Some Things To Know About The Immune System By Dr. Jeffrey Dougal D.C., L.M.T.

Our immune system keeps our bodies defended against foreign invaders such as viruses. Sometimes our immune systems turn against us and causes problems, problems like allergies and rheumatoid arthritis (autoimmune disease).

There are parts of our bodies that do not have immune protection. For example the nervous system, which is prone to attack from herpes viruses, and our reproductive system. Our reproductive system cannot attack foreign invaders because technically, a human fetus is a foreign invader, who is part of the mother, and part foreign – the father. A baby is also not unlike a tumor.

When one of our body tissues gets into a place that it is not supposed to be, it can cause an unwanted immune reaction e.g. An ulcer lets cells from other parts of the body e.g. the stomach, into the blood, and can lead to auto immune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Our immune system can also over-react, as in the case of allergies. One thing that can dramatically help allergies, or other autoimmune problems is to decrease the amount of inflammation and irritation in the body. This could be done with aspirin, or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), which may lead to stomach problems, such as ulcers, and ultimately make the problem worse.

A better alternative is natural anti-inflammatories. Use fish oil, an anti-inflammatory diet, willow bark tea, omega 3 oils… Also, drinking a lot of water helps flush out inflammation. Most importantly, I believe with all my heart and mind that it is necessary to get regular massage, at least once a month. I cannot stress how important this is.

All cells of your body eat, drink, and breath oxygen, just like you do as a macro-organism. Also, every cell eliminates waste, and breaths out carbon dioxide, just like you do.