2.3 No visible signs of illness is not equal to healthy
Ask yourself this question: Why nowadays technology still cannot protect us from deadly disease? (Such as cancer, heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, etc.)
Because, the technology makes our life easier but in fact it also makes our life become more easily infected by the deadly disease. There are many kind of pollution and the most important of all is the deadly disease is destroying our human organs. The human organs are such as trachea (wind pipe), joint, pancreas, kidney, tongue, liver, and etc. They are too many people think that if there are no outward signs of illness then they are healthy. Discomfort or pain can be a signal telling us that something has gone wrong in our body. But we don't always have a signal to warn us of a potential problem, and a condition will be worsening if we do not make an effort to deal with it.
For example, this is a healthy joint is look very glossy because it full of fibrous connective and cartilage (Picture 1). But if we are not take care by ourselves, after the time pass by our joint will become like picture 2. This is a joint damaged by arthritis; we will feel the pain at this stage. Arthritis is a degenerative disease that causes the inflammation of the joints. Although specific causes have eluded doctors, the most effective way to treat and prevent arthritis is to strengthen the immune system. The immune system will then, in turn, help to control the spread of arthritis. With the human common sense when we feel painful we will take a medicine pill. If we take a pill then it will occur the other case that is Osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is another degenerative disease that modern medicine has not been able to control. Contrary to popular belief, research has shown that osteoporosis is not caused only by a lack of calcium in the diet, but also by the consumption of excessive animal proteins and the side effects of many drugs.
2.3 The immune system world
The human immune system is like a country's defense system. It protects the body 24 hours a day from the attack of germs, bacteria, viruses and chemical toxins.
The main lymphoid organs of the immune system consist of the bone marrow and the thymus. The peripheral lymphoid organs include the tonsils, spleen, lymph node, Peyer’s patches, and appendix.
Fortunately we are all given a priceless gift...an Immune System; nothing can take the place of a healthy Immune System. Although scientists have been successful in developing drugs that treat specific diseases, there is no substitute for the Immune System. It is stronger and more powerful than any drug will ever be, and is the key to helping us maintain a healthy, happy body.
The Immune System is an extremely complicated network of several organs and trillions of cells. They all have but one purpose...seeks and destroys. Whenever a foreign or disease causing agent enters the body, the Immune System must find it, kill it, and remove it. If the Immune System is unsuccessful even once, disease, illness, or death will result.
The Immune System has incredible power to destroy all types of foreign invaders that enter our bodies such as bacteria, viruses, chemicals, pollutants, germs, and other problem causing substances. The Immune System has an amazing ability to tailor make antibodies against millions upon millions of foreign bodies. If this were not true, we would never be able to recover from even the slightest sickness, such as a cold. In fact, our Immune System keeps us alive on a daily basis, protecting us from all of the enemies that are in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat. Any illness that we contract first began by a foreign substance that was able to overpower the Immune System. Therefore, it makes perfect sense that an Immune System that is functioning optimally will be more likely to destroy an invader before it becomes a problem.
Did you know that it is possible to strengthen your Immune System to prevent all types of disease and illness just by simply eating the right foods? Nature has given us a wide variety of plant foods that are rich in nutritional content. Eating these foods, given that they are grown and processed correctly, will feed and strengthen your body, allowing it to heal faster and prevent disease. An Immune System that is fed with proper nutrition will be much more successful at defending the body. But why does nutrition have such an effect on the Immune System? Scientists still do not know. All we do know for sure is that for some reason, the body needs proper nutrition on a daily basis to function at optimum levels.
