Fact<\/strong>: Exercise promotes the production of antibodies and white blood\ncells that fight diseases. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You do not have to be a marathoner, but a consistent daily activity can do the trick. Regular exercise helps your immune system perform at an optimum level<\/strong>. Moderately exercising every other day cuts down the instances you get cold as regular exercises cause a rise in white blood cells [1]. Regular exercise also boosts circulation, allowing healthy cells to move freely, and helps keep low stress levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Myth #2<\/strong>: Everybody is born\nwith the same healthy immune system<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fact:<\/strong> Different people are\nborn with different immunity levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Everyone has a different immune system. Genetics also affects innate immunity<\/strong>. According to a study, about 20%-40 % of the differences in our immune system are developed due to genetics [2]. Some people are also born with a weak immune system<\/strong> in a condition called primary immune deficiency. Some also have an overactive immune system called the autoimmune system<\/strong>. [3]<\/p>\n\n\n\n Myth #3<\/strong>: A healthy immune\nsystem cannot be damaged<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fact:<\/strong> Sedentary lifestyle,\npoor nutrition, stress, inadequate sleep, and unhealthy lifestyle choices can\nweaken the immune system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You are born with a certain level of immunity and develop adaptive immunity as you age, but it is not resistant to damage. Your lifestyle affects how well your immune system protects your body. Factors like a sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy diet, smoking, excessive alcohol drinking, inadequate sleep can weaken your immune system<\/strong> and make you more susceptible to infections. Include healthier habits with a balanced diet, regular exercise, and adequate sleep for an improved immune system. [4]<\/p>\n\n\n\n Myth #4<\/strong>: Antibiotics always help the immune system to fight diseases<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fact:<\/strong> Excessive use of\nantibiotics can make you vulnerable to antibiotic resistant infections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your adaptive immunity is like modern machinery, the more it is used, the more it learns and the more efficient it is in fighting future infections. Your immune system literally learns by fighting infections. Antibiotics help the immune system when it is not able to fight infections on its own. However, excessive use of antibiotics can lead to an increase of antibiotic resistance<\/strong> which negates the efficacy of both antibiotics and the immune system. Overuse also leads to a stunted immune system that does not get enough time to fight infection and create antibodies for future infections. Also, antibiotics help only with bacterial infection and not viruses<\/strong>. Viral borne health issues like cold, flu, bronchitis cannot be cured by antibiotics. Antibiotics help by targeting the growth pattern in bacteria; however, viruses replicate differently. Therefore, make sure you take only essential antibiotics, complete prescribed medications, and get vaccinations to help your immune system to build your immunity [5] [6]. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Myth #5<\/strong>: Your immune system stays the same throughout your life<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fact:<\/strong> The immune system\nages, slows with time, and is affected by factors like nutrition and\nstress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As you age, your immune system tends to get weaker and you are more vulnerable to new infections and previously encountered antigens<\/strong>. Studies have suggested a decline in the production of antibodies (T and B cells) in elderly individuals [7]. Older people tend to get sick more often and they also recover slowly. Older people are more prone to infections because of conditions like heart diseases, hypertension, diabetes, etc. that put on additional stress on your immune system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Myth #6<\/strong>: Immunity cannot protect us against recurring diseases <\/p>\n\n\n\n Fact:<\/strong> Immunity combats all\nthreats by analyzing the threat and acting accordingly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The body forms immunity when it is attacked by an infection. The immunological memories, that form once the infection is over, help combat the infections that have occurred in the past when they reoccur. However, sometimes the infection-causing agent mutates to a new, stronger strain and thus affects the body differently<\/strong>. There are around 200 types of continuously changing viruses associated with common cold [8]. This is the reason the flu reoccurs at different times. It attacks differently with a different strain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Myth #7<\/strong>: An allergy occurs from reducing immunity<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fact:<\/strong> Allergies are a\nresponse from an active immune system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Allergic reactions are responses\ntriggered by the immune system in reaction to potential allergens<\/strong>. Usually, the\nallergens are harmless, like pet dander, pollen, or mold. Your system views the\nallergen as an invader, therefore attacking it. You get a runny nose and itchy\neyes. Seasonal allergies can get a reaction from the immune system. Allergies\nare treated by avoiding your allergy triggers. You also need to take your\nmedication. With time, the anti-allergy shots learn to cushion the immune\nsystem, and it does not release the bothersome allergens. This, in turn, helps\nto build the body’s immunity against the allergens. