On the bases that everything you do affects your immunity, it is recommended that we adapt a healthy lifestyle as this builds our immunity, for it is the strength of our immunity that will determine whether we get sick, and if we do, for how long we remain sick.  The immune reserves we build through a healthy lifestyle will provide a buffer that will be to prevent or minimize illness.  Our immunity is a system of vast defenses fighting to protect us against invading microbes in our food, water, and the air we breathe.  These defenses can be categorized as general and specific immunity.

• General immunity is the innate aspect we are born with which reacts to anything in the body that is perceived as foreign or threatening.

• Specific immunity can be presented as in the case of immunization.  Every time we are exposed to a particular illness, our immune system remembers the exposure from vaccination and calls up cells that function as troops to target the offender.

Lymphatic Drainage

Any type of massage directly affects the nerves, organs, circulation and, indirectly, the body as a whole.  Lymphatic drainage specifically aims to stimulate the lymphatic system and allow pathogens and other waste products to be removed through increased lymph flow. If an immune response cannot be activated when there is sufficient need, problems arise, like infection.  On the other hand, when an immune response is activated without a real threat or is not turned off once the danger passes, different problems arise, such as allergic reactions and autoimmune disease.

The lymphatic system is a conduit for travel and communication between tissues and the bloodstream.  Immune cells are carried through this system and converge in lymph nodes, which are found throughout the body.  Thus, lymphatic drainage serves to boost the body’s infection-fighting capabilities because it is able to stimulate:

• the production and secretion of important antimicrobial proteins, and immune cells that can be found in specific layers of the skin.

• the immune cells that constantly circulate throughout the bloodstream, patrolling for problems.

• the specialized immune hubs that are strategically located in mucosal tissues (prime entry points for pathogens) like the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts.

What if you never thought you needed lymphatic drainage?  Consider that it is used for overall preventative maintenance, stress relief, pain, muscle soreness, fatigue, post/post-surgical treatment, etc.  Then schedule a session with a therapist and afford yourself the pleasantness and effectiveness of a treatment.

Water

The metabolic machinery of our cells is exquisitely sensitive to the toxins in our food, water and air.  Clearing our bodies of the body of these toxins increases our requirement for antioxidants and various other nutrients at higher levels than we can sometimes obtain in our diet.  This can make the need for nutritional supplements essential, which in turn causes our bodies to require more water for processing and cleansing. To determine how much should be the ideal intake of water, we need to factor in our physical size, body type, climate we live in, how active we are, whether there is need for extra liquid intake because of a special health condition, and how many dehydrating beverages we drink.  With that settled, we can look at the role water plays in our immunity.

• Water carries away toxins from our cells and the entire body.  Some toxins are actually by-products of our own metabolism and our immune function.  Some are manufactured by bacteria and other microbes.  In addition, toxins are introduced from natural or industrial sources through food, water, and air.  Thankfully, water is able to wash many of these toxins out of the body.

• Water replenishes the systems that cleanse the body, being the blood and lymph, which are primarily water.  The lymphatic system is one of fluid laden with antibodies and white blood cells.  This system has been recognised for thousands of years as a source of purification.  A cleansing process that helps to keep bacteria in balance.  Although many of the bacteria in our bodies are beneficial, to stay healthy, we need to maintain that balance.

What if you never get thirsty?  One of the best ways to cope with lack of thirst is to drink water on schedule.  Make sure that it is a pleasant experience, something you look forward to.  In case there is no cooler at your destination, always walk with your own water to meet your daily need.

Sleep

We depend on adequate restful sleep to restore our bodies and refresh our minds.  During deep sleep, our bodies release potent immune-enhancing substances that strengthen immune function.  That being said, it is true that sleep requirements are highly individual.  It is necessary to find our own ideal balance of sleep, rest and activity in order to stay as healthy as possible.  Quality sleep is beneficial in that it provides the body with a chance to rest and repair.  In the absence of this there can be reduced immunity, daytime drowsiness, higher stress, impaired memory, reduced coordination, mood shifts, etc.