- a reduced immune response- lowered resistance with increased incidence of infections OR
- an overactive immune response- increased incidence of allergies and autoimmune disease.
Both responses are harmful. In general, things that can weaken the immune system fall into the categories of nutritional deficiencies. Often they are due to:
- incomplete digestion
- food overload
- bacterial or viral infection
- immune system toxins
- high chemical exposures
- stress
During times of stress, the body releases a steroid called cortisol, which can actually inhibit the activity of macrophage cells.
Immune systems problems of clinical significance include:
- allergies or hypersensitivity reactions
- autoimmune diseases
- immunodeficiencies
- tumor control
- transplants
Allergies
Statistics show that food-related allergies and autoimmune disease are on the rise. The incidence of allergy is much higher than most people realize. In fact, it is estimated that one in three Malaysians is currently suffering from some form of allergy.
Generally speaking, an allergic reaction is the body's response to an antigen. Allergic reactions can be divided into two broad categories:
a) Reactions to foods
b) Reactions to non-food environmental antigens
The list of non-food environmental antigens seems to be ever-growing and includes such commonplace items as household and industrial chemicals, gasoline, exhaust fumes, petrochemicals, grasses and pollens, perfumes, cigarette smoke, feathers, fabric, dust, and insect bites.
An antigen might be best described as something foreign to the body, or any foreign substance which can produce the same result in all people. As we know, not everyone is allergic to strawberries, pollen, or dust. And even though two individuals may be allergic to the same substance, the severity of their antigens are in many ways different from the immune system's response to pathogens that invade the body in the form of bacteria and viruses.
Food Sensitivities
Food allergies often seem to be the result of a poor digestive system. When the digestive system is function properly, it excludes foods that have not been properly broken down into smaller molecules. When healthy food is not completely digested, larger-than-normal food molecules are absorbed into circulation. When these incompletely digested pieces of food molecules enter into bloodstream, they are recognized by the immune system as foreign, at they are attacked. When the immune system attacks, the body experiences a food-related allergic reaction (which has a very large range of symptoms). When proper digestion occurs and food is completely broken down, no large-food molecules find their way into the bloodstream, and our immune system is much less likely to recognize digested food as foreign. It is when the intestinal barrier breaks down, either by incomplete digestion or excessive permeability of the intestinal lining, that the body experiences symptoms of food allergy.
Some of the foods that caused allergic reactions in many people are nuts, eggs, milk, soybeans, wheat, peanuts, chicken, fish, shellfish, and mollusks. According to one investigator, 91% of reactions are caused by only four major foods- nuts (43%), eggs (21%), milk (18%) and soy (9%). Sensitivity or allergic reactions to single foods are common. In order to overcome a specific food allergy, it is necessary to first identify the food causing the allergic reaction. Once identified, the suspect food may be eliminated from the diet for a period of time and then reintroduced in small amounts. This technique is called food challenge. If the allergic reaction occurs again and is severe, the food may again be eliminated from the diet and then gradually reintroduced later. Eventually, either the food allergy is overcome, or it becomes clear that the particular food will never be tolerated. Most people have experienced some type of food-related allergic response at one time or another, and in most cases the allergies resolve themselves. Many childhood allergies disappear spontaneously (such as infantile eczema).
Some of the symptoms that food sensitivities and allergies can produce affect on certain areas:
Head
- headaches, dizziness, throbbing, ringing in the ears
Upper respiratory tract
- runny nose, blocked nasal passages, canker sores, throat irritation
Chest
- asthma, congestion in the lungs, persistent cough, palpitation
Intestines
- nausea, cramps, flatulence, diarrhea, constipation
Skin
- red spots, rashes, dermatitis, hives and itching
Extremities
- weakness in the limbs, sore muscles, aches and pains, joint pains and swelling
Miscellaneous symptoms
- chronic fatigue, excessive hunger, significant fluctuations in weight
Autoimmune Diseases
In autoimmune diseases, the body turns against itself. The immune system identifies its own body tissue as the enemy and then proceeds to destroy it. This is contrary to the normal immunological reaction in which there exists self-recognition- the tolerance of all body constituents. But, in the case of autoimmune response, there is a self-destructive reaction orchestrated by the immune system.
Autoimmune disease is not a new concept. As early as the 1850's, doctors understood that lupus was a disease affected by the immune system. During the 19th century, however, so much scientific attention was focused on solving epidemics caused by infectious diseases that science had little time to devote attention to the study of autoimmunity. In addition, technological advancement in microscopes were not refined enough during this period to allow investigation at the level required for sophisticated immunological research.
Autoimmune disease are generally classified into two categories: those that affect an entire system of the body (systemic), and those that affected only on one organ (organ-specific).
Major autoimmune systemic diseases are:
- Systemic lupus, affecting many organs including skin, joints and kidneys
- Rheumatoid arthritis, affecting the lining of the joints
- Ankylosing spondylitis, characterized by inflammation of the sacroiliac and spine
- Sjögren's syndrome, characterized by dry mouth and dry eyes
- Necrotizing angitis, affecting the arteries
- Polymyositis, causing degeneration and inflammation of skeletal muscles
- Progressive systemic sclerosis, causing thickening of the skin and several internal organs such as the gastrointestinal tract, heart, kidneys and lungs.
Major autoimmune specific organ disease include:
- Autoimmune hemolytic anemias, which fight against the body's own red blood cells
- Graves's disease, which attacks the thyroid gland
- Autoimmune encephalitis, which attacks the central nervous system
- Pernicious anemia, characterized by inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract
- Crohn's disease, which affects the intestines as ulcerative colitis
- Infectious hepatitis, which affects the liver and can cause liver destruction
- Kidney diseases (various forms)
- Myasthenia gravis, a disorder of the voluntary muscles which causes muscle weakness
- Dermatitis herpetiformis, which causes aggravating lesions on the surface of the back and arms
- Lupus erythematosus, which attacks the skin tissue with lesins and atrophy
- Autoimmune disease of the eye
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