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Myth #8<\/strong>: All diseases are caused by reduced immunity<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fact:<\/strong> Several factors\nworking in tandem can make you ill even when your immune system is healthy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Infections can threaten your body at any time. When your immune system is working at its best, you can still contract infections. You might think this is probably due to reduced immunity but that is not the case. Even in an active immune system, pathogens can bypass the first protection layers<\/strong> (skin, mucous, etc.) due to unhygienic conditions, contact with sick persons, or various other factors. On the other hand, some diseases are not caused by the pathogens, they are in fact responses by the immune system to fight off the underlying pathogens<\/strong>. For example, fever is not caused by a pathogen, it is the body response to fight infection. Elevated temperatures help speed up the functioning of protective cells at the same time they also make living conditions hostile for the bacteria or viruses to survive. [9] <\/p>\n\n\n\n Myth #9<\/strong>: Sleep does not affect your immune system<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fact:<\/strong> Proper sleep help in\nthe production of immune cells, reduces inflammation, and helps form\nimmunological memory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sleep is a crucial part of life. Your body is still working when you are asleep – the muscles repair themselves; the brain sweeps out waste, and your body releases hormones for every function in your body. Getting 7 \u2013 8 hours of sleep helps fortify your immune system, aids in the production of immune cells, reduces inflammation, and helps form immunological memory<\/strong>. Therefore, having a good night’s sleep is essential to help your immunity regenerate. [10]<\/p>\n\n\n\n In\nConclusion\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Immunity is\nresponsible for your body’s ability to run bodily functions effectively. Enough\nsleep is necessary to rejuvenate the body cells and immunity. Make sure you eat\na balanced diet so that your immune cells can get the key nutrients they need\nto maintain optimal functions. Exercise at least 20 \u2013 30 minutes on a regular\nbasis. Cut down on alcohol and smoking. Stress will cause your immune system to\nmalfunction rapidly, de-stress yourself, and practice stress relieving\ntechniques. Also, while it may seem of low relevance, maintain high standards\nof hygiene. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There is a\nplethora of information available around us, however, there is a lot of\nmisinformation and wrong advice mixed in as well. Arm yourself with the right\ninformation and protect our immune system so that it can ultimately protect you\nfrom infections. Sources:<\/strong> Do you believe that citrus fruits can help you recover from a cold? Well, that\u2019s not true. Vitamin C in citrus fruits can help boost your immunity and prevent you from catching infections. However, Vitamin C doesn\u2019t help much once you have contracted an infection. Your immune system is your primary defense and frontline force […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2759,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":""},"categories":[2,43,5,1],"tags":[84,102,117],"acf":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.truebasics.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Artboard-4.jpg","featured_image_src_square":"https:\/\/www.truebasics.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Artboard-4.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"Raj Rana","author_link":"https:\/\/www.truebasics.com\/blog\/author\/rajrana287\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.truebasics.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2665"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.truebasics.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.truebasics.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.truebasics.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.truebasics.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2665"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.truebasics.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2665\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3751,"href":"https:\/\/www.truebasics.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2665\/revisions\/3751"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.truebasics.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2759"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.truebasics.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2665"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.truebasics.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2665"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.truebasics.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2665"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.truebasics.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/cover-1-copy-3-1-657x1024.jpg\")
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[1] Exercise and the common cold\u201d https:\/\/www.webmd.com\/cold-and-flu\/cold-guide\/exercise
[2] https:\/\/www.sciencedaily.com\/releases\/2016\/09\/160929132450.htm
[3] https:\/\/www.webmd.com\/parenting\/baby\/news\/20180824\/newborns-immune-systems-ramp-up-after-birth
[4] https:\/\/www.health.harvard.edu\/staying-healthy\/how-to-boost-your-immune-system
[5] https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/patientsafety\/features\/be-antibiotics-aware.html
[6] https:\/\/www.webmd.com\/cold-and-flu\/cold-guide\/antibiotics-colds#1
[7] https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3582124\/
[8] https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3215607\/
[9] https:\/\/www.webmd.com\/cold-and-flu\/qa\/does-having-a-fever-when-youre-sick-weaken-your-immune-system
[10] How sleep affects your health” https:\/\/www.webmd.com\/sleep-disorders\/poor-sleep-affects-health#3<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"