How are we immune to a disease?

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Our bodies have the ability to create extraordinary things, especially when faced with a global pandemic like COVID-19. The immune system will work to develop antibodies against the virus that causes illness, and at the same time, remember them for the next time they attack the body.

1. What is the immune system?


The immune system is the body's natural defense against disease. This is a complex network of proteins and cells that work together to build a defense system when an infection attacks our body.
Damage, infection or even cancer will leave behind signals determined by the immune system that is constantly controlling the body. Different cells of the immune system will produce appropriate defensive responses, which often cause inflammation. Notably, our immune system has the ability to remember the best methods to attack invaders before they cause future health problems. This helps us understand how the body's immune system is formed and is also the basis of action of vaccines against diseases.
Experts believe that the body's inflammatory response is caused by the innate immune system, but sometimes, additional support from the adaptive immune system is also needed. The innate immune system will provide an immediate but non-specific response to injury or disease. The adaptive immune system takes longer to react, but it can attack more targets.
In general, the adaptive immune response is highly specific. It takes up to 5 days to prepare an "army" of cells and antibodies to deal with the infection. In addition, adaptive immunity is also involved in some memory response that remembers specific germs and protects us when exposed to them again.
The principle of vaccination is also based on the mechanism of the immune system, however, it does not work against all germs. For example, most people will have a high risk of getting chickenpox as children, which will lead to a memory response that protects our bodies against the disease for the rest of our lives. However, it has no effect on the common cold, because the Rhino virus - the main cause of the common cold, always slightly changes their surface pattern to "pass the eye" of the immune system. our.
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2. Immunity against COVID-19


Currently, the coronavirus COVID-19 is still very new, so we still don't know if the body has built up immunity to this virus.
Current studies do not clearly know the interaction between the novel coronavirus and the immune system and whether any immune memory response to this virus occurs. We don't even know for sure if the corona virus mutates and "evades" the immune system's protective memory.
However, there is some good news for those recovering from COVID-19 that our bodies have an immune response to this new virus. There is a growing body of evidence that several types of immune cells are emerging and many similarities have been observed with the response of the influenza virus.
If exposed to COVID-19, our body will be able to build an immune system to it. But like many viruses, coronaviruses tend to change easily and often. A new version of the virus has the potential to hide itself from immune memory cells. This is also why everyone should get a flu shot every year instead of just a few times in their life to keep up with the changes of new virus strains.

3. How are we immune to a disease?


When germs enter the body, your immune system kicks in. Here are the ways the body's immune system does its job:
Viruses and bacteria, such as the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 have proteins called antigens on their surfaces . Each type of germ usually has a unique type of antigen. The immune system's white blood cells make proteins called antibodies that help fight the virus' antigens. Antibodies attach to antigens in a similar way to when you put a fitting key in a lock and they kill invading germs. When you are exposed to the virus, your body creates immune memory cells. If you are exposed to the same strain of the virus again in the future, the immune cells will recognize it. They then notify the immune system to create antibodies against it. Vaccines also work like the immune system. They expose your body to an antigen that can help your immune system learn how to fight off germs that harbor that antigen in the future. Because vaccines often contain weakened or dead versions of the virus, the body becomes immune without getting sick.
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4. How to protect the immune system?


Taking care of your body and keeping yourself healthy are considered the most important things, especially during the current COVID-19 pandemic.
You should change from the smallest things in your lifestyle, including getting enough sleep, exercising daily while isolating yourself, eating in moderation and updating the latest instructions from the Ministry of Health .
We can completely take care of our immune system in a simple way, such as eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables to increase the amount of vitamins for the body. In addition, you should also talk to your doctor carefully before taking any supplement, except vitamin D. This vitamin is found in foods like egg yolks and oily fish. In addition, we can also get vitamin D through exposure to sunlight. Experts recommend that you take a vitamin D supplement between October and April because these winter months can make it difficult for you to get enough sunlight. Besides, to protect and strengthen the immune system, you should look for additional sources of antioxidants, such as Alpha Lipoic Acid and Co-enzyme Q10, and electrolytes such as magnesium. In addition, you also need to avoid smoking and eating burnt foods or anything that can cause toxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to build up in cells. You also need to avoid overeating and overeating processed foods as these can weaken your immune system.
In short, a healthy diet, proper exercise and enough sleep are the simplest ways to help ensure your immune system is strong enough to fight off germs.
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Reference source: webmd.com

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