How the Immune System Works
I’ve spent the last 20+ years using yoga and meditation to boost my overall health and well-being and, honestly, it pays off 95% of the time. Bringing positive energy to our body always helps! With that in mind please read on for some quick health boosters and a little over-all information regarding the immune system and just how it works.
According to Stanford Medicine, the immune system protects your body from outside invaders. These include germs (such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi) and toxins (chemicals made by microbes). The immune system is made up of different organs, cells, and proteins that work together.
There are 2 main parts of the immune system:
The innate immune system. You are born with this.
The adaptive immune system. You develop this when your body is exposed to microbes or chemicals released by microbes.
These 2 immune systems work together.
The innate immune system
This is your body’s rapid response system. It is the first to respond when it finds an invader. It is made up of the skin, the eye’s cornea, and the mucous membrane that lines the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and genitourinary tracts. These all create physical barriers to help protect your body. They protect against harmful germs, parasites (such as worms), or cells (such as cancer). The innate immune system is inherited. It is active from the moment your child is born. When this system recognizes an invader, it goes into action right away. The cells of this immune system surround and cover the invader. The invader is killed inside the immune system cells (called phagocytes).
The acquired immune system
The acquired immune system, with help from the innate system, makes cells (antibodies) to protect your body from a specific invader. These antibodies are developed by cells called B lymphocytes after the body has been exposed to the invader. The antibodies stay in your body. It can take several days for antibodies to form. But after the first exposure, the immune system will recognize the invader and defend against it. The acquired immune system changes during your life.
The cells of both parts of the immune system are made in different organs of the body, including:
Adenoids. Two glands located at the back of the nasal passage.
Bone marrow. The soft, spongy tissue found in bone cavities.
Lymph nodes. Small organs shaped like beans, which are located all over the body and connect via the lymphatic vessels.
Lymphatic vessels. A network of channels all over the body that carries lymphocytes to the lymphoid organs and bloodstream.
Peyer’s patches. Lymphoid tissue in the small intestine.
Spleen. A fist-sized organ located in the belly (abdominal) cavity.
Thymus. Two lobes that join in front of the windpipe (trachea) behind the breastbone.
Tonsils. Two oval masses in the back of the throat.
Our immune system is tied to all of the other systems within the physical body in a holistic way.
It can be enhanced and balanced with a little time and effort.
It is influenced by our thoughts, feelings and lifestyle. Stress hormones over time will diminish healthy immune function. Negative emotions like fear or anxiety will tax our body’s ability to fight off ‘invaders’.
It is the higher aspect of our heart – the thymus gland – aka the High Heart and can be enhanced when our heart and mind become coherent. In other words activating the relaxation response in your nervous system.
It is connected to the navel center, your power center and gut – this gives energy to the heart and helps to build the magnetic field of the body, helps to create the coherence mentioned above.
It responds well to nutritional support in the form of supplements like: Vit-C, Vit-D, Echinacea, Goldenseal, Turmeric, Ginger Teas, medicinal mushrooms – Reishi, Cordyceps, and ProBiotics to name a few. Here’s a link to my favorite mushroom site. These have been muscle tested by a long-time Applied Kinnesiologist (35 years) to be one of the best superfoods available for overall health and well-being.
Lastly, building a strong and healthy body gives you an added edge. Whole body movement, breathing techniques that center and ground, and focused meditation exercises all add to inner strength and overall vitality.
Reducing Stress with Yoga, Pranayam (breathing techniques), and Meditation Can Quickly Boost Your Immune Response!
Breathing Meditations – Kundalini Yoga:
- Inner Sun – Immune Booster
- Three Meditation for the Heart Center (to heal and release trapped heart wounds and reset the immune system)
More Pranayama (Breathing Techniques):
- Bhramari Pranayama (The Humming Bee Breathing Technique)
- Kapalbhati Pranayama (Forehead Shining Breathing Technique)
- Nadi Shodana Pranayama (Alternate Nostril Breathing Technique)
- Bhastrika Pranayama (Bellow Breathing Technique – Breath of Fire)
Excercises and Kriya’s (Specific Set of Yoga Postures) for Immune System Strengthening:
- Kriya – Strengthening the Immune System for Women – *I taught this to a group yesterday. Wonderful!
- Kriya – Immune Strengthening Workout
For Kundalini Yoga Lovers . . . one more moving meditation!
- Meditation to Balance the Nervous and Immune System – this link takes you to the written directions.
Wishing you radiant health, connectedness, and joy on your path!
Be safe…with love,
Kaye (Prem Pyar Kaur)
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