2.4 The immune system main functions
2.4.1 The first function: Defense
When an invader attempts to enter the body, it must first cross multiple barriers such as our mucus membranes and skin. If the invader enters the body, white blood cells quickly recognize the pathogen as an invader and begin to coordinate the defense system. Soon, other defender cells, such as killer cells, macrophages and phagocytes come to help destroy the invader. White blood cells begin to produce an antibody to defend against any future attacks. The body produces more than one billion different antibodies to combat many types of invaders. These invaders are then attacked and destroyed by natural killer cells. The killer cell binds to its target, aims its weapons and then delivers a lethal burst of chemicals that produces holes in the target cell's membrane. Fluids leak out and the cell bursts. Example of defense and attack cell is White blood cells it can be divided into two groups: B cells, coming from bone marrow, and T cells, which are trained within the thymus to combat foreign invaders. (The T cell is located in the center at the B cells refer to picture 3). The other type of defense cell is Natural Killer cell (NK-cell) (refer to picture 4). Function of NK-cell is help to destroy the cancer cell in our body.2.4.2 The second function: Clearance
The immune cells eliminate wastes and impurities including the remains of bacteria and dead cells from our body, through sweat and phlegm. Macrophages, the "garbage men" of the body, have tentacles that grab the destroyed organisms and engulf them. The function of the macrophage is to ingest any foreign particles, including aged body cells. Example of clearance cell is macrophage. That is many type of macrophage (refer to picture 5) this is one type of macrophage, it also call “garbage man of the body”. One of the main functions of the macrophage is to ingest any foreign particles, including aged body cells.
2.4.3 The third function: Repair
The immune cells will repair the injured tissues like a cut to the finger, enabling the wound to be healed within a few days. Damaged areas are repaired and the normal, healthy condition of the body is restored. Most cells release histamine and heparin, which stimulate other cells to open the blood vessels, thereby, increasing circulation and allowing the process of cell and tissue regeneration.
2.5 Proper Nutrition
We must first determine what proper nutrition is. Is it steak, eggs, and milk? Is it vitamin supplements? Is it a miracle drug? Is it producing from the grocery store? Sadly, the answer to all of these questions is "no". In simple terms, proper nutrition is defined as
1. Plant food
2. Healthy plant
3. Wholesome plant
4. Rich in phytochemical
5. Many varieties and sufficient quantities
6. Does not interfere with the body's repair ability and defenses of diseases.
According to Nutritional Immunology, the finished product must have the same nutritional value as the original, organic plant. ALL of these criterions MUST be met; if even one is missing or incomplete, then, according to Dr. Chen, it should not be considered a healthy product or food.
2.5.1 Plant Food
First and foremost, a food must be derived from plant sources. The fat and cholesterol found in animal products can have detrimental effects on the body. An excess of calories in the body can also lower immune function. Some experiments have shown that an excess of animal protein may cause the loss of calcium, leading to a higher risk for osteoporosis. There are different types of proteins, and the proteins found in plants are much easier to for the body to use than animal proteins .We are not saying that meat is "bad", just that plants are better! There are better sources of protein from plant than from animal products. Soybeans contain twice as much protein as beef.
2.5.2 Healthy plant
A food must not cause negative side effects. Just because a substance is natural does not guarantee that it is healthy. For example, cocaine and ma-huang are both natural plants, but they both have serious stimulating side effects that damage the nervous system. Plants of this nature are said to be "medicinal". Drugs and pharmaceuticals are made from these types of plants. Any plant that has a function will always have a side effect, and that is unhealthy. Beware of labels that read "All Natural". Just because a plant is natural, does not guarantee that it is healthy or nutritious.
2.5.3 Wholesome plant
To qualify as a healthy food, a plant or some portion of a plant must be used in its whole form. Many people take vitamin supplements on a daily basis thinking that they are getting their needed nutrition. Our bodies’ need thousands of different types of nutrients, not just a few vitamins, likes A, B, C, D, E, etc. Vitamin supplements appear to be a fast and efficient solution to make up for malnutrition, but new studies show that vitamins do not function independently - they are complex structures that work synergistically with other vitamins and nutrients found in the plant. Vitamins are present in all plant foods and are essential to have good health; however, isolated vitamins (nutrients in plants that are taken out and concentrated into pills) are not as beneficial as once thought because it become toxic and will throw the body chemistry out of balance
2.5.4 Rich in phytochemical
An important element of health foods is the presence of phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are substances that occur naturally in plants and act as protection for the plants from the elements, acting as a natural "sunscreen". In fact, recent studies have revealed that phytochemicals possess anti-cancer properties. There are millions of different combination phytochemicals in plant foods. These combinations, that only nature can compose, are impossible to duplicate. However, according to experts, eating more phytochemicals leads to better health by improving the disease-fighting potential of our body. Cactus is especially rich in phytochemicals because it is a plant that must be very healthy to survive in the desert for years with very little water.
