V O L U M E 8 • I S S U E 7 • J U LY 2 0 1 4
A SLICE OF ORANGE Refreshing Your Health
SYSTEM IN FOCUS: THE IMMUNE SYSTEM • The innate immune system • The adaptive immune system
System in focus: The immune system YOUR BODY HAS A STATE-OF-THE-ART DEFENSE SYSTEM. HOW DO YOU KEEP YOUR “SOLDIERS” COMBAT READY? The world is a scary place, filled with danger in every turn. You can get injured,
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and then there’s the billions of microbes—bacteria,viruses, and fungi—assaulting our bodies. So why aren’t we always sick? Because our body has its own selfdefense to combat injury and infections.
A SLICE OF ORANGE
V O L U M E 8 • I S S U E 7 • J U LY 2 0 1 4
The body defends itself in two ways: the innate immune system, and the adaptive immmune system. The innate immune system
to mount a stronger defense. This increased
In some instances, allergies can be so severe
blood flow leads to swelling in the affect-
that it becomes fatal. The histamine release
This system defends
ed area. One of these chemical signals is
is so profound that the blood pressure drops
the body from harm
histamine.
and the air passages become swollen.
in a generic, nonStaying healthy
specific way. It does its function without needing to recognize
The first thing to know is if you have any al-
the harmful agent (be
lergies. Try to recall and list down instances
it microbes or toxins, etc.). These include
where you had rashes, rhinitis, asthma, or
surface barriers, such as your skin and the
unexplained diarrhea. Then try to recall any
linings of your respiratory tract and gastroin-
triggering substance exposure that you may
testinal tract. These barriers not only blocks
possibly be allergic to. Do this especially if you have a parent with an allergy as well. If
microbes and toxins, but also uses special antibodies and chemicals that either neutral-
What could go wrong
you have a hard time with this, visit a doctor for a skin test, which will test a number of
ize, inactivate, or digest harmful agents. Unless these barriers are broken, for example,
Disorders of the barriers, macrophages, and
substances you may be allergic to. Then try
when you have a wound, these bariers can
NK cells are very rare in otherwise healthy
as much as possible to avoid these triggers.
be quite effective as a first line of defense.
people. However, the activity of the eosinophils and mast cells can go haywire. They
If you have allergies, it is wise to always
If these barriers do
can become activated by otherwise non-
carry with you an over-the-counter anti-hista-
get broken, the sec-
harmful substances, releasing large amounts
mine, such as diphenhydramine, loratidine,
ond line of defense
of histamine, leading to what we know as
or cetirizine. Take the medication as soon as
comes into action.
“allergy”. An allergy is a form of hypersensi-
symptoms of allergy set in.
These are the non-
tivity, where the body’s defence mechanisms
specific white blood
over-react to a harmless substance. The most
Some studies suggest that probiotics such
cells
in
common causes of allergies, or allergens,
as cultured milk or yogurt, especially when
the form of macrophages, mast cells, eo-
are: foods such as milk, soy, eggs, wheat,
given regularly as a child, can help pre-
sinophils, and natural killer cells (NK cells),
nuts, peanuts, fish, and shellfish (shrimp,
vent allergies or lessen allergic reactions.
among others. These terms may seem very
crabs, lobsters, etc); and chemicals such as
I personally encourage allergy patients to
technical, but a basic understanding would
metals, latex, fragrances, soaps, and dyes.
take these foods regularly, unless they are
(WBCs)
allergic to milk.
be helpful. Allergies can manifest as either a skin rash When these WBCs come into contact with
(dermatitis); sneezing, watery nose, or
foreign materials including microbes and
stuffed nose (rhinitis); or asthma. Sometimes,
chemicals, they are activated. Macrophages
food allergies can manifest as diarrhea
and NK cells try to engulf and digest these
or abdominal pain. Rhinitis from allergies
foreign materials. At the same time, these
usually occur in the morning, and disappear
cells, together with mast cells and eosino-
in the afternoon.
phils, release chemical signals that increase the blood flow to the area or “point-of-entry”.
Allergies can be inherited: a child with a
This increase in blood flow helps to flood
parent with allergies is likely to develop
the tissues in that area with more blood cells
allergies too.
A SLICE OF ORANGE
V O L U M E 8 • I S S U E 7 • J U LY 2 0 1 4
The adaptive immune system
The most common causes of immundeficien-
resistensya goes down. However, let’s take
cy are old age, obesity, diabetes, alcohol-
it a bit further: eat a high protein diet, but
innate
ism, illicit drug use, and malnutrition (in par-
avoid diabetes and obesity by avoiding
adap-
ticular, low protein intake). These conditions
fried foods and simple sugars. Pile on veg-
tive immune system
impair the ability of lymphocytes to function,
etables, fruits, healthy protein sources such
mounts a slower but
which leads to more frequent and more se-
as eggs, meats, and beans.
more effective and
vere infections, including more respiratory
long-lasting defense.
and skin infections.
Unlike system,
the the
In addition, it often develops a “memory” for the offending mi-
A growing cause of immunodeficiencies
crobe so that the next time it attacks, the
these days is the human immunodeficiency
adaptive immune system can launch a faster
virus (HIV). The virus is transmitted through
and stronger attack. This is the reason why
transfer of infected blood and seminal/
in some diseases (e.g. chicken pox, hepatitis
vaginal fluids, mostly through intercourse or
A, measles, mumps, and German measles),
injecting drug use. The virus attacks special
you develop immunity after a first episode.
lymphocytes over years, severely impairing
The main players here are the WBCs called
immunity when full blown (as in the case of
lymphocytes. These lymphocytes are able to
acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or
“tag” these microbes so that the other WBCs
AIDS).
can destroy them. Staying healthy
Stress hampers how well our body regenerates itself. Manage stress through plenty of
What can go wrong The primary way to prevent immunodeficien-
sleep, adequate exercise, meditation and
The most common problem that affects the
cies is to avoid its causes. While there is
positive thinking.
adaptive immune system is immunodeficien-
little one can do to prevent old age, there
cies. This is what Filipinos like to call ma-
is plenty you can do to avoid the others.
Lastly, stay safe from HIV/AIDS through ab-
baba ang resistensya. A person with poor
Even our mothers know that when we don’t
stinence, protected sex, and saying no to
immunity easily catches infections.
eat well, drink alcohol, and use drugs, our
drugs.
Looking to enhance your corporate healthcare benefits? E-mail us at benefits@activelinkbenefits.com. The information in this newsletter is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Consult a doctor for all matters relating to your health, particularly for symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention. © 2014 ActiveLink
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A Slice of Orange
is a newsletter designed to help clarify basic health information and offer juicy tips on uplifting your health.
Editorial team Alvin Delfin Christine Llenes-Delfin Ivan Olegario, MD