Restoration of immunity after illness. What is the danger of a decrease in immune activity? Do I need to help the immune system

You probably don't think much about how your immune system works until you start expelling or. But at the same time, every day your immune system works hard to resist microbes.

Neil Schechter, MD, Pulmonologist, Lung Specialist from the Icahn School of Medicine at Medical Center Mount Sinai in New York (USA), talks about what the state depends on. By the way, a pulmonologist is a general practitioner whose activity is reduced to the treatment of diseases that occur in the respiratory system.

There are many ways to strengthen your immune system, from eating apples (they really help so much that a person starts to stay away from doctors!), And ending with love games in the bed. We bring to your attention quick guide to action, how to stay healthy, especially in cold weather, until spring.

1 Autoimmune Disease: Women Out of Favor

For example, of the 23.5 million Americans who have autoimmune diseases(for example, lupus, and psoriasis), 3/4 of them are women. Why is this happening?

"According to the results of animal studies, sex hormones, especially estrogen, play important role in this process," says Abby Abelson, MD, rheumatologist at the Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, USA.

"Your body's immune cells actually have sex hormone receptors that bind estrogen," explains the doctor. “Accordingly, excess estrogen can provoke the development of an inflammatory process that causes the immune system to become highly activated,” adds Abelson.

Scientists from the National Jewish Medical and research center, located in Denver, have good news. When she watched certain diseases progress, the symptoms were often milder in women than in men, says Dr. Abelson.

2. The intestine and its relationship with the immune system

In addition to the fact that there is a clear relationship between work, it is known that about 70% of the cells that help the immune system work properly are in gastrointestinal tract. "Many people don't know this. But the job of the gut is to rid the body of toxins," explains Anish Sheth, MD, head of the Department of Gastroenterology at Princeton University Medical Center, New Jersey, USA.

According to Sheth, the best way to keep your immune and digestive systems in top shape is to eat healthy:

• eat unsweetened foods;
• eat foods rich in fiber (for example, whole grains).

These foods help to balance the microflora in the gut and promote growth. beneficial bacteria.

Also, talk to your doctor about which probiotic is best for you. ? These are living, beneficial bacteria. Studies show that certain strains of bacteria (eg Lactobacillus GG) increase immunity.

3. Influence of sex, stress and sleep

In terms of sex, a study found that college students who had sex once or twice a week produced 30% more IgA than those who didn't have sex at all. sexual life or who made love more often. Immunoglobulin A is an indicator of immunity. This is a globular protein that is secreted by special cells of our body (B-lymphocytes) and is involved in the formation of the immune response.

As for stress, it not only makes you more susceptible to various germs and viruses, but also reduces the body's ability to eliminate inflammatory organism in the body on its own. Such conclusions were made by scientists on the basis of a study that was conducted in 2012. In addition, due to stress, the disease affects a person for a long time.

When you are in chronic stress, then the body produces a lot of cortisol, which negatively affects the immune system, says Dr. Schechter.

How does sleep affect the human immune system? If: a person sleeps less than 6 hours during the night, then he is 4 times more likely to get sick if he comes into contact with viruses, compared to those who sleep at least 7 hours at night. This is evidenced by the results of a study conducted in 2015. While you are resting in a dream, the number of T-cells in the blood increases, which fight viruses.

4. The role of immunotherapy

Clinical trials have proven the effectiveness of immunotherapy in the treatment of the following diseases:

• varieties of melanoma;
• lymphomas (tumors of the lymphatic tissue);
• lung cancer.

Immunotherapy uses a person's own immune system to fight disease.

5. The best time for vaccination is in the morning

You know that the flu shot is the best protection for you during cold and flu season. Doctors say the best time to get vaccinated is in the morning. Recently, scientists from the UK conducted a study. They concluded that people who were vaccinated between 9 and 11 a.m. had one month later large quantity antibodies that helped fight the flu. Patients who came to get vaccinated from 15:00 to 17:00 had fewer antibodies.

6. Foods to boost immunity

Scientists, thanks to their research, have listed 4. Among them are:

• garlic;
• alcohol;
• apples;
• chicken bouillon.

People who took nutritional supplements with garlic for 3 months had fewer colds than those who took a placebo. The study was carried out in 2014.

Research shows that moderate alcohol consumption (one drink per day for women) helps the immune system. At the same time, remember that excessive drinking of alcoholic beverages is fraught with consequences.

