Immunity classification
Immunity is classified into innate and adaptive (acquired).
Innate (nonspecific, hereditary) immunity
due to the ability to recognize and neutralize various pathogenic agents (substances) according to the most conservative characteristics common to them, the range of evolutionary kinship, before the first meeting with them.
Adaptive (acquired, specific) immunity
has the ability to recognize and respond to individual antigens:
- acquired active immunity occurs after an illness or after the administration of a vaccine;
- acquired passive immunity develops when ready-made antibodies are introduced into the body in the form of serum or transferred to a newborn with mother’s colostrum or in utero.
Immunity is also divided into natural and artificial:
- natural immunity
includes innate immunity and acquired active immunity (after an illness), as well as passive immunity when antibodies are transferred to the child from the mother; - artificial immunity
includes acquired active immunity after vaccination (vaccine administration) and acquired passive immunity (administration of serum).
The course of cancer and its prognosis directly depends on the functioning of the immune system of a particular person. In a healthy body, the body’s own immune system recognizes tumor cells and prevents them from dividing, causing these cells to die. The cells of our body are constantly changing: some cells die, new ones grow. The natural death of cells in our body is called cell apoptosis. If the immune system is abnormal, it cannot recognize cancer cells, and they begin to divide and grow rapidly. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to activities that can enhance immunity and significantly improve the treatment outcome and prognosis of the disease.
General weakness, fatigue, malaise, decreased performance, sleep disturbances - these are all symptoms of decreased immunity. Accordingly, by improving his immunity, the patient improves his well-being and helps his body fight the tumor process and improves the tolerability of the antitumor treatment.
In addition to the suppression of the immune system by the oncological pathology itself, this is also facilitated by the unhealthy lifestyle of a modern person:
- improper and unbalanced nutrition, which can lead to a lack of proteins, vitamins and microelements;
- incorrect combination of work and rest;
- constant depression and irritation;
- chronic lack of sleep
- bad habits: alcohol, drugs, smoking (including electronic cigarettes);
- and, of course, the majority of today's people live in an extremely unfavorable ecological environment of modern cities, which in no way contributes to improving the human immune system.
All of these factors have a negative, destructive effect on the immune system and therefore every person, and not just patients with cancer, needs to know how they can and should improve their body’s immune defense.
To increase immunity, you can use medications and non-medicinal measures.
Is hops effective for breast entrainment?
Why is this method so popular? And does drinking make your breasts bigger?
Using a cone infusion for breast growth, special phytoestrogens are produced, which, by ensuring blood flow to the mammary glands, accelerate breast growth.
Hop cones act quickly, which allows you to increase breast size in a fairly short period of time.
Products containing phytoestrogens are mainly used to treat symptoms of menopause, in addition, they have an effect in reducing uterine and breast cancer.
Phytoestrogens are a kind of prototype of plastic surgery - breast size increases quite quickly due to changes and development of the mammary glands.
Non-medicinal measures
Non-medicinal measures include our actions that will naturally restore the harmonious functioning of organs and systems, including the immune system.
Full sleep
Sleep at least 8-9 hours. It is recommended to fall asleep at 9-10 pm. It’s not for nothing that there is a saying: An hour of sleep before midnight is equal to two hours after midnight. Sleep in a cool room at an air temperature of 18-21 degrees. The air in the room should not be very dry. It is important. The mucous membranes of the nose and nasopharynx should not dry out. Remember: sleep affects the functioning of the entire body!
Your immune system will not be strong without good sleep. It is easy for a person who lacks sleep and is tired to get sick. Sound sleep of sufficient duration is an ideal means for our body to regulate all its functional systems, including our immune system.
Physical activity
Sufficient and reasonable physical activity during the day: walks in the fresh air, familiar and enjoyable health exercises that correspond to your physical fitness. Ideal for a person and his immune system would be - and this has been scientifically proven - medium-level physical activity. Overloading the body with physical labor, on the contrary, reduces the body's protective abilities. But moderate load increases. Try to find a pleasant sports activity that brings you pleasure: you can swim, dance, play table tennis, do Nordic walking or aerobics, and do exercises. The main thing is that the type of physical activity you choose brings you joy, and you want to continue doing it. Of course, you can alternate between different types of physical education activities. The most important thing for the body is an active lifestyle.
A problem that lowers the tone of the body these days is a sedentary lifestyle. The most beneficial type of activity is walking. Make sure that you have comfortable shoes and comfortable clothes so that you do not sweat in them, but also do not get hypothermic. Do not sunbathe, take air baths in the shade of trees or under a special canopy! Also avoid hypothermia. Remember that excess heat and hypothermia adversely affect the immune system.
