Alright, ladies and gentlemen, here we are on this snowy Thursday (in Chicago). I decided to hit you with 10 facts about the immune system that you may or may not be aware of.
Let's jump right into it!
1. The immune system is made up of the microbiota. This is all the specific microorganisms( microbes) that are found in a specific environment- bacteria, viruses, fungi. For instance, gut microbiota is different than skin microbiota.
2. There are up to 38 trillion microbes in and on every person. Microbes make up 4.5 pounds of our bodyweight! Crazy!
3. The first 5 years of your life are the most crucial for immune development and education. These are the foundational years for building up and diversifying our immune system. The caveat here is that you don't want to expose your child to illness, you want to expose them to good bacteria. Don't bring them to a virus party, but do let them play in the dirt.
4. Over 70% of your immune system reside in the gut. Want a happy and healthy life? Start with the stomach and intestines.
5. The female X chromosome contains a lot of genes involved in autoimmune disease, therefore, women are more prone to these specific diseases.
6. But there's a give and take with this, ladies: women have a more robust immune system!
7. Have a sore throat? Cough? Throw away your cough syrup and down a spoonful of honey.
8. When you are sick, a fever is a actually a good thing. It slows down the infection.
9. Things the immune system influences:
A. Governs repair and healing
B. Regulates bodyweight and metabolism
C. Defines how we age
D. Determines the success of pregnancy and organ transplant
10. A. Probiotics are good gut bacteria
B. Prebiotics are food for probiotics
C. Postbiotics are metabolic trash leftover from the consumption of prebiotics.