Apples are rich in soluble fiber. It helps to strengthen the immune system, according to a study conducted by the University of Illinois (Illinois, USA).

Chicken broth contains carnosine, an amino carboxylic acid compound that helps the body beat the flu for early stages. This is evidenced by the results of a study published in the American Therapeutic Journal (American Journal of Therapeutics).

Every second, a person comes into contact with millions of microorganisms invisible to our eyes, most of them are capable of causing various diseases.

Candidate talks about how immunity works medical sciences Alexei Agafonov, Researcher at the Department of Allergology at the Clinic of the Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences.

At the forefront of defense

The first barrier that stands in the way of hostile aliens is formed from factors non-specific protection.

Because skin and mucous membranes are in direct contact with the world around us, it is in them that the maximum defensive forces. Human skin is impervious to most microbes, and besides, it produces bactericidal substances that deal with harmful microorganisms.

Another protective factor is that upper layer The skin consists of dense horny scales that are constantly updated and exfoliated, taking with them the microbes that are on the surface.

mucous membranes, for example, in the mouth or nose, are more delicate and easily damaged, and therefore more accessible to bacteria. But here, too, the body insures itself - human saliva and tears contain various protective substances that are detrimental to intruders.

AT stomach waiting for them an unpleasant surprise in the form of harmful enzymes gastric juice and of hydrochloric acid. These are not the only non-specific protection factors, and they are all imperfect and do not provide one hundred percent protection.

Heavy artillery

If harmful microbes still manage to break into the body, it comes into play. the immune system. Its representatives are located in any corner of the body.

There are like organs immune system- spleen, thymus, The lymph nodes. And there are special cells that freely move along with the blood throughout the body - phagocytes and lymphocytes.

In war - as in war

The first to meet the aggressor phagocytes. Some of them make it to the site of the invasion, where they capture, absorb and digest the invading aliens. The rest play the role of a filter: they capture harmful microorganisms and particles, neutralize and remove them from the body.

Phagocytes are able to cope with the microbe on their own if it is not too strong. In this case, an uninvited visit is asymptomatic and imperceptible to the owner.

However, killing and digesting the aggressor, phagocytes secrete special substances - cytokines that work in the body as an alarm. Cytokines cause lymphocytes, and already they find specific measures to combat a too aggressive invader.

Lymphocytes are divided into two categories: B-lymphocytes and T-lymphocytes. The first to produce antibodies immunoglobulins that kill microbes. They can be stored in the body long years and protect it from repeated attacks.

Thanks to this ability of the body to remember the invaders, it works vaccination: a person is injected with attenuated infectious agents, and B-lymphocytes produce antibodies to destroy them, which will be immediately activated when an active and viable infection appears.

More common in the body T-lymphocytes perform different functions. Some help B-lymphocytes produce antibodies. Others - enhance or weaken, if necessary, the strength of the immune response to infection. And still others work as "cleaners" - they destroy damaged or incorrect developing cells own organism.

If for some reason normal function T-lymphocytes are disturbed, allergic processes, immunodeficiency states or tumors can form in the body.

Where does human immunity come from?

The earliest antibodies to various infections the child begins to receive while still inside the mother - through the placenta. After birth, antibodies come with breast milk. Such immunity is called natural passive.

natural active immunity is one's own merit and the experience gained during one's life in the fight against hostile invaders. This is the same stock of antibodies produced by B-lymphocytes.

Artificial immunity is formed through vaccinations and vaccinations. passive artificial immunity - as a result of the introduction of ready-made antibodies into the body. BUT active- the result of the fight of the immune system with a weakened microorganism from the vaccine.

Decreased immunity is a phenomenon that many people face today, although a century and a half ago this issue practically did not affect humanity.

Most health problems are due to wrong image life (no physical activity, poor nutrition and etc.), environment and taking medicines containing a large amount of chemicals.

How does a weak immune system manifest?

There are several factors that indicate a weakened immune system.

