Your body shows signs of a strong immune system pretty often. One example is when you get a mosquito bite. The red, bumpy itch is a sign of your immune system at work. The flu or a cold is a typical example of your body failing to stop the germs/bacteria before they get in.

Exposure to very high levels of radiation, such as being close to an atomic blast, can cause acute health effects such as skin burns and acute radiation syndrome (“radiation sickness”). It can also result in long-term health effects such as cancer and cardiovascular disease.

6 side effects of radiation therapy to the pelvis in women

• Diarrhea. Many patients develop diarrhea during radiation therapy.
• Bladder and vaginal irritation. The inside lining of the bladder sometimes becomes irritated during radiation.
• Yeast infections.
• Infertility.
• Sexual side effects.
• Fatigue.

Myth. Taking a daily multivitamin is probably a good idea to stay healthy if you eat poorly. But taking megadoses of a single vitamin or supplement has not been proven to help the immune system.

Tests used to diagnose an immune disorder include: Blood tests. Blood tests can determine if you have normal levels of infection-fighting proteins (immunoglobulin) in your blood and measure the levels of blood cells and immune system cells. Abnormal numbers of certain cells can indicate an immune system defect.

5 Ways to Boost Your Immune System

1. Maintain a healthy diet. As with most things in your body, a healthy diet is key to a strong immune system.
2. Exercise regularly.
3. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.
4. Get plenty of sleep.
5. Minimize stress.
6. One last word on supplements.

Your white blood cells lock on to the germs in order to absorb or destroy them. They have antibodies that latch onto the germs. Experience makes your immune system stronger. The first time your body comes into contact with a certain type of germ, your immune response may take a while.

The main parts of the immune system are: white blood cells, antibodies, the complement system, the lymphatic system, the spleen, the thymus, and the bone marrow. These are the parts of your immune system that actively fight infection.

How Does the Immune System Work?

• Innate immunity: Everyone is born with innate (or natural) immunity, a type of general protection.
• Adaptive immunity: Adaptive (or active) immunity develops throughout our lives.
• Passive immunity: Passive immunity is “borrowed” from another source and it lasts for a short time.

True, the brain is the body’s command center, but the immune system—unlike our organs—is not in one place. Immune cells rove freely through the blood and into most of our tissues and can respond relatively independently to local conditions.

The immune system protects your child’s body from outside invaders, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and toxins (chemicals produced by microbes). It is made up of different organs, cells, and proteins that work together. There are two main parts of the immune system: The innate immune system, which you are born with.