World Immunization Week is a global public health campaign to raise awareness and increase rates of immunization against vaccine-preventable diseases around the world. It takes place each year during the last week of April. Immunization can protect against 25 different infectious agents or diseases, from infancy to old age, including diphtheria, measles, pertussis, polio and tetanus. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates active immunization currently averts 2 to 3 million deaths every year. The goal of World Immunization Week is to raise public awareness of how immunization saves lives, and support people everywhere to get the vaccinations needed against deadly diseases for themselves and their children.

The immune system of the body essentially plays two important roles. Firstly, it protects the body from bacteria, viruses and other foreign organisms, thus preventing the onset of infections and diseases. Secondly, it ensures that body cells are functioning properly and are not degenerating. Thus, the immune system of the body is quite effective and is responsible for your overall health.

There are times when the immune system becomes weak and is thus unable to fight foreign organisms invading the body. A direct indication that your immune system is weak is when you catch a seasonal cold or flu. In such a case, you have to take certain steps to give a boost to your immune system, such as-

Live healthily- Living healthy does not only include eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly. Make sure that you get enough sleep on a daily basis and avoid smoking along with consumption of alcohol. It is also essential that you maintain your weight and keep a tab on your blood pressure.

Maintain good hygiene- Hygienic habits such as washing hands before every meal and after using the toilet go a long way when it comes to boosting the immune system.

Reduce sugar intake- As per research, it becomes more difficult for white blood cells to fight bacteria when the sugar level of the body is very high, which is why the immune system gets surpassed, and you are more susceptible to infections.

Consume healthy fats- Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids play an important role in boosting the immune system. These healthy fats help the immune system to make prostaglandins, which effectively destroy germs and viruses that have invaded the body.

Avoid the consumption of toxic food- As far as possible, make sure that you are consuming organic food. This is because food grown on a commercial scale is full of toxic chemicals from the pesticides, insecticides, preservatives and artificial colours added to it. The toxic chemicals have a grave impact on the immune system of the body, which can lead to severe complications in the long run.

Although, you want your immune system to be strong and effective, make sure that it is not highly overactive. A highly overactive immune system can also lead to many health complications, such as the onset of autoimmune conditions. All in all, make sure that you are leading a healthy and balanced lifestyle.

World Immunization Week - Boost Your Immune System!

Vaccines are not just for kids; the human body can be vulnerable to viruses during any time period of life. It is important for an adult to get vaccinated regularly, else there are always chances that some virus or infection may attack you in a severe way.

Let's look at some of the vaccines adults should get for a healthy and ensured life:Pneumococcal Vaccine -

This vaccine protects the human body from diseases like Pneumonia and Meningitis.

Who should get this vaccine?

Adults who smoke regularly are vulnerable to Pneumonia and should get this vaccine.
Elderly people over the age of 60 are also vulnerable to pneumonia and should get this vaccine shot as soon as possible.
How many vaccine shots should I get?

PCV 13 and PPSV23 is prescribed to the elderly over the age of 60. PCV13 is to be taken at first and PPSV23 to be taken one year after the first shot.

Hepatitis Vaccine -

Strains of Hepatitis Viruses like A, B and C attack the Liver and can cause Liver failure in adults. There are vaccines to prevent the human body from Type A and Type B. However, there s no vaccine for hepatitis C yet.

Who can get it?

Hepatitis B vaccine can be administered to people of all age groups, be it children or adults.
Hepatitis A vaccine is mostly prescribed to people working in the healthcare sector or going abroad to a tropical country.
When to get it?

Hepatitis vaccine can be taken during any time of the year.

Vaccine options for Flu:

Inactivated Influenza Vaccine (IIV)
Recombinant Influenza Vaccine (RIV)
Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine (LAIV)
Vaccine options for Typhoid:

Inactivated (killed) vaccine
Live, Attenuated (Weakened) Vaccine
Vaccine options for Pneumococcal:

Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV13 or Prevnar 13)
Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine (PPSV23 or Pneumovax23)
Vaccine option for Hepatitis A:

Inactivated (Killed) Vaccine
Vaccine for Hepatitis B:

It is made from the parts of Hepatitis B virus but it cannot cause Hepatitis B infection.
Human body is vulnerable throughout its life. Deadly viruses can attack our body anytime, and we must stay prepared and ahead of them. The vaccines mentioned above would help in avoiding some of the common but dangerous diseases.