• Profuse colds (about 10 times a year). Such diseases last about ten days and are accompanied by the appearance of herpes. It is believed that a person with a good immune system gets sick no more than twice a year. Many people who have reliable protection, are not subject to illness even in the place of accumulation a large number carriers of the infection.
• Bad feeling. Talking about reduced immunity constant fatigue, which leads to muscle pain, headaches, problems in digestive system and allergic reactions. Worth highlighting last symptom, which is a sign that the body wants to get rid of dirt. Another manifestation of fatigue can be a constant tendency to sleep (or insomnia). These ailments are fraught with serious problems.
• The fact that the immune system is weakened, says bad condition skin (bags under the eyes, pale surface, the presence of rashes, lack of blush). Also, the disease is accompanied by problems with hair, which become more brittle. As the level of protection decreases, the cover loses its ability to continue to cope with threats.
• A sign of weak immunity is the poor condition of the nails - these formations lose their strength, attractiveness and shape. As a result, the plates break and fade. If the nail bed became pale, then the reduced level of protection led to anemia. In such cases inflammatory processes occur very often.
• Mental instability - decrease good immunity may manifest as nervousness and irritability. If a person has health problems, it is difficult for him to control his emotions. As a result, loosening occurs nervous system, which indicates that the patient's immunity is weak.

Causes of reduced immunity

All situations that lead to increased vulnerability of the body should be divided into two categories: the human factor and the environment. The first risk group includes the following reasons:

• not proper nutrition(the diet is dominated by carbohydrates);
• abuse of mental and physical stress;
• self-treatment (a person “prescribes” drugs for himself);
• alcohol-weakened immunity.

Environmental factors should be considered in more detail.

One of the signs of a weakening of the body is a disease of the internal organs. When the first symptoms are detected, it is necessary to go medical examination. Parents can give an answer to the question of what to do in this situation.

Disturbances in the immune system are inherited (for example, when the mother ignores vitamins during pregnancy). This information will help you choose a method of treatment - most likely, the doctor will prescribe immunostimulating drugs.

Most of colds falls in spring and autumn, since these seasons are accompanied by abrupt changes climatic conditions.

Temperature-lowered immunity can be strengthened with special medicines and plants (read). All prescriptions and a set of drugs will be indicated by the doctor - self-medication can adversely affect the state of health.

Often, experts recommend interferons, which are biological substances. Funds plant origin are considered more useful - they are used not only for treatment, but also for preventive purposes. With weak immunity, sea buckthorn, ginseng, rosemary, cranberries and other components help well.

To prevent the development of diseases in children, parents should constantly monitor them. mental condition. If the child comes from school to bad mood, then he is offended or he gets bad grades. After a while, the child will have a weakened immune system - you can prevent this by visiting educational institution. Also show all care for your child so that he feels at home as comfortable as possible.

According to scientists, cats contribute to the improvement of the nervous system. Get yourself an animal that will help you survive stress and even overcome colds.

Proper nutrition is the guarantee of health. Eat only high-quality foods (for example -), and periodically add fish or meat to dishes.

Also, fruits, vegetables and greens should always be present in your diet.

So that the doctor does not have to prescribe drugs containing interferon, drink milk and kefir daily.

If you have reduced immunity, then add to the diet green tea and water the dishes olive oil. Avoid dyes found in carbonated drinks.

in spring and autumn period forget about diets, because the immune system will be weakened when the intake of nutrients stops.

Doctors say that hardening helps to strengthen the body. They recommend alternating cold water with hot - ideal option is a douche after a bath.

Of course, it is impossible to strengthen the immune system without an active lifestyle (read -). In this case, a person does not need to make great efforts, because it is enough to do morning exercises and a run. It is important not to overdo it, because excessive loads can weaken the immune system.

After exhausting workouts or a hard day at work, you need to relax well. Soothing music, a warm bath and positive thoughts will contribute to this.

The following actions will help to strengthen the immune system:

• the use of decoctions of ginseng, lemongrass, licorice and echinacea;
• eating foods containing probiotics (bananas, garlic, onions);
• fight against dysbacteriosis;
• healthy sleep (at least eight hours) and the fight against insomnia;
• taking vitamins if there was a decrease in weather immunity.

In the latter case, the cause is beriberi. To correct this deficiency, it is necessary to take preparations containing A, C, D, B5, F and PP. When a person receives magnesium, iron, iodine and zinc in not enough he is facing serious illnesses.

Medicines are used for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes. To prevent the development of the disease, it is worth giving drugs Special attention during the cold season.

It makes no sense to place all hopes on everyday food, since the products from our supermarkets are not of the highest quality.

