The immune system is your body's protection, defense and resisting force. When we talk about our immunities, we often hear images that relate to team sports or war. We say that the immune system "defends against attacking invaders." These invaders could be anything the body sees as harmful, from bacteria and viruses and other external agents to internal entities such as cancer cells, with the potential to cause illness or malfunction. When we get a could we say "My resistance was down," meaning our resistance to these harmful organisms or substances.

So how does it work? Your body has built in weapons. When an invader, or antigen attacks, the lymph system produces antibodies. These specialized proteins have a variety of functions that enable them to destroy or neutralize antigens. The body will elevate its production of white blood cells to combat the invaders. Many times, once antibodies have been produced to fight a particular invader, that invader will not be detrimental to the body again. Hence, being immune to something. For instance, you don't catch the same cold twice. Each time it is a different strain of virus.

Sometimes, though, antibodies get confused about their duties and are created in order to fight something that isn't a harmful invader, like pollen. This is how you develop an allergy. The allergy is created by antibodies fighting something as if it were a germ threat. As a result, all kinds of fighting symptoms arise such as, sneezing, congestion, sore throat, hives and digestive problems. Antibodies are also behind the rejection of transplanted organs. The body knows something foreign has been introduced and the immune system makes antibodies to fight this foreign object as if it was something harmful.

The lymph system is your body's drainage system. The lymph system is comprised of a network of lymph vessels that carry excess fluid, waste and toxins from everywhere in your body. This is why your massage therapist will tell you to drink a lot of water after your massage. Massage moves the toxins out of the muscle into the lymph system. Your lymph system will send the toxins to your circulatory (blood) system to be eliminated. The lymph nodes are located on either side of your neck, under your jaw, under you arms, in the groin area and in the upper chest. The chief function of those glands is to filter your lymph fluid. Special white blood cells in your lymph glands kill anything harmful that comes into your body. This is why when you are ill, you have swollen glands. It is the white blood cells at work destroying the germs before the lymph fluid goes back into the bloodstream.

There are many ways to strengthen the immune system starting with the old standards: diet, exercise, massage, de-stressing. There are many products that target the immune system. Just a quick few to get you started. A good multivitamin with extra antioxidants (Vitamins B6, C, E, beta-carotene, selenium and glutathione), garlic, echinacea, goldenseal, astragalus. Minerals include: zinc, calcium, magnesium and iron. Some culinary herbs that are now being touted as cancer fighters and immune boosters are: Garlic, cumin, turmeric, licorice, cinnamon, mint and chamomile. These are just a few of the components needed to have a healthy immune system. If you don't take care of your body, where are you going to live?