Proper diet
Food should be taken in small portions 4-5 times a day. You should not eat 2-3 hours before bedtime. Nutrition should be balanced, contain enough protein, vitamins, vegetables, fruits, fish. You should limit the amount of carbohydrates and fats. Foods that increase immunity in case of cancer: beets, broccoli, green tea, red peppers and tomatoes, nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, olive oil, seafood, cranberries, citrus fruits, blueberries, turmeric, avocados, eggs, legumes. And onions and garlic protect the body from possible microbial infections, help stop the growth of tumor cells, and strengthen the immune system. It is necessary to maintain an acidic environment in the body, or, as many scientists say, to acidify the body. It has been proven that cancer cells die in an acidic environment. In this regard, many scientists recommend limiting the intake of natural / pasteurized / drinking milk, which has a slightly alkaline or neutral acidity, and consuming more fermented milk products. But, of course, a sense of proportion and common sense must be observed in everything: a glass of milk has never harmed anyone. A comprehensive healthy diet is one of the most important conditions for maintaining good immunity.
Vitamins, like minerals supplied with food, launch and activate the body's reserve forces. Proper nutrition improves intestinal function and makes the immune system strong. Various decoctions and infusions have a beneficial effect on the immune system, for example, from pine needles, onions and honey, walnut leaves, rose hips, St. John's wort, horsetail, and licorice root. Unfortunately, the preparation of traditional medicine requires certain knowledge, skills and time, both in searching and collecting these same ingredients, and in finding an environmentally friendly place where the plants necessary for decoctions/infusions grow. Folk remedies do not work immediately. In addition, some recipes may cause an allergic reaction. And, of course, before using traditional medicine, it is recommended to consult a doctor.
It may be more accessible and easier to use food supplements sold in pharmacies, the ingredients of which undergo strict state control, both in terms of the environmental purity of the components and in terms of a strictly defined quantitative amount of the active substance contained in a unit of product. Some of these drugs also have a strictly defined targeted, selective, targeted effect. For example, such products include the already well-studied domestic herbal drug Promisan. This drug was developed by scientists from the Research Institute of Molecular Medicine of the Moscow Medical Academy named after I. I. Sechenov and has been successfully used for over 8 years as an addition to the main therapy in the treatment of breast, endometrial and ovarian cancer. It has been reliably proven that Promisan improves all target effects of ongoing anticancer treatment and facilitates its tolerability. I would especially like to note the proven preventive antitumor effect of Promisan and its absolute safety. But, as always, before starting to take any medicine (even of herbal origin), you should definitely consult with your doctor.
Maintaining water balance in the body
It is important to maintain an adequate water-electrolyte balance in the body: it should be remembered that with a lack of water in the body, all other vital substances (proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, enzymes, minerals, trace elements, etc.) are absorbed worse and weakened the action of enzymes, and therefore the immune system suffers. It is recommended to drink about 2 liters of water per day, but first you need to consult your doctor, since large amounts of liquid are not indicated for everyone. It is important to remember that the water balance in the body in hot summer weather, when we lose additional amounts of fluid through sweat and breathing, is significantly different from the water balance at other times of the year.
Shouldn't you go to the bathhouse?
The question is often asked: “How do bath procedures affect immunity?” The answer is quite simple: “If you love baths and have long been addicted to this type of spa treatments, then you can safely continue to take bath procedures, especially since the bath removes various toxins from our body through the skin. But here, too, it is important to maintain a sense of proportion and not exceed your usual temperature in the bathhouse, and perhaps even slightly reduce the duration of the bathing procedure to avoid “overheating.”
Try to avoid stressful situations
As much as possible, try to avoid or limit stressful situations. Of course, no person can completely eliminate stress from their life, but they can easily change their attitude towards it. Not every situation needs to be allowed into your life; most of them can be skipped. Positive emotions and harmonious relationships with yourself and others are the key to strong immunity and health.
In medicine, there is a term “pet” - pet therapy. This is communication with animals that brings positive emotions and peace of mind
, restores the functioning of hormonal organs and the immune system. Take note of this recommendation as well.
Surround yourself with people who make you happy to be around
, whose energy is pleasant to you and exclude from your life people who upset you, cause troubles and stress.
Well, and finally: everyone knows that smoking and excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages are not compatible with health and reliable immune protection!
And therefore: boosting immunity in case of cancer is a very powerful incentive to throw this evil out of your life forever!
What conclusions can be drawn from all of the above: the immune system is the most important bastion in our body’s battle against cancer and its prevention, and accordingly, every person can improve their immunity by following all the above recommendations. Health and joy to you!
Kudinova Elena Gennadievna, head of the radiology department of the MD GROUP group hospital, oncologist, radiologist.
PHOTOS: unsplash.com. Based on material from the New Life project website, oncology.help
