Answering this question graphically helps in the understanding of how some conditions affect immunity and chronic inflammation and can lead to some serious health conditions.

Immune booster: a product or ingredient that only stimulates the immune system.  It may help during an attack by pathogens, but would be inappropriate to deal with allergies, joint problems, and chronic inflammation.

Immune modulator: a product or ingredient that balances the immune system, so that a proper response can be made depending on the need.  An immune modulator allows the immune system to make the correct response for specific circumstances.

The short answer is that it does depend on the health of your immune system.  Your immune system may have already been ‘educated’ by a particular pathogen that another’s may not – even within the same family.  The young, and old, and those already suffering from certain health conditions are more susceptible to contracting the flu.  And, of course, a balanced immune system is more likely to be able to fight off infection.  It’s prepared to do battle from the onset of exposure.

The Hygiene Hypothesis is the belief that allergies are on the rise in industrialized societies due to our obsession with creating germ-free environments for our children.

The immune system needs exposure to bacteria and foreign invaders so that it can ‘learn.’  That is, so the body is given time to create protection in the event that it is bombarded with invasions by the same foreign substance in the future.  The theory behind the Hygiene Hypothesis is that the more germ-free an environment, the fewer antibodies a child’s immune system will create, not only leading to an overall weakness in the immune system, but also to immune responses that are very different, improper, if you will.  For example, an uneducated immune system will have problems dealing with harmless substances like cat dander, pollen, and peanuts.

The fact that diagnoses of asthma and various autoimmune diseases are on the rise, may provide some substantiation for the Hygiene Hypothesis.  According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, the number of people with asthma increased by 75% from 1980-1994.  Astonishingly, the number of people with some kind of allergy doubled from 1985-2000!   Likewise, as a result of the immune system being over-stimulated, that is, the immune system is constantly being bombarded by ‘foreign invaders’, diagnosis’ of autoimmune diseases are on the rise.

Although the Hygiene Hypothesis has not been substantiated, it does recognize that the immune system needs to go through a maturation process so that it can build up resistance, and ‘get smart’.  Our immune systems enable us to survive.  We have them for a reason.

Since the immune system is responsible for balancing pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses, an improper immune response can lead not just to colds and flus, but also to other various health issues such as:

• Allergies
• Arthritis
• Autoimmune diseases
• Cancer
• Cardiovascular disease

Yes. In allergies, the immune system makes inappropriate responses to environmental, seasonal, and food allergens.  Allergy symptoms include red and/or itchy eyes, sneezing, coughing, earaches, skin rash, and swelling of the nasal mucosa.  Allergies appear to be on the rise and they are the 5^th leading chronic disease in the U.S.

Leading consumer health studies like the Natural Marketing Institute’s Health and Wellness Trends database Report, as well as scan data in both the natural and mass market channels strongly indicates that immune health ranks near the very top in consumer interest and purchasing.  Due to the relationship between the aging process and decreased efficiency of the immune system, the immune health category is predicted to show strong growth for the foreseeable future.

By virtue of the fact that their immune systems are not fully developed or ‘educated’, the very young are susceptible to sickness.  In fact, the whole rationale for a vaccination program is to educate the body’s immune system so that it is able to identify substances and microorganisms as either a “threat” or a “non-threat”.  Vaccines expose a person’s immune system to weakened or inactivated forms of bacteria and viruses that no longer carry disease. The vaccine prompts the immune system to create antibodies, becoming ‘educated’, thus protecting the body in the event that it is threatened by the infectious form of the microorganism in the future. 

At the other end of the spectrum, the elderly often have fragile immune systems due to their age, making them a population that warrants special needs when it comes to various immune system challenges.

Surprisingly, good immune health is more challenging to maintain today! This may, in part, be explained by the Hygiene Hypothesis. The modern sanitized society kids grow up in today removes harmless environmental antigens, whose very purpose is to train the immune systems not to over-respond.  Allergies are the result of an immune system that over-responds to harmless and common environmental allergens. It is no wonder that allergies are more common than ever before!

On the other hand, in an aging society that exercises less and eats more processed foods, the immune system may under-respond, leaving the body open to attack by pathogens, resulting in more susceptibility to colds and flu.

Adaptation: Intense physical stress, such as long-distance running, can initially increase the body’s susceptibility to infection, but the immune system has the ability to adjust itself to handle the increased stress.  It is important to note that what is considered intense physical activity to one person, may be thought of as a 'walk in the park' to another.  The immune systems ability to adapt depends on what kind of regular activity the body is accustomed to handling.

Recovery:  Post-workout, the body’s immune helper/immune suppressor rations typically return to normal fairly quickly, although other elements of the immune system can take longer to recover.

Some of the more popular ingredients that consumers associate with immune support benefits are:

• Antioxidants
• Omega 3’s
• Vitamin E
• Probiotics
• Fish Oil

Since these ingredients receive a lot of multi-media advertising, consumers understanding of these ingredients and how they affect immunity continue to increase from year-to-year.

The human immune system is very complicated.  Autoimmune disorders are diseases that are a result of the body producing an inappropriate immune response against itself.  That is, the body produces too much of a response.  This type of response occurs when the immune system fails to recognize the body’s normal cells as ‘self’ and in an effort to protect the body, creates antibodies, which attack its own cells, tissues, and organs. The resulting inflammation and damage leads to autoimmune disorders.  Healthy immune systems can distinguish between ‘self’ and ‘not-self’ and only attacks ‘not self’.

A healthy immune system is very much dependent on good nutrition, proper sleep, a manageable level of stress, and exposure to some ‘bugs’.  A diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and polyphenolic compounds, typically found in fruits, is a good start. Just as important is what not to eat, people should avoid excessive amounts of processed foods and animal fats. Since people rarely (if ever) get optimal nutrition from their diet alone, a good supplementation program might be advisable.

A healthy immune system also needs exposure to harmless environmental particles – the “hygiene hypothesis.”  The sterile environment in which we live does not allow the immune system to “learn” the correct response when it meets common environmental substances such as pollen, dust mites, etc.

In short, leading a balanced life, helps the immune system stay in shape – so it is balanced, too!

Stress from many sources can damage the immune system. In short, anything that stresses you, stresses your immune system.  For example, exposure to various pesticides and chemical preservatives can weaken the immune system.  Even self-imposed stress such as that stress related to work or family, travel, a less than optimal diet, poor sleep, strenuous exercise – can weaken the immune system.  To help the body cope with stress, specific physiological changes occur, and chronic activation of these processes takes a toll on the body. 

And the pressure is getting to Americans. We are becoming a ‘stressed-out’ society.  A recent study conducted by the American Psychological Association found that Americans routinely experience high levels of stress that they know is not healthy. Not surprisingly, work and money are reported to be the top stressors.