2.5.5 Many varieties and sufficient quantities
Healthy foods must have variety, because variety ensures complete nutrition. There is no one plant on earth that contains all the nutrients we need. Experts suggest that our bodies need at least 15 different types of plant foods every day to get all the nutrition we need.
2.5.6 Does not interfere with the body's repair ability and defenses of diseases
Food must in no way interfere with the body's natural ability to repair damage or combat illness. In other words, it must not suppress the Immune System or any other body system. For example, some people drink alcohol because it is good for the heart. However, it is not good for the liver and, according to Nutritional Immunology, is therefore not acceptable as a health food. Milk is another good example of this. Have you ever wondered why some people are so lactose intolerant? Milk is widely believed to be essential to good health, providing protein and calcium. However, according to Nutritional Immunology, instead of preventing osteoporosis, milk actually promotes it! Frankly, cows milk is not good or healthy for the human body. Soy is a much better source of protein, and green vegetables are a rich plant source of calcium.
2.6 Nutritional Immunology
There is a new branch of science dedicated to the study of the relationship between immune and other body functions and proper nutrition. This science is called Nutritional Immunology and it is the most promising field of study to help prevent most, if not all, diseases. Nutritional Immunology holds that the body is capable of defending itself from all foreign intruders, given that it is properly nourished.
Only recently have scientists began to realize the strong connection between immune function and proper nutrition. The special science of building the Immune System through proper nutrition is Nutritional Immunology. The Science of Nutritional Immunology holds that the Immune System, when given the proper nutrition, will be strong enough to defend our bodies from all types of illness and we will not have to suffer and die of diseases like cancer, heart disease, arthritis, and even HIV! In other words, prevention is the focus rather than treatment. Nutritional Immunology is a brand new branch of science dedicated to the study of the relationship between the function of the Immune System and the food we eat. We are at the foremost of a new revolution in health, one that will inevitably change the world. The more we learn about Immunology, the more we realize that drugs are not the answer.
2.7 The causes that decline immune system
Research indicates that the great majority of diseases are caused by a malfunction of the human immune system. The factor that causes malfunction of the human immune system is air pollution, water pollution, diet, stress and many.
We cannot survive without air. The progress brought about by industrialization and development has caused our air quality to deteriorate. Polluted air has been found to be a major health hazard. The polluted air can causes cough, Pneumonia and other diseases.
Water is another important element for survival. Modern farming and industrialization have caused the decline of our water quality. Installing a water filter does not remove all of the pollutants because of difficulty in replacing and cleaning the water filter element regularly. Therefore we are likely to take in polluted water that may cause food poisoning, peptic ulcers and Cholera.
Improper diet is one of the greatest health hazards confronting the human race today. We all like to eat delicious food regardless of whether or not it is balanced or nutritious. Even if we eat a balanced diet, we may not be healthy because of the chemical fertilizes and pesticides employed in modern farming that can cause food poising and cancer.
Stress has been described as a silent killer. Stress created by work, relationships, news report, and other factors can affect our mood and adversely affect our health.
Conclusion
By now it should be quite clear that it’s not an easy task to build and strength our immune functions. The saying “you are what you eat” holds a lot of truth. By being vigilant about our daily diet and lifestyle choices, we can prevent a host of incurable illness. Popping vitamin pills do not give you the same benefit as eating nutritious foods. Recent reports have proved that low immunity occurs because of poor nutrition and not as an invertible part of old age. Proper nourishment along with exercise and healthy habit are undeniably linked to a strong immune system.
Imbalanced diets, unhealthy living habits and insufficient health knowledge are all cause for a suppressed immune function.
However, if our immune system is functioning properly, we can defend ourselves from most illness and strengthening the immune system.
