The Immune System

Immune System: the human body’s defense system that recognizes and eliminates foreign bodies when it is invaded.

Antigen: anything inside the body that is foreign (not produced by the body).

Antibody: a protein made by the body in response to the presence of an antigen.

The body always assumes that anything foreign is dangerous and attacks it. Therefore, in a healthy individual most germs are wiped out.

How the body fights

Macrophages: Cells that engulf cell debris, invading bacteria and other foreign particles and remove dead blood cells.

White blood cells: Cells that travel throughout the body eating up materials that have antibodies attached.

B-Cells: Cells that produce antibodies.

T-Cells: Cells that identify and kill virus infected cells.

Natural Killer Cells: Cells that kill infected and cancerous cells. These cells are very important to the efficacy of the immune system.

Most Chinese Herbal medicines, whether they consist of single herbs or combined formulas, stimulate the immune system and relieve symptomatic pain.