You can compensate for this deficiency with the help of bioadditives.

What to do, if weak immunity? The answer to this question will give the Japanese. It is the specialists from the Land of the Rising Sun that produce the highest quality biological additives, which are used as a supplement to food.

Modern technologies allow constantly expanding the range of these drugs. All of them contain natural ingredients, including those that are rarely found in our market.

These include the following substances:

• (hit of the season 2014-2015);
• - effectively fights with reduced immunity.

During the use of drugs, it is necessary to observe the dosage, which you can calculate yourself. The daily human need for vitamin C is 1500 mg, while about 50 mg is stored in one capsule of the domestic drug. Based on this, you yourself will find out the optimal amount.

When buying Japanese dietary supplements, a person will need to drink no more than 3-5 tablets daily, since they contain an order of magnitude more vitamins.

For effective assimilation of imported medicines, it is advisable to periodically take a vitamin bath, which will strengthen the weak protective barrier. To prepare it, it is necessary to boil the fruits of lingonberries, rose hips, mountain ash and sea buckthorn, as well as raspberry leaves, with boiling water. The resulting liquid is poured into the bathroom, where a few drops are also added. essential oil. Duration water treatment is 20 minutes.

Based on the foregoing, it can be concluded that the weak protective immunity may occur for various reasons.

We also came to the conclusion that bioadditives cope best with ailments. One of the most effective in this direction is the agaric mushroom (Orihiro), which protects the body from viruses and bacteria, and also prevents the formation of tumors. After taking this medication, no decrease in human immunity will disturb.

Observations show that health problems rarely affect people who lead active image life. It will not be difficult for you to devote half an hour to a morning jog with exercises.

In this case, a person performs two tasks: strengthens the immune system and tunes in to work. If the working day turned out to be very difficult, that is high probability insomnia. You can prevent it by a short run on the eve of sleep.

Very often, experts observe weakened immunity in winter. As a rule, such problems arise in people who are accustomed to living in warmth. After a long stay in comfortable conditions, the body cannot effectively adapt to the cold environment when going outside. Therefore, if autonomous heating is installed in your home, then you should not set the programmer to 25 degrees. It is enough to wear clothes that correspond to the season, as well as to use supplements (for example, Black Garlic).

Now you have at your disposal a whole arsenal of information that will help strengthen the immune system. These recommendations should be taken seriously, as ignoring them often leads to serious illnesses. Remember: when playing sports and using quality products, a person forever forgets about such a concept as weak immunity. If you feel that these measures are not enough, then combine a healthy lifestyle with dietary supplements.

Proteflazid (drops) is classified as an antiviral herbal medicine. During the laboratory research its effect has been proven for such diseases: hepatitis, herpes, papillomavirus, HIV infections and acute respiratory diseases. It boosts immunity and has antioxidant properties.

At long-term use brings back to normal immune indicators the patient's body. The flavonoids present in the composition help to inhibit DNA polymerase (this process occurs in infected cells). After entering the body, the process of inhibition of these enzymes occurs, the replication of the DNA of the virus stops, and it completes its growth of reproduction in cells.

After oral administration, one part is absorbed in the stomach (from the gastrointestinal tract into the blood, reaching C max after 20 minutes), and the other in small intestine. A small part breaks down during passage through the liver. The most interesting thing is that the main part of the drug enters the infected cells of the organs and kills the virus, but the drug does not work on uninfected cells.

Release form and composition of the drug

It is produced in a dark glass (plastic) bottle of 25, 30 and 50 ml (with a dropper dispenser). Inside the liquid is green (dark green) color. During long-term storage, it can turn into a gel-like structure (shake the bottle well enough).

The composition contains such substances:

• Ground reed grass 50 mg/100 ml.
• Grass pike soddy 50 mg / 100 ml.

Auxiliary components: ethanol 96%

Instructions for use

Proteflazid can be taken orally and externally. Inside appoint 15 minutes before a meal (with viral hepatitis 2 hours after eating). Drop a dropper into the water (1-2 tablespoons of water) according to the following scheme:

• From birth to one year - one drop / day.
• 1 - 2 years - one drop twice a day.
• 2 - 4 years - two drops twice a day.
• 4 - 6 years - four drops twice a day.
• 6 - 9 years - 9 drops twice a day.
• 9 - 12 years old - 10 drops twice a day.

