How can our immune system malfunction?

In war, the stronger army wins while the weaker army quickly succumbs to invasion. 

Our body works the same way. When germs attack, a healthy immune system instantly fights them.

What is  immune system and how does it work?

http://healthywholesometfood.blogspot.sg/2014/01/the-goals-of-nutritional-immunology.html

Only when our immune system is malnourished or weak, do we fall seriously ill or even die from infection. 

Take the example of two people exposed to the same flu virus. One falls seriously ill but the other doesn't. Although they face the same viral threat, only the person with a weak immune system becomes sick with the flu. 

Bacteria, viruses and other microbes are blamed for many illnesses but they are usually helpless against a strong immune system. A strong immune system function defends us from infections. 

Clearly MOST ILLNESSES are caused by a MALFUNCTIONING IMMNUE SYSEM.

1. A WEAK IMMUNE SYSTEM

A weak immune system leaves us prone to highly infectious disease like SARS, pneumonia, meningitis, hepatitis, influenza, tuberculosis, food poisoning and hand foot mouth disease. 

in 2001, the WHO reported that 10% of the adults in the world had at least one incidence of flu and that between 200,000 and 500,000 people die of the flu every year. 

A weak immune system can also lead to cancer. Under normal conditions, our immune cells are constantly patrolling the body and killing matured cells and cancer growth. The American National Cancer Institute explains that a weak immune system cannot quickly identity and destroy these cancer cells, causing an uncontrollable spread of cancer in the body. 

2. WAR WITHOUT AN ENEMY: ALLERGIES 

The immune system can malefaction by OVER-REACTING towards non-threatening agents. When this happens, we get an allergic reaction. 

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology says that allergies can strike at any time. It has been reported that one in 4 people  in the US and one in 6 people in the UK have some form of allergy. 

Allergic reaction can be classified into 3 main types - respiratory, food and skin. 

Respiratory: Sneezing  coughing, runny nose and tearing eyes are some of the respiratory allergies caused by factors like dust, plant pollen, animal fur and cigarette smoke.

Food: Vomiting, nausea, cramps and diarrhoea can be due to food allergens like milk, nut, eggs and shellfish.

Skin: Rashes, dermatitis, boils and blisters could stem from medicines, cosmetics, chemicals and some types of cloth, metals and insect bites. 

Allergies could lead to serious complications even death. Respiratory allergies can lead to asthma, a chronic lung complication that kills 1500 people a year in UK. Sinusitis, an inflammation of nasal sinuses, is a complication that affects 30 million Americans. Certain foods and insect bites can trigger  anaphylactic shock, which can kills if not promptly treated. 

3. BLIND-FOLDED ATTACK: AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE

Our immune system is programmed to distinguish between enemy cells and the body's own cells. Sometimes, the immune system behaves like a blind-folded soldier and mistakenly kills our own cells. This malfunction can lead to auto-immune diseases. 

There are over 70 auto-immune diseases, including rheumatism, inflammation of the joints, multiple sclerosis, a disses affecting the nervous system; diabetes mellitus, the inability of an individual to produce insulin to regulate blood sugar. Others include lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, haemolytic anemia, eczema, psoriasis, Crohn's disease and chronic fatigue syndrome. 

Rhematism affects about one million people in the UK. The WHO reported in 1998 that about 2.5 million people worldwide suffer from multiple sclerosis. 

To learn how to improve our immune system, click the below:
http://healthywholesomefood.blogspot.sg/2014/07/important-nutrition-that-our-immune.html

Regards, 
Joselyne
90909942