Adult Immunisation - Vaccines That Are Of Great Help!

Alzheimer's disease is a neurological problem that is characterised by a cognitive decline and memory loss. It is a type of neurodegenerative dementia. The symptoms of alzheimer's disease include not being able to absorb and retain new information, lack of reasoning and judging, not being able to take on complex tasks, impaired visuospatial abilities, problems in reading, writing and speech, among many others. If a person has at least two of these symptoms in a debilitating manner, then the diagnosis can be made in favour of alzheimer's disease. The main causes of alzheimer's are shrinkage of the brain size and death of the brain cells. The immune system is also said to trigger this neurodegenerative disease. Let us find out what medical science has found so far.

1. Connections: many a times, in alzheimer's disease, the memory and behaviour of the person changes because the brain is unable to make proper neural connections which can lead to memory loss of how a person behaved and the elements that formed the basis of the patient's cognition. Apparently, the immune system behaves in the same way within the brain and blocks the connection. This happens because there is constant communication between the brain and immune system along neurological lines, which is where the disease first emanates.

2. Inflammation: the brain is prone to inflammation or swelling that is not the normal kind. This inflammation happens as a result of the activation of the infection fighting neurotransmitters and the chemical changes that happen in the brain when an infection strikes. The inflammation usually happens in the plaques or clumps which the brain tries to protect. These clumps are made up of a protein called amyloid. The immune system is responsible for creating this inflammation in the brain of the patient.

3. Pattern recognition receptors: many of these receptors work in different manners and cooperate with each other to create a response in the brain. These prrs can be found in the brain plaques, and they develop the signs of danger which further fuels the inflammation in the brain as a matter of protection.

4. Activation of cells linked with the immune system: when the prrs begin to respond, it basically activates the immune system and the cells of the same. This is the basic reaction that causes the changes in brain which then leads to the attachment of the protein to the tissue that is diseased, in which case alzheimer's disease starts. The inflammation that we had spoken about earlier basically happens in the nervous tissue.

It is important to recognise and act on the initial signs of alzheimer's disease before it progresses beyond one's control.

Can the Immune System Trigger Alzheimer's Disease

The immune systems in your body are always at work trying to fend of many of the attacks that happen on it every day. Although it is able to protect the body most of the time, sometimes it fails in doing so. While medicines can help to restore the balance, it is advisable to include certain food items in your diet, which boost the immune system naturally. Let's take a look at six vegetables which can help your immune system in getting supercharged:

Ginger - This food item is very good in regulating mobility within the gut and regulating bowel movement and is also known to relieve nausea, cramping and bloating. Ginger is also known to have many anti-inflammatory properties as well as being an antioxidant and antimicrobial. All of this makes ginger very good for the immune system.

Wheatgrass - One of the most densely packed green nutritional food ingredients when consumed in the form of a juice, it helps the liver by increasing its ability to flush out toxins. This results in an improved immune system. Wheatgrass is also rich in B complex vitamins, beta carotene, chlorophyll, magnesium, potassium and many other vital nutrients.

Garlic - This vegetable has been used for centuries in home remedies such as to lower blood pressure, prevent blood clots and many others. Garlic is also known to boost healthy cholesterol. Inclusion of garlic in your diet will not only boost your immune system but it also contains 'allicin', which is known to improve the health of your heart.

Papaya - An extremely good food for digestion as well as digestion problems, the extracted enzyme from this plant known as papain, is used in many medications. Papaya is full of beta-carotene that is very well known to be good for the health of tissue, skin and the eyes as well as boosting the immune system through the production of vitamin A within the body.

Carrots - This is one vegetable which has been encouraged to be included in diets as it contains copious amounts of beta carotene and is extremely good for the eyes as well as boosting the immune system.

Turmeric - Possibly the most talked about ingredient on this list in the last few years, it is known to have almost an unending list of health benefits. Turmeric has detoxifying properties as well as being anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and is great for digestion along with boosting the immune system.It is a rich source of minerals, such as Zinc, Iron, B group vitamins and Manganese, turmeric is also known to have cancer preventive properties.

