that help manage fluid levels, react to bacteria and deal with cell products that would otherwise result in disease or disorders.
- Spleen is a blood-filtering organ that removes pathogens from your body and destroys old or damaged red blood cells. It also produces disease-fighting components of the immune system including antibodies and lymphocytes, which are a type of white blood cell.
- Bone marrow is a spongy tissue in your bones that produces the red blood cells your body needs to carry oxygen, the white blood cells your body needs to fight infection and the platelets your body needs to clot blood.
- Thymus gland is a small organ located in the upper chest under the breastbone, which filters and monitors your blood content and produces the white blood cells called T-lymphocytes.
In addition to the immune system, your body uses your skin, lungs, digestive tract and bodily fluids such as saliva, skin oil and tears to help defend itself against pathogens.
Healthy Ways to Strengthen Your Immune System
An optimally functioning immune system helps keep you well by protecting your body’s tissues and fighting off bacteria and viruses that can make you sick. Although the immune system is precisely fine-tuned to protect you, there are ways to help strengthen it and give yourself a natural boost:
- Get enough sleep (experts recommend at least seven hours a night).
- Fill your plate with nutrient-rich vegetables and fruits as often as possible.
- Avoid environmental hazards, such as exposure to air pollution and pesticides.
- Stay active with regular moderate activity, such as brisk walking, tennis or cycling.
- Find healthy ways to help manage stress.
Of course, Vyral Defense is a great way to give your immune system an extra layer of protection whenever you need it. Formulated with highly bioactive ingredients that are patented and clinically proven, our 100 percent made-in-the-USA products are the ones you can trust to keep you and your family safe.
