10 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO STRENGTHEN YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM
by Stephen C. Byrnes, N.D., Ph.D. .

Most people are familiar with T-cells, one of the immune system's sqaud, since AIDS and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome have garnered such media attention in the last decade. This, unfortunately, has led the public to believe that T-cells are the entire immune system. Not so. Without getting too technical, let's briefly introduce you to the various white blood cell warriors that comprise your immune system, noting their various functions.

.......Phagocytes: These cells engulf and ingest foreign substances in the body. There are two types: macrophages and neutrophils. After ingesting the intruders, phagocytes secrete chemicals which tell the rest of the immune system that the body is under attack. Some of these chemicals also signal the body to raise its temperature and produce fever to inhibit the growth of invading organisms.

.......Natural Killers: These cells are also pivotal in the body's initial response to infection. NK's, however, typically go after cancerous cells and those infected with viruses. T-cells: The most famous of the immune system's cells, T-cells are produced in the bone marrow, but mature in the thymus gland. There are five types, each with different functions. T-cells further trigger the immune system (helper T-cells) and have the ability to identify and destroy infected body cells (cytotoxic T-cells). When the infection is overcome, they shut down the immune system's response (suppressor T-cells). They are then always on hand to recognize and attack the same invaders if they "come calling" again (memory T-cells). B cells: The B cells develop in the bone marrow and produce antibodies to mark invading organisms for destruction by the phagocytes and T-cells. An antibody is a protein created by the B cell. Needless to say, the immune system is a highly specialized and interconnected matrix with each cell stimulating or helping out another.

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