Top 6 Vegetables that Supercharge your Immune System

Ayurveda is a holistic method of treatment which focuses on treating the cause of the disease rather than the symptoms. There are ayurvedic remedies, which boost the immune system that keeps the body healthy. A well-functioning immune system is essential for your body to be in optimal health.

The various ayurvedic tips that help in boosting your immune system:
1. Use spices in your food: various spices such as cumin not only add flavor, but also have certain properties which help in boosting immune system. They aid in the digestive process and allow the nutrients in the food to be absorbed more readily.
2. Choose wisely: you must eat natural foods as much as possible for a healthy immune system. Eating processed foods creates various problems in the body which reduces your immune strength. Eating natural foods also provide your body with the necessary nutrients and vitamins, which are beneficial for the body.
3. Limit alcohol intake: you should restrict alcohol consumption as it impairs the functioning of white blood cells in the body. It also impairs the oxygen delivery mechanism of the body.
4. Exercise on a regular basis: you should exercise on a regular basis to keep your body healthy. Exercises such as running improves your cardiovascular endurance and increases stamina levels in the body.
5. Sleep: you should get 6 to 8 hours of sleep to help your body recover and regenerate. Lack of sleep can impair the functioning of the immune system and makes you prone to various disorders.
6. Herbs: various herbs such as ginger, garlic and amla help to boost your immune system as they contain various medicinal properties. They increase the white blood cells in the body which enhance the immune system.
7. Meditation: meditation has been linked with lower stress levels; implying that it has a beneficial effect on your body.
8. Pranayama: you should practice pranayama as it helps in strengthening the body and calming the mind. It reduces stress in the body thus enhancing your overall well-being.




Health & Immune Development With Ayurveda

Handling an Auto Immune Disease

What are Autoimmune Disorders?
It is a disorder of the immune system where the immune system can get ‘hyperactive’ or on the other end of the spectrum can become exceptional slow in its response to germs and bacterium, leaving the individual vulnerable to a host of infections and diseases.
When in ‘Hyper mode’ the body’s immune system starts producing antibodies (White Blood Cells) attacking and damaging the body’s own tissues (Red Blood Cells) beyond repair. Treatment of the Auto-Immune diseases generally focuses on reducing the activity levels of the immune system so as to let the Red Blood Cells multiply and heal the body to an extent.
Not all Auto Immune diseases are life threatening or terminal in nature. Some are even classified as “commonly occurring” disorders in the larger population. Examples of these would be –
1) Psoriasis – A Skin disorder where overactive immune system blood cells called T-cells collect in the skin. The immune system activity stimulates skin cells to replicate rapidly, producing layers of silvery scaly plaques on the skin. These often look like ‘Dandruff’ and can be seen all over the individual’s body, accompanied by severe itching and skin irritability. Psoriasis is often triggered due to stress and hormonal imbalances along with other environmental factors such as poor hygiene, inadequate diet, lack of sleep etc. Along with oral medication, lifestyle changes such as reducing stress at work or home, making sure one gets at least 8 hours of restful sleep per night and regular head and body massages are known to help reduce the severity of the problem to a great extent.

2) Rheumatoid Arthritis – The hyper immune system produces antibodies that attach themselves to the joint linings and then start to eat away at the cartilage and tissues causing swelling or inflammation and a sharp stabbing continuous pain. Oral medication along with gentle cardio (slow walking) and stretching exercise routines such as Yoga, Tai Chi and Pilates are known to have countered the ill-effects of this movement restricting disorder, to a large extent.


3) Aggravated Thyroid – An aggravated thyroid is a result of the excessive antibodies produced by an overactive immune system which attack the thyroid gland and slowly destroy the cells that produce the all-important thyroid hormone. Prolonged negligence or when left undetected for long, it often leads to Grave’s Disease (linked to hyperthyroidism) or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis (linked to hypothyroidism.) The former can lead to weight-loss, bulging eyes, rapid heart-rate, and chronic fatigue while the later often causes sudden weight gain, depressed state of mind, dry skin and severe constipation.  A good way to avoid diseases of the thyroid would be to maintain a healthy active lifestyle and a stable healthy body weight. It is also recommended that one goes in for regular preventive health check-ups for early detection of any thyroid related disorders.

A little can go a long way in limiting ill effects of autoimmune disorders.


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How To Live With or Handle Auto Immune Disease

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