Recommended for children under 6 required dose dissolve in water with sugar. The course of admission is determined by the attending physician usually 14 days(but depending on the severity of the disease, the course can be from 2 to 4 months). With frequent infections, a course of the drug is possible 3-4 times a year.

Adults and children over 12 years old - 12-15 drops twice a day.

Externally applied to adults in the form of lotions (38 drops / 10 ml of saline per piece of gauze and applied 3 times a day) and vaginal tampons (75 drops / 20 ml of saline and on gauze swab, the procedure is carried out up to 2 times / day). The maximum course of treatment is two weeks.

Contraindications and negative effects of drops on the body

Contraindications are intolerance or sensitivity of the organism to the components of proteflazid. It is also not recommended for patients with stomach or duodenal ulcers.
Negative effect on the body as a whole:

• Digestive system - gastrointestinal disorders(vomiting, diarrhea, nausea).
• General indicators - when taken, the temperature may increase, but when the dose is adjusted, it normalizes on 2-3 days of admission.
• Allergic reactions - (itching, rashes) are extremely rare.

Cases of overdose have not been proven.

Analogues

On the this moment analogues with similar antiviral effect are:

• Flavozid drops and syrup.
• Immunoflazid.
• Arbidol.
• Ingavirin.
• Kagocel.
• Imust.
• Panavir.

Pricing policy for the drug

Since the drug is exported and it is manufactured by different pharmaceutical companies average price from 900 rubles to 1500 rubles across different regions.

We cannot live without our immune system. This is the first line of defense in the war against hostile microorganisms. The work of the immune system reflects the incredible complexity of the human body.
More details below.

About immunity in general

Our immunity- this is very efficient system recognition and destruction of most microorganisms that enter our body. To do this, the immune system must distinguish between "us" and "them", in other words - normal tissue or an organ and an "intruder".

Microorganisms can get inside our body different ways- you can just inhale them. They can enter the stomach with food and drink. They can enter through a cut or bite, or through any of our body's natural openings, such as our ears or vagina.

How to increase your immunity?

The immune system is strengthened by adherence to a healthy lifestyle, that is, a daily routine, healthy eating, smoking cessation, regular physical exercises, effective fight with stress. All this is good for our health.

There are also special supplements that can be prescribed by a doctor to increase our immunity. But still there is nothing better solutions lead healthy life. You should not expect improvement in your immunity without quitting smoking, alcohol, fatty foods and seated image life.

10 ways to strengthen the immune system

It is important to strengthen the immune system, not waiting for the disease.

Experts have identified 10 important things you need to know to stay healthy.

1. Antioxidants directly increase the performance of the immune system. Increase your dietary intake of antioxidants. You need vitamin C, vitamin A, beta and mixed carotenes, vitamin E and selenium.

2. It is important to consume natural products containing antioxidants, not nutritional supplements - studies have shown that this can be harmful to your health.

3. Fruits and vegetables daily. Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and drink a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice daily ( 250 mg of vitamin C in one glass is enough for daily needs a child in winter, but an adult needs a little more).

4. Control your stress levels. To do this, you need to choose the relaxation method that suits you. constant stress puts a huge strain on the immune system and makes you susceptible to viruses.

5. Drink more tea. Researchers in Boston found that people who drank 5 cups of black tea every day improved their immunity.

6. Cereals and cereals. French and Spanish researchers found that the cereal is rich in polyphenols, which restore the immune system and increase life expectancy.

7. Soy. Prebiotics, such as the oligosaccharides found in soy, help our immune system cells grow faster.

8. Pre- and probiotics. Pre- and probiotics are powerful immune boosters. Prebiotics are food for the beneficial bacteria in our gastrointestinal tract. And probiotics are special cultures of bacteria that create a beneficial environment in our intestines, they keep important trace elements and prevent their premature loss.

9. Micronutrients "essential". Vitamin A, iron and zinc increase immunity in both the elderly and the young. Vitamin A reduces the risk of infection. Iron boosts immunity through a chain of important enzymes and immune factors. Zinc plays an important role in normal growth tissues and increases the production of antibodies.

10. Reduce your calorie intake. Restricting your calorie intake helps our immune system cells fight infection, researchers say. An experiment with macaques showed an increase in the number and efficiency of T-cells, while limiting the intake